**Ignore the image above, Ciao have the wrong product pictured there!
When my mum replaced a kettle in perfect working order with a Tefal Quickcup, I'll admit I rolled my eyes, and muttered about gimmicks . My dad rolled his eyes, and muttered about the cost, which at the time the purchased ... Read review
...perfect working order with a Tefal Quickcup, I'll admit I rolled my eyes, and muttered about gimmicks . My dad rolled his eyes, and muttered about the cost, which at the time the purchased it was around 60 quid.
They've now had this for around a year, and as a frequent visitor to my parents house, I've used this many times . I'll admit I've changed my mind an no longer view this as a gimmick .
Essentially, this can be used ... ...to this energy wise - Tefal state that you can save up to 65% of the energy you would use if using a normal kettle - and when you bear in mind many of us boil more water than we need when using a kettle, that makes a lot of sense .
Its a pretty chunky appliance - a trasparent one and a half litre water tank, surrounded by stylish black, with metallic accents and a bright red button on the top . Its narrower at the bottom, and flares ... more
**Ignore the image above, Ciao have the wrong product pictured there!
When my mum replaced a kettle in perfect working order with a Tefal Quickcup, I'll admit I rolled my eyes, and muttered about gimmicks . My dad rolled his eyes, and muttered about the cost, which at the time the purchased it was around 60 quid.
They've now had this for around a year, and as a frequent visitor to my parents house, I've used this many times . I'll admit I've changed my mind an no longer view this as a gimmick .
Essentially, this can be used instead of a kettle, and can take a mugful of water from room temperature to tea temperature in a mere 3 seconds. It uses a patented system called 'OPTI-Quick' to draw water from the tank into a special spiral heater that heats water to 85c. That's not all though - before that water hits your mug, this handy little machine filters it, removing all the nasty chlorine and flouride you might have in your water supply .
There is already a clear benefit to this energy wise - Tefal state that you can save up to 65% of the energy you would use if using a normal kettle - and when you bear in mind many of us boil more water than we need when using a kettle, that makes a lot of sense .
Its a pretty chunky appliance - a trasparent one and a half litre water tank, surrounded by stylish black, with metallic accents and a bright red button on the top . Its narrower at the bottom, and flares out toward the top . The lid to the water tank area is a smoky grey colour.
Design wise, it's not the prettiest thing I've ever seen, and its noticably larger than my parents old kettle, taking up a fair amount of space on their worktop . It also gets splashed along the black areas when you actually make your drinks, and unless you wipe it off regularly, it will display these splashes making it look a bit mucky.
Setting it up is easy - plug in the filter cartridge, fill the tank, and press down the red button to empty the tank again - this flushes out any dust that may have settles into it during storage. Then fill the tank up and its ready to use - its default setting measures out 220 ml of water at a time, but this can be easily reset if you use bigger mugs. You can also fill your cup by pressing and holding in the button until you have enough water . At this point I'd like to mention that although this comes with a water filter cartridge, the machine will work perfectly well without one also - and as they do cost 5 pound each for the filters, its not worth buying them unless they really do make a noticable difference to the taste of your drink ..
Water comes out at 85c, which is not as hot as your normal kettle - but this is no bad thing , as it means my drinks reach a comfortable drinking temperature sooner . The machine does make a lot of noise when dispensing the water though - a sort of repetitive grunting noise is the best way I can describe it, and it can be heard in other rooms in the house . It does fill your cup within 3 seconds though, exactly as it claims to do, and you can fill a teapot quickly using this too.
Cleaning this is easy - the water tank and lid detach easily and can be washed in hot water, although take care to dry them properly before putting them back on the Quickcup unit . The unit itself being electrical can only be wiped down, but it doesn't need anything more than that really
These aren't cheap though, which is probably the only reason I haven't invested in one for my own home - amazon sells them at a little over £57, and I don't recall seeing them cheaper anywhere else . Add to this that if you use the claris filters, these need replacing every 4 or 5 weeks, and cost just under a fiver . If you replace yours once a month, that adds up to 60 quid - however, the machine does work fine without the filter, so its only really worth buying these if they make a noticable difference to the taste .
Would I recommend this ? Absolutely - is has to be better for the environment to only boil what you need, its faster than a standard kettle, and the water comes out at a good temperature.I do fully intend to buy one myself when prices fall a little more .
However, my dads still not entirely happy - he likes the product, but when he made tea using the old kettle, it took five minutes to boil, and he'd use that 5 minutes to tidy up the kitchen. Now he has to make a point of tidying up rather than doing it while waiting for tea to boil!
Advantages: Energy saving, easy to use Disadvantages: Water dispensed is hot - not boiling. Noisy
...which there are many)
Tefal claim that this machine will save 65% of your energy, compared to using a standard kettle as it only heats the water needed for your cuppa. This makes it much more environmentally friendly than your regular kettle, plus it can also dispense cold filtered water, saving the need for bottled water if that's your thing. Actually the 'cold' water is at room temperature as it is not a chiller.
It is extremely easy to fill ... ...water. I have contacted Tefal who advise that the water is dispensed at 80-82 degrees.
To me this makes the product a little redundant as whilst I have been given to believe coffee is better when made with water at less than boiling; tea certainly is not. The 3 cups I have made so far have all tasted weaker and are cold before I have finished them.
I would therefore be reluctant to throw my kettle away to rely on tthe Tefal Quickcup entirely.
...
Nicki2964 27.09.2007
· Read full review
Ciao members have rated this review on average: very helpful Review of Tefal BR303844 Quickcup
Advantages: Too many to list here! Disadvantages: Slightly noisey, splashes without raising the mug. A light film can develop
...jug full and fill the Tefal when needed. Also, the Tefal works harder and uses more energy with it's own filter, as I noticed it doesn't pump as much water through, and also makes it slower. Don't use the filter if you have your own!
**END OF EDIT**
My kettle was not faulty, but I was encouraged to buy this for several reasons:
1, the 65% less energy consuption per cup.
2, Getting tea at the touch of a button without having to measure out a cupful ... ...water.
4, Having a pre-progammable measure of water come out.
Good points:
I have bragged to all my friends about this device, as it is quite revolutionary, and makes you feel like you're one step further into that futuristic eutopia we've all seen in sc-fi films. It is labour saving, as you fill up the large capacity jug and just forget out it. This water is also filtered before reaching the spout. The fact that it is so efficient with regards ...
DAkuma 14.02.2008 (21.03.2008)
· Read full review
Ciao members have rated this review on average: very helpful Review of Tefal BR303844 Quickcup
Advantages: nice design, heats water quickly Disadvantages: Doesn't heat water to required temperature, possibly dangerous, leaks
This product was given to me a Christmas present in December '07. The manufacturer states that it produces hot water in 3 seconds and also boasts a cold water facility from the same tank.
The product has an attractive design which would look good in any modern kitchen. It is also easy to fill and use. Another positive feature is that when you press the button to start filling the cup it will keep running until an average mug is filled. Otherwise ... ...Although it is easy to use and looks good, the water really isn't very hot. Other reviews of this product state that is dipenses water at around 82 degrees- but I have found that the drink can actually go cold while you are drinking it! I am not a tea drinker myself, but when I have made tea for others, this product does not get the water anywhere near hot enough for the tea to brew sufficiently. Furthermore, with all drinks, I find that a sort of ...
rachela81 20.03.2008
· Read full review
Ciao members have rated this review on average: very helpful Review of Tefal BR303844 Quickcup
Advantages: Fast hot water, energy saving, filter option Disadvantages: Water not boiling, a little noisy
My old kettle was showing it's age, and having seen the Quickcup selling for £50+ elsewhere, I decided paying just over £41 in Costco was a bargain.
Firstly, if you are a tea drinker, this isn't for you. Although the water does get hot, it isn't boiling. In my opinion, you need boiling water to make a good cup of tea. However, if like myself, you are a coffee drinker then I think you will be quite happy.
What new does the quickcup bring that justifys ... ...water in three seconds, and a full cup takes about 5 on top of that to fill.
It's heating method saves up to 65% of the energy used compared to a normal kettle.
You can fit a filter into the water tank, giving cleaner water.
It's an attractive design and becomes a talking point when friends are round.
With every upside, there has to be a downside, and having read other reviews, I agree with some of the complaints people have made:
The water ...
Danneey 17.01.2008
· Read full review
Ciao members have rated this review on average: very helpful Review of Tefal BR303844 Quickcup
Advantages: energy saving, very quick Disadvantages: noisy, clouds water, water not boiling
...it has been described.
Tefal claim that hot water is dispensed to make a cup of tea or coffee, however the water appears to only be heated and not boiled. I contacted tefal as i found the product to be extremely noisy and they claimed this was usual, as it is the claris aqua filter. Not the best noise to wake your household with when making your morning brew. With regards to the heat of the water, tefal say that the water is 80-82 degrees when dispensed, ... ...sent my package back to tefal but was given a complete refund. The only other bad side to this product is that when the water is despensed it appears cloudy. I know it is not my water as i ran it clear to check, maybe it is the filter which needs improving, im not sure but this is one product i would not recommend. Hopefully they will bring out a revised version which is new and improved in the future! ...
pages3 29.08.2007
· Read full review
Ciao members have rated this review on average: helpful Review of Tefal BR303844 Quickcup
