InSinkErator H770-SS Invite Instant Hot Water Dispenser, Chrome and Black

Comment: The hot water dispenser is one of the most used appliances in our kitchen. It's not just for making a couple of quick cups of tea (which we do nightly), but it's used throughout the day for wiping, cleaning, sanitizing, or getting a jump start on boiling a pot of water. When I had the stove and microwave removed for a week while remodeling the kitchen, my wife never once said anything about the inconvenience. When the hot water dispenser goes out, she hands me my car keys for a trip to the hardware store for a replacement.

The Insinkerator H770 is the third Insinkerator I've installed. It is now the last Insinkerator I'll every buy. Like the other two (Hot-1s), it didn't last long. The Hot-1s lasted just over two years each, the H770 has lasted less than that.

H770 safety flaw: Recently, I found the circuit breaker had tripped during the night. I disassembled the tank. The heating coil sheath is corroded through, though it appears to be stainless steel. The tank is still in great shape (it is definitely stainless steel). Thus, my first sign of trouble was when the circuit breaker tripped. In my opinion, exceeding rated amperage on a house circuit and depending on tripping an electrical safety device is not an acceptable way for Insinkerator to let me know there is a problem beginning inside the tank. Hooray for circuit breakers. By contrast, the Hot-1 tank is thin copper. It corrodes through causing a mess under the sink before the heating coil can short out. In a strange way, that is a safer design, though obviously still highly undesirable.

For completeness:
H770 pros:
- Adequate reservoir size: The tank is large enough that you can get two cups of hot water for tea before the cold water begins to cool things down too much. The Hot-1's tank is too small for two mugs of tea.
- Practically instant flow of hot water. There is a small reservoir at the top of the tank which provides a volume of hot water at the ready. It works well. The Hot-1s had a noticeable delay between activating the dispenser and receiving flow. Also, the Hot-1 can spit hot water toward the end of the heating cycle. The H770 never did.
- Narrow tank: There is just enough room between the sink drain pipe and the cabinet sidewall to slide this tank all the way to the back wall, out of the way in the corner. There are other companies who missed this fine point.
- warranty period: Three years. But I'm not going to take advantage of it.

H770 cons:
- Twist top dispenser: No one in the family likes it. Unless your hands are dry, it requires a lot of grip to keep it from slipping--especially if they are soapy. Also, having had two dispensers with levers before, we found that what we used to be able to do with one hand (hold a cup and push the lever at the same time), now required two hands.
- Low profile faucet: We all much prefer a high arch to the dispenser faucet.
- Electrical safety!!

After this incident, my wife didn't hand me my keys for the trip to the hardware store since they only stock Insinkerators. We decided it was worth the wait for a different brand to arrive by mail. (We went with Waste King, ordered through Amazon.)

Comment: This H770 is now the third of the model line I've purchased in the last decade for three different houses. Seems to always be the price/performance point that I go for. Not the top of the heap in build quality, but what do you expect when the price is on the low-end? Fortunately, over time InSinkErator has improved build quality and features. The latest model is definitely the best of the three and I sure like having a large temperature control dial over the previous small hole for a screwdriver.

As for hissing and spitting issue, the solution is simple - turn the temperature control down so it is below a boil.

Comment: My two-year-old H770-SS started leaking a few weeks ago and a call to Insinkerator got me a new tank delivered under warranty. After installing the new tank I disassembled the old unit and found that the leak was not from the tank, but from a plastic hose that had been overheated as it was up against the hot tank over a part of its run. I would characterize this as a design or fabrication flaw, likely common to all units built around that time.

Comment: We purchased one in 2006 and had it professionally installed by a plumber we often use. It's never worked that well. When it cycles to heat water, it leaks out the spigot. I turned down the heat setting and that solved some of it, but not all. And, of course, the lower temperature means that "near boiling" isn't even close. Now, four years after we installed it, the case is leaking and the unit needs to be replaced. Our plumber tells us that this is typical for these units, and he replaces InSinkErator instant hot water dispensers all the time. Even with a warranty, we plan to scrap it and buy something better -- anything except from this manufacturer.

Comment: The quality of this product has really gone downhill. The first one I purchased lasted 10 years until it started leaking. This time the dispenser started leaking after only 2 1/2 years. It was a nice convenience while it lasted but I will go back to heating water in the microwave. The fact that InSinkErator only warranties this dispenser for 3 years should tell you something. I would not recommend purchasing this brand.