February 14, 2008 Increasing awareness of the urgent need to address global carbon emissions is leading to changes in the way we consume energy in our day to day lives. It's a classic "every little bit helps" scenario - from turning off appliances at the power point to using the "eco" function on the washing machine - and following this philosophy, Tefal has introduced a great little energy saver known as the Quick Cup. This device offers a fantastic alternative to traditional kettles that take an average of three minutes to boil (and often heat excess water that isn't utilized) by delivering the exact amount of hot filtered water needed for a cup of tea or coffee in three seconds flat while using only a third of the energy of an ordinary kettle.
The Quick Cup utilizes Tefal’s Optiquick patented heating system that heats water on demand, to ensure there is no more waiting around for the kettle to boil when that craving for a hot beverage hits. When the button on the device is pushed, a pre-set amount of 232ml (around 7.8 ounces) of cold water, the perfect amount for a cuppa, is pumped from the water tank. The water is pushed through the heating element in a spiral shaped compartment, heating the water immediately and releasing it straight to your cup.
Traditional kettles are notorious energy guzzlers, representing around 27 percent of all electricity used in domestic cooking. The Quick Cup consumes 68 % less energy than a traditional kettle as it only heats the amount of water actually needed. Over a 12 month period, the energy saved by using the Quick Cup instead of a kettle would be enough to light your home for more than three months, based upon a home with ten light points using 100 watt bulbs.
Employing sophisticated French design, the Quick Cup looks a little like a cross between a super modern kettle and a coffee machine. It includes an inbuilt water filter, reducing chlorine, copper, lead and pesticides in the water, making it much healthier to drink than water directly from the tap. The upstream system of the Claris cartridge filters water in three seconds compared with the 240 seconds of the traditional gravitation system. This compact, all-in-one filtration solution with no extra tank only filters water immediately needed, and is less likely to develop germs as the filter is always immersed in water.
Other features of the Quick Cup include a stainless steel control panel, removable 1.5L (around 50 ounces) water tank, cool touch exterior, adjustable dosage control, automatic mug size function, anti-dust lid and an easy lift handle. You can also have a glass of cool filtered water by pressing the blue button instead of the red.
The Tefal Quick Cup will be available from April this year at a recommended retail price of AUD$129.95.
