
A water dispenser is a product that will dispense water, pretty simple really! Usually, this will consist of a large tank that contains water, attached to a faucet that you can use in order to provide yourself with a drink wherever you are. Sometimes, a water dispenser will include a range of other features: filtering the water for instance so that it is always pure and free from contaminants and toxins, or giving you the option for hot and/or cold water on demand.
There are lots of good reasons to get a water dispenser then, which all depend on the type of water you want to drink.
The question then is what is the best water dispenser for each use? And how can you get the most from them? This article will explore those questions in depth and provide you with the definitive answers.
The Best Water Dispensers
Before we go any further, let’s start by assessing the best water dispensers and what they can do for you.
Comparison Chart
Last update on 2020-03-20 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API
Our Top Choice for a Five Gallon Water Dispenser
Igloo Water Cooler/Dispenser With Ice Maker
Our Rating:
This is a water cooler and dispenser that will not only give you a large amount of cold water in a convenient location, but also allow you to easily add ice for even more benefits. In fact, this can make a huge 26lbs of ice every day! More than enough for hosting parties, or just enjoying your drinks with a nice block of ice in them.
What’s more is that it can also easily heat the water for you, at a pace of 5L per Hr. Ice making meanwhile will take anywhere between 7-12 minutes, which is rather quick by any standards.
The bottle this dispenser can hold and dispense from is a very large 5 gallon container, which means you’ll have a huge supply of water for all your means.
Finally, this water dispenser has a great old-school design that many will appreciate.
Whirlpool Self-Cleaning Bottom Loading Commercial Water Cooler with LED Indicators, Ice Chilled Water, Steaming Hot
Our Rating:
This is a water dispenser by Whirlpool that has the ability to provide both hot and cold water at a convenient location in your home. It is designed to require minimal maintenance thanks to its ‘6th sense self cleaning’ system and the stainless steel and nickel design will actually add to the look of any room.
The product can take a 300lb top container for your water and the faucets are designed to be unbreakable. On the whole, this product outlasts the competition. It may not be the most feature rich, but it is certainly among the most durable.
Best AIO (All in One Hot+Cold Water Dispenser)
Black Bottleless Direct Water Purification Cooler With 1,500-Gallon Capacity
Our Rating:
This water cooler is very different to the vast majority of water coolers in terms of appearance. The main difference here is that there is no visible water bottle. That means that it will instead hold the water inside, which in turn results in a much sleeker and more elegant look. It’s somewhat futuristic, rather than going for the usual ‘office vibe’ that these things tend to have. It has an easy installation kit which makes it very simple to set up. And it has an impressive capacity of 1,500 gallons!
What’s more is that this water dispenser will also act as a water filter. That means that it will be able to improve the quality of your water as you are drinking it to help you enjoy better long-term health, energy, mental clarity and more. In short, this is a comprehensive and beautifully made solution for your hydration.
Brio CL520 Commercial Grade Hot and Cold Top Load Water Dispenser Cooler
Our Rating:
This water dispenser can produce both hot and cold water, which makes it a fantastic choice for parties and events. It’s also useful for a range of other home applications and is perfect for families – which is also helped by the inclusion of a secure child lock.
The product is very well made with highly durable ABS plastic and resistance to corrosive chemicals and impact. The reservoirs themselves are 100% stainless steel and the entire thing runs very quietly. The dispenser is top loaded and very easy to fill.
This product is suitable for use with containers up to five gallons.
Best Overall Water Dispenser for the Money
Brio and Magic Mountain’s POU Water Pyramid Series Stainless Steel Hot / Cold Bottleless Water Dispenser with Purification and Filtration System
Our Rating:
This product is the most comprehensive and feature rich water dispenser we’ve yet seen on this list. It is a 1,500 gallon, bottleless dispenser, meaning that it will hold a huge amount of water for large gatherings and for offices, all without creating an eyesore in your space.
In fact, this is one of the best-looking systems that we’ve seen. The construction is stainless steel with a pleasing gradient that catches the light. If anything, this will be a feature for your home. It’s even fingerprint proof!
The product combines hot and cold water functionality with a filtration system that can support optimum health. This uses both a carbon filter and a reverse osmosis process which means that it is able to force the water through an almost opaque membrane for maximum filtration.
It comes with a thermostat and in short, offers everything you might want in a water filtration system.
Brio Premiere Platinum 500 Series Bottle Water Dispenser
Our Rating:
The Platinum 500 series water bottle dispenser system by Brio Premiere is commercial quality. This model not only features a scratch-resistant, durable polycarbonate cabinet housing, it’s also equipped with a stainless-steel frame, and an adjustable cold water thermostat so you and your family can enjoy ice cold water, anytime. The innovative spill guard system is designed for fast, efficient water refills, without the mess. This system is one of Brio Premiere’s top-selling dispensers for a number of reasons. If you’re looking for a durable, reliable, water dispenser system, your search stops here.
Read the whole Brio Premiere Platinum 500 review
Considerations for Your Drinking Water
When most of us drink water from the taps we tend not to think about it all that much and just take for granted that it’s going to be fine. Of course, there are serious problems with water elsewhere in the world, but most of us who are fortunate enough to live in developed countries don’t have to worry about it. Right?
Well actually no – most of us don’t have particularly good water habits at all and are in fact damaging our health in a number of ways as a result. If you don’t currently give your water much thought… well then it’s high time you did!
How Much You Drink
So, what’s the issue? What problems do most people have with their water?
Well the first issue is that most people don’t drink anywhere near enough of it. Most governments tend to recommend 5-7 glasses a day but then that’s a conservative estimate. Most Americans are actually dehydrated all the time, and this can have serious repercussions for their health – limiting their absorption of nutrients, damaging their skin and hair, causing headaches and slow thinking, reducing muscle growth and even causing bad breath. If you have low energy, if you are prone to illness, if you aren’t sleeping well, if you get headaches, if you aren’t recovering from workouts at the gym… all these things might point to a lack of hydration. Here’s a fun thought: when you’re dehydrated your brain loses moisture (the brain is predominantly made of water) and therefore starts to shrink. When that happens, it actually pulls away from the inside of the skull. It’s that ‘tearing’ motion that then creates a lot of pain and discomfort. Not a nice thought!
So, the first thing you need to do then is just drink more. And the best water dispensers, this becomes much easier. You can put a water dispenser in your bedroom for instance and then get up to drink in the night – also helping to prevent that halitosis (which is caused by a dry mouth and the absence of saliva which normally kills off smelly bacteria).
Your Water System
More to the point though you need to think about what you are drinking and how clean that water is. Most of us drink water that waits in a tank or in a well, and actually this can cause problems if that water storage isn’t properly maintained. Not only can you pick up all kinds of bacteria in there, but you can also be at risk from heavy metals and other contaminants. It’s crucial then to make sure that you get your water tank regularly maintained, and this will also help you to save energy and thus money.
Using a water filter means that your water isn’t going to be just sitting in a water tank where it can go stagnant and where it can pick up unwanted chemicals, toxins, heavy metals, bacteria, and more. This is a much healthier way to store your water.
The Water That Goes In
But even with the cleanest, newest tank in the world you are still at risk from contaminants which can get in even before your water gets to your home. There are traces of pesticides in the water for instance that come from farmers, as well as hormones from women’s health products and more bacterias and metals.
Your water won’t kill you then overnight, but over time it can damage your health and even alter your hormone balance. Elements in our drinking water have been implicated in cancer, Alzheimer’s, nerve damage, stunted growth, mood problems, infertility, learning disabilities and MUCH more.
Even if you don’t have any of these problems, there’s a big chance that your body will be fighting the side effects of that water all the time and thereby spending vital energy on that work instead of using it to power your every day activities. This can lead to you feeling sluggish and rundown, and it means that you are significantly more likely to get ill.
This is why it’s a good idea to use some kind of filter at the tap as well as in your tank or well. These use substances such as activated charcoal which absorb the toxins as the water passes through to provide you with clear and fresh drinking water that will be much safer to drink. Activated charcoal is ‘activated’ by the countless tiny pores and holes in the substance, which add a huge amount of surface area to the substance and thereby trap all those unwanted elements while the water passes through.
Again, this is something that the right water dispenser can really help with. That’s because the best water dispensers include filters. That means that rather than having to run your water through a filtration pitcher every time you want to use it, you can instead just flip on the faucet at your water cooler and enjoy filtered, healthier water.
Temperature
One last thing to think about when it comes to your water is the temperature. Specifically, getting a water dispenser that is able to cool your water for you can be a huge benefit (often you hear water dispensers referred to simply as water coolers). A water cooler will provide you with a lot of benefits because the icy cold water will be enough to lower your own body temperature. The body will then fight this process to heat you back up, and that will often mean raising your metabolism in order to generate more heat. This is why it has been shown in several studies that drinking colder water actually helps you to burn more calories!
What’s more is that cold water will help you to increase your production of adrenaline, norepinephrine, cortisol, and other stress hormones. While that might sound like a bad thing, it’s actually a good thing – it helps us to wake up in the mornings and it helps us to thereby increase our focus and energy levels. Why do you think that you get water coolers in so many offices? It actually increases productivity!
With all that said then, a water filter is likely to be a fantastic addition to any home or office. It can provide you with more ways to entertain and to get cool water conveniently. But more importantly, it can boost your health considerably! Now you know the best water dispenser for each use, it’s time to seriously consider making the investment.
