The present invention relates to a liquid heating device (10) for a hot beverage machine, comprising: —a flow through heater (18, 18′) —a first tank (12) for receiving liquid (24) to be heated —a second tank (14) for temporarily storing pre-heated liquid (24′) —a liquid outlet (22) for releasing heated liquid and —a switching unit (20, 20′, 20″, 20′″) which is configured to switch a liquid —the flow cycle of the liquid heating device (10) between a pre-heating cycle, in which liquid (24) flows from the first tank (12) through the flow through heater (18, 18′) and into the second tank (14) in order to temporarily store pre-heated liquid (24′) in the second tank (14), and a end-heating cycle, in which the pre-heated liquid (24′) flows from the second tank (14) through the flow through heater (18, 18′) to the liquid outlet (22).
