What's In This Article
The water cooler isn’t just the place in the office where you can catch up on the latest gossip. Instead, this machine can keep people happy and hydrated, energized to take on the day.
A steady supply of fresh, cold water is vital to a productive office space, and also helpful in waiting rooms, and even around the home.
There are numerous advantages to the water cooler, especially as many models now come with immediate access to hot water as well.
And if you live in an area with a lower quality main water supply, a filtered water cooler can add convenient safety to your life.
But with such a crowded marketplace, how do you choose the right cooler?
We’ve taken a look at all the best water coolers available, and chosen the best of the bunch.
Don’t underestimate the importance of quality drinking water. Invest in the right cooler, and you’ll find it easier to stay hydrated and refreshed.
Brio Self Cleaning Bottom Loading Water Cooler
The Brio Self-Cleaning Bottom Loading Water Cooler is a great choice for the home or office, and it’s easy to see why.
The Brio has been designed with ease of use in mind, and it’s a sleek way to get cool drinking water throughout the day.
With the bottom load, it’s easy to refill and restock your water cooler. And to make things even easier,
the Ozone Self-Cleaning feature makes cold drinks more convenient than ever. Simply press a button, and let the machine get to work.
There are three dispensing temperatures available with the Brio Bottom Loading Water Cooler: hot, cold, and room temperature.
Get the beverage you need at just the right temperature, whenever you want it. And that includes in the middle of the night.
A handy night light feature lets you pour drinks safely in the dark. Accidents can also be avoided with the child-safety lock, which adds two-step dispensing to the hot tap.
The Brio comes complete with everything needed to enjoy refreshing beverages all day long.
Pros
- Energy Star Approved – An efficient water cooler with eco-credentials.
- Ozone Self-Cleaning – With just the push of a button, the Brio releases ozone to sterilize and clean the cooler.
- Removable Drip Tray – Anti-rust BPA-Free drip tray, for quicker and easier clean up.
Cons
- Lightweight Build – Although easier to move around, the Brio can suffer dents if not handled carefully.
Also available for purchase from BrioWater.com and Wayfair.com.
Avalon Top Loading A1 Water Cooler
The Avalon Top Loading Water Cooler offers a classic design at a good price with some impressive features.
As a top loading cooler, it is slightly more difficult to fill, but the built-in puncture rod helps prevent spills for easier usage.
And as you can easily spot when the 3 to 5 gallon jug is running low, you can plan for top-ups.
The Avalon Top Loading Water Cooler is a fantastic choice for the office. Dispensing both cold water and piping hot,
it can be used for refreshing drinks or your lunchtime cup of noodles. And the touchless paddle dispensers make for germ-free usage.
But it also has its benefits in the home office. A child lock feature reduces the risk of burns, while the slim profile allows you to slip the cooler into smaller spaces.
There’s an ease of use to the UL listed and Energy Star approved Avalon A1 water cooler. One that you don’t normally find in top loading machines.
We think the stylish build and useful features, plus a lower price, makes this an excellent choice of water cooler.
Pros
- UL Listed & Energy Star Certified – Designed to meet strict safety standards.
- Touchless Paddle Dispensers – No messy hands required! Perfect for both at home and office use.
- Built-In Puncture Rod – Top loading can be messy, but it gets easier with the Avalon puncture rod.
Cons
- Some users have experienced leaking.
Also available for purchase from AvalonH2O.com and Walmart.com.
COSTWAY 2-In-1 Water Cooler Dispenser With Built-In Ice Maker
Top loading water coolers tend to come with a lot of wasted space below the dispensers. This is by necessity — if you want easy access to the water, you have to sacrifice space.
But COSTWAY has chosen to do something a bit different. They’ve converted the below cabinet into an ice maker, turning a simple water cooler into a versatile machine.
One of the benefits of the water cooler is that you can get crisp water on demand.
With the ice maker from COSTWAY, you can make your beverages as chilly as you like, and add a frozen touch to your preferred drinks.
If you or your office uses a lot of ice, by purchasing the COSTWAY rather than two separate machines, you can save money and space.
Able to make 9 ice cubes every 6 to 14 minutes, the COSTWAY can create 27 lbs of ice every day.
It isn’t just ice that the COSTWAY dispenses. A Tri-temp water cooler, it provides hot, cold, or room temperature water at just the push of a button.
The LED display and control panel helps you see at a glance what the water cooler is doing, and change the function to suit your current needs. And with a child-safety lock, it can be used at home, worry free.
Pros
- Ice Maker – This unique feature provides the COSTWAY with added versatility. There’s even an ice scoop included.
- Removable Drip Tray – Easier clean up.
- User-Friendly – Learn to use all the COSTWAY features quickly and easily, thanks to indicator lights and a simple control panel.
Cons
- Price – The COSTWAY is expensive, and you might not think it’s worth it just for the added ice maker.
Also available for purchase from Costway.com and Walmart.com.
Avalon A-12 Bottleless Countertop Water Dispenser
The Avalon A-12 is one of our favorite countertop water dispensers. The installation steps are quick and easy to follow,
and the water dispenser provides consistent, filtered water. It’s great for both homes and offices where space is limited.
Thanks to the small size and easy set up, the Avalon A-12 is also a portable dispenser. For conferences and festivals, the Avalon can be attached to an existing sink water line using just a wrench.
If you’ve been wasting money, and damaging the environment, by consistently buying bottles of filtered water, the Avalon is a fantastic solution.
The dual filtering system uses both a sediment filter and a carbon block filter, delivering you clean and safe water. The Energy Star approved design is an eco-conscious choice.
While we love the Avalon A-12 for the extra features, it also delivers on the basics. There are three temperature settings – hot, cool, and cold – plus a child lock for safe use.
The slim profile is attractive, and should fit easily onto most countertops. There’s also a self-clean feature! Just press the button, and ozone is released to sterilize the equipment.
Pros
- Easy To install – The bottleless dispenser can be hooked up to a sink water line easily.
- Dual Filter System – Removes over 97% of chlorine, 99% of lead, particulates, cysts, and visible objects, and 100% of smells and bad tastes.
- Consistent Temperature – Quality water delivery with every glass.
Cons
- Filters need to be replaced roughly every six months.
Also available for purchase from AvalonH2O.com and Wayfair.com.
Brio Commercial Grade Bottleless Reverse Osmosis Filter Water Cooler
Having access to clean drinking water is hugely important. Often, to compensate for less than attractive sink water, many of us turn to bottled water.
However, this contributes to excess plastic waste. This is where the Brio Reverse Osmosis Filter Water Cooler comes in.
All water that passes through the Brio undergoes a 4-step filter system. At the first stage, an advanced sediment filter removes the larger unwanted objects.
Then the advanced pre-carbon filter kicks in, to filter out contaminants such as chlorine and lead.
Next, is the reverse osmosis. This passes the water through a partially permeable membrane opposite to standard osmosis, removing unwanted molecules and particles.
Then comes the final post-carbon filter, to get rid of everything else. The end result is crisp and clear water.
The Brio isn’t just about a complicated filtration process. The tri-temperature cooler dispenses cold, room temperature, and hot water, with a child-lock for added safety.
The self-cleaning ozone feature and removable drip tray means you never have to deal with complicated clean up, and the bottleless design attaches easily to a sink water line.
Once installed, all you need to do is enjoy your drinks, and occasionally change a filter with the easy filter housing.
Pros
- Advanced Filtration System – The 4-step filtration system leaves your water crisp and clean.
- Tri-Temperature Dispensing – Cold, room temperature, and even hot water is available.
- Self-Cleaning Ozone – No more messy clean-ups. Even the rust-proof drip tray is easy to clean.
Cons
- Price – This is an expensive water cooler, and you will have to pay to change the filters from time to time.
Also available for purchase from BrioWater.com and Wayfair.com.
Water Cooler Buyer’s Guide
When you’re using a water cooler, they seem like fairly simple objects. You press a button, you get some water, and that’s all there is to it.
But when you try and buy your own water cooler, you might be taken aback by just how many options are available.
The water cooler has evolved, which can make finding the right one tricky.
In this buyer’s guide, we’re going to walk you through the features of the modern water cooler.
The right water cooler really can improve the quality of everyday life, so make sure to choose carefully.
Bottled Or Bottleless?
The first choice you have to make is whether you want a bottled or a bottleless water cooler.
Bottled coolers are the standard design and probably what comes to mind when you picture a water cooler.
They use a big bottle that is filled with water and attached to the cooler. When the bottle is empty, you have to manually replace it.
These bottles are either top loading or bottom loading, but we’ll go into those details below.
The other type is Point Of Use (POU), or bottleless. These water coolers are connected to a water source, normally your sink water line, and dispense water without needing a bottle.
They typically use a filter system, designed to provide you with a purer faucet water. These come with a continuous supply of water, with no need for refilling.
Bottleless coolers are typically more expensive. Often, in order to attach a bottleless water cooler, you have to cut off supply to a faucet.
Top Or Bottom Loading?
If you’ve chosen a bottled water cooler, your next decision is whether to go for bottom or top loading.
Top loading is the classic water cooler design. It features a bottle placed on top of the cooler, which uses gravity to dispense water efficiently.
With the bottle on top, the base of the cooler typically has some storage room. Top loading coolers are less expensive on the whole, as they require no additional pump mechanisms to work.
However, they’re tricky to load, and require lugging heavy bottles about.
Bottom loading features a bottle beneath the dispensers. A pumping mechanism allows the water to travel up from the bottle, and out into your cup.
They tend to look stylish, with a sleek closed compartment hiding the water bottle.
They’re also much easier to fill, as you don’t have to lift and tip several gallons of water. But bottom loading coolers are generally more expensive.
Temperature Settings
You expect a water cooler to dispense cold water, but many now come with additional temperature settings.
A water cooler might be able to dispense cold, room temperature, and hot water. A dual system, dispensing cold and hot water, is often a sensible purchase for an office.
It allows people to quickly make hot beverages, and instant foods such as noodles. These temperatures are mostly fixed,
but some expensive coolers feature adjustable maximum and minimum temperature settings.
Capacity
A bottleless water cooler does not have a capacity level, as it continuously draws water from an exterior source. But bottled water coolers do have an upper capacity limit.
Most water coolers will be able to accommodate different sizes of jugs, often from 2 gallons to 5 gallons.
There are benefits to both larger and smaller capacity. A smaller capacity jug will have to be replaced more regularly, but are easier to carry and fit.
A larger capacity will be replaced less frequently, but is difficult to change when the need arises.
Filters
Water filters are becoming increasingly popular, especially in areas where there’s a risk of contamination.
Filtering systems can remove chemicals like chlorine, fluoride, and lead. Filtering is commonly found on bottleless coolers, which use water from the faucet.
Filters will typically need to be placed every six months, making them an ongoing expense for a water cooler.
Safety
If you want a cooler that can also provide hot water, then you must consider the safety features.
A safety lock should be included, which makes dispensing hot water into a multistep process. That way, a child won’t be able to knock the wrong button, and scald themselves.
Another safety feature to consider is how the water is dispensed. Does it require a button, is it contactless, or are their pumps?
For office use, or in waiting rooms, you may want a water cooler that requires less hands-on usage to minimize the spread of germs.
Ease Of Use
Nobody wants a water cooler that takes too long to operate. The first thing to consider is installation.
How easy is it to get the cooler set up? Bottled coolers are generally easy to get going, while bottleless requires some plumbing.
Next, how easy to operate is the cooler? If multiple people are going to be using the cooler, it has to be one that can be used intuitively.
Also consider how much dispensing space there is. Is there only room for a mug? Or can you fill a larger water pitcher easily? Think about how easy to load the cooler is, as well.
Finally, how long will it take to clean? Some coolers are self-cleaning, while others will need some elbow grease. Self-cleaning options are more expensive, but reduce labor.
Price
water coolers are available for a range of budgets. The lowest priced tend to be top loading coolers with minimal features.
The most expensive are normally bottleless, with bottom loading falling in the middle. However, price is also dictated by the number of features.
If you want different temperatures, self-cleaning, or an ice maker, expect to pay more.
Frequently Asked Question
What Are The Benefits Of A Water Cooler?
A water cooler provides convenience. At just the push of a button, you have access to safe and cold water.
They’re an eco-friendly alternative to bottled water, and with a filtered option, provide safer drinking water.
With a dual temperature water cooler, users can also have piping hot water at just the touch of a button.
The water cooler also helps users to stay hydrated throughout the day. Drinking water helps keep you concentrate, stay alert, and stay energized!
How Do I Choose The Right Type Of Water Cooler?
Your first consideration should be the type of water cooler you want. Do you want a bottled cooled cooler that dispenses water from a prefilled jug?
And if yes, do you want the ease of bottom loading, or the cheaper top loading option? Or would you rather a bottled cooler that is connected to a water line?
Then you have to consider temperature control, capacity, safety, and price, plus how easy to use the cooler is. Finally, think about additional features such as filters.
How Often Do I Have To Clean A Water Filter?
A water cooler has to be cleaned, and it’s best to give a thorough clean at least every six months.
Smaller sections, such as the drip tray and nozzles, should be cleaned more frequently. To avoid standing water, the water bottle should be replaced at least once a month.
To make things easier, many water coolers now come with a self clean feature. This typically uses ozone to sterilize the interior.
Final Thoughts
Water coolers are great for keeping your home or office space healthy and refreshed. With just the push of a button, you have access to cold, fresh water.
And with the more complex water coolers on the market today, you can also access boiling water, and even ice cubes.
We like the bottom loading water cooler for convenience, the top loading cooler for price, and the bottleless for a consistent flow of filtered water.
