One should invest in great quality water coolers to get the cleanest water possible, right? Remember, most health experts recommend drinking eight glasses of water each day.
So, if you’re drinking plenty of water throughout the day, it would be right to drink the cleanest water for added health benefits while keeping you and your family out of harm’s way.
The only problem is that choosing a water cooler for you can be quite challenging as there are hundreds, if not thousands, of water dispensers.
Worry not; I’ve gone through the depths of the market and carefully selected the best of the best coolers for you.
What Are the Top Best Water Coolers You Can Buy?
As I’ve mentioned, choosing the right cooler for you is a daunting task, let alone buying one.
To make your life easier, I’ve listed ten of the best water dispensers for you. Here are the best water coolers to keep you hydrated and healthy.
What I like
- Water travels through nine stages of filtration
- Easy to install and use
- It features a child safety lock for the hot water spout
- Hot and cold water can be turned off separately
- Additional filter cartridges to ensure the cleanest water possible
What I don’t like
- The price of this water cooler is significantly high
- It is a little bit heavy and would need another person to carry it
- No built-in ice maker
From the highs and the lows, I have concluded that the Sharp Ultrafiltration bottleless water cooler is the best water cooler dispenser on the market today.
This water cooler features a reverse osmosis mechanism, ensuring you get the cleanest and safest water possible. Its built-in ultrafiltration system is a force to be reckoned with.
When water goes through filtration, it doesn’t emit a strong smell and tastes great. It has no aftertaste like most water dispensers from this price point.
Nevertheless, it is a bottleless water cooler and saves you the hassle and time of lifting heavy jugs from point to point. Overall, I have to admit I am overly impressed with this water bottle dispenser.
Type: Bottleless | Capacity: N/A | Water Temperature: Hot, cold, and room-temperature water | Energy-Star Certified: N/A
What I like
- Water purification features
- No water bottles needed
- Self-cleaning function
- LED night light features
- Empty bottle indicator light
- Serves ice-cold water
What I don’t like
- Pricey
- The drip tray is small
If you do not like top-loading water dispensers, the Avalon A5 Self-cleaning bottleless water cooler dispenser might be right for you.
The Avalon A5 is easy to install. From what I’ve experienced, instructions were clear and easy to understand.
It connects directly to your main line, meaning gone are the days you must carry heavy water jugs. The filtered water also has no aftertaste, which I liked the most.
I’m impressed that this water cooler dispenser’s filtrations provide great-tasting filtered water. The only problem is the price. But for the price, I feel it’s the best value water dispenser cooler here!
Type: Bottleless water cooler | Capacity: N/A | Water Temperature: Hot and cold water | Energy-Star Certified: N/A
What I like
- Easy and convenient to use
- Affordable
- Built-in night light makes water spouts visible
- Best budget
- With removable drip tray
What I don’t like
- No child safety lock
- It doesn’t serve hot water
- It needs a water bottle
- Only serves cold and room temperatures
If you are on a tight budget and looking for the best countertop water cooler dispensers today, I highly recommend Vitapur Countertop.
While this water dispenser doesn’t dispense hot water, it is more than enough if you only look for water dispensers that serve cold and room temperature.
In addition, the price is borderline dirt cheap for a water dispenser. The quality is good and should last a while for the intended use.
Overall, I liked this product’s price and functionality if you only want a water cooler.
Type: Countertop water cooler | Capacity: 5 gallons | Water Temperature: Room and cold water temperature | Energy-Star Certified: Yes
What I like
- Dispenses water fast
- Removable water bottle holder
- Easy to clean
- Child-safety lock features
What I don’t like
- No removable drip tray
- Needs frequent changing of water bottle
Another compact countertop water cooler dispenser on my list, the AMAY Desktop Water Cooler Dispenser, is another great product featuring electronic cooling technology to provide cold water anytime.
It can dispense water quicker than most countertop water coolers, and its child-safety lock features ensure your kids won’t get caught in a hot situation.
This water bottle dispenser can hold water bottles up to five gallons which is more than enough for a family of four. In addition, it can also serve hot water that is extremely great, especially when wintertime is coming.
Nevertheless, this water cooler dispenses cold water effectively while providing clean and filtered drinking water. It is one of the best water cooler dispensers at its price point.
Type: Top-loading countertop | Capacity: 3 or 5 gallons | Water Temperature: room, hot, and cold temperatures | Energy-Star Certified: Yes
What I like
- Elegant Design
- Premium quality
- It can serve hot and cold water quickly
- Self-cleaning ozone feature
- Has child safety lock on the hot water spout
What I don’t like
- High price tag
- No built-in ice maker despite the price
- Uses bottled water as a source
With a self-cleaning function and bottom-loading water dispenser design, the Brio Self Cleaning Bottom Loading Water Cooler ranks among the best water cooler dispenser products I have ever tried.
This bottom-load water dispenser works like magic. It can dispense water the coldest of the bunch and serve extremely hot water, perfect for teas and coffees.
Also, this bottom-loading water dispenser has a child-safety lock feature to give you the peace of mind you deserve when working from far home.
Overall, I like the product’s minimalist design, but it works wonders. It is also certified energy efficient, which means you will save more electricity in the long run.
Type: Bottom-loading water cooler dispenser | Capacity: 3 or 5 gallons | Water Temperature: Hot, cold, and room temperature water | Energy-Star Certified: Yes
What I like
- It has a storage compartment for easy stashing
- Serves ice cold and hot water
- Has separate water dispensers for hot and cold water
- Easy to operate
- It doesn’t require much space
What I don’t like
- Looks cheap
- No self-cleaning function
This top-loading water cooler dispenser might look like an ordinary bottled water dispenser to you, but this product from Farberware will shock you in many ways it can.
What I loved the most about this cold and hot water dispenser is its hidden compartment can be used to stash beverages, cups, and more.
While the storage area isn’t refrigerated, it can still serve a great purpose when storing different valuables whenever you’re out for an outdoor adventure.
This hot and cold water dispenser can use either 3 or 5-gallon water jugs, which I believe is more than enough for a family. It’s pretty easy to operate and gets the job done easily.
Type: Top-loading water cooler | Capacity: 3 to 5 gallons | Water Temperature: Cold and hot water | Energy-Star Certified: Yes
What I like
- Superb performance
- Delivers ice-cold water
- Stainless steel construction for durability
- Expect piping hot water with a single press
- The leak-guard collar prevents cold or hot water from spilling
- Easy-to-assemble
What I don’t like
- The drip tray is positioned at the bottom part
- Not bottleless
Based on my testing, it is safe to say that Primo is my favorite. It hits the sweet spot of price, functionality, and performance. This top-loading water cooler dispenser is easy to assemble and use.
Right from the get-go, I didn’t encounter any problems or hiccups. It was a free-flowing performance; it can serve extremely cold and piping hot water that surpasses everyone in the competition.
This stainless steel top-loading water cooler feels premium and elegant. Its removable drip tray is closer to the ground, which I find too low for my height. However, placing a smaller crate on top can be fixed.
Overall, I’m impressed with this bottled water dispenser. It is convenient and easy to use, and its stainless steel construction ensures it will last you far longer than your average bottled water dispenser.
Type: Top-loading water cooler | Capacity: 3 to 5 gallons | Water Temperature: Hot, cold, and room temperature water | Energy-Star Certified: Yes
What I like
- It has a dishwasher-safe drip tray
- It has a child safety lock feature
- Quiet operation
- Amazing performance
- Energy-star approved
What I don’t like
- Unstable empty bottle indicator
This Primo Bottom-Loading dispenser strikes a great balance in terms of performance, price, and functionality.
What you will like about this product is its ability to serve ice-cold water with just a single button. Also, this bottom-loading cooler is made of stainless steel for added durability.
It’s a bottom-loading water dispenser that I find convenient despite being placed very low to the ground. While it’s not a deal breaker, it can be placed on a table or crate.
This is one of the best bottom-loading coolers for the price. In my opinion, its quiet operation and child-safety features make this a good product.
Type: Bottom-loading water cooler | Capacity: 3 or 5 gallons | Water Temperature: Cold, hot, and room temperature | Energy-Star Certified: Yes
What I like
- This water cooler dispenses cold water quick
- Energy-star approved
- The antimicrobial coating prevents bacterial growth
- Night light and child safety lock features
- Affordable and easy to use
- Efficient Energy Use
Quite surprisingly, Avalon has been making amazing quality bottom-loading water dispensers. This Avalon bottom-loading water dispenser is perfect for families of all sizes.
It is one of their budget-oriented products, but I don’t see this product as it is. The design is pretty sleek and easy to use. One of the many surprises I found out is it’s also Energy-star approved, which is already a bonus!
Furthermore, its body is made of stainless steel coated with BioGuard antimicrobial properties to ensure bacteria don’t grow and increase.
It also features a night light that is visible enough to see in low-light circumstances and makes the water spouts visible. Its child lock on the hot-water button is the icing on top.
Type: Bottom-loading | Capacity: 5 gallons | Water Temperature: Hot, cold, and room temperature water | Energy-Star Certified: Yes
What I like
- Easy to install and use
- It has a removable dishwasher drip tray
- Sleek and minimalist design.
- Great performance
- Good features
If you’re on the hunt for some budget-friendly bottom-loading dispensers, the Primo Bottom-Loading Water Cooler might be the right hot and cold water dispensers to get.
It has a sleek design made of stainless steel body, and its bottom-loading design hides the water jug.
If you have kids at home, worry not; this water dispenser has hot water safety lock features to prevent kids from getting splashed with hot water.
Also, it dispenses hot and cold water quickly with little to no waiting time and is pretty convenient. It also has a night light to make water spouts visible late at night for convenience.
Type: Bottom-loading water cooler | Capacity: 5 gallons | Water Temperature: Ice cold and piping hot water | Energy-Star Certified: N/A
Quick Comparison Of Top Water Cooler Dispensers
| Top Water Coolers | Type | Capacity | Water Temperature | Energy-Star Certified |
|---|
| Crystal Quest SHARP Ultrafiltration | Bottleless water cooler | N/A | Hot, cold, and room-temperature water | N/A |
| Avalon A5 Self-Cleaning | Bottleless water cooler | N/A | Hot and cold water | N/A |
| Vitapur Countertop Room and Cold Cooler | Countertop water cooler | 5 gallons | Room and cold water temperature | Yes |
| AMAY Desktop Water Cooler Dispenser | Top-loading countertop | 3 or 5 gallons | Room, hot and cold temperatures | Yes |
| Brio Self-Cleaning | Bottom-loading water cooler | 3 or 5 gallons | Hot, cold, and room-temperature water | Yes |
| Farberware Freestanding | Top-loading water cooler | 3 to 5 gallons | Cold and hot water | Yes |
| Primo Water White Freestanding Top Loading Electric | Top-Loading Water Cooler | 3 to 5 gallons | Hot, cold, and room-temperature water | Yes |
| Primo Deluxe Water Dispenser | Bottleless water cooler | 3 or 5 gallons | Cold, hot, and room temperature | Yes |
| Avalon Bottom Loading with BioGuard | Bottom-loading water cooler | 5 gallons | Hot, cold, and room-temperature water | Yes |
| Primo Bottom-Loading Water Cooler Dispenser | Bottom-loading water cooler | 5 gallons | Ice cold and piping hot water | N/A |
Type of Water Coolers
There are two types of water coolers today that are popular, the first one is the point of use, and the other one is bottled.
The main difference is that the former uses a waterline connection as its water source, whereas the latter uses a large water jug.
Top-Loading Water Cooler Dispenser
As the name suggests, top-loading water coolers use water bottles to be inserted on top. These coolers are more popular because they are more affordable and do the job.
However, only a few people are a fan of it. Why? They don’t want to do the heavy lifting themselves. Remember, the orientation of these coolers makes it hard for a short person to insert water jugs.
Loading and unloading water bottles and jugs for top-loading coolers is difficult, so most people prefer bottom-loading coolers, as they are more convenient and easy to use.
Bottom Loading Water Dispenser
Like top-loading, bottom-loading coolers get water from water bottles and jugs, usually in a covered compartment.
One major advantage of bottom-loading dispensers to your traditional top-loading dispensers is the convenience it brings. Its design makes loading and unloading water bottles easier.
Like top-loading water dispensers, they can also dispense other types of water, including distilled, spring, or mineral, other than tap water.
Another key advantage of bottom-loading dispenser is they are more aesthetically pleasing because it hides the water jugs from a hidden compartment below.
If you want to enjoy drinking distilled water at home, here are some steps you must take.
Point of Use
Point of use doesn’t need water bottles or jugs as these are connected to a water line and dispense water. These water coolers are commonly known as “bottles.”
While tap water is quite unsightly, worry not; almost all bottleless water dispensers have filtration systems to ensure water goes through filtration, providing clean and safe water.
Barring any water line issues, this type of water cooler is a great option as there’s a continuous water supply. These water coolers can either be freestanding, upright, or wall-mounted.
The only disadvantage of water coolers is additional costs. For example, you might have to hire a professional to work on the water lining and plumbing. In addition, these water coolers are already expensive.
Nevertheless, one of its major selling points is the ease of use it brings. Few people like lifting heavy water bottles and jugs to refill the dispenser.
Countertop Water Cooler
A countertop water cooler is smaller than the bottom and top-load water dispenser coolers. As the name suggests, it is small enough to be placed on countertops.
In addition, a countertop water cooler can also be point-of-use or water bottle loading.
Furthermore, a countertop water cooler is beneficial for families with small spaces as these can be handy and portable.
What Should You Look For in the Best Water Coolers?
Aside from the types of water cooler dispensers, there are many features that you may want to consider in choosing the right product for you.
The right bottle cooler for you should be easy to use a large capacity and has a filtration mechanism to ensure what you and your family drink is clean and safe water.
Capacity
As long as the water flows, point-of-use water coolers will dispense water with no limit. However, capacity is a major concern for dispensers using water bottles to dispense water.
Most of these water coolers use 3 to 5 gallons of water bottles. For this part, capacity will play an important role depending on how often you and the rest of the family drink water.
I recommend using point-of-use water coolers so you’ll never have refilled water bottles at a high price.
But if you can’t afford these bottleless dispensers, you can use water dispensers that accommodate bigger water bottles, so you don’t have to refill them more often.
Lastly, if you want something that can serve as storage for other types of food, you might want to choose a refrigerator instead.
Energy Efficiency
Each model uses energy differently. But, if you plan to use a water cooler in the long haul, I strongly suggest looking for a product with an energy-star-approved label.
Why? One reason is water coolers use less energy if they are used on-demand, whereas water coolers with cold water storage tanks use more energy in the process.
Regardless, when a product has an approved label, it uses energy more efficiently, ultimately saving you on electrical costs in the long run.
For context, energy-efficient approved products use 30% less energy than those water coolers without that indication.
Water Temperature Settings
90% of all coolers can dispense cold water. Some water coolers don’t feature a water cooler system specifically for heating.
But for the most part, almost all water coolers can dispense cold and hot water in a single press of a button.
Nevertheless, most brands will often indicate the maximum cold and hot water temperature their products provide.
Always look for coolers that can dispense both; this idea ensures you keep your coffees hot and water cold when needed.
If you plan to buy a water cooler with a hot water spout, look for a product equipped with child-safety lock features.
Water Filtration
Water coolers with water filtration mechanisms are beneficial if you’re after clean and safe drinking water. Water coolers equipped with filtration systems remove contaminants lurking in your water.
In addition, some filtration features improve the taste of your water, which I think is a great plus, especially if you’re not a fan of the tap water flavor.
Furthermore, remember these water coolers need their filtration system replaced once or twice a year. Always refer to your user manual to know when to replace them.
Self-Cleaning Features
Let’s face it, water bottle dispensers with self-cleaning features cost quite a premium. However, if you don’t want to clean your dispensers constantly, I highly recommend choosing a water cooler with self-cleaning functions.
This way, you don’t have to go the extra mile to clean them. In the case of self-cleaning water coolers, you’re free to go, as the machine will do its job.
Safety Features
If you have kids at home, having a child-safety lock is the best way. You’d want to protect your kids from sizzling hot water that can cause severe burns to your kids’ skin.
Check whether the water cooler has a hot water spout to prevent hot water from splashing onto your child’s body parts.
While some parents think this feature is unnecessary, kids these days are curious and would often like to touch things that are new to them.
So, if you want to prevent severe burns, ensure it has a child-safety lock on the hot water spout to prevent severe burns and accidental use of the hot water tap.
Indicator Lights
Indicator lights are often additional features included in most water coolers today. These convenient features allow you to see water spouts even late at night.
There are also different indicator lights used in water coolers. The cooling indicator light means your cooler is cooling the water, whereas the heat indicator light means the cooler is heating for hot water to come out.
For others, there is also an empty bottle indicator light that informs you that your water jugs need replacing, while some have a filter change indicator indicating that your filter is up for a change or cleaning.
Ease of Use
You want a water cooler that is easy to use. It doesn’t have to include hard-to-read instructions and installation.
What you want in a water cooler is by pressing a single button, either cold or hot water comes out.
Water coolers also require water bottles to be placed on top or at the bottom. This part can be a little hassle considering most of us don’t like to do the heavy lifting.
Fortunately, bottleless water dispensers are becoming a norm, wherein all you have to do is connect the inlet to a water source or line. You don’t have to refill the water dispenser when water runs out constantly.
Water Coolers FAQs
If you have additional questions regarding the best water coolers on the market today, you might find some answers below.
Treat water cooler dispensers like your typical home appliances. Water coolers must be cleaned regularly to ensure they run as smoothly as possible.
As a rule of thumb, cleaning your water coolers twice a year is highly recommended to ensure no buildup of germs, dust, metal parts, and many more.
Whether it’s a bottleless or bottled water cooler, sanitation and sterilization are two important parts of maintaining a water cooler.
For sterilization, it is important whenever tap water goes inside the dispenser, it goes through the filtration process resulting in filtered water like when you first bought it.
Sanitation is done to clean the surroundings of your water coolers. Keep the area clean, dry, and free from dust and mold buildups.
Lastly, for bottleless dispensers, you might want to access the cold water tank and drainage plug to ensure bacterial or mold growth.
Water coolers work through a waterline or a jug. These two are the primary water source of water coolers. They also serve hot or cold water because these water coolers are equipped with cooling and heating systems.
In addition, some water coolers have filtration systems where the water goes through this process to eliminate undesirable tastes, colors, bacteria, germs, and colors.
However, water coolers with filtration systems are usually expensive and cost a premium. Nevertheless, this is the best way to go if you want clean and filtered water for the family.
Most water coolers are secured airtight. However, it is best to replace your water jug once a month. When a water jug is too long, algae can grow, seeping through the dispenser.
To avoid this, it would be best to replace your water jug to ensure nothing bad comes from your water dispensers.
Lastly, removing the existing water jug and putting in a new one instead is best if you feel that you won’t be using your water dispensers soon.
It is a matter of personal preference. If you ask people which they prefer, you will expect mixed answers.
However, I like how bottom-loading dispensers work more than top-loading coolers.
You can simply shimmy in the water bottles at the bottom without lifting those heavy jugs like what you normally do with top-loading coolers.
Again, whether it’s bottom or top-loading, you should buy a water cooler based on what you need and its convenience, regardless of type.
Summary
If you are still trying to decide which water cooler is for you, I’ve trimmed down my choices to three to make your life easier.
If you are searching for a good quality water dispenser that can turn tap water into a refreshing one, I highly recommend Vitapur Countertop Room and Cold Water cooler.
It doesn’t break the bank, and it functions as it should. While the quality leaves something to be desired, if you want a water cooler that does its job, this one is for you.
There are few water cooler dispensers with self-cleaning features from this price segment, so I highly ranked the Avalon A5 as the best value water cooler on my list.
It serves hot or cold water quickly, and the bottleless design makes this product convenient and easy to use. I suggest this one if you don’t want to live with heavy water bottles and jugs.
The Crystal Quest SHARP Ultrafiltration Bottleless Water Cooler is on my list’s best water cooler dispensers. It has unrivaled built-in features and, most of the time is unheard of.
Its reverse-osmosis filtration system ensures you get the cleanest and safest water possible. If you prioritize your family’s health, you can’t go wrong with this one.
Conclusion
Hot and cold water dispensing coolers are becoming a standard in most homes today.
Whether a top-load water dispenser or a countertop, it should have a filtration mechanism to ensure what we’re drinking is the safest.
A good water cooler is easy to maintain, provides cold, hot, and room temperature water, and filters out any potential health risks and contamination that come into your water.
Alternatively, you can try upright freezers if you want a multipurpose appliance that works best for you.
This article on water cooler dispensers should give you plenty of options on which product is the best for you and your family.
