Best Water Coolers – Top 5 Reviewed

We think it’s safe to say that we all need access to clean water that is properly filtered and ready for consumption. No doubt, it is one of our basic needs as humans. Luckily, there are amazing water coolers that not only provide clean and cool drinking water at the simple push of a button but also eliminate all kinds of waterborne diseases. Below are our best five coolers, each with their own amazing features that are sure to wow you.

Now that you’ve caught a glimpse of our top three water coolers, let’s get into the nitty-gritty details of each of our best five.

Best Water Coolers 2021 – Best 5 Reviews

  1.   Avalon A1WATERCOOLR A1 Top Loading Cooler Dispenser

The Avalon A1WATERCOOLR A1 Top Loading Cooler Dispenser delivers superior quality every time, and this is why it’s the best on the market. This easy to use machine gives you the best of both worlds; chilly cold water consistently at 47F for a refreshing drink and piping hot water at 185F for your tea and coffees. Furthermore, it features enhanced usability, coming with two water spouts that are incredibly easy to use when it comes to getting access to your water. Simply press the paddle over your cup or bottle for an easy flow of water.

More so, due to the extremely high temperature of the hot water, this Avalon dispenser comes complete with a child safety lock that ensures the safety and security of children as they make use of the machine. In addition, it comes in a sleek and slim space-saving design that fits in the tiniest of spaces. As such, it doesn’t look bulky in any room. It is a top-loading dispenser, allowing you to spot just when you need to replace the water bottles.

Features

1. Delivers both hot and cold water
2. Features a child safety lock on the hot water spout
3. Comes in a slim and compact design
4. Top loading dispenser for convenience
5. Saves time on boiling water

  2.   Brio Self Cleaning Bottom Loading Water Dispenser

This bottom loading dispenser is incredibly impressive and a must-have in every household. Need a little convincing? No problem. This dispenser gets rid of all your bottle lifting struggles as far as loading is concerned. You can wave goodbye to back and arm strain as this machine simply requires you to secure your water bottle in its bottom cabinet. That’s it, easy as pie! As if that wasn’t enough, it provides you with a variety of water temperatures, coming with three spouts for hot, ambient and cold water so that you can enjoy your hot, cold and room temperature drink whenever you like.

If all that has failed to impress you, the self-cleaning feature definitely will. This Brio dispenser maintains its cleanliness using its ozone self-cleaning function that requires little to no effort. At the simple push of a button, this machine cleans itself while you relax. Coming with a night light, this machine provides ensures you can still see the water spouts in the dark. As such, you have full visual access at all times. Tying it all together, its child safety lock on the hot water spout ensures the safety of you and your household.

Features

1. Provides hot, cold and room temperature water
2. Features a bottom loading operation
3. Comes with an ozone self-cleaning feature
4. Incorporates a night light for visibility
5. Child safety lock on the hot water spout

  3.   Avalon A4BLWTRCLR Water Dispenser, 3 or 5 gallon bottle

When it comes to convenience, the Avalon A4BLWTRCLR Water Dispenser, 3 or 5-gallon bottle is one of the leaders in the game. This is not your average dispenser, best believe that it is so much more. It comes with three water spouts that provide piping hot, crispy cool and easy room temperature water, all from the same machine. This is all thanks to its highly efficient compressor. The dispenser equally comes in an efficient bottom-loading design as such, it eliminates the strenuous process of lifting heavy water bottles. All you need to do is simply secure the 3 or 5 water gallon bottle inside the bottom cabinet of the machine.

Even better is the fact that this product puts safety at the forefront by including a child safety lock on the hot water spout in order to ensure that the machine is safe for use by children. There’s also its built-in night light that provides visibility in the dark so that you can easily see the water spouts. Additionally, there’s an empty bottle indicator incorporated here that alerts you once the bottle needs to be replaced.

Features

1. Comes with a child safety lock
2. Features a built-in night light for visibility
3. Bottom loading to eliminate lifting
4. Delivers three temperatures of water
5. Sleek and innovative compact design

  4.   Costway Bottom Loading Water Dispenser with 2 Temperature Settings

When it comes to high-quality dispensers, the Costway bottom loading dispenser sits at the top. As aforementioned, this dispenser comes in a bottom loading design, so, you’re simply required to secure your water bottle in the bottom compartment of the machine for instant drinking. Based on this handy design, you can say goodbye to heavy lifting and the back and shoulder strain that come with it. All in all, this dispenser ensures that you remain in the best shape without having to compromise the state of your back for the sake of drinking water.

Also, you’ll be pleased to know that a 5-gallon water bottle can give you at least a week’s worth of clean and safe drinking water. Since it’s easy to set up, all you need to do is plug this dispenser to an electrical outlet for a fully functional water cooler. Furthermore, this item comes in an elegant and compact design that is perfect for any home or office space. In fact, its space-saving feature means that it can fit in small spaces without it looking bulky or out of place. Also, it dispenses two temperatures of water; hot and cold via two separate water spouts, giving you the chance to choose the temperature you want. Because of how hot the water can get, this device incorporates a child safety lock over the hot water spout to ensure safety during use. It also comes with a considerate stop heating and cooling function that saves you energy and helps you develop a healthy drinking habit.

Features

1. Bottom loading design
2. Comes with stop heating and cooling switches
3. Incorporates two temperatures of water
4. Includes child security lock
5. Elegant and space-saving design

  5.   hOmeLabs Self Cleaning Bottom Loading Water Dispenser for 5 Gallon Bottle

A convenient bottom loading water dispenser, the hOmeLabs water dispenser is innovation at its best. This dispenser allows you to load your 5-gallon water bottles in the bottom compartment rather than going through the strenuous process of lifting and loading. This dispenser cooler also allows you to easily replace your water bottles once they have been exhausted without risking spillage or back pain that usually occurs with top loaders. It further features three different water temperature settings that serve you cool, normal and hot water. Each coming from individual spouts for your drinking ease and convenience.

To actually dispense the water, all you need to do is simply push the button required button and voila! In addition, the hOmeLabs dispenser is a self-cleaning device, as such, you don’t need to do any work to clean it since it cleans itself. It features a green self-sanitizing indicator light that comes on to indicate when the special care feature is working. The self-cleaning ultraviolet sterilization technology used here not only sanitizes but also purifies the dispenser. It does this in order to prevent the growth and accumulation of bacteria and germs. Based on this, it is evident that this water dispenser puts your health and wellbeing first. More so, it is complete with a child safety lock over the hot water spout as well as a removable and washable drip tray. There’s also an LED night light that allows you to see the water spouts in the dark.

Features

1. Easy and convenient bottom-loading design
2. Features a self-cleaning function
3. Comes with three water temperature settings
4. Includes a child safety lock
5. Incorporates LED night light

Best Water Coolers – Buying guide

How does water cooler cool water?

It’s amazing how in a mere matter of minutes after securing a water bottle in a water cooler, you get to enjoy a refreshingly cool glass of water. This instantly cooled water might seem almost magical to most, as all we need to do is simply push a button. But best believe us when we say that the entire process behind how your system dispenses cool water is simply science.

Now, the most common type of products is the bottle-fed variety, and it comprises an inverted bottle of water placed and secured on top of the water cooler as a source of water supply. Once the inverted bottle of water is placed in the opening located at the top of the machine, the bottle’s seal is punctured by the cooler’s spike, which allows for an effortless flow of water into the cooler.

Located inside the cooler is a special valve that prevents water from flooding the cooler. Water is instead fed into a reservoir where it is then cooled using a cooling medium that is basically circulated in pipes placed close to the cooler’s reservoir. As some of you may know, this cooling medium is called a refrigerant. As the refrigerant is circulated in the pipes and moves towards the reservoir, it changes from a liquid state to a gas state due to the pressure in the pipes caused by a compressor located in the water dispenser.

The cooled gas in the pipe is then forced through a valve that makes it even cooler. The refrigerant, in a gas form further circulates through the pipes and is able to absorb heat away from the mineral water in the reservoir. This leaves behind only cool water at your disposal. The heat in the refrigerant is then discharged from the water cooler.

Things you should consider when choosing the best cooler and dispenser for water?

Before deciding to purchase one, there are a couple of things to take into consideration. Some of these things include:

Water cooler or dispenser: When choosing a cooler or dispenser, the first thing you’re going to need to consider is the difference between a water cooler and a water dispenser. While both of these machines may seem similar, they are actually quite different in the sense that a water dispenser merely dispenses water from the bottle while a water cooler makes use of electricity to cool the water that it dispenses. Now, if electricity is unavailable to you or you consider it unnecessary to cool your water, you might want to opt for a dispenser, otherwise, a cooler might be your better bet.

Space: Space is also a big thing to take into consideration before making your purchase. When it comes to buying a dispenser or a cooler, think about how much space you have to accommodate the machine. Besides, some types of coolers for water take up more space than others, such as the top-loading water cooler. There are various options more suited for small spaces like RVs, and there are also options for large spaces like offices. Altogether, remember that the availability of space should affect your purchasing decision.

Additional features: Apart from simply dispensing or cooling water, a lot of water dispensers and coolers come with some really great additional features that you might find useful. Some coolers are able to also dispense hot water in addition to cold water for making and for tea and coffee, and that may be important to you. Others come with purification systems that remove small particles, sediments and even chlorine from your water. Other additional features include drip trays, cup holders and conversion kits. Consider some of the additional features that coolers and dispensers come with and choose one that best suits your needs.

Price: An important factor to consider is the price. What is your budget for a water cooler or a water dispenser? Typically, water dispensers are more affordable than coolers as they just dispense water. In the same way, coolers also vary in price depending on the brand, application, special features, size, and even aesthetics. Once you know your budget for a water cooler or dispenser, you can then choose one that is within your price range before making a final purchase.

What are some benefits of using a water cooler?

Requires no plumbing: One major benefit of using it is the fact that it does not require any sort of plumbing before it can be fully functional. It is a machine that works individually and as such does not need to be connected to your home’s plumbing system. This is highly beneficial for numerous reasons. For one,  it means that this machine can be easily installed just about anywhere in your house as long as there is sufficient space and an outlet. It also means that you save yourself the time, effort as well as the possible risk of being exposed to contamination from trying to connect it to your plumbing system.

Portable: Another great benefit of it is that it is entirely portable. This machine can easily be moved from room to room and even from one home to another. If you ever make the decision to move your water cooler, not only would the process be possible, but it would also be easy to carry out. Plus, once you have it moved, you won’t need to worry about any complicated installation processes as with this machine, all you need to do is simply plug it in an outlet and you’re most definitely good to go.

Water variety: One cool yet less spoken about the benefit of using a cooler is access to different varieties of water. When you have a water cooler, your source of water is water bottles. These water bottles come in different exciting varieties ranging from distilled water to mineral water and even to reverse osmosis water. A water cooler gives you the opportunity to explore different types of water in order for you to get that experience until you are able to find the option that best suits your own personal taste.

How many types of coolers for water are there?

Top loading water coolers: When it comes to a top-loading cooler, it simply comprises a water bottle being placed on top of the water cooler. This cooler variety is very easy to install as it only involves loading your bottled water. This may come in the form of a 2, 4 or 5-gallon bottle and it should be placed onto the machine for instant dispensing of water. This is typically the most common type of cooler on the market and is convenient for people who want bottled water on demand. Plus, you can easily purchase these water bottles at the grocery store or even have it delivered to your home.

Bottom loading system: the major difference between a top-loading water cooler and a bottom loading cooler is that where top-loading water requires lifting and loading, a bottom loading cooler requires you to simply place the water bottle in the cabinet located at the lower part of the machine. This type of cooler requires no lifting and is a lot more convenient to place. It is also a space saver as it takes up less space than a top-loading cooler would. Because of their convenience, a lot of bottom loading coolers tend to be more expensive than their counterparts.

Bottleless water coolers: Also known as a ‘point of use’ cooler, this type of cooler saves you the time and cost of continuously purchasing water bottles. Instead, this type of cooler requires that you have an available water line to tap into. This is because it is hooked to your water supply and comes with an integrated filtration system that provides you with safe and clean water. This cooler filters your water and it does so without the use of bottles. As such, it is considered an environmentally friendly solution. Of all three types of water coolers, it is typically the highest in cost due to its installation process.

Best Water Cooler – FAQs

How long does a water dispenser take to effectively clean the water?

There are a wide variety of water dispensers available in the market and each of them has their own unique way of purifying and filtering tap water. Altogether, the end result is to make it clean and safe enough for human consumption. Now when it comes to tapping water, in most cases, it has been purified using purified water systems.

In the process of purifying tap water, harmful contaminants are removed from the water using chemicals such as iodine and chlorine in order to make the water clean. However, purified water is not the same as filtered water as purified water may still contain contaminants that prevent the water from being safe for drinking. This is where your water dispenser comes in. It filters your water, making it free from synthetic chemicals found in purified water. So, even if your tap water has not been purified, a water purifier dispenser is your best bet. This kind of dispenser both purifies and filters your water so that you have only the cleanest water.

Further, this dispenser does not make use of a loaded bottle but instead is hooked into your home’s (or office) direct water supply via plumbing and makes use of a powerful filtration system to both purify and filter your water. The absolute best thing about this type of water dispenser is that it offers clean and filtered water instantly. The purification and filtration process is equally continuous, so you never have to wait for your water to get clean before drinking because this dispenser ensures that it constantly provides you with clean water.

Is water from a cooler safe to drink?

As you already know by now, there are two major types of water cooler; bottled cooler that may either be top-loading or bottom loading and bottleless coolers that require being hooked into your water system. Now when it comes to bottleless water cooler, the water delivered to you has already been purified and filtered to ensure that you are drinking clean water. It purifies your tap water so that you do not have to worry about drinking unsafe water.

On the other hand, when it comes to bottled coolers, it gets a little bit more complicated. Where there are high levels of moisture, bacteria are able to grow and reproduce. As it typically takes several days to a week to completely exhaust a 5-gallon bottle of water, there is ample leeway for bacteria to grow. Most especially as bottled water does not contain any residual chlorine that could control the growth of bacteria.

All in all, with bottled coolers, there is a high possibility of contamination. However, there is no need to panic because the routine maintenance of your bottled water cooler can prevent the possibility of bacteria growth. Maintaining your cooler involves sanitizing it every three to six months, spraying the dispenser taps with a sanitizing agent at least once a week, keeping water bottles stored in a clean, cool and dark environment and not restraining from filling your water bottles with tap water.

How does a cooler filter drinking water?

It has been established that certain types of systems and water dispensers have the ability to purify and filter water. This quality is great because it ensures that you constantly enjoy the cleanest and safest water. A cooler’s ability to purify and filter water also protects you from drinking dirty water which can leave you at risk of water-borne diseases.

The process through coolers actually filter your water is quite an interesting one, and it may benefit you to be aware of what happens behind the scenes. First of all, tap water flows through high-grade carbon water filters that have been specially designed to sift and retain harmful contaminants. It also gets other unwanted pieces and particles that make your water unsafe for consumption such as dust, heavy metals, chlorine, rust, pesticides, and sediments.

Next, a NanoCeram filter then disinfects the tap water by exposing it to a special kind of radiation that arms the filters to totally eliminate the presence of viruses and bacteria count in the water to nearly zero. It also works to get rid of harmful bacteria like e-Coli and coliform that can potentially cause digestive and gastrointestinal issues and illnesses.

Finally, stainless steel refrigeration allows for the highest level of hygiene by keeping the filtered drinking water cool and clean until you are ready to drink to your satisfaction.

Are water coolers sanitary?

They are a great way to have quick and safe access to clean and purified water, however, some people are not entirely convinced about the sanitary state of a water system. Some people believe that coolers are not entirely hygienic or even safe to consume water from, and in some cases, this can be true, especially at the workplace. In an office environment, water cooler can be unhygienic due to a large number of people that make use of them. This is coupled with the potential of bad cleaning methods. While the bottled water is clean and safe for consumption, the cooler itself may be covered in illness-causing germs due to lack of proper cleaning.

To combat this serious issue, certified health officials have recommended that both office and home coolers for water be cleaned at the very least, once every six weeks. This should come hand-in-hand with a frequent change of bottle, depending on which one comes first.

To further facilitate the cleaning and maintaining a cooler, it is best to hire a good water company that has staff trained on how to clean and sanitize a cooler. Also, this cleaning process should be carried out on a routine basis in order to ensure a sanitary state of your water cooler.

How does water that’s been treated by a water cooler taste?

Typically, water that has been treated by a cooler system should be tasteless and have no strange odors. It should also be colorless as clean water is supposed to be. Contrary to popular belief, your water should not have a metallic taste if it has been treated. However, if your water has a strange taste, there may be some things to consider.

If you have purchased a new plastic container or bottle for your water, your water may come with a plastic taste. This is due to the plastic pieces that have found their way into the cooler through the plastic bottle. If this is the case for you, practice flushing out your cooler using a mixture of boiled water and vinegar as this will remove any plastic, dirt or dust accumulated in the cooler.

Also, if your water cooler has recently been sanitized, your water may taste and smell odd or funny. This weird taste is in no way harmful and will usually go away after a couple of days. If it bothers you, you can easily flush out the taps on your cooler.

Otherwise, if your cooler has not been sanitized and your water is tasting funny, you might want to consider sanitizing the machine. Here, it is best to hire a water company that has trained staff that can carry out this process for you in the best and most effective way.

How often should they be serviced?

While access to clean and safe water both at home and in the workplace is extremely important, it is even more important to ensure that the machine is properly serviced and cleaned out on a routine basis. It is incredibly vital to make sure that your cooler system for water has been installed in the right way, and the installation process follows due guidelines (especially in the workplace).

This should be the case regardless of whether it is bottled or bottleless water cooler. Also, do not neglect to ensure that proper maintenance, cleaning, and servicing are carried out. In the case of bottled coolers, these machines need to be cleaned and serviced at least once every six months, equally, mainstream coolers need to be cleaned at least once every six months. In an office environment, it is very fundamental that this is done as the lives and health of employees are at stake.

It is best to keep a schedule or formal record to make sure that this routine is being carried out when it is supposed to. Also, make use of a water service company that comes in on schedule to properly clean out and maintain the water cooler as they have the skills required to provide the much needed regular maintenance procedure.

How do I clean a water dispenser?

Cleaning your water dispenser is an important routine procedure to take to prevent health-related issues caused by bacteria growth from your dispenser. The easiest way to ensure that your dispenser is in the best condition is by cleaning it out every time you change the bottle. However, you can always set a reminder to clean it at least once every two to three months.

Before you clean your dispenser, decide which cleaning solution to use. Some options include bleach and white vinegar which are quite potent as the case may be. Both of these options are safe and effective ways to kill germs, mold, mildew, and bacteria in your water cooler. When cleaning with vinegar, mix one-part vinegar with three parts of warm water. On the other hand, when it comes to cleaning with bleach, mix 1 gallon of tap water with 1 tablespoon of unscented chlorine bleach. It’s not recommended to make use of other chemical cleaners or mild soaps as they can affect the taste of your bottled water.

Start your cleaning process by unplugging the electrical cord for safety measures, removing the water bottle and water guard, cleaning the drip guard, disinfecting the water reservoir and rinsing out the water reservoir with clean water. You can then replace all the parts as well as the plug and don’t forget to clean the water drip tray with your solution.

What happens if you don’t clean your water dispenser?

As the years go by, more and more people are transitioning to using water cooling systems and dispensers over tap water as it is more convenient. Also, bottled water is said to be safer and taste better as well. More so, a lot of money is being spent on bottled water as well as filters to ensure that the water that we consume is clean and of good quality. While all this may be true, there is a major issue involved with purchasing a water dispenser.

You see, proper and routine maintenance and cleaning of the machine are paramount. If it is not being carried out, this exposes you and makes you susceptible to diseases and illnesses as a result of bacterial contamination. Bacteria are able to grow and reproduce at a rapid rate in locations where high levels of moisture are.

When you think about your water cooler and how long it takes you to consume a 2, 4, or 5-gallon bottle of water (typically a couple of days to a week), you may now see how an issue may arise. This occurs especially when you don’t practice proper maintenance of your water cooler. Studies have even brought to light the growth of E-coli in dirty water coolers.

These are some of the risks that you may face if you don’t clean your water dispenser. Proper maintenance of your water cooler is very important for your health, and it is advised that you thoroughly clean it out every three to six months. Also, purchase a sanitation kit from your supplier.

Is consuming water from a water cooler a healthy option?

When it comes to drinking water, it’s safe to say that we are all concerned about the quality of the water that we drink. We often worry if it is safe, clean and healthy for our consumption. If you are currently making use of a water dispenser or a water cooler and are concerned as to whether drinking water from these machines is healthy for you, then worry no more because the answer is yes. Compared to tap water, water from a water cooler is miles ahead.

Tap water is not always purified and filtered which when drunk, can open you up to illnesses and diseases. With a water cooler though, the water in the bottles has been purified with the use of chlorine, eliminating up to 99 percent of bacteria. And if you’re worried about the use of chemicals to purify the water, there’s really no need because these chemicals are filtered out of the cooler as soon as the bottled water gets into it.

The filters that have been specially placed in water cooler and dispensers are able to properly clean your water before you drink it so that anytime you pour some out, you can rest assured that chemical residue or debris in the water has been removed. Plus, a cooler is very easy to use, operate and can provide you with cool and hot water in an instance. As long as you practice proper maintenance and cleaning, you don’t have anything to worry about as all you’ll be consuming safe and clean drinking water.

Can a water dispenser combat water-borne diseases?

In many homes, institutions, and offices, water dispensers have replaced traditional tap water as a source of drinking water. In fact, water from a dispenser has been said to be cleaner and safer compared to regular tap water. Why? Well, water from a dispenser is clean and safe due to the fact that it has gone through purification and filtration.

Even more, most companies that produce bottled water for dispensers make use of a process called chlorination that kills up to 99 percent of bacteria. However, it doesn’t just end there. While this water for dispensers is typically good and safe for consumption, the problem arises with the dispenser itself. In a nutshell, once the water dispenser is dirty, then you are still at risk of contracting water-borne diseases no matter how clean the bottled water is.

A large percentage of dispenser systems have carbon filters that need to be routinely cleaned out. If these filters are not cleaned, the bacteria will multiply and, in enough time, can cause you to contract water-borne diseases. The taps of the dispenser, when not properly cleaned can also Foster the growth of harmful bacteria. In the end, it all boils down to proper cleaning and routine maintenance to ensure that you protect yourself from water-borne diseases.

Final Verdict

Water coolers are a great way to access clean water on demand. This machine simply provides you with cool and safe water at the push of a button; it really doesn’t get any more convenient than that. If you’re on the market for the best of the best coolers to purchase, do not hesitate to opt for the Avalon A1 Top Loading Cooler Dispenser. This amazing product is superior in quality, provides you with both piping hot and refreshingly cool water at all times. It even features a child safety lock to ensure that the entire family is safe and sound. Now tell me again, why don’t you already have this at home?