The humble yet helpful pot filler tap! Were you watching your favourite cooking show and the chef placed a pot on the stove, moved a pipe, and turned on a water tap? Do you need one of those gadgets in your life?

In this post, I’ll explain what a pot filler tap is, how it works, its pros and cons as well as answer some common questions about the topic.

Let’s dive in!

What Is A Pot Filler Tap?

A pot filler tap is a double-jointed tap mounted to the wall behind your cooktop. It is designed to fill pots with water while they are on the stove. They’re a helpful accessory that’s usually associated with large, open-concept, or chef-quality kitchens.

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How Do Pot Filler Taps Work?

The pot filler tap is plumbed into your cold water supply. If this is a retrofit, the plumber may connect an extension pipe off of your kitchen sink, dishwasher, or even refrigerator water supply. The pipe may be surface mounted to your wall or in a renovation, it will be hidden behind your walls. In some cases, the plumber will make the connection at the main cold water pipe. This can give you a faster fill rate since you get a tap with a larger supply pipe.

The tap usually has two valves. One is mounted to the wall and the other is located on the top of the filler tap for easy use. It is recommended that the wall valve be shut off when you are not cooking to prevent any leaks over your cooktop.

When you need to fill up the big soup pot or are getting ready to steam some lobster, simply position the pot filler tap over the pot, and open the valve. You can add a little water to your stew without carrying a hot pot over to the sink. You never need to move the pot off the burner.

Normally pot filler taps dispense cold water, since you may not always want to start a dish with steaming hot water.

Pot fillers are popular in large modern kitchens as they add a professional appearance and improve function on a wide-open floor plan. Home cooks that love their pot fillers may love to prepare farm-to-table meals or struggle to carry heavy pots of water across the kitchen.

Where Don’t Pot Filler Taps Work?

If you have a small kitchen in a flat or an older home, every inch of the kitchen is prime real estate. Adding a reticulated pipe and tap to a cramped space simply may not be practical. After all, it is only a step or two to your sink.

Not everybody spends hours every week cooking up giant pots of pasta, soups, seafood, and other gourmet meals. If 90% of your meals come out of a box, can, or via a delivery service, a pot filler is not going to improve your cooking experience.

Do you hate to clean? The pot filler tap will get covered in grease. You will need to scrub it down to prevent the valve from getting sticky.

Advantages Of A Pot Filler Tap

Why should you add a pot filler tap to your kitchen renovation plans?

• Easy to fill up large pots at the stove
• No lugging heavy pots across the kitchen
• Gives your kitchen a professional appearance
• Allows you to clean veggies and fill a kettle at the same time
• Trending upscale addition to your home

Disadvantages Of A Pot Filler Tap

Pot filler taps are not meant for every home.

• It could leak all over your cooktop
• The filler tap gets dirty and greasy
• Can be an expensive installation
• Does not improve function in smaller kitchens
• It may not improve your home cooking experience

Should A Pot Filler Be Hot Or Cold Water?

Most pot fillers are installed using a cold water supply. It is the safer option as you won’t get scalded if you pass your hand under the water.

Pot fillers do not use a mixer valve like your kitchen tap, so you cannot control the temperature of the water coming out of the tap. In some instances, you may want to fill up the pot to boil a brisket with cold water. You can always heat cold water, but you are stuck if you have a hot pot filler tap.

One exception, where a hot water pot filler would be the right choice, is in a professional setting where the chef always needs a pot of hot water for faster preparation. It will be a rare instance when you are fighting the clock in your own kitchen.

Where Should You Position A Pot Filler Tap?

The pot filler tap should be mounted to the wall directly behind or immediately next to your cooktop. The point of the filler tap is to position your pot on a burner, bring the filler over it and turn on the water. If you place the filler where you have to move the pot after filling it, you have defeated the purpose of the tap.

Pot Filler Tap Height

A pot filler tap should be mounted between 300mm and 450mm above the surface of the stove. Which is approximately 1.2m-1.35m from the floor.

If you position it any higher, water may splash out of the pot. Also, at that height, it may be difficult for shorter cooks to use. A good tip is to find your biggest pot and set it on your stove to work out the maximum height it needs to be. Or measure your biggest post and add its height to the height of the range (or countertop height) you intend to have.

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What Is The Cost For Installing A Pot Filler Tap?

Since these taps are targeted toward luxury kitchens, you will not find a super affordable one. Expect to spend between £100 and £500 on the part. If you are purchasing matching fixtures for the entire kitchen, you could spend more.

It will take a plumber anywhere between four and eight hours to install the tap at a cost averaging £350 to £1000. A retrofit installation may end up costing more. You may need to open walls to properly hide the new supply pipe.

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Final Thoughts…

There you have it! Everything you need to know about pot filler taps and if having one is the right decision for your kitchen.

While they are typically associated with larger, traditional and more upscale kitchens there’s no reason why you can’t have a pot filler tap as part of any kitchen design.

So, will you include a pot filler tap in your new kitchen design project?

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