Hot water dispensers are coming out of the office break room and into high-end kitchens everywhere.

With new designer styles -- such as gooseneck and twist handle -- and fashionable finishes, instant hot water is no longer sentenced to scullery sinks or bars; they have become prominent (and preferred) fixtures in residences nationwide. What follows is a sampling of offers on the market today.

Anaheim Mfg. offers its Quick & HotR instant hot water dispenser, which delivers up to 60 cups of hot water an hour with a 1/2-gallon capacity. It features an adjustable temperature range from 140 degrees F to 190 degrees F, and now comes in a gooseneck style with finishes like polished nickel, polished brass, chrome and pewter.

Its new twist handle series is available in chrome, white and almond.

Instant hot water also can be clean and healthy with In-Sink-Erator's new Series 1100 dispensers. With its filtration system now standard, the quick-change filter cartridges reduces cysts (like cryptosporidium), and chlorine tastes and odors for up to three months.

The company also offers its dispensers in new gooseneck styles for a more up-to-date look, and finishes include satin nickel, brilliant chrome and crisp white to fit any home's d?r.

Elkay Mfg. Co. has improved on its Hot Water Machine with a lead-free design and stainless-steel construction to ensure good-tasting water. Its push-button style eliminates splashing or splattering, and has a child-resistant, quarter-turn locking feature to prevent accidental scalding.

The Hot Water Machine's thermostat is also fully adjustable to accommodate individual tastes.

Dispensers nowadays also are beginning to meet customers' needs for an all-in-one faucet delivering both instant hot water and chilled drinking water, too. Several of the new styles on the market have combined the two aspects into one fixture, eliminating crowded counter space and offering filtered drinking water for bar, kitchen and even bathroom sinks.

Hot Water Anywhere

One way to get instant hot water at any fixture -- especially those furthest from a home's water heating source -- is to install a circulating pump. Laing Thermotech Inc.'s AutoCircR is a compact pump installed under a sink and delivers water up to 95 degrees F to a faucet or shower with no waiting time.

AutoCirc features a built-in temperature sensor that automatically turns the pump on when the water temperature in the hot water supply line cools to 85 degrees F. An auto-closure device prevents hot or cold water from mixing in either supply line.

The benefits of installing hot water dispensers in a client's home can be seen in energy, water and time savings. No more water wasted down the drain waiting for a desired temperature. And time is precious to us all, so why should homeowners have to wait while preparing foods labeled "instant"?