A water dispenser is a unit that helps to cool and/or heat water, provide filtration and then dispenses it as both drinking water and ice cubes. Each water dispenser also referred to as a water cooler will have a different combination of features, from simple devices that dispense cold water to higher-end ones that offer a full range of features. The perfect solution for both home and office, it is a fantastic way to ensure everyone drinks clean, safe drinking water throughout the day whilst minimising plastic waste.
We’ve put together a list of the 10 best water dispensers, along with key information that will help you make the right choice for your individual needs.
Now that we’ve given you a brief introduction to what water dispensers are, how useful they can be for your household and what to look out for, we’ve put together some of our favourites on the market right now. As always, remember to take your time and think about what your requirements are, before making any buying decision.
1. Avalon A5 Self Cleaning Bottleless Water Cooler Dispenser
The first on our list is this self cleaning, bottleless water dispenser from Avalon, one of the leading brands on the market right now.
Features:
The stand out feature of this water cooler dispenser is the fact it doesn’t require bottles to be used, plugging straight into the water system. Whilst this means it relies on the water supply in your home and may suffer from a slower water flow rate, it is very easy to install and convenient to use. On top of that, it has a built-in night light, safety lock and a self-cleaning feature to prevent the build-up of harmful contaminants.
Temperature:
With this Avalon dispenser, you have three temperature settings to choose from and you also have the freedom to customise to your personal tastes. It offers both hot and cold water, as well as a cool room temperature version as well. Whether you want a hot cup of tea or an ice-cold refreshing drink, this will deliver for you.
Filtration:
You get a dual filter system with this dispenser which combines a sediment filter and an activated carbon filter. You should get in the region of 1500 gallons of filtered water before needing to replace them, but these filters will remove almost all traces of lead, chlorine, and other harmful contaminants.
Pros
Cons
A very effective filtration system that is NSF certified according to the manufacturer
It is easy to install and use
It is bottleless and self-cleaning for added convenience and cost savings
The water flow rate can sometimes be a little slow as it relies on your mains water supply
2. InSinkErator H-WaveC-SS Instant Hot Water Dispenser System
Another model from InSinkErator and very much like the first product, it is a great choice for anyone wanting an instant hot water dispenser system that comes ready to go in the box and takes minimal effort to install.
The tank is made from stainless steel and is capable of holding up to ⅔ gallons of water, at temperatures ranging from 160 to 210 degrees Fahrenheit. Thanks to the design, the constant supply of boiling hot water is perfect for busy kitchens that want to make hot drinks or cook and clean with it.
Safety features are important and this one doesn’t let us down either, with an automatically closing valve which closes for a period of time.
Pros
Cons
Temperature adjustment – You can adjust the temperature using a simple switch on the main unit
Build quality – Using durable metals, this performs well and allows for near boiling levels of water
Safety – Simple to install and easy to use makes this safe for any kitchen
Noise – Not the quietest unit when heating up the water
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3. Ready Hot RH-100-F560-BN Hot Water Dispenser System
With a hot water tank that is capable of holding over ½ a gallon of water and produces around 40 cups of water an hour, this model from Ready Hot really does live up to its name. The system consists of a stainless steel tank and a 780-watt power system for fantastic performance for both busy households and offices.
It has some nice safety options including a heater protection system, which stops the system from overheating or burning out if you start it dry. Reports also show that this model is quicker than some of its rivals, so for those moments where you need a lot of water, it really does come into its own.
As an alternative to heating water in a pan or boiling the kettle, this is a fantastic choice for any consumer.
Pros
Cons
Performance – This system produces around 40 cups of water an hour
Safety – It has a smart system that stops overheating or burn out
Flow rate – A decent flow rate of hot water making it faster than many of its competitors
Manual shut off – You have to manually turn off the faucet which is a safety feature but is somewhat annoying
4. Westbrass D271H-12 Velosah Instant Hot Water Dispenser
This instant hot water dispenser from Westbrass is yet another quality product that delivers instant hot water, whenever you need it. It has QHT-1 technology, which is all about quickly heating water and comes with a 9-inch faucet that feels like it has been made with care and attention, fitting nicely into most kitchens.
One feature that makes this dispenser stand out is the fact that the manufacturer has made allowances for a water filter to be installed between the water supply and the tank itself. This means that you can have filtered, clean water feeding straight into this dispenser system for adding quality and great tasting water.
With a few nice safety features and clear instructions for installation and set up, it won’t let you down.
Pros
Cons
Quality – Well-made, simple solution that does its job efficientl
Installation – Easy to follow instructions make this simple to install and get up and running
Option for a filter – They have designed this to let you put a filter in between the tank and water supply for cleaner, healthier water
Noise – It can be a bit on the noisy side and that may put some people off
5. Waste King H711-U-SN Quick and Hot Water Dispenser
A powerful instant hot water dispenser next on our top product list and by powerful, we really do mean just that. With a 1300 watt power system and a tank capable of holding more than ⅔ of a gallon of water, you will be able to get up to 100 cups of hot water per hour with the Waste King H711-U-SN.
The water tank has been designed to be insulated, with safety features including a vent system to stop the risk of over-expansion of the bladder when you change the temperature. However, it has been noted that it can sometimes cause the faucet to drip, not the end of the world but maybe annoying for some. Speaking of the faucet, they provide a well designed, silver-coloured faucet with this system, which should fit nicely in most kitchens.
Pros
Cons
Water supply – This incredible machine is capable of producing up to 100 cups of hot water per hour.
Safety – With a vent system and insulated tank, the manufacturers have done everything possible to prevent overheating and safety issues
Temperature – Thanks to the design, you will get near-boiling hot water from this unit
Dripping faucet – Due to the design of the safety features, this unit is prone to dripping every now and then
6. Franke HT-300 Point-Of-Use Water Dispenser Hot Tank
A really good quality instant hot water dispenser tank from Franke makes it onto our list and this is a solid unit with all-round good performance. It’s 0.5-gallon tank and the 780-watt unit will provide around 60 cups of hot water per hour – by no means the best on the market but perfectly reasonable for a normal household or office. If you want to push for more, then you will need to look into some of the more powerful, expensive models out there.
This is another tank that doesn’t come with a faucet but instead arrives with everything you need to connect it to your existing or new faucet, including a flexible hose connection kit. This is very useful because trying to fit it under the sink can be frustrating if you’re bound by a small or inflexible hose.
Reports have suggested you can have this unit up and running in around thirty minutes, with minimal expertise required.
Pros
Cons
Installation – It comes with a flexible hose that makes it easier to install under the sink
Speed – Once installed, you can have hot water in as little time as 30 minutes
Stainless steel tank – High quality materials are used to create the tank which improves performance and longevity
Capacity – It has a capacity of approximately 60 cups an hour, less than some of the bigger systems on our list but not unreasonable
InSinkErator H-HOT150SN-SS Instant Hot Water Dispenser
This instant hot water dispenser from InSinkErator comes with a stainless steel tank capable of holding ⅔ gallons of water, as well as a delightful satin nickel finished dispenser. One of the easiest on our list in terms of installation, it doesn’t require any plumbing or tools which is a big plus for those without much experience.
With this unit, you can adjust the temperature via a switch that lets you move it between 160 and 210 degrees, for those who find the standard temperature doesn’t quite hit the right spot for their cup of tea. The manufacturers have thought about safety with this model, giving clear instructions and providing a self-closing valve for added protection.
Pros
Cons
Quality – Sleek design, stainless-steel tank and good capacity makes this an all round great system
Easy installation – You don’t need any tools to get started with this system and no plumbing is required
Temperature adjustment – You can choose from a range of temperatures ranging from 160 to 210 degrees fahrenheit
Safety features – To use hot water, you have to hold the handle down, which is great from a safety point of view but may annoy some people
Thank you for taking the time to read through our guide on instant hot water dispensers and our list of top products to choose from, we hope it has been both informative and acted as a guide for you to make a purchase with confidence.
Once you have one of these installed, you will realise just what you’ve been missing, having to boil a kettle or a pot of water every time you need hot water. Instant, near-boiling water is a game-changer for both households and offices, saving time, money and effort.
How they work
Instant hot water dispensers are relatively simple in their design and yet highly effective, simply by having a tank connected to the cold water supply in your kitchen, which is then heated up to an almost boiling point and maintained at this level. Once you use the water, the tank will refill, ensuring you have an instant supply of hot water, whenever you need it.
The temperature is controlled via a thermostat and the water is fed through into a special faucet so that you have a separate access point for the hot water. With advances in both technology and design, these faucets generally offer a stylish solution that doesn’t look out of place in even the most modern of kitchens.
Why they are useful
Firstly, they are a fantastic solution to those who want hot water instantly and don’t wish to wait for a kettle to boil or pan to heat up. This may not seem like a big deal but imagine how much of your time is spent waiting for these things and to suddenly have that wait taken away from you, will make a big difference.
The next reason these are useful is that they have been designed to be as energy-efficient as possible, even whilst keeping the water at the correct temperature. This is a great feature when you consider the energy usage of kettles, microwaves etc and they can handle far smaller quantities.
That leads us onto the next and perhaps most useful feature – capacity. Each instant hot water dispenser uses a tank that will hold a different amount of water. With some even going up to a gallon of water, which is far more than any kettle or pot will cope with. For the majority, they will hold around 0.5 gallons and produce anywhere from 40-100 cups of hot water per hour. This should be enough cups of tea or pots of boiling water for almost any household.
What to look out for
It may be difficult to work out what product to go for, so it’s important to think about the most important features to look out for and how important they may be to you. For some, the size of the water tank is important, particularly if you are in a household that uses a lot of water, or office where a lot of tea and coffee is made! Likewise, some may want to make sure the faucet design fits your current kitchen and operates well, with each brand offering different solutions and in some cases, more bespoke options.
Basic things to look out for
Product materials
With newer products, you are likely to buy an instant hot water dispenser that is made out of stainless steel and in our opinion, this is absolutely the right choice. Some older and cheaper models may use other materials, such as rubber and whilst these will offer cost savings, they don’t have the longevity and performance that stainless steel products will.
Performance – Size and Power
Let’s start with the size and even the smallest tanks will have around ½ a gallon capacity. As you can imagine, that is a lot of cups of tea and coffee! Power is an important factor for those who use a lot of water, such as a busy office kitchen, and the power will range from 500 up to 1300 watts. Logically, the more powerful the unit, the greater amount of hot water can be produced per hour. These units can produce between 40 or 50 cups and even up to 100 cups per hour.
Faucet
It really does depend on the product you go for, as to whether they supply a faucet or you need to source your own. This may be a benefit to you if you want a special style of faucet or one that has extra features, so think carefully about what fits in with your kitchen and sink set up. Don’t be put off by the ones that do offer a faucet with the dispenser, as nowadays these are normally pretty decent options, with both improved build quality and design.
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