Between the limited capacity of electric kettles and large-scale potable water heaters for commercial applications, is the humble thermo pot – a form of hot water dispenser with built-in rewarming elements that maintain high water temperatures in storage tanks typically larger than most electric kettles. Thermo pots are also small enough to be moved around, dispensing piping hot water on demand wherever a power outlet may be found. If your household suffers a perpetual shortage of readily available boiled water, take a look at our top five picks of thermo pots here.
The pictured ELBA thermo pot (ETP-D6013) has one of the highest capacities in this list, it is capable of boiling and keeping hot up to six litres of water in a storage tank composed of food-grade (304) stainless steel. This robust thermo pot also sports some features for surprising mobility, with a convenient carrying handle and a base that enables the entire pot to be rotated all the way around.
While other manufacturers issue warnings against the use of liquids other than water in their thermo pots, Malaysia’s own home-grown appliance manufacturer provides us with a device capable of handling milk the way other thermo pots handle water. Hesstar’s HTP-S60TC features a storage tank constructed from 304 grade stainless steel, with an inner coating derived from the dairy industry – enabling this thermo pot to boil water or pasteurise and store milk.
Drawing from an obscure element of Japanese culinary expertise and their own extensive experience in manufacturing medical equipment, Panasonic provides a thermo pot with an innovation combining medical-grade non-stick coatings (fluorine-doped diamond-like carbon) with Binchōtan – the finest white charcoal available. The white-on-black speckled coating is Panasonic’s hallmark and found in any of their appliances that contain a heating element. The proprietary coating is purportedly superior at efficient heating and microbial build-up prevention – leading to increased energy savings and reduced maintenance.
Penang’s own homophonic answer to the aforementioned electronics giant presents the other largest thermo pot in this list – Pensonic’s PTF-6000 is of a design similar to Elba’s: a six-litre-capacity tank constructed from 403-grade stainless steel, a 730-watt heating element embedded into the bottom, a carrying handle, and a 360-degree rotating base. As expected of any standard thermo pot, the PTF-6000 is capable of automatically re-boiling and keeping warm water and dispensing it one of two ways: for as long as the appropriate button is pressed, or just enough to fill one cup.
While this particular thermo pot from Toshiba appears diminutive, its deceptively small body contains a respectably-sized storage tank of 4.5 litres, in addition to a host of processes to prevent accident scaldings and to subtly improve the water’s taste. Toshiba’s PLK-45SFIM is fitted with a host of electronic locks requiring intentional unlocking in order to dispense boiling hot water, and it periodically reboils the water to remove chlorine and to keep it hot every six hours – all without it being told.
* Brands are listed alphabetically