At last ... Grohe have introduced a filter tap for the kitchen which will also carbonate the water; you can choose between still, lightly sparkling and sparkling water. I've always been a fan of filter taps - for those whose tap water isn't very tasty - but I've also always had a few reservations. Water's for washing in, isn't it? Not if it's bubbly, though. With one of these taps, you could stop buying that bottled water. Even I might drink the recommended 8 glasses of tap water a day, if it was sparkling.

The Grohe Blue Chilled and Sparkling (or Grohe Blue 2) comes as a starter kit, with a choice of two tap shapes, the water filter and carbonator, and a glass carafe to store your water. Grohe also do three other filter taps. The Grohe Blue just provides filtered tap water (no cooling or sparkle) - but at a more affordable price - whilst the Grohe Red is a boiling water tap, available as a dedicated hot water tap (the mono) or as a mixer tap with the option of boiling water (the Duo).

In the ideal kitchen, I'd have a Grohe Blue Chilled and Sparkling, and a Grohe Red Mono ... although that wouldn't be a cheap option. They'd cost just under £2,000 and about £1,300 respectively.

The Grohe filter removes particulates, chlorine and organic compounds and heavy metals, whilst also reducing the temporary (carbonate) hardness of the water. That's usually enough to improve the taste. (Have a look at Majjie's blog about Pure Water for more info). You can adjust the filter to the level of hardness of the water and it should last for 500 litres of water, or about six months ... there's an LED light to tell you when it needs changing.

 Actually, I might go for a cheaper Quooker, in my fantasy kitchen ... for the boiling water ... but I'm completely sold on the Grohe Blue 2 for the sparkling water!