Review of kettle-dispenser Rawmid Modern RMK-01

You can often see dispensers in places where real tea and clean water are valued. These devices provide the right amount of water at the right temperature and can be much more convenient than a regular kettle.

We decided to test the Rawmid Modern RMK-01 dispenser to understand how it works, why it has such a large tank and how many temperature settings it supports.

The dispenser is packaged in a bright cardboard box with images of the device and main features: five temperature settings, three serving sizes of water, convenient design and fast heating.

The photographs on the sides allow you to examine the device in detail, and below them is a table with technical characteristics.

Having opened the box, inside we found:

• the dispenser itself with an installed water tank
• removable tank handle
• drip tray
• filter cartridge
• user guide
• warranty card

The design of the Rawmid Modern RMK-01 dispenser is a matte white parallelepiped with rounded corners, which is not only pleasant to the touch, but also does not leave fingerprints.

A gray translucent water tank protrudes above the top panel, closed with a removable lid made of the same white plastic as the body.

For ease of removal and transportation, the tank is equipped with a removable folding handle.

At the bottom of the container, in a small recess, there is a spring valve that controls the water supply to the device. A float liquid level indicator is located next to it.

The container tank can also serve as a pitcher filter: for this purpose, a transparent base is placed inside the tank, where a filter cartridge with activated carbon and ion exchange resin is installed.

The manufacturer claims that the filter purifies water from chlorine, mechanical and organic impurities, and also softens it, reducing the calcium content, which helps reduce the formation of scale on the heating element of the kettle and extends its service life. One element is capable of processing approximately 150 liters of water.

The total volume of the water tank is 3.5 liters, which is quite a lot for devices of this class. Using a filter, of course, reduces the usable volume to 1.5 liters.

At the bottom of the reservoir compartment you can see the valve mating part, covered with fine wire mesh.

From the front wall of the case there is a cylinder with a spout for dispensing water, equipped with an LED that illuminates the container. At its end there is a round panel made of dark plastic, which is a digital display for displaying the water temperature.

Under the spout there is a plastic drip tray with a metal grid.

Unlike many similar designs, the tray of Rawmid RMK-01 is attached using a magnet. There is no need to accurately fit into special grooves — just bring it closer to the body, and it will take its place on its own.

The body is supported by four round legs equipped with anti-slip rubber feet. On the underside of the device there is a ventilation grille and a label with the serial number and product certification data.

The User's Guide is a 24-page A5 brochure printed on high-quality glossy paper. High-level printing performance: even small text and numerous illustrations are read easily and effortlessly.

The manual is compiled in two languages — Russian and English, and the Russian-language part of the brochure occupies exactly half of the document.

The document describes in detail the design and functions of the device, its operation and care rules. At the end there is a list of possible malfunctions with tips for self-remediation, as well as QR codes that redirect to the product page, a list of service centers and an online service for ordering related products, including water filters.

The control of Rawmid RMK-01 is electronic-mechanical. The round silver handle is responsible for selecting the serving volume: the device can pour hot water in 200, 300 and 500 ml.

Next to the handle there are two touch buttons: one for selecting the temperature, the other for unlocking and starting the pump. To the left of the panel are indicators of the selected temperature, illuminated by white LEDs. The thermometer image shows that the water will be poured without heating, and the circle with three wavy lines indicates boiling water.

To pour water at the desired temperature, you need to set the volume, press the «Start» button to unlock (a long signal sounds), successively press the button with the image of a thermometer, selecting the desired temperature, and press «Start» again.

By default, the dispenser supplies room water without heating. To pour boiling water, you need to press six times: “Start”, then “Temperature” four times and “Start” again.

Before use, it is important to carefully read the safety precautions listed in the manual and ensure that the device is assembled correctly. However, the design of the device is quite intuitive, which reduces the likelihood of errors when preparing it for operation.

The tank must be filled before use. Please note that water does not boil at temperatures of 45, 75 and 85 °C, so it is recommended to use drinking water. To purify water, you can use the built-in filter included in the kit.

When using for the first time, it is recommended to pump a small portion of water at room temperature through the device to fill the internal containers and avoid dry starting of the boiler before turning on the heating.

The device automatically locks the control panel to prevent accidental operation or tampering by children. To start working, you need to briefly press the start button. If there is no other action within 5-7 seconds, the control panel will lock again.

The volume of water automatically dispensed by the device is approximately 200, 300 or 500 ml. If you need to pour a volume of less than 200 ml, the water supply can be interrupted manually by pressing the «Start» button while the pump is running. If a larger portion is needed, the unlocking procedure, setting the desired temperature and starting the pump will have to be repeated several times.

When using the device, the LED illumination of the cup turns on, which dimly illuminates it. This is especially convenient in twilight or dark conditions, helping to avoid overfilling the drink. However, in low light conditions, it may be difficult to find the unlock and temperature selection buttons, since they are not backlit.

The design of the drip tray turned out to be one of the most successful technological solutions. The magnetic fastening used in it has never been seen before in devices of this type. This mount can be easily removed and installed in a fraction of a second without requiring precise positioning thanks to the attractive force of a powerful magnet.

When the water in the device runs out, the dispenser makes a warning sound and automatically turns off. There is approximately 230 ml of water left inside the tank, so the manufacturer recommends completely emptying and washing it once a week to avoid old water stagnating in the tank.

To clean the housing, use a slightly damp cloth. Do not immerse the housing in water or place it in the dishwasher.

The internal heater should be descaled using a citric acid solution. Pour three liters of acid solution into the tank and run the pump at maximum temperature. Then run the same volume of clean water through the device to remove any remaining acid. Do not use other means for this purpose.

The resource of the filter cartridge is 150 liters of water in accordance with the manufacturer's recommendations. Once this limit is reached, purchase a new filter, which is available on the manufacturer's official website.

To begin with, we decided to check the spilled water volume sensor. To do this, we sequentially started the process of preparing 200, 300 and 500 ml of hot water, after which the resulting portions were weighed.

According to our observations, the device slightly increases the volume of the supplied portion. In everyday use, such an error is not critical and does not affect ease of use.

Next, we tested the accuracy of the built-in temperature sensor. We set a certain value and started dispensing 500 ml of liquid. The temperature was measured in a preheated container immediately after the end of the water supply. The initial water temperature in the thermal sweat tank was 20 °C.

This model has good adjustment accuracy: if you use unheated dishes, the temperature of the liquid will practically coincide with the set one.

The tank capacity, filled to the maximum level, is 3340 ml. However, if you install a filter holder with a cartridge in the container, the usable volume will decrease to 1520 ml.

The maximum power consumption is 1923 W, while in standby mode the consumption of the thermopot will be less than 0.1 W.

The Rawmid Modern RMK-01 dispenser kettle impressed us with its modern design, high power and spacious tank. The practical case made of high-quality material gives the device an elegant look. It is perfect for use both in the office and at home, as well as in the country. Thanks to the ability to get the right amount of warm or hot water in just a few seconds, the user saves time and energy. The built-in filter provides clean and soft water and also extends the life of the device.

A very interesting addition to the model was the convenient magnetic fastening of the drip tray — we have never seen such a solution in similar devices before. A nice addition is the backlighting of the dispenser, which allows you to use the device even in semi-darkness.

But of course there is room for improvement. The ease of use of Rawmid RMK-01 can be significantly improved by adding at least one additional 100 ml dose to the standard servings (200, 300 and 500 ml). This will be useful for those who often add hot water to a half-full glass or mug.

Adding a memory function for the last temperature setting will also make the device much easier to operate. Using one press to restart the last temperature setting is much more convenient than pressing the temperature selection sensor again.

It would also be nice to make the control panel lock switchable. A short lock timeout forces the user to press the button one more time, which can be inconvenient.

Pros:

• nice modern design
• high power and good performance
• the ability to quickly heat or boil the required volume of water
• large reservoir with filtration option
• precise temperature control

Minuses:

• not very convenient controls
• non-switchable auto-locking of touch buttons