The Best Water Cooler Dispenser [2022]

Last Updated on 11 months by Todd

The best water dispenser is a hot topic among people trying to find the best way to keep their office hydrated. There are many different types of best water dispensers, and it can be difficult for someone new to this world to sort through them all. In this blog post, we will discuss what makes the best water dispenser great and how you might go about finding one that meets your needs.

What to Consider

You can get water from a container at the top of the cooler. The container might be 3 gallons or 5 gallons. There are two ways to cool water. One is top-load and the other is bottom-load. Bottom-loads are easier to use, but they can be more expensive. Top-loads have a simpler design and they may be more affordable.

The downside with top-loads is that you will need to replace water jugs because of their simpler design. Or you can get a point-of-use cooler that connects to the building’s water supply, but it will be more complicated for the installer since they have to connect it from your house’s pipes.

Consider what features you want in a water cooler. You can get one that dispenses hot, cold, or room temperature water. You might also need to get a filtration system and other features like a child lock or self-cleaning mechanism.

The amount of energy a water cooler uses depends on the model. Those with on-demand cooling or heating use less energy than those with cold or hot water storage tanks. The ones with storage usually use more standby energy to maintain the tank’s water temperature.

Some water coolers have a filter to make the water better. These filters work using ion-exchange, reverse osmosis, or activated carbon filters. Now and then, these filters will need to be replaced, which is another cost you might need to cover when buying a water cooler.

Most coolers can give you cold water. Some units can give you room temperature and hot water too. The company will tell you which temperatures the cooler does.

Most water coolers have at least one important feature. Safety locks can stop little children from touching the spouts and wasting water. If you want a hot-water cooler, make sure there is a safety lock to prevent burns.

You can get water coolers that have night lights, empty bottle alerts, and leak-detection alarms. These are useful for homes or offices that are busy. Another useful thing is a water cooler that cleans itself. You might want to get one of these if you want less work while clean. Other features like refrigerated compartments, coffee dispensers, and carbonation options.

Noise Level:

Some water coolers make noise. They all need to be turned on or off. The noise depends on where you put the cooler.

Ease of use:

A good water cooler should be easy to use. Some units have buttons or spigots to activate pouring, while others are touchless. A cooler with enough area below the spout to fill water pitchers and reusable water bottles is especially useful in public spaces, like restaurants and gyms.

If you want a cooler, you can buy it. But if not, there is another way. Bottled water coolers are easy to install and do not need professional plumbing like point-of-use units. Bottled water coolers usually have a bottom loading that is easier to load.

To maintain water coolers free of mineral deposits and germs, they must be cleaned regularly. To keep the water clean and taste good, it’s important to clean it properly. Although cleaning most refrigerators takes only a little time, elbow grease, and some vinegar or bleach, not everyone would want to deal with it. Self-cleaning water coolers may be an excellent investment in that case.

How We Selected

To help you find the right water cooler, we found top-rated models from reputable brands like Avalon and Brio. We selected various styles and sizes for this list to provide options for both home and office use. Many of the water coolers selected offer useful features, and they span a wide price range, helping you find one that fits your budget.

Types of Water Coolers

There are two different types of water coolers: point-of-use and bottled. Point-of-use water coolers can be connected to a building’s water supply, and they give you clean tap water. Bottled water coolers let you get clean, filtered water out of a jug that is either top-loading or bottom loading.

Point of Use

Point-of-use water coolers are like the ones in the office. They turn it on with water and make it cold. Point-of-use water coolers can improve the taste of your water. This type of cooler is good because it has a continuous water supply. The cooler can be wall-mounted or free-standing, and they are upright units.

A point-of-use water cooler needs access to the building’s main water line. These coolers are more expensive than bottled water coolers, but they also require professional installation, which is an extra cost to consider.

A bottle-less water cooler is better for the environment because it does not need bottles. The coolers are also good because you do not have to carry heavy water jugs.

Bottom Loading

A bottom-loading water cooler gets its water from a bottle. The bottle is put in the bottom of the cooler and covered with a lid. The bottom-loading design makes unloading and loading bottles easier.

Bottom-loading coolers are more convenient. You can put in any kind of water, not just how you have it in your house. Bottom-loading water coolers cost more, but it might be worth the extra expense.

If you want a water cooler that is more pretty, get one with the refill jug at the bottom. Then people won’t see it. It will let you know when there is almost no water left.

Top Loading

Top-loading water coolers are a popular option because they’re affordable. Normally, you put your water bottle into the top of the cooler and then it comes out as cold as ice. You can also get different kinds of water from these coolers.

A top-loading water cooler is hard to unload and load the water bottle. It can be hard for some people to do it because it is difficult. But many people don’t mind this because you can see the level of the water jug easier than on other kinds of coolers.

Countertop

A countertop water cooler is like a regular water cooler, but it is small and fits on the counter. It can be point-of-use or use bottles to get the water.

Countertop water coolers are good for some parts of a house. They can take up a lot of space on the counter and maybe too big for small kitchens.

Best Water Cooler Dispensers 2022

Following are some of the top rated Water Cooler Dispensers.

Brio Water Cooler Water Dispenser – Best Water Cooler with Ice Maker

This water cooler is a good choice for your home. It can also be used at work. The Brio has a bottom-loading design and a self-cleaning function, and it dispenses cold, room temperature, and hot water. This is an excellent choice for kitchens with stainless steel appliances with its modern stainless steel housing.

This hot water dispenser has a lock to keep kids from getting burned. It also cleans itself with ozone. This cooler can fit 3- or 5-gallon water bottles. It is also Energy Star approved. It has individual switches to control the hot water, cold water, and night light feature.

To save energy, just turn off the things you don’t need. The water bottle is hidden in a cabinet in the fridge. But when it’s almost empty, there will be a signal on the screen to tell you that you need to replace it.

 

 

Avalon Bottom Loading Water Cooler Water Dispenser – Best Bottom Loading Water Dispenser

If you are not warming or cooling water, turn off the machine. The machine does not use energy when it is off. This unit has three different temperatures for water and an Energy Star label.

This cooler dispenses cold, room temperature, and hot water. It has a safety lock for the hot water button. There is also a removable drip tray that helps it stay clean. The bottom-loading design of this cooler makes it easy to fill with 3- or 5-gallon jugs of water.

When the container runs low, the empty-bottle indicator light will glow. It also includes a built-in nightlight, which is useful for doling out late-night glasses of water.

 

 

BEST BANG FOR THE BUCK: Primo Top Loading Water Cooler

The simplicity of this classic top-loading water cooler from Primo makes it a low-cost option that checks off a lot of desirable water cooler criteria. It’s quick and simple to set up—just install the drip tray and anti-tipping bracket, invert and attach the water bottle, and you’re ready to go. This cooler offers hot, cold, and ice water via the convenient hot button. This is the best budget water cooler.

This cooler can store 3 or 5 gallons of water and has a spill-proof bottle holder to keep your new bottle from spilling when you’re loading it. If the bottle inserted is cracked, the Leak Guard in this cooler prevents leaks.

This is a nice house. It is Energy Star certified and UL listed. The black and stainless steel are modern. There are many impressive things, including the price.

 

 

Avalon A6 Touchless Water Cooler Dispenser – Best Touchless Water Cooler

For those sharing the cooler with others, this bottom-loading water cooler from Avalon is a sanitary, no-touch alternative. For simple pouring, it has paddle-style spouts. This cooler will deliver water without turning spigots or pressing buttons if you apply gentle pressure on the paddles.

There’s a child-safety lock on the hot water nozzles, but it must be activated to get hot water. This cooler has two heat settings—ice cold or scalding hot. To save power, either spout can be switched off on the back panel when they’re not in use.

The back panel has a button to turn the light on or off. This energy-saving feature is because this cooler is Energy Star approved. The bottom-loading design fits 3 or 5-gallon bottles, and it has an empty bottle indicator, so you know when the bottle needs a refill.

 

 

Avalon A5 Bottleless Water Cooler Dispenser – Best Water Coolers for Home

The Avalon comes with several features that make it the ideal home water cooler. It includes a tri-temperature cooler that distributes cold, room temperature, and hot water and has a child safety lock on the hot water spigot.

The WaterMizer HM-450 has a true dual-stage filtration system with NSF (National Sanitation Foundation) -certified filters, removing rust, dirt, sediment, chlorine, and lead for more clean and better-tasting water.

It’s simple to set up, even if you do it yourself. Cleaning and maintenance are a cinch because the A5 has a self-cleaning mechanism that uses ozone to remove germs and biofilms.

The HETLUS L300 includes a sensor that automatically changes the water flow and an indicator light to signal when it’s time to change the filters (this has to be done every six months or so). It has a minimal stainless steel design that complements most kitchens and house styles.

This simple refurbishing project takes about 20 minutes and doesn’t cost much. You can take it apart and clean it, then put it back together again without too much fuss. It also has a light indicator to let users know when the filters should be replaced (this must be done every six months). Its basic stainless steel appearance complements most kitchens and home decorsimIt’s as easy as pie to disassemble and clean, then reassembles with no issues.

 

 

Avalon Self Cleaning Water Cooler Dispenser – Best Water Cooler Dispenser for Office

Filters include an indicator light that warns users when to replace the filters (which must be done every six months or so). Its basic stainless steel design complements most kitchens and house styles.

This Energy Star-certified refrigerator fits the Insignia 3- and 5-gallon plastic containers. It features three temperature settings: fresh, cold, cool, and hot. If the hot or cold water switches are not used, turn them off to save electricity. The hot water spout has a child safety lock to keep kids safe while using it.

The Avalon A3BLK’s 9-inch space beneath the spouts can be used to refill water bottles or water pitchers for events and meetings. The cooler’s night light, as well as the empty bottle indicator, are additional bonuses.

 

 

The Advantages of Owning the Best Water Cooler Dispenser

Water coolers are an easy way to have fresh, cold and hot water. When people don’t like the taste or quality of water from their tap, they can use a water cooler. Coolers cost less in the long run than water bottles. They might be more expensive to buy, but they are cheaper to use.

A high-quality water cooler is good to have in your home or work. It can make the water taste better. It has safety features like notifications for when the water level goes low, night lights, and locks so that people don’t accidentally spill the water all over themselves.

In the workplace, there is a water cooler. Employees and clients can serve themselves water. This is also true at home. If you have a water cooler at home, you don’t need to boil more water for tea or take up space in the fridge with a filtering pitcher.

If you want to save money on water, you can buy an at-home water dispenser. You will not need to buy bottled water anymore. This is a bigger investment, but the investment will pay off because if you spent $30 to $50 on bottled water each week, the initial cost would have been paid off after a few weeks.

Water Dispenser Cleaning And Maintenance

Cleaning your water cooler is important. If you don’t clean it, harmful microbes could build up inside the water tank. Cleaning it also prevents the buildup of these harmful things.

How to Clean a Water Cooler system (step by step)

Water Hoses

1. Remove your hoses
2. Take the water hoses out of your water cooler. The hoses might break if you try to take them out without being careful.

Make a white distilled vinegar solution.

1. To clean your hoses, you can use white distilled vinegar. Make sure the vinegar is not colored.
2. Add your hoses to the solution.
3. Get your hoses, put them in a bowl of vinegar, and leave them there for 10 minutes. The vinegar will make the dirt on the hoses go away.
4. Remove the hoses and re-attach them to your cooler.

Once the 10 minutes is up, take your hoses. Do this by running water through them. Then re-attach them to the water dispenser and continue using it as normal.

Sanitizing

1. Make your cleaning (sanitizing) solution
2. 1. Clean the inside of your water cooler with a solution of bleach and water.
3. 2. Make sure that your bleach is approved for use on food contact surfaces before using it in your cooler.

Prepare your water cooler.

1. To make sure your water cooler is ready to clean, turn it off and take out the empty bottle. There might be some water still inside. You need to drain it from the plug, called a spigot. Take off any part that blocks the spigot and put those pieces on the side for washing in your sink or dishwasher.
2. Fill the cooler reservoir with your cleaning solution.
3. Carefully pour the cleaning solution into the water reservoir inside the cooler. Use a brush to scrub the insides of the container and its base so you clean it all. You can use a brush with softer bristles or not too hard to not scratch it too much during cleanup.
4. Drain the cleaning solution
5. Put some of the cleaning solutions in the fixture. Leave for a few minutes. Pour a little more in a bucket and pour it into your toilet.

Fill the reservoir with clean tap or bottled water

To rinse away your cleaning solution, you need to fill your reservoir three times with clean water. You can do this by turning on the tap or putting a bottle of water into the machine. Do this until there’s no more liquid coming out. Then you can take apart and put back together with the parts you took off, and then put a new bottle of water in there.

External Cleaning

1. Make a cleaning solution.
2. Outside of your cooler, you need to clean with water and soap. Mix 5 parts water with 1 part soap. Then clean the outside of your cooler.
3. Dip a cloth in your cleaning solution and dab it on your cooler
4. Turn off or unplug the cooler. Then, use a wet cloth to clean away any stains. Clean all of the cooler parts, including around the water spouts and buttons.
5. Finish off with a dry clean

To wipe your cooler dry, use a towel to rub away any food or water on the surface. After you are done, make sure there is no leftover water on your surfaces.

How do I choose a water dispenser?

 Choosing your water dispenser’s size and type (point-of-use or bottled) is a personal decision.

Do water dispensers use a lot of electricity?

The electricity usage on a model of thing will depend on the energy it uses. If it’s an Energy Star certified product, you can expect it to be efficient with the electric bill.

How long can water sit in a water cooler?

You should change your water bottle every month or so. It will be fresh and clean.

Do I have to clean my water cooler?

Yes, it is important to clean a water cooler according to the manufacturer’s instructions. You can prevent bacteria and dirt from building up on the machine by cleaning it regularly.

How long does a water cooler last?

A water cooler can last a long time if you properly take care of it.

Are water gallon dispensers noisy?

It will make noise. Sometimes you can hear it if you put it next to other appliances that also make noise. It is not very loud, but you might not be able to sleep with the sound.

How fast does water come out of the spouts?

It depends on the product you buy. If you buy a water dispenser cooler with a filter, it may take longer to start flowing water out of the spouts, but not by much. It should still be fast enough to fill up tall glasses of water within 10 seconds.

Do I have to use branded water for my dispenser?

No, you have no obligation to use the water that the company that makes your water dispenser wants. But make sure the bottle is designed to fit in your unit.

Where can I buy replacement filters?

You can buy filters online or in stores. You do not need to buy the manufacturer’s original filter, but you should make sure it fits before buying it.

How long do water dispensers last?

Water cooler systems will last up to 10 years. They might need small repairs. But if there is an electrical fault, you probably should buy a new system.

Should I clean a dispenser before I first use it?

Your dispenser’s user manual will tell you to clean the dispenser before using it. This is so that no chemicals or anything can get in there while sitting in storage. You can do this by following the instructions from the manufacturer or by following these other tips from this guide.

Are there any advantages to buying a water cooler dispenser instead of renting?

You might have rented a water cooler before, or you might be renting one now. The monthly payments feel smaller and more manageable than buying your water cooler since the “small” fees soon add up. By the time you’ve rented for a year, you pay more than if you would have bought it instead of renting. It’s worth putting the money aside to buy instead of rent.