The idea of a water cooler at home may seem strange to some and many people may think that it is only needed at an office or the gym. However, it is important to be aware of the quality of water in the area you live in, as well as where you work, with many reports of water containing high levels of chromium-6, mercury and other minerals that can do harm in large quantities. Aside from the health benefits of choosing a water cooler, there are other reasons why purchasing one is a fantastic investment for your home, office or store.
Our Top Picks
Best Water Coolers of 2020
Water Coolers that are worth mentioning:
![Primo Bottom Loading Water Cooler - 2 Temperature Settings, Hot & Cold - Energy Star Rated Water Dispenser with Child-Resistant Safety Feature Supports 3 or 5 Gallon Water Jugs [Black]](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/31M9+kvXx6L._SL160_.jpg)
Our Top 10 Water Coolers
It is difficult to shortlist just 10 water coolers to choose from and so we always recommend doing your own research, but our experts have reviewed what’s out there and done a lot of the leg work for you, so you can make a purchase comfortable in the knowledge you will be getting a great product.
1. Costway 2-in-1 Water Cooler
We start off our top 10 with more than just a standard water cooler – it offers an ice maker as well.
Performance:
Let’s start off with the water part of the system and here you get three different temperature water options including cold, room-temperature and hot water. This already makes it a fantastic solution for the office, despite its relatively noisy system, so perhaps don’t place it right next to someone’s desk.
Features:
The built-in ice maker will pump out plenty of ice cubes in approximately seven minutes, enough for a couple of cocktails if the mood takes you! Away from the water features, it has a compact design, LED display and an easy to use control panel.
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2. Brio and Magic Mountain Water Products Dispenser
The first thing to know about this water cooler is that it is plugged into the main water supply, saving on the issue of having to store and carry about big water bottles. This does mean you will want to plug it into a filtered supply wherever possible, particularly at home.
Coldwater:
The temperature control feature on this water cooler is a nice touch, giving you the ability to regulate the temperature via a thermostat, so you can get the cold water just right.
Hot water:
For the hot water supply, we’ve found that it offers approximately 45 cups of hot water per hour (based on 6-ounce cup size), more than enough for homes and small offices.
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3. Avalon A5BOTTLELESS A5 Self Cleaning Bottleless Water Cooler
One of the better-looking models in our top 10, offering a more high-tech design and its features follow in the same vein.
Features:
First off, it has the three main settings that you will want: cold, cool and hot, each one working on individual switches. As the name suggests, the next feature to discuss is its claim to be free of bottles and in this case, it offers a plug to link it to your water supply.
Performance:
Inside this machine are two tanks for the hot and cold water, which automatically refill as you dispense water, so they will almost always be full when you need them for hot or cold water.
Filtration:
They have put a built-in charcoal filter, which is a nice touch for those worried about filtered water, but it should be replaced on average, every 6 months.
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4. Primo White 2 Spout Bottom Load Cooler
One of the best in our top 10 reviews, the Primo White 2 Spout offers all the important features you would want from a water cooler – easy to use buttons that offer you refreshing ice-cold water or hot water for your next coffee.
Design:
The bottom-loading design means its quick and easy to replace the water, hiding the bottles to make it more appealing in the home or office.
Safety:
An interesting feature here is a childproof safety feature to reduce the chances of young ones getting scalded by pressing the hot water option without supervision.
Features:
The manufacturers have included some other nice touches including using stainless steel for certain parts, making it a durable and quality water cooler. As well as that, it claims to have low energy usage ratings for those worried about the potential environmental and cost impact of having one of these.
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5. Brio CL520 Commercial Grade Top Loading Water Dispenser
A sleek and well designed top loading water cooler is next on the list, offering the more traditional option but in a modern way.
Design:
Aside from the standard hot and cold water options, it is well made with a removable drip tray for cleaning and a child safety feature that stops any accidents from happening. You can even take it one step further and switch the hot water supply off if you didn’t want it being used at all.
Features:
One of the more unique features of this top loading water cooler is their non-spill design for the top part of the water cooler. So whilst you’re struggling to lift that bottle up and onto the machine, you won’t need to worry about spillage.
Temperature:
We have one warning here for potential customers and that is some reports suggest the hot water isn’t hot enough for tea and coffee at times.
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6. Primo Bottom Loading Water Cooler
The next bottom loading water cooler on our list is from Primo and they’ve done pretty well with this model, offering both hot and cold water as you would expect.
Design:
It uses the standard 5-gallon water bottles and they fit nicely into the lower section, hidden from view by stainless steel panels to add a touch of quality and protection. It has a nightlight as an added extra for those needing a drink in the night and it plugs directly into a plug socket, without adding too much to the electricity bill.
Controls:
There are some downsides to this bottom load water cooler from testing and firstly, if you don’t keep the buttons switched on, you will have to wait a minute or two for water to get to the right temperature (both hot and cold), which can be a bit frustrating.
Installation:
Furthermore, some of the plastic components don’t always fit together well, but this shouldn’t be a major issue for most users.
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7. Primo Water Cooler Dispenser and Pet Station
A unique water dispenser on our list and for any animal lovers and pet owners out there, you will probably get drawn to this one straight away!
Design:
Firstly, it offers the usual Primo high-quality water using a top-loading system that is built primarily from stainless steel, so you can rest assured it is a long term investment. They have also thought about the design on this one, adding extra touches to make it more pleasing on the eye, such as a nightlight and chrome features.
Features:
Now, let’s discuss the pet station – a really great way to stop your pet’s water being just stale water from the tap. It will not dispense any water unless the bowl is placed properly underneath and the way its design means you can install the pet station part at multiple angles, to make sure it fits in with the layout of the house.
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8. Avalon Premium Countertop Water Cooler
Countertop options are a great choice for those with limited space or a smaller household/office and this model from Avalon is a good place to start.
Performance:
It offers both hot and cold water, allowing you to have cool refreshing drinks or a quick cup of tea without having to boil a kettle. With respect to the hot water option, it comes with a handy child lock feature to protect those little hands from burns.
Maintenance:
This is a fantastic product for households and small offices, it is important to remember that busier properties will go through the water quickly and change the bottle often.
Flow Rate:
Furthermore, the flow of water can sometimes be slow, which might frustrate some people more than others.
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9. Avalon Bottom Loading Water Cooler
This bottom loading water dispenser from Avalon really ticks all of the boxes on the design front, with a stylish feel, stainless steel body and nicely designed lights.
Features:
This water dispenser won’t look out of place in a more modern kitchen or office and it still has top features such as three temperature options of hot, cold and room temperature, keeping everyone happy.
Design:
It has been designed as a bottom load water cooler, hiding the bottles behind its stylish stainless steel body and making it much less of a burden to lift those heavy bottles and potentially spill water all over the floor. Add in a handy little nightlight and you’ve got a great option to go for.
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10. Primo Stainless Steel 1 Spout Water Cooler
Yet another Primo has made it on our list and they keep on producing great little machines for the home and office.
Design:
This stainless steel model has a single spout that dispenses cold water, cool water and hot water, so you will never go without a drink. For this model, you can buy bottles in either 3 or 5-gallon sizes that feature purified water, directly from Primo, ensuring only the best water for you and your family.
Reusable bottles:
An interesting feature from Primo that many others simply don’t consider is the effect on the environment. Primo has created refill stations that let you reuse bottles, saving on plastic usage. A big thumbs up from us.
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The Best Water Cooler Summary
Ultimately, a water cooler is a fantastic option for people wanting a quick and clean water solution for their home or office but before jumping in and buying one, its important to first consider the features that are most important to you, the design that works for your location and then the budget considerations. We hope our brief overview offers some useful hints and tips, as well as direction on some fantastic models to choose from.
The Pros of Water Coolers
There is a range of benefits for anyone choosing a water cooler but we’ve listed the top three that appeal to most people.
Great tasting water
Water should be part of everyone’s lives and plays a big role in a healthy and nutritious lifestyle. However, many people simply don’t drink enough or any at all because it tastes strange or bland and so resorts to other drinks. This is where a water cooler comes in because when you combine it with filtered water, you get a far more refreshing, clean tasting and enjoyable drink. This will promote drinking more water among your co-workers, family and customers.
Appealing to the children
All parents will know how difficult it is to persuade your children to drink enough water and having a water cooler will help make it a more interesting option, with many having high-tech features and a nicer taste. For the younger ones, it will feel like more of an adventure and challenge and let’s face it, any way to make it more appealing is helpful in that continuous battle against soda type drinks.
Accessible and Engaging
The third reason that we think will persuade you to invest in a water cooler is how accessible it makes drinking water and how it subconsciously makes you more engaged in the process. There will always be a constant reminder as you walk past the cooler, it will seem easier to quickly just press a button and it will look more appealing than a plain faucet in the kitchen. This particularly helpful in an office where you may not venture to the kitchen that often and these can be strategically placed to promote drinking water.
The Types of Water Cooler
When considering purchasing a water cooler, you will first want to consider which kind is the best fit for your household, in terms of features, capacity and functionality. We’ve provided a brief overview below about the three main types available on the market.
Top Loading Water Cooler
This represents the more traditional design of water cooler that you will have seen in offices and shops for many years, with the water bottle placed on top of the unit. The two main advantages of this design are first, the availability on the market to choose from and secondly, they are more affordable than other designs.
Unfortunately, there are a few downsides with this option and the first of which is that the water bottle is out in the open and not easily hidden, making it a less attractive option. Also, you will have to lift these heavy bottles up, turn them over and place them on the unit, a heavy and sometimes messy process.
Bottom Load Water Cooler
The most appealing of the options for homeowners or offices wishing to have a water cooler because they are often more aesthetically pleasing, with the key feature being the water bottle is hidden within the unit.
This is a favourite for smarter office environments and for those thinking about design but also has the benefits of not requiring you to live heavy bottles up high, taking away some of the difficulty and minimising any potential spillage. You can sometimes pay a premium for a bottom load water dispenser when compared to some top loading water dispensers.
Countertop Water Cooler
The countertop design for water coolers is for those people with a relatively small kitchen area, whether at home or in the office, but who still want a water dispenser. It maximises the space but the downsides are a lack of style and small capacity when compared to the other designs. It is for this last reason that we always recommend considering the usage levels, as this option may be inefficient for higher usage properties and so not the best water dispenser for you.
Point of Use Cooler
This type of water dispenser will normally connect straight to your water supply, whether at home or in the office. They will need a power supply as well but what you get in return is an effective water dispenser that filters water, whether using a UV filter or activated carbon. These are fantastic for anyone who doesn’t want a whole house water filter or perhaps wants it connected to a refrigerator.
Key Considerations
There are some key considerations to be aware of when buying a water cooler dispenser and we’ve summarised those below for you to make the entire process much easier.
Capacity
You will want to make sure it has the capacity to supply the water your household requires. There is nothing more frustrating than a water dispenser that you have to wait around for to provide drinking water or to fill up your coffee cup.
Temperature options
All of the options on our best water cooler list have a range of temperature options and features. These include purely a cold water cooler, an extensive range of cold, room temperature and hot temperatures and even a special cold water supply for pets.
This is one of the biggest complaints we see in customer reviews, that the water dispenser doesn’t deliver hot enough water or cold enough water, so always take note of the manufacturer’s claims and customer feedback.
Safety
You want to make sure that leaks, spillage and accidents don’t happen! Keep an eye out for the best water cooler dispensers for safety, particularly if you have children in the household. Many now provide some kind of child safety lock and spillage protection to ensure nothing bad happens.
Design
You may choose a bottom load water cooler dispenser because of it hiding the water bottle, or perhaps you want a nice, compact designed water dispenser that fits on the counter. Fortunately, there are some super stylish models on our best water cooler list, so you no longer have to put up with some ugly unit sticking out.
Furthermore, think about the design and how the functionality will fit your office or kitchen. You may require a top-loading one for ease of access, or perhaps a point of use one so remove the need of a bottle altogether.
Energy efficiency
It is important to remember that even the best water cooler on the market will require a power source and so it is important to think about how energy-efficient they are. The biggest and most experienced manufacturers will generally make systems energy-efficient and cost-effective, but it is vital to check this out if you have concerns about the running costs involved.
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