Why buy a bottom load water dispenser?
Having clean water at home is extremely important for our overall health, but deciding on what water cleaning solution to get can be challenging. A whole house water filter, for example, is perfect for removing any impurities from water, be it water you use in the kitchen or the bathroom. This filter, however, is pricey and requires tricky installation and maintenance. Another option is to get a countertop water filter which requires minimum maintenance but is limited in terms of the amount of water it can clean promptly. For those who don’t want to spend time and effort, a water dispenser turns out to be a perfect solution.
Great for the home or office, a bottom load water dispenser will make re-filling and maintenance easy. These dispensers are perfectly designed so that you don’t have to do all the extra lifting that comes along with top loading and “bottle-less” dispensers. They also hide the water bottle right inside the bottom cabinet so the entire dispenser doesn’t lose its aesthetic appeal with a clunky bottle.
Even though top load units are often much more affordable, they even out the price with the physically-taxing loading that is required. The “bottle-less” dispensers free you from ever having to buy the replaceable water bottles again but have to be sorted through a filter, which can get expensive and require a lot of maintenance on your part.
Other features to consider
When you’re deciding on the perfect water dispenser for you, you should consider some of these features.
Types of water
Whether your water dispenser is capable of giving cold, room or hot water temperature can be an important feature that might make or break your decision. If you are, for instance, in a place like Florida where you most likely won’t need the luxury of a hot tea to warm you up, you can probably get away with simply investing in a water dispenser that just emits cold water. However, if you know that the wintery air gets relatively cold, your guests (or you) might want to be comforted with a nice cup of hot tea or coffee once they get indoors. Some models only emit cool water or room temperature water, some models only have two different temperatures, and some, like the Whirlpool 218LIECH-SCDSSFWL, have three different temperature options – hot, cold, and room temperature – allowing the drinker to choose the perfect one for their preferred drink.
Capacity
The reason behind your water dispenser purchase might be purely business-related, with the benefit of keeping your customers and guests hydrated and feeling welcome once they visit your waiting room or your office. It might also be used in a residential home. The purpose behind your purchase can easily sway your decision from investing in a water dispenser that has a large volume of bottles or one that might not hold too much – simply because you might not need it. If it’s just for you and your spouse, for example, you might not need a heavy-duty water dispenser.
However, if it is for your waiting room at your dentist office (where patients often brush their teeth in the lobby), you might need a water dispenser with a high capacity.
Self-cleaning function
To have a water dispenser capable of cleaning itself, especially if you are using it for commercial purpose is also a great plus. Being able to worry not so much about maintenance can definitely be an advantage if you’re already investing so much money into a water dispenser for your guests or clients. The models mentioned here, like Whirlpool 8LIECH-SC-SSS-5L-W and Primo 601090-SO, all normally have a self-cleaning function to make maintenance a breeze. However, there are some models that require a filter or might need a little extra care in between uses. Especially if you are taking the time out to invest, you might want to consider the easy-use feature of self-cleaning function capabilities.
Certification
Especially if it has a self-cleaning feature, you’ll want to be sure that the water dispenser will definitely be giving off fresh, clean water – always. Investing in and choosing a water dispenser with a certification, like Avalon A6BLWTRCLRBLK, might mean doing a little bit of extra research (and maybe paying a bit more). However, it is probably worth it for high-quality water, every time you go to drink.
Safety features for children
Whether you are a pediatrician or a dentist who also has invested in a children’s play place in the waiting room or you are a part of a family that has little ones running around, you’ll want to make sure that there is a safety-child-lock of some sort that eases the worry about children getting the hot water feature. Most of the hot water that comes out of these dispensers tend to be extremely hot (for tea and coffee) and can definitely be a threat for children around if they accidentally press the wrong button or try to drink from the “wrong” temperature water.
Warranty
Some of the dispensers listed tend to have warranties, like Primo 601090-SO, which includes and is backed by a 1-year warranty and guarantee from the factory. This warranty is not only important for the various parts and actual, physical water dispenser, it is also important for the filter – if it includes one. Making sure that the dispenser is backed by a warranty can help ensure that you’ll be investing in clean healthy water for your guests or your family.
Extra features
Those are not all the features to look into when choosing which water dispenser can be your best investment. You can also look into a few of these extra features to make sure that you are getting the most bang for your buck – and the cleanest water possible.
Leaks – When narrowing down all the water dispensers out there, take a look and check the customer reviews of people who have already bought and invested in the product. Scan the reviews for customers who have complained about leaks. Even though they are a common issue with water dispensers, you can easily eliminate or minimize the risk by doing the work beforehand and research who has the least amount of risk or the least number of complaints.
Material – Aim for the water dispensers with the highest quality material – stainless steel. There are some bottom loading water dispensers that operate with plastic containers. These containers, although cheaper than their stainless steel counterparts, leave a funny taste in the water that those with stainless steel often don’t have. Investing in higher-quality material can be worth it when it comes to taste. What’s the point in investing in a water dispenser if no one wants to drink the water?
Water flow rate – Especially if you are investing in a water dispenser for the office, where it will get used quite often by an ample number of people, you’ll want a water flow rate that is strong and consistent. Don’t forget to consider that you might need something that can fill a huge water jug or several huge water bottles that people might keep at their desk. A slow flow will discourage employees from using the water dispenser because of the time it takes to fill it completely up.
Noise level – If you invest in a water dispenser that has a pump, that might mean that its operation will be loud, which can disturb those who are working or need a quiet space. If the water dispenser has a compressor, this can also be a deciding factor because of the noise.
Size and space – Let’s say your office kitchen is extremely small. You might want to consider the space you have to work with when ordering a water dispenser to keep your employees hydrated. There are some units that can fit right onto a countertop, although they usually aren’t bottom-loading.
I’m quite confused on the differences between the first 3 Whirlpool units. The first two are especially confusing as they are visually identical and both seem to offer the same functionality. Any insight?
Thanks for the question, Taylor.
All Whirlpool units in the top 3 are almost at the same quality level. The one on the top of the list has LED lights that allow you to monitor self-cleaning function, and the second pick has a display that controls temperature digitally and monitors self-cleaning function, too. You could think the display is a better option. However, according to users’ reviews, people liked the first model a little bit more.