Getting started with your Zip HydroTap

Whether it's an instant cup of tea, boiling water for pasta or sparkling water with dinner, a new Zip HydroTap can make life a whole lot simpler and more enjoyable.

It's one of those rare kitchen upgrades that genuinely changes your daily routine - and once you've used it, it's hard to imagine going back to filling water filter jugs or waiting for kettles to boil.

Here's how to get the most out of your new Zip HydroTap from day one.

Before anything else, take a moment to register your HydroTap at zipwater.com. It gives you access to support, expert advice and exclusive offers, and ensures your warranty is properly recorded.

Registration also means you'll be the first to know about firmware updates and any service recommendations specific to your model. It takes just a couple of minutes and is well worth doing.

Prior to using your HydroTap, read the safety instructions carefully. The safety lock is an important feature - especially if you have young children at home - and is always active on your tap. To dispense boiling water, you must first press the safety button.

If you’re particularly concerned about accidental dispensing, you can use the ‘Hot isolation’ mode, which requires the safety button to be slowly pressed three times before boiling water is dispensed. Far less chance of little fingers getting scalded.

Your HydroTap's touch screen command centre is your control hub. The screen turns off after five minutes of non-use, and reactivates upon touch. From the main menu you can access all key settings, including general, system, safety and security, and energy saving mode.

Zip units are set to English language settings by dafault, but if you need to change it to an alternative preferred language, just navigate to general settings, touch the language icon, and select your language and preferred units (metric or imperial).

The command centre lets you fine-tune your HydroTap to suit your household:

- Temperature: adjust the boiling set point (default 98°C, adjustable between 68-100°C) and chilled water set point to suit your preferences. On start-up, the HydroTap performs boiling calibration automatically, though you can also recalibrate manually via the system settings menu. Note that hot steam may vent from the tap spout during calibration.

- Dispense times: set the bottle fill dispense time for each water type, between 5 and 15 seconds.

- Energy saving mode: configure sleep mode to activate when it gets dark, after two hours of non-use, or both. You can also set an on/off timer by day or range of days to suit your routine.

Your HydroTap is a water filter system as much as it is a tap. The internal filter cartridge should be replaced every 12 months or 4,000 litres for residential use - whichever comes first - or sooner if you notice any change in taste or odour. During initial installation, and after replacing a filter cartridge, always run a filter flush via the system settings menu: this is an automatic two-minute process that flushes approximately 10 litres of water through the filter. Remember to reset the filter counter afterwards.

For sparkling models, the command centre will display a warning when your CO2 cylinder reaches approximately 20% remaining, giving you time to prepare a replacement. After fitting a new cylinder, purge the gas lines via the CO2 settings menu and reset the CO2 counter - don’t worry, it’s easier than it sounds! Genuine Zip Water filter cartridges and CO2 cylinders are available from Appliances Online, with free delivery.

If you’d rather leave these standard maintenance processes to the professionals, Zip's national network of mobile technicians and customer service team are available to help with everything from a quick query to a full service. Visit zipwater.com or refer to your user guide for contact details.

Settings and service functions beyond standard user maintenance are accessible to qualified Zip service technicians only.

Your HydroTap is built to last and designed to impress: with a little regular care, you’ll have many years of effortless, great-tasting water ahead.