I've had one for about a year-and-a-half and I use it a lot and really like it. Ours is plugged into the same outlet that our disposer is plugged into - no problems with that (it was done by electricians). I plugged mine into a programmable timer. I mostly only use the hot water in the morning for tea etc. and at night when making dinner. So I have it on a timer so that it runs for a period of time in the morning, and in the evening, but is off most of the middle of the day and overnight so that it's not continually heating water when I'm not likely to use it. I'm not sure if it saves a lot, but it was easy and inexpensive to do, and I guess it doesn't hurt.

You've probably never been in a home with properly sized ductwork. Don't feel bad, it's estimated that as much as 3/4 of the heating and cooling systems in the US are oversized. 2 stage and modulating furnaces are better, but I've lived in a home with both, and both can be very comfortable and the single stage equipment doesn't make it feel more dry that I can tell. BUt you are correct, multistage cna reduce the sense of dryness you might get with a less than ideal system. THe RH of hot air is lower than cooler air, but cool air can make things feel drafty. That's why radiant heat is popular. You essentially have very, very low air velocities and much of the heat energy is indirect infrared heat which make you feel warmer, similar to direct sunlight. Keep in mind too, that unless you have an outdoor rest control for hte boiler or to sped up or slow the circulator, most hydronic air handlers are single stage for heating. So the heat is no different than a furnace. Worse, as you reduce BTU's to the coil, the airflow speed is usually ocnstant, so air temps get cooler. My point being, that a properly designed and installed furnace won;t make it feel dry even if single stage. But yes, oversized furnaces and those with restricted airflow can. Vairble capacity will always make the system more comfortable, but it will cost more. Radiant heat overall is superior, but the installed cost is much, much higher. That's why it fell out of favor. Same reason drywall took over the market and plaster disapeared. ITs' primarily a matter of cost. It's also why stone and brick homes aren't built anymore and concrete homes are the minority.

There are many teas that are more optimally brewed at temps below boiling. Especially green tea. Just had to throw that out there. I didn't put one in, and sometimes I regret it. Grew up with one, my parents' current kitchen has one. Mom's favorite discovery was that if she was measuring something sticky - say molasses or corn syrup for a recipe - she'd quickly run the measuring cup under the hot tap to make it nice and warm then the molasses or honey would slide right out of the cup. But, she initially installed it for easy tea, cocoa and that type of thing. With a temp set at 200* it was definitely fine for brewing a cup of tea. She used it for all the above mentioned options as well. Quick rinsing and refreshing pasta among them. My dad is now a widower and will use it to get a quick start on pasta water. Fill the pot from the insta-hot, put it on the stove and it is boiling that much faster, almost instantly. Safety. That really depends on how often your child is playing at the sink where you would install it. They might now come with safety features. It is certainly hot enough to cause a burn. Depending on the ages of the kids, I think they could be taught pretty quickly not to mess with it.

They ALL filter the water first before it goes into the hot tank, if that is the set up you wish to have. It is a good setup. What one does is to branch off the filtered water line (output line) so that one branch becomes the input line to the hot tank. I hope this makes sense and is not too hard to understand and also not perceived as a putdown in anyway. It's obvious, once someone points it out to you. It's simple. But, if you need any other explanation, go ahead and ask. Of course I would agree if you asked why this is never mentioned anywhere. -- The kind of filter known as "RO" may be the kind that is deemed to produce water that gets aggressive with tanks, but it's not "RO water in this discussion of an Insta-Hot and a filter. I haven't seen "RO filters packaged together with Instant Hot water. "RO is Reverse Osmosis. -- So, the conclusion is that ANY Instant Hot and any filter that uses replaceable filters go well together. -- to find out a whole lot more, the keywords for a web search are "Anaheim Manufacturing" or anaheim manufacturing quick and hot This is the company that makes the tank which twenty other companies rebrand as their own. They also make faucets. They sell both, together. They also have filters. Hint hint. -- Email the companies you whose products you like and ask the simple question if you can branch off the filtered water to send one branch into the Hot tank, and if so, whether or not this is better or worse for the tank. -- Usually, since filtering removes organic gunk, it is considered really good to remove this gunk before letting the water sit in the tank. So, I would filter water first before putting it into the IHW tank. Hth.