TOP—7. Best Water Coolers for Home. Rating 2021!

For normal life, a person definitely needs water, otherwise dehydration will occur, and everyone knows the result of this. Therefore, water containers and water supply devices are often installed in various offices and offices. Such devices are called coolers, in the modern world they have become very widespread and therefore today we present you with a rating of the TOP 10 best water coolers.

What is a floor cooler

A floor cooler is a device that heats or cools water and allows the consumer to use cool or hot liquid at any time.
The multifunctional device was invented at the beginning of the last century by Halsey Taylor. Since then, a huge number of manufacturers and models of the unit have appeared. The advantage of a floor-standing device is that it has expanded functionality: it not only supplies water at the right time, but also hides dishes and household items behind the doors of the built-in cabinet. There are also types of appliances equipped with a refrigerator. There are accessories that can make the cooler even more functional. And the modern design of many models ensures an organic combination with other interior items. The device operates quietly. Ideal for offices and public institutions.

Types of floor-standing appliances

The question about what types of units there are can be answered as follows: with different types of loading, cooling and additional equipment.

Let's take a closer look at each type:

• A plastic bottle can be loaded both from below and from above. Located downstairs, it is hidden in a special closet. The cost of a bottom-loading device will be higher. But this type is more practical.
• There are also flow-through coolers, the source of water for which is tap water.
• Cooling option. If this process occurs due to the compressor, the device should be transported and maintained exclusively in a vertical position. A standard unit can cool about three liters of water in one hour. The electronic type is less powerful and has lower performance. Less cost too. The temperature of the air in which the device heats and cools the liquid should not exceed 28 ℃. There are no restrictions on the method of transportation.
• Additional equipment may include refrigerators and storage cabinets. Their cost is higher than the price of a model without related functions, but the benefits of such a purchase are greater.

Coolers can also be multifunctional and have the following options:

• Fridge. An excellent solution for containing milk, cream, sandwiches and other snacks.
• Built-in cup holder.
• Kettle. The liquid cannot be heated to a boil. The manufacturer Ecotronic has taken care of those who are used to brewing tea or instant meals with boiling water.
• Ice maker.

The appliance can also have a carbonation function. It will give a lot of pleasant sensations to those who love carbonated drinks. A device with a cabinet will conveniently place all the tea accessories.

Characteristics

In order for comparison of one model with another to be effective, you need to understand what properties the device has and how they affect its performance.

The technology has the following characteristics:

NumberCharacteristicsExplanation

Advantages and disadvantages

The home cooler has a number of functions that make life more comfortable. To make the right choice, it is important to analyze its positive and negative sides before purchasing.

Advantages:

• Preservation of the beneficial properties of water, because the cooler does not bring it to a boil.
• Unlimited access to cold and hot life-giving moisture.
• Saving on energy consumption. Most models consume no more than one kilowatt.
• Easy and quick installation. Its installation will not require any furniture or equipped area.
• Design. A huge selection of models makes it possible to select a device of any color, shape and design.
• Compactness. The equipment is small in size and does not take up much space.
• Additional features: water carbonation, filtration. Availability of an ozonizer, minibar, refrigerator, cupboard for dishes or tea and coffee.

Flaws:

• Flow-through models or units with a large range of additional functions can be expensive.
• If the floor cooler is top loading, not every woman will be able to replace the bottle.

How does a floor-standing water cooler work?

A floor cooler is a fairly large device in the form of a parallelepiped, less often a cylinder, up to 120 cm high, if you do not take into account the size of the bottle. Installation of a conventional device is quite simple. He needs to allocate a space of approximately 45x45 cm and provide access to the outlet. You can see how to install the dispenser in the instructions. To understand which unit is better to buy, you need to understand how it works and what to pay attention to.

If you start examining the cooler from the top, you will notice that it is equipped with one, two or three taps. One of them is installed for hot water, the second for cold water, and the third for room temperature water. The liquid is supplied by pressing the petal with a mug or the touch button with your finger. Premium models are most often equipped with touch buttons. Budgetary ones supply water using the first method.

If the appliance is top-loading, the bottle must be turned over and placed in the recess with the pin. The force of gravity acts on the water and forces it to flow into the glass. The dispenser can work without electricity. When loading is bottom, an electric pump is needed to supply liquid to the tanks. Accordingly, without an outlet the device is useless.

On the back side, the cooler can be smooth or have a built-in fan. Visually, this is what distinguishes the compressor type of device from an electronic one. The first type contains a compressor inside that pumps refrigerant (freon R134a). The device operates on the principle of a conventional household refrigerator. Its main features are that the water in it cools down to 8 ℃, has a significant weight (up to thirty kilograms), and is not as quiet in operation as its electronic counterpart.

The second type is equipped with an electronic board. It works due to the property of materials of different conductivity to change temperature under the influence of current. These devices are inexpensive. The water temperature in them does not drop below 12 ℃.

The rear or side panels can also be equipped with toggle switches. If they are not there, then the device will only be able to provide a drink at room temperature; it does not need a connection to the electrical network. If there is only one toggle switch, the cooler is heating only. If there are two of them - with heating and cooling. Features that are currently unnecessary can be disabled.

A light indication indicates that the device is plugged in and ready for use. The simplest option is two or three LED lamps. There may be an LCD monitor indicating active modes. It also allows you to set the mode, configure energy saving, and set the water temperature.

Refrigerated coolers have lower cooling capacity. Conventional ones cool on average 2.5 liters per hour, a device with a refrigerator - no more than 2 liters. If the team is small, this will be enough. You can safely choose a kitchen cooler with this option; it will easily provide drinks for all family members. A small puddle of liquid may sometimes accumulate under the device. It does not have a No Frost system. When opened, warm air enters and condensation forms.

How does a flow cooler work?

A flow-through dispenser or purifier is quite simple. For it to work, it must be connected to a water supply. The equipment does an excellent job of purifying water from:

• mechanical impurities,
• heavy metals,
• organic compounds,
• chlorine,
• magnesium and calcium salts.

Advantages:

• no need to order bottles and look for a place to store them;
• the mug contains relatively inexpensive mineralized clean water;
• saving money;
• Ease of use.

Flaws:

• the need to periodically change filters;
• high price;
• cannot be transferred from one place to another;
• If there is an emergency shutdown of the water supply, the purifier will not be able to be used.

The best dispensers without cooling and heating water

These are ordinary water dispensers at room temperature, which determines their low price. They usually have one tap, since they do not perform heating and cooling functions. We studied the range of manufacturers and selected several devices from 10 options based on good pressure, high-quality housing, and small size.

HotFrost D1150R

The inexpensive HotFrost D1150R dispenser is designed to dispense water at natural temperature. Due to its low cost and small size (height - 36.5, width and depth - 33 cm), this option is especially relevant for the home. It weighs only 1.65 kg and can be easily carried around the room. The body is made of durable, odorless plastic and can withstand a standard 19 liter bottle.

The device has a calm design and fits easily into any interior. However, due to the white color of the case, you need to take more care of it - periodically wipe it with a damp sponge. The cooler calmly remains stable under the influence of a container filled to the brim with water.

Advantages

• Stability on the table;
• The feet do not scratch the surface;
• A tall glass fits comfortably under the tap;
• Button control;
• Good flow.

Flaws

• Not light weight - 15 kg.

With such a drinking water cooler, due to the lack of heating, it is impossible to provide free access to boiling water.

AEL L-AEL-016

In fact, this is an ordinary water dispenser at room temperature without heating or cooling. It is designed for floor installation and has two push taps, which is especially convenient in offices and medical facilities. The dimensions of the device are small - 950 x 310 x 330 mm and it does not require much space. This model is made of shockproof plastic that can withstand mechanical loads.

AEL L-AEL-016 is available in white and requires periodic washing. The cooler comes with a one-year warranty. The place for bottles is at the top, so it is not very convenient for girls to install it themselves. The device can be used with containers of 10 and 19 liters. Thanks to the top fixation, it is quite easy to monitor water consumption and replace it on time.

Advantages

• Easy lifting of the lever to supply liquid;
• The tank can be easily removed and washed;
• Compatible with cup holders;
• Drops are collected in a tray;
• No unpleasant odor from plastic.

Flaws

• You cannot brew tea or make coffee - there is no boiling water.

The “AEL L-AEL-016” model is very convenient in small spaces and will provide free access to drinking water for a family of several people.

Performance

A variety of selection criteria are described above. One important one is performance. In the technical description you can find indicators of heating power, hot water output (liters per hour) and the volume of the heating tank.

If the equipment is designed for maximum heating of water to a temperature of 95 ℃, then the liquid in the mug will be 5-6 ℃ lower. It is also worth remembering that the cooler does not allow you to drain all the hot water. If the tank holds one liter of liquid, after two cups of hot drink you will have to wait a few minutes until the newly received cold water heats up to the desired temperature.

Below are the characteristics that, according to buyers, are the most successful:

1. liter hot water tank, heating power: five hundred or seven hundred watts, productivity: five or seven liters per hour;
2. three-liter hot water tank, heating power: five hundred or one thousand watts, productivity: seven or ten liters per hour.

With a larger tank volume, you can brew more mugs of coffee or tea at a time. And the heating power is responsible for the number of heated liters in one hour.

Comparative analysis of characteristics

Service

The fact that the cooler uses bottled water may lead you to believe that it does not need cleaning. But this judgment is wrong. The visible parts of the dispenser become covered with dust, the taps become dirty, and the drip tray fills up. Scale accumulates in the hot water tank. You should contact technical support once a year. A specialist will come to your home or office and carry out a complete cleaning of the internal system, rinse the equipment outside, taps and carry out antibacterial cleaning. The water will always be clean and the cooler will have a long service life.

Best Floor Standing Top Loading Water Coolers

HotFrost V900CS

A floor cooler with a single tap through which heated, chilled or room temperature water is supplied. Turn on the filling using the corresponding button. This is a cooler with a heater power of 600 W with an upper, inverted bottle arrangement. The model uses more efficient (compared to electronic) compressor cooling technology. The power consumed by the compressor is 120 W. Capacity for hot water (90-95°C) – 5 l/h, for cold water (5-10°C) – 2 l/h. Device dimensions: 31x32x97 cm. Manufactured in China, cooler warranty - 2 years, compressor warranty - 5 years.

Main advantages:

• Tanks for heating and cooling are made of stainless steel.
• Separate switches for heating and cooling.
• Child protection.
• Heating/cooling indication.
• Built-in cabinet for dishes (volume 15 liters).
• Removable drip tray.
• The case is made of dense glossy plastic, elegant appearance.

Minuses:

• The package does not include a bracket for disposable cups; it must be purchased separately.

9.7 / 10Rating Reviews Quite a reliable and functional cooler. We bought it for our office and can serve 8-10 people. There is an additional fixation to the floor against tipping over. Read more Read more

Ecotronic H1-LC

A classic floor-standing dispenser with a top-mounted bottle at a very reasonable price. The design of the model is quite laconic and stylish, and depending on the interior or individual preferences, the consumer is given the opportunity to choose from several body color options, where only the silver insert remains unchanged.

Ecotronic H1-LC is equipped with two convenient water supply taps in the “Mug Press” format, and it is convenient to store these same mugs in a special 16-liter cupboard. The type of cooling is compressor, and hence the good cold water capacity - 2 l/h. Despite the fact that for heating this parameter remains almost standard - 5 l/h.

If someone is more interested in a cheaper, more mobile (lighter in weight) and quieter model, there is an analogue with electronic cooling H1-LCE. But you need to understand that in this case the cooler will produce cold water much slower (0.6 l/h).

Main advantages:

• Exterior design;
• Effective work;
• Leak protection.

Minuses:

• There is no third tap for uncooled water;
• The warranty is only 12 months.

Models in the line:

• Ecotronic H1-LCE

9.4 / 10Rating Reviews Very good cooler, has been working in an office with 5 employees for a year now. Looks good, heats and cools water quickly. The cabinet really helps to avoid cluttering tables and shelves with dishes. The price is quite normal for a decent compressor cooler.

Aqua Work 16-L/EN

Floor-standing cooler for distributing hot and cold water, stable, easy to operate, with a heating power of 700 W, and a compressor cooling power of 90 W. The location of the bottle is top, inverted. Hot water capacity is up to 7 l/h, cold water capacity is at least 2 liters per hour. Pouring occurs by pressing the glass on the lever of the hot or cold water spout. Dimensions of the device: 31x31x96cm. Made in China, 2 year warranty.

Main advantages:

• Separate buttons for heating and cooling.
• Light indication of processes.
• Possibility to choose from several color solutions for the case (photo print on the front panel).

Minuses:

• No child protection.
• The lower part of the base is not used, but it would be possible to make a cabinet for glasses.
• Coolers with a compressor require correct installation on a hard surface, otherwise they can be quite loud during operation (according to customer reviews).

Models in the line:

• Aqua Work 16-L/EN-ST
  – version with compressor cooling and turbo heating
• Aqua Work 16-LD/EN – electronic cooling, simple heating

9.3 / 10Rating Reviews An impressive cooler that can handle a flow of 30 people a day in an office. The cup holder was purchased separately. Read more Read more

What to look for when choosing

Here we will give some useful tips on choosing a device.

1. First of all, decide on the free space for the device. Floor-standing models are usually more massive and require a lot of space. Tabletop ones are smaller and perfect for small spaces.
2. Depending on the cooling method, coolers can be either compressor or electronic. Compressor units cool faster, but are noticeably noisy. For lovers of silence, electronic models are more suitable, although they are slower.
3. The installation of the bottle is also quite important. Not everyone likes to lift weights, but this will have to be done if the bottle is installed on top. The ideal option would be bottom installation in a special cabinet. It's easier and more aesthetically pleasing.
4. The heating power affects the speed of water preparation; the more powerful, the faster. But energy consumption is also increasing.
5. Functionality is far from the last criterion, because many people want to drink not plain water, but carbonated or ionized water. There are dispensers with such capabilities, but you will have to pay a good amount of money for them.
6. For your own safety, it is better to purchase units with protection against accidental activation. This will give you peace of mind for yourself and your loved ones.