Choosing Between A Bottled and Bottle-less Water Dispenser
Many people think that the only difference between a bottled and bottle-less water dispenser is a matter of aesthetics. In reality, the issue is a little more complex and depends on a number of factors that are present in the home or office space that will eventually host the dispenser.
Water Dispensers That Use a Bottle
These dispensers represent the more traditional option. We’re all pretty familiar with the classic image of the office water cooler, a location for the employees to share the latest gossip and blow off a little steam. Again, the issues go beyond just these aesthetic concerns. For one thing, choosing a dispenser with a bottle means you’ll need to arrange a reliably consistent delivery service to bring you more water refills when the dispenser runs dry. Additionally, there are issues with cleaning a water cooler that uses a bottle: Properly draining the reservoir and cleaning it with an agent consisting of either white vinegar or bleach.
Bottle-less Water Dispensers
There are a few unique things about bottle-less dispensers that people sometimes gloss over when shopping. The bottle-less dispenser will probably take up less space in the home or office, depending of course on what specific unit you go with. However, the trade-off is that you now have to rely on your building’s plumbing system and water quality. This, in turn, may require you to install something like a reverse osmosis water filter or similar device depending on whether your area has a history of bad tap water.
Additionally, since the dispenser will be hooked up to your water line, you won’t be able to move it very far or very often. The nice thing about the bottle water dispenser is the relative portability. If you’re working in a remote location of your home, for example, the cooler can be temporarily moved for better convenience.
Another issue to take into consideration with the bottle-less dispenser is that of water pressure: If your water lines aren’t delivering the needed pressure to the dispenser, you may need to hook up a device to build up pressure artificially. While these devices are sometimes easy to install, you’ll probably need to contact a licensed professional to come perform this task for you because you’re going to be changing something in water lines that the city probably owns. While this hopefully won’t be too costly for you, the prices will vary depending on your location.
In Conclusion, both variations of water dispenser have their ups and downs, but hopefully this discussion has presented the issues in such a way that you’ll be better able to choose which unit works best for your needs!