Water Dispenser Buying Guide: What to Consider

Whether you run a gym or a school, an office or warehouse, canteen or corporate space, hydration is an essential part of any organisation. Encouraging staff, students, or customers to keep hydrated is an excellent way to improve wellbeing across any industry, and water dispensers can be the key to doing this.

If you are looking for more details, kindly visit our website.

If you’re looking for a water dispenser but don’t know where to start, then keep reading as we guide you through the key things to consider when picking a dispenser and the types available for different organisational needs.

Things to consider when choosing a water dispenser

Here are the key things to think about when choosing a water dispenser for your organisation.

1. What is the purpose of your water dispenser?

It’s first important to think about why you need a dispenser.

Are you wanting to hydrate the masses? For example, at a school, factory, or gym? If so, then a water fountain might be the choice for you.

Or is it to provide great-tasting water and improve customer experience? Such as at a large office or corporate space? Then a mains fed water cooler could be the best solution here.

Or maybe you’re wanting to reduce your carbon footprint by reducing energy and disposable plastic consumption? In which case a water boiler or bottle filler might be a good choice.

The purpose of the dispenser and your business needs will influence the type of unit you choose, the model, and its finishes.

More on this at the end.

2. How many people will be using your water dispenser?

It’s also important to evaluate how many people you expect to use the dispenser.

Models vary in capacity. Water fountains and mains fed units tend to be more robust and can withstand heavy use, whereas smaller countertop or bottled water dispensers tend to be for lighter use.

3. Hygiene

Since the Covid-19 pandemic, hygiene is more important than ever for organisations. Whether your dispenser will be serving a lot or a few, you want to be reassured that cleanliness and hygiene are not compromised when hydrating your workforce, clientele, or students.

Fortunately, all water dispensers are assembled with hygiene in mind, ranging from simpler to more advanced solutions.

Many bottle fillers and water fountains are constructed in one piece without joints or crevices for ease of cleaning, and nozzles are lined with silver to reduce the chances of contamination.

Water coolers such as the Arctic Star 55 feature 24/7 self-sanitising system which halves the number of sanitising visits required, whereas hands-free units go the extra mile to ensure contact points with the units are minimal and the chances of spreading infections are low.

Hands free solutions come on most water dispensers, including fountains, coolers, and bottle fillers – and their features can range from simple foot-peddle mechanisms to more advanced infrared or weight-activated technologies for an enhanced experience.

Your business’ hygiene requirements and the volume of people you expect to be using your water dispenser will influence the type you choose.

4. Eco-friendliness

Another key factor to consider when choosing a water dispenser is eco-friendliness. Some dispensers require more resources than others when maintaining their water temperatures or supplying water.

Those that provide both hot and cold water can use more energy than those that provide only water from mains.

Bottled water dispensers require plastic bottles to supply water through which is less eco-friendly than bottle-free mains fed water coolers and fountains.

Units such as the X mains fed water cooler actively conserve energy thanks to an eco-sensor which turns the unit off when not in use - reducing energy consumption by up to 40%.

Similarly, a water boiler is proven to be more eco-friendly than a kettle, keeping water hot so as not to require high energy boils every time. For more information, see our article on the benefits of water boilers.

5. Where will it go?

The type of space you have will impact the kind of dispenser you can have.

There are several things to ask when deciding on where you dispenser will go:

• Is there a place to fit a dispenser where people can easily access it?

• Does it have access to mains water supply?

• Does it have access to a power supply?

• Will it be indoor or outdoor?

The above questions can help guide your decision as to whether you opt for a mains fed or bottled unit, a wall mounted or free standing unit, or an indoor or outdoor model.

6. Installation & Maintenance

Some water dispenser installations can be more complicated than others, particularly if the location of the water cooler is a long distance away from the water supply so do bear that in mind when considering the timing of your installation.

At Cactus Water Systems, we can advise on the basis of photographs of the chosen location and water source, and can even come to site and complete a full site survey if required. For any concerns about the complexity of an installation do get in touch.

All water dispensers require regular cleaning to keep them in good condition. More thorough cleaning including filter change and sanitisation is required on a 6 monthly basis for a mains fed water cooler and boiler whereas a bottled water cooler requires a 3 monthly sanitisation.

These routines are essential to maintain the quality of the water dispensed and the hygiene of the machine which in the current climate is particularly important.

Cactus Water Systems provides a range of maintenance packages for all types of units that we sell so you don’t have to worry about the upkeep of your appliance. For more information about our services see here.

Types of water dispensers for organisation requirements

If you’re still unsure which water unit is right for your business, below is our selection of water dispensers for different types of organisations.

Water boilers for canteen and corporate spaces

Canteen and corporate spaces often experience high footfall and need boiling water ready to serve quickly and consistently.

1. Powerful high capacity & energy saving – CWS C Compact Water Boiler

2. Double taps for large capacity – CWS Calomax Eclipse - 10 litre

Water boilers for offices and school staff rooms

Offices and staff rooms are suited to slightly smaller capacity boilers but with the same high-quality finishes and consistent delivery of hot water.

1. Compact & eco-friendly – Calomax Eclipse – 5 Litres

Water fountains for schools

Hydrating as many students as possible is a priority for schools, and so water fountains need to be durable, easy to clean, and high capacity.

1. Wall mounted indoor & outdoor – BF 489

2. Tough & hygienic wall mounted – WMDF 461

3. Robust floor standing junior & adult height – CWS DFBF 454

4. Hands free & high-capacity floor standing – RFP 240

Mains fed water coolers for large offices, factories, and warehouses

These spaces require high-capacity units but can benefit from stylish finishes and enhanced features such as temperature variety for improved employee experience.

1. Eco-friendly & temperature variety – Arctic Star 55 Mains Fed Water Cooler

2. High-capacity multi-tap cooler – Niagara SL

3. Stylish & elegant design – B3

Water bottle fillers for gyms and schools

Schools and gyms prioritise hydration of their students and customers, therefore requiring strong, easy-to-use dispensers with high capacity.

1. Low maintenance & high volume – CWS Slimline/Slimline Plus

2. Robust wall mounted indoor & outdoor – WMBF 463

3. Low maintenance combination bottle filler & fountain – HT HydroBoost Combination BFS

Hands free water coolers for corporate spaces and offices

Since the pandemic, offices and corporate spaces are more conscious of ensuring their employees and visitors’ hygiene is prioritised. Hands free water coolers are a great way of sending a trust signal and reducing transmission of infections.

1. Stylish & high-capacity with Bluetooth feature – b3

2. Lower volume with stylish design - KaliX

3. Elegant, compact & foot pedals – Arctic Chill 88CL

   With competitive price and timely delivery, Luckboil sincerely hope to be your supplier and partner.

Hands free bottle fillers for schools and gyms

Schools and gyms can benefit from hands free bottle fillers to reduce contact points and the transmission of infections and require robust units with easy-to-use features.

1. High capacity, antibacterial & eco-friendly - RFP 240

2. Compact wall mounted filler with hands free sensor - HT HyrdoBoost Bottle Filling Station

3. Easy to use foot pedal & sleek design - WFP9T

Final word

How to choose the right water dispenser for the modern workplace?

Choosing a water cooler for your office may sound as simple as ordering your morning coffee. However, there are many factors like space available, water options needed, cost and sustainability of the machine. With such wide range of options and factors to consider, it can be difficult to know exactly which water dispenser is the best fit.

At Waterlogic, we understand that trying to find the best water dispenser supplier might not be on the top of your ‘to-do’ list but making the right decision can have a big business impact.

What are your options when buying a water dispenser for your office?

When looking at all of the options available it is important that you keep in mind the needs and requirements of your office and the employees who will be using the water dispenser on a daily basis.

Though there are many features and options available, there are 2 main categories of water dispenser available in the market - Bottled and Bottle free.

Bottled

Bottled water coolers are a portable system that require the replacement of water bottles on a regular basis. You may have seen them in the reception at your hairdressers or at your local gym.

The advantage of having a bottled water cooler is that you can move the system anywhere that has an available plug socket. In addition, the short-term cost of a bottled water cooler may be less than a bottle free system.

However, when calculating your long-term investment, make sure you take into consideration the cost of all the extra bottles you’ll need, the storage cost associated with these bottles and also the environmental impact plastic bottle use and delivery can incur.

Bottle free

Bottleless water dispensers are plumbed into your building’s water supply and use the water already being fed to your office building, which means supply will never be stopped due to running out of bottled water.

You’ll also never have to wait for bottled water deliveries or store large 5-gallon water bottles, and you’ll remove the need to physically change heavy bottles every few days.

Waterlogic bottle free water dispensers also include patented filtration technology keeps your water great tasting and free of unwanted bacteria. In fact, our Firewall® technology purifies water up to 99.% bacteria-free and 99.99% virus-free. For added peace of mind, the dispensers’ key surfaces are integrated with *BioCote® technology, a silver ion additive that inhibits the growth of odour and stain causing microbes, such as bacteria and mould, keeping the dispenser fresh and clean.

Compare our plumbed-in water coolers

What are the different water dispenser options?

Once you know which type of water machine is perfect for your office, the next step is to choose the types of water that you and your colleagues will prefer.

The variety of water options your workplace requires may be the most important factor to consider to make sure you choose the perfect water dispenser. You need to ask yourself three questions:

1. What will the dispenser be used for?
2. Where will the water dispenser be located?
3. How many people will use it daily?

What will it be used for?

For example, if your workforce will be using the water cooler for making coffee or tea as well as cold drinks, you will need to consider a hot and cold water dispenser. If you’re working in very warm environment or have a large team, then a machine that dispenses high volumes of ice cold water might be the way to go.

Where will it be used?  

Workplace factors to consider when choosing a water cooler for your office environment. 

We strive to help customers choose the best water solution for their office and with almost 30 years of experience in supplying workplace hydration solutions to organisations across the globe we’ve encountered every question you can think of.

To help you choose the perfect solution for your office take a look at the answers we provide to questions to consider.

What water dispenser is right for my office?

As already covered in this guide, the first place to start is to understand what water options are most appropriate for your office based on what it will be used for. You will need to decide which of the water options are most suitable for your office, from our selection of Cold, Ambient, Hot, Boiling and Sparkling. You will also need to decide whether you require a freestanding water dispenser or countertop water cooler model, as well as whether your businesses is more suited for a bottle free or bottled dispenser.

Compare our different water coolers

Where is the best place to put my water cooler in my office?

A water dispenser can be installed in almost any location in an office. The easiest and most popular areas are the kitchen, break room or conference room. Ensure that your office building has a mains water supply that can be connected to the unit.

Whichever type of solution you always need to think about the following to make sure you choose the best location:

• Do I have enough space to put the water cooler in this area?
• If people are walking back and forth to the cooler will this create an issue?
• If I am going to choose a bottled water cooler, do I have sufficient storage space for replacement bottles?
• How far will people have to walk to reach the water cooler

Will the water cooler block any walkways?

Waterlogic coolers are designed to look modern and add to the aesthetics of an office. However, if you choose a bottled cooler you need to consider if it’s more traditional design will detract from the aesthetics of your environment? This is of particular importance if your office is client facing.

Are water coolers hygienic?

It’s no surprise that sickness can travel through an office very quickly, meaning working days are lost and productivity decreases.

Water coolers, like any touch activated system, can easily pick up germs if you have a large number of people using them. This is why Waterlogic have integrated hands-free dispensing to prevent the need for users to touch any buttons or dials, minimizing the risk of spreading germs.

All Waterlogic dispensers are fitted with high performance filters that address taste and remove sediment, chlorine and other contaminants, and we also have patented Firewall UVC technology thoroughly purifies water all the way through to the dispensing nozzle.

Find out more about Firewall UVC technology

Is it best to rent or buy a Water Cooler?

There are benefits to both. If you buy a cooler you will own it outright, however you’ll have to pay the total cost upfront, and then pay for any service and maintenance costs in the future. Alternatively, if you rent a water cooler from Waterlogic this will come with the added benefit of regular servicing and maintenance which is included in your monthly rental fee.

How many people can use a cooler on a daily basis?

Don’t forget to consider whether your employees AND customers will use the water dispenser.

If your water cooler is to be situated in an area that will be seen and used by customers, there are two things you need to consider. Firstly, how many customers are likely to use it every day? If you only have a bottled cooler will your supply match demand? Secondly how will the aesthetics of the cooler design match your place of work?

Someone has no doubt put a great deal of thought into how your customer facing spaces look and feel and Waterlogic have a range of premium and modern bottle free systems that will fit in perfectly within stylish working environments. The last thing you want in a reception area is a water cooler that sticks out like a sore thumb. Our product finder can help you discover the best option for your requirements.

Did you know?

Contrary to popular belief, water doesn't stay fresh forever. Within a bottle, due to bacteria growth, water will start to stagnate after only a few days and therefore if your water bottle is not changed regularly you risk people drinking unhygienic water source. 

With Waterlogic choosing the right water cooler is easy.

Join thousands of Australians who drink Waterlogic pure water every day. Since our beginnings in , Waterlogic has grown significantly, fuelled by technology and innovation. Many companies may profess to being experts in water coolers, but our history speaks for itself. Waterlogic have nearly 30 years’ experience in working with organizations like yours and, as we do nothing but provide water coolers, ensuring you make the right choice is our primary focus.

Waterlogic specialises in bottleless water coolers and are trusted by over 100,000 businesses worldwide, including offices of all shapes and sizes. Our success is down to the fact that we make it as simple as possible for you to choose the right water cooler to meet your needs.

Why choose a Waterlogic dispenser?

1. Choice

Waterlogic offers a wide variety of mains-fed and bottled water dispensers to suit the needs of any workplace environment. Whatever your size, requirement, or space availability, Waterlogic have a stylish solution to meet your needs.

2. Technology and Innovation

At Waterlogic we are always striving to deliver the most highly purified, best tasting water available to our clients. This has led to us integrating market leading technology such as our patented Firewall® purification and BioCote® product surface protection. Firewall® technology safely purifies water up to 99.% bacteria-free and 99.99% virus-free, and is also 99.999% effective in eliminating COVID-19 from your drinking water. *BioCote® inhibits the growth of odour and stain causing microbes, such as bacteria and mould, keeping the dispenser fresh and clean.

Find out more about BioCote® product surface protection

3. The Environment

Waterlogic systems are designed with the environment in mind. We remove the use for plastic bottles and we’re also one of the few providers that have been awarded the internationally recognised carbon reduction label. Promoting hydration, good health, sustainable and responsible business practices, and raising awareness of plastic pollution and energy efficiency mean a great deal to us. These are the driving forces keeping us focused on why we do what we do, ensuring we meet the needs of our community and the needs of our planet too.

4. Vertically integrated provider

We are the only vertically integrated water cooler provider in the industry. We design, manufacture, distribute, install and service each of our water dispensers, ensuring you receive unparalleled product quality and highly response Total Care service. We have locations throughout Australia to provide a local service on a national scale, and we provide hassle-free installation, servicing, and maintenance from our expert technicians.

5. Our Service Guarantee

Every Waterlogic rental agreement comes with:

• Free delivery to your chosen location
• Installation by one of our own trained service engineers in Metro areas
• Annual service with all parts and labour included
• Full call out and repair service
• Replacement unit if a repair cannot be undertaken on site
• No additional charge; labour and parts all covered in your monthly rental cost.

Water cooler jargon buster

Along the way to choosing your perfect water cooler, you might hear many terms and phrases you’ve never heard before. To avoid confusion, we’ve compiled a list of Water Cooler Jargon:

Carbon Filtration

Carbon filtration is the most effective way to remove small and large particles, contaminants, chlorine and bad tastes and odours, while keeping in the naturally occurring minerals that are essential for a good hydration. We use carbon as it’s the ultimate filter; its porous nature grabs hold of impurities from pesticides and lead to petro-chemicals and microscopic cysts. So you’re left with clear, fresh, great-tasting water.

Did you know? 

Different local water conditions need different filtration combinations. Call us and we'll help you find which one you need. 

10 Micron GAC

The GAC in these filters stands for Granular Activated Carbon, and these are the first line of defence against bad taste, odour and colour.

1 and 10 Micron CBC

CBC filters contain a solid carbon block designed to remove most contaminants, bad taste and odors; in particular: chlorine, sediment, lead, rust, cysts, asbestos and other water impurities.

Reverse osmosis (ro)

Reverse Osmosis does a better job at filtration than even carbon can manage, removing dissolved particles such as acid, salts, nitrates, pesticides and arsenic. However, it can be too good, as it sometimes also removes naturally occurring beneficial minerals too. So we’d only recommend using RO if your water source is unknown or is known to carry contaminants.

Firewall®

Firewall® UVC technology safely purifies water up to 99.% bacteria-free and 99.99% virus-free, neutralising cysts, viruses and bacteria like Legionella, Salmonella, E.coli, Hepatitis and Rotavirus that might get into the system and compromise the water quality.

In-tank UV

As the name suggests, this uses a UVC light in the tank itself, that targets water-borne microorganisms such as fungi and algae. The in-tank sanitizing system ensures water is exposed to the right amount of UVC light to maintain the microbiological purity of the water.

BioCote®* product protection

Key parts of the dispenser, such as reservoir and dispensing area, including drip tray body, cold faucet, and user interface panel), are all protected by BioCote®* technology against odor and stain causing microbes.

UVC Water Purification

UVC light destroys the DNA of bacteria, viruses and cysts, attacking it at its core, so it’ll deactivate/kill pathogens like E. Coli, Salmonella and Hepatitis, among others.

Hands-free

This technology allows a user to operate a Waterlogic dispenser without the need to touch any buttons or dials, minimizing the opportunity for germs to spread. We provide foot pedals as well as completely touch free infra-red modules for safer access to fresh hydration.

Point of Use (POU)

A point of use water dispenser is connected to your existing mains supply of water, which removes the need to purchase and store large plastic bottles. It provides an unlimited, instant stream of water free from contaminants and chlorine.

COVID-secure

Waterlogic’s patented Firewall technology has long been recognized for its ability to purify water up to 99.99% virus-free and 99.% bacteria-free. Firewall has also been rigorously tested against the human form of COVID-19 by a team of microbiologists from the University of Arizona, and tests have shown the technology to be 99.999% effective in eliminating COVID-19 from your drinking water. We offer the world’s first COVID-secure range of UVC water coolers, to provide you with purified water that is both safe and great tasting.

Next steps

We hope this guide has provided the information you need to make the right decision for your organization. If you require any further information or would like to see how Waterlogic can provide your organization with the perfect water cooler we’d love to talk to you.

Are you interested in learning more about Floor Standing Water Dispenser? Contact us today to secure an expert consultation!