Clean drinking water is essential to our everyday lives. That’s why home water coolers are a great and convenient way to get a refreshing glass of water whenever you want. But before you go out and buy a water cooler, you should keep a few things in mind:
Available Water Cooler Types
First, decide which type of water cooler would best suit your needs. There are two main types you can choose from: bottle-less and bottled.
Also called point-of-use, mains-fed, or plumbed-in units, bottle-less water coolers draw out tap water from a house’s main pipes. These types of coolers utilize complex filtration systems to eliminate germs, chlorine, and other contaminants. However, these are typically more expensive and more difficult to install compared with other models.
On the other hand, bottled water coolers aren’t connected to any main lines. Instead, the unit draws water from a bottle that’s installed connected to the unit. Whenever the cooler’s tap is opened, the water from the bottle is fed through a filtration system. Some models have the bottle inverted and placed on top of the unit, while others have the bottle stored out of sight underneath a built-in storage cabinet. Because of this design, bottled water coolers usually cost less than bottle-less units.
Water Cooler Capacities
Another factor to take into consideration is your home’s average drinking water consumption. You can roughly compute this based on how many people will use the water cooler and how much they drink on a given day. Though the conventional wisdom is to best drink at least eight glasses of water a day, each person’s recommended intake may vary depending on a wide range of factors such as their level of activity, body mass, and more.
Once you’ve determined how much water you need per day, you should have a better idea of what storage capacity you’ll need. In most cases, a medium-sized water dispenser is enough for most households. But if you have a big family, then you may want to invest in a unit with a larger capacity instead.
It’s also important to consider how many water bottles you’ll need to order each time. As a rule of thumb, you’ll want to buy one five-gallon bottle per person per month. For instance, a household with three adults will want to get three five-gallon bottles each month. On the other hand, a family of five will need five five-gallon bottles instead.
Your Available Floor Space
The next thing you should consider is how much space you have available. If you have a sizable house or apartment, then you could opt for a freestanding water cooler. These tend to come with larger compressors, allowing them to serve colder water. However, this also means that they tend to command a heftier price tag.
If you only have limited room and money to spare, you could opt for a countertop model instead. As the name suggests, these are smaller versions that can be placed on any sturdy horizontal surface. So if you don’t have any extra floor space, this may be a good alternative. They also tend to be cheaper than their freestanding counterparts and are easier to transport. This makes them a great alternative for those who tend to move from one place to another.
However, keep in mind that both freestanding and countertop units need to be plugged into an electrical outlet to function. So whichever one you choose, you’ll still have to consider your room’s layout carefully.
These are only some of the most important points to consider when buying a water cooler. Keep these tips in mind and you shouldn’t have trouble getting the perfect unit for your needs. For more peace of mind, you may also want to purchase your water cooler from a company like Aussie Naturals and other trusted suppliers.
