Model vs model
Franke Minerva
vs Zip HydroTap Classic
The Franke Minerva lists at £899, £3,466 less than the Zip HydroTap Classic at £4,365.
Every number below comes from the manufacturers' own specification sheets. We highlight which tap leads on each spec; what matters most for your kitchen is your call.
The differences at a glance
- The Franke Minerva lists at £899, £3,466 less than the Zip HydroTap Classic at £4,365.
- The Franke Minerva dispenses at 100°C; the Zip HydroTap Classic tops out at 99°C.
- Declared idle draw is 12 W for the Franke Minerva against 35 W for the Zip HydroTap Classic, which compounds into the standby cost difference below.
- Tank capacity: 4.7 L on the Franke Minerva versus 4 L on the Zip HydroTap Classic. Bigger tanks serve more cups back to back; smaller tanks take less cupboard space.
- The Zip HydroTap Classic dispenses filtered drinking water; the Franke Minerva does not.
- The Zip HydroTap Classic dispenses sparkling water; the Franke Minerva does not.
- The Zip HydroTap Classic dispenses chilled water; the Franke Minerva does not.
Full specification, side by side
Sourced from manufacturer datasheets. A tick marks the better number on specs where more or less is objectively better.
| Spec | Franke Minerva | Zip HydroTap Classic |
|---|---|---|
| UK RRP | £899✓ | £4,365 |
| Boiling temperature | 100°C✓ | 99°C |
| Tank capacity | 4.7 L | 4 L |
| Idle power | 12 W✓ | 35 W |
| Peak power | 1500 W | 2000 W |
| Flow rate | - | - |
| Filtered water | No | Yes✓ |
| Sparkling water | No | Yes✓ |
| Chilled water | No | Yes✓ |
| Filter type | - | Zip GlobalPlus 0.2 micron filter |
| Finishes | 2 | 5✓ |
| Warranty | 3 years | 3 years |
| Released | 2018 | 2021 |
Standby energy
What the idle draw adds up to over a year.
Franke Minerva
- Idle draw
- 12 W
- Standby energy / year
- 105 kWh
- Standby cost / year
- £28
Zip HydroTap Classic
- Idle draw
- 35 W
- Standby energy / year
- 307 kWh
- Standby cost / year
- £83
Assumes the manufacturer's declared idle wattage around the clock at £0.27/kWh (UK average, mid-2026). Real usage adds the energy to heat the water you actually draw. Run your own numbers in the running cost calculator.
Strengths and trade-offs
Franke Minerva
What we like
- £899 RRP undercuts most 100°C branded competitors
- 4.7L tank capacity highest in the sub-£900 segment
- Genuine 100°C dispense matches premium models
- M-Box install system fits in under 30 minutes for a plumber
Watch out for
- Review Centre reports flow degradation within first year
- No built-in filter (scale build-up in hard-water areas)
- Customer support email-only, no engineer home visits
- Trustpilot mentions boiler failures near warranty expiry
Zip HydroTap Classic
What we like
- Filtered boiling, chilled and sparkling from one tap
- Touchscreen with PIN protection and energy-saving sleep modes
- 0.2 micron NSF-certified filter included as standard
- Largest UK engineer network for service and maintenance
Watch out for
- £4,365 RRP is several times rival 4-in-1 prices
- Installation around £520 extra on top of hardware
- Ongoing CO2 canister costs for sparkling function
- Designed primarily for commercial use, residential overkill