In taking the necessary steps to ensure your family’s health and hydration, you may be thinking that it is worth looking into the investment of getting a water cooler for your home. Water coolers are a nifty invention to provide crisp, clean water, after all! But with all the different types of water coolers available, it can be a struggle to choose what is best for you and your family. From benchtop, wall-mounted, bottom-load, point of use, and floor standing water coolers, there are a myriad of options that can make choosing quite a task. Below, the differences between these types of coolers and the full details that you will need if you choose to get a floor standing water cooler with filter.
Water Cooler Subtypes
Benchtop
Self-explanatory, this type of cooler is placed on top of a table, bench or a counter and is smaller in size as compared to the other types. The water bottle goes on top of this unit and provides your family with easily accessible fresh, rejuvenating water at the push of a button.
Wall-mounted
This type of water cooler is seen more often in schools, businesses, and commercial, public areas. Usually placed next to the toilets to ensure close proximity to plumbing, this provides water by means of connecting to the building’s water supply to ensure a continuous supply of water. There is also a refrigeration unit attached to it that requires electricity to ensure the water that comes out is chilled. Because of its technical requirements, these types of water coolers are usually only placed where a facility manager can be present to continuously monitor its performance and do maintenance if necessary.
Bottom-load
The usual water cooler units require a water supply mounted on top, but there are some units that have made it possible to place the water supply at the bottom of the unit which makes loading easier for those who may have difficulty lifting heavy bottles of water.
Point of Use
With this type of water dispenser, you must ensure that your home has access to a clean water source. A direct-piping water dispenser, sometimes referred to as Point of Use, connects to the in-house water source for your water supply. However, this entails both plumbing and electrical installations and may run over budget depending on your requirements.
Floor Standing
The most ubiquitous type of water cooler, and for good reason. Floor standing dispensers usually have a bottle of your water supply mounted on top of the unit, and because of its standardisation, have different types of water bottles in the required sizing of 15L available in supermarkets should you wish to find the one that best suits your taste and hydration needs. Easy to maintain, some units even provide the option of hot water at the push of a button, which expands your use of this unit outside of just regular drinking water, too. And for curious little hands that may get scalded by easily accessible boiling water, do not worry! There is a safety feature installed that helps keep your kids safe from hot water accidents.
Water Cooler Maintenance
Because this type of appliance deals with both water and electricity to ensure its functionality, it is important to be careful when planning to do maintenance. The standard cleaning procedure is easy enough to do, and involves sanitising your unit after every six weeks or when you change the bottle. With a bit of vinegar, water, and elbow grease, your water cooler will be good as new. However, when issues arise, such as your water cooler not dispensing cold water, or the unit not turning on, it is best to contact the manufacturer to troubleshoot. Or, another option is to rent a water cooler unit from a supplier that offers maintenance services, which will definitely help to alleviate the headache that comes from appliances not working as they should!
Where to Get Your Floor Standing Water Cooler
Floor standing water coolers are readily available at Bunnings, hardware stores, and even your local electrical appliance stores. As with all appliance acquisition, getting units that have all the features you may want may be expensive as you are buying the unit for yourself. When getting your water dispenser from these places, keep in mind that you might be required to install the unit yourself, and if things do not work as they should, it may be quite a wait to get the appliance fixed.
Instead of this, you might want to consider renting a unit from a reputable water company. The units on offer with these are usually commercially tested and robust, taking up minimal floor space as is possible, and ensures longevity and usability for you and your family not just at the beginning of your renting period. What’s more, some companies even offer deals and promos upon first sign up, like free bottles of water to get you started on your road to hydration, thereby boosting the value of your investment. Some companies also offer free delivery and free unit maintenance for the lifespan of your renting cycle, which means you do not have to worry about running out of water for your family’s needs, nor do you have to worry about the unit breaking down and being unable to fix it.
It is quite a respectable decision to decide to invest in your family’s continuous health and hydration, and while it can be confusing choosing between the myriad of options available for water coolers on the market, at the end of the day only you alone understand what best fits your family’s needs and requirements, as well as your budget and daily schedule. Think about what types will ensure ease of accessibility, not just for you, but for the members of your family, as well as what type of unit will be easiest to refill and ensure a constant water supply for while not breaking the bank.
