A water cooler is no an office icon like it used to be a decade ago. In every office budget, there used to be an absolute budgetary allocation that ideally were not meant for office use exclusively but used to complement office operations. However, not much has changed in terms of office equipment and small appliances that support workforce productivity. However, almost every household today has a home water dispenser. This has in some way eliminated the need to acquire an office water dispenser. The debate therefore remains; between the two locations, where are you supposed to remain hydrated. The answer of course would depend on the type of workforce that you have working in the office. A workforce group largely composed of women would require a high capacity water cooler. This is because; women are required to drink at least eight glasses of water daily. Below are some basics about water coolers and dispensers.

Water Coolers Vs Water Dispensers
While both coolers are dispensers are used for dispensing water, they cannot be classified as coolers. Generally, there are two types of water dispensers. There is a non-electric dispenser that does not cool water and there is the electric one that carries out cooling services. The standard accommodation capacity of water for a commercial water cooler or a commercial water dispenser is approximately 5 gallon.


Benefits of a Water Cooler
Some commercial water coolers are used exclusively for drinking water. This can mainly happen in the case of an office water cooler. However, there are water coolers that are meant to dispense water that is better tasting especially in areas where the standard water supply is heavily chlorinated. The overall goal of a hot and cold water cooler in a home environment is energy saving. You find that in most cases, homeowners often overlook some small appliances at home that could help them cut on energy cost. Using a cooler at home will reduce the temptation of running metered water for some time in the hope that it will get cold.


Features of a Good Water Cooler or Dispenser
Most water dispensers and coolers have at least one faucet. However, commercial water dispensers and coolers will have two faucets; one for hot water and the other for cold water. Although the temperatures of hot dispensed water are not very high, such a dispenser will come in handy if you are in need of some hot chocolate. When it comes to the best material for the dispenser or cooler, stainless steel should be the key selling point when buying a dispenser or water cooler. This is because; stainless steel eliminates the ‘plastic’ taste in water which is common in some dispensers. Small appliances with additional safety features are also a popular choice when buying key items for your home or office. A water cooler or dispenser is no exception. Water faucets with safety features such as child lock can prevent events of injuries especially if the water cooler or dispenser is within a child’s reach.


Choosing the Best Water Cooler or Dispenser
This is one of the greatest challenges that you have to contend with when choosing small appliances. This is because; the differentiation in some of these appliances is limited. Take water coolers and dispensers for example. It is highly unlikely that you will be able to identify the key distinguishing features through observation. In an office environment for example, people need to stay hydrated in order to improve productivity. Dehydration causes poor concentration that ultimately affects performance. This means that when choosing a water cooler for your office or home, you need to establish your office and home needs. Take into account the number of people who will be using the appliance and make sure the cooler’s or dispenser’s capacity matches the number of potential users.