Quooker is a company from the Netherlands that manufactures mixing taps with integrated heating elements (instant boiling water dispensers), as well as soap dispensers, water filters and water softeners for removal of minerals from hard water. The company was founded in 1987 by Henri Peteri and his son Niels Peteri.[1] The company holds several patents on both the boiling water tap[2] and other products.[3] Quooker is currently active in 16 different countries as of 2023, and has more than 400 employees. All products are manufactured at their 11,000-square-meter (120,000 sq ft) factory in Ridderkerk, the Netherlands.[4]
In 1970, the Dutch physicist Henri Peteri came up with the idea of a water tap with an integrated water heater while working at Unilever.[5] In 1972, he was awarded a patent for the invention.[1] In 1985, Henri was joined by his son Niels Peteri, and on 1 September 1987, they founded the company Henri Peteri B.V., the brand name 'Quooker' was later created by Niels.
The first boiling water tap was launched on the market by Niels in 1992. In 1993, Henri's other son Walter Peteri also joined the company. The first vacuum-insulated boiler in the world was brought onto the market by Quooker in the year 2000. From this point on, the boiling water tap started growing within the Netherlands. In 2004, the first batch of Quookers was exported abroad. Denmark and United Kingdom were the first countries to become acquainted with the Quooker systems.
The current factory in Ridderkerk was bought in 1995, and has been expanded during the years. Due to the growth of the sales, the head office was expanded considerably in 2015.
In 2007, Henri Peteri died, and since then the brothers Niels and Walter Peteri run the company together.[6][7] The Twintaps were introduced in 2010, and consist of a boiling water tap and mixer tap in the same design. In 2012, the very first all-in-one tap was introduced to the market, with both boiling and cold water coming from the same tap.
In 2017, the Quooker Flex was awarded a Dutch Design Award.[8] The Quooker Flex brought a new function to the table, namely a flexible extension hose for hot and cold water. The Quooker Cube was introduced in 2019, which means that the Quooker tap can now also facilitate chilled and sparkling water, all from one tap.
A Quooker set consists of a tap and at least one reservoir. The tap is placed on the counter, usually above the sink and possibly next to a regular tap. The reservoir is placed under the sink, close to the faucet. The reservoir is vacuum insulated so that the water in the reservoir, once brought up to temperature, remains at 110°C. When water is drawn from the reservoir, the reservoir is immediately topped up with fresh water. This new water is then brought up to temperature and maintained together with the old water.
