CASO Design HW 770 Turbo Hot Water Dispenser Review

Design and features

• 5°C temperature increments
• 50ml volume selection
• Water filter

Neat looking and slim, the CASO Design HW 770 Turbo Hot Water Dispenser doesn’t take up any more counter space than a regular kettle, so it’s easy to do a like-for-like swap. All you really need is enough space at the back to lift out the 2.7-litre water tank.

Once plugged in, there’s not too much setup. The CASO Design HW 770 Turbo Hot Water Dispenser does need rinsing through with hot and cold water, but that’s a one-time job. 

A universal filter is provided in the box, which needs commissioning by soaking it in water before it can be used. This then drops into the filter holder that splits the 2.7-litre water tank in two.

While the design is easy to use, the way the filter works means that you have to fill the top part of the reservoir first, let water drain through the filter to the bottom, and then top up with tap water. Then, as water is pulled from the tank, the water at the top slowly filters through.

It’s a slightly more laborious process than being able to just fill the entire tank in one go, so you need a bit of planning when refilling. I find that it’s best to keep an eye on the tank, and top up as it gets half-empty or so.

With the Milky Plant The Watery, which is much bigger, the entire tank at the back is filled, and then the water is automatically filtered into the jug at the front, providing a larger reservoir, making the machine slightly more convenient to use.

Water filters typically need replacing every four to six weeks, and bulk packs are available for about £5 per filter.

Lastly, don’t forget to adjust the water hardness control. Setting it accurately is essential because it determines when the descale indicator will activate.

On top is a control panel. There are buttons for temperature, which can be set to 0°C for room temperature water, or between 40°C and 100°C in 5°C increments for hot water.

There’s a favourites button that you can use to quickly recall a preset, which is handy if you, for example, always have a tea at a set temperature and amount.

There’s also a volume control that you tap to cycle through the options: 50ml to 400ml in 50ml increments.

Hit the Play button when you’re done, and the CASO Design HW 770 Turbo Hot Water Dispenser starts dispensing water: instantly for cold water and with a short delay for hot water, while its thermoblock is heated.

All cups and mugs will fit under the spout, but you’d struggle to get a saucepan under there, so you may want to keep a kettle for cooking, or just boil water directly on a hob.

Performance

• Precise amounts of water dispensed
• Heats fast
• Accurate heating

Putting a measuring jug underneath, I dispensed 200ml of boiling water. There was a short heat-up time before the water started to pour, but the final result was within a few ml of what I’d selected.

I also measured the temperature of the output. Set to 100°C, the final temperature in a warmed mug was 95°C, which is very similar to what I’d get from a regular kettle.

At full temperature, the CASO Design HW 770 Turbo Hot Water Dispenser drew a maximum of 2400W. However, as it’s only heating the amount of water you want to dispense, and there’s a very low minimum, you’re only ever heating the water you’ll actually use. With a kettle, you’ll often have to boil more water than you want to use.

The filters are designed to remove chlorine and pollutants, prevent bacterial growth and increase the life of the hot water dispenser. Using a Total Dissolved Solids (TDS) meter I found that my tap water gave me a reading of 307ppm; after filtering it was 293ppm.

A more powerful water filter will remove even more, but here the focus is on specific things in the water. And, the final water does taste better than tap water.

Should you buy it?