Vetted: The Best Water Coolers for Homes Today
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For cool, refreshing water on demand—or hot water for instant tea and coffee—invest in a plumbed-in or freestanding water cooler.
A water cooler offers easy access to a plentiful supply of cold, refreshing water. This convenient appliance is useful in the workplace, in private homes, in businesses—anywhere there are people who appreciate liquid refreshment on demand.
Water coolers come in a range of styles and designs. There are countertop, wall-mounted, plumbed-in (point-of-use), and freestanding units to fit any space. These coolers don’t just dispense freezing cold water, either. They can dispense cold, cool, room temperature, or hot water in an instant. Stay refreshed with the best water cooler options featured below, and see our shopping tips to help choose the right one.
- BEST OVERALL: Brio Self-Cleaning Bottom Loading Water Cooler
- RUNNER-UP: Avalon Bottom-Loading Water Cooler Water Dispenser
- BEST BANG FOR THE BUCK: Primo Hot Cold Temp Top-Loading Water Dispenser
- UPGRADE PICK: Brio Moderna Bottom-Load Water Cooler Dispenser
- BEST FOR HOME OFFICE: Primo Deluxe Hot/Cold/Room Temp Water Dispenser
- BEST TOP-LOADING: Primo Deluxe Top-Loading Water Dispenser
- BEST BOTTOM-LOADING: Primo hTRIO Bottom-Loading Water Dispenser
- BEST TOUCHLESS: Avalon A6 Touchless Bottom-Loading Water Cooler
- BEST COUNTERTOP: Brio Top-Loading Countertop Water Cooler Dispenser
- BEST PORTABLE: Avalon Countertop Bottleless Electric Water Cooler
- BEST PORTABLE PUMP: Myvision Water Bottle Pump
How We Chose the Best Water Coolers
Whether at home or at the office, a water cooler will likely attract a lot of use, so it’s important to choose one that is well suited for the space. We researched product specifications and considered consumer reviews to narrow down our top picks, selecting water coolers with good specifications and great real-world performance.
The best water coolers are pleasant to use and easy to maintain. We chose water coolers with user-friendly buttons or spigots, multiple temperature modes, and hot water safety-lock features to ensure both convenience and safety. Extra features like night lights, adjustable temperatures, and an attractive design earned coolers extra points.
In terms of easy maintenance, we searched for features like removable and dishwasher-safe drip trays or even entire self-cleaning systems. Lastly, to cover most shoppers, we included water coolers at a range of price points to make it easier to stay hydrated within budget.
Our Top Picks
A water cooler is a convenient appliance to have at home or in the office—perfect for on-demand glasses of ice-cold water or hot mugs of tea. Our top picks are easy to use and provide instant access to cold or hot water:
Best Overall
Brio Self-Cleaning Bottom Loading Water Cooler
Photo: amazon.com
With a bottom-loading design and a self-cleaning function, this Brio water cooler is as appropriate for home as it is for the workplace. It dispenses cold, room temperature, and hot water and has a modern stainless-steel housing that complements stainless kitchen appliances.
The hot-water dispenser is outfitted with a child-safety lock to protect kids from accidental hot-water burns. Another point in this cooler’s favor is its convenient ozone self-cleaning feature, which runs a disinfectant cleaning cycle at the press of a button. Though the bottle is hidden in the cooler’s lower cabinet, a digital display will signal when the water bottle is almost empty and needs to be replaced.
This cooler accommodates 3- or 5-gallon water bottles and is Energy Star certified. For even more energy savings, the back panel has individual switches to control the hot water, cold water, and night-light feature. To save energy, just switch off the features that aren’t being used.
Product Specs
- Type: Bottom-loading
- Capacity: 3 or 5 gallons
- Water temperatures: Cold, hot, and room temperature
Pros
- Sleek design with stainless steel finish and digital empty-bottle alert display
- Self-cleaning ozone feature simplifies interior cleaning
- Option to switch off night light and cold and hot water to conserve energy
Cons
- Cold and hot water temperatures are not adjustable
Get the Brio self-cleaning water cooler at Amazon, The Home Depot, or Wayfair (black).
Runner-up
Avalon Bottom-Loading Water Cooler Water Dispenser
Photo: amazon.com
Avalon’s tri-temperature water cooler features on/off switches on each temperature toggle to conserve energy if the machine is not heating or cooling water. Even at full capacity, though, this unit is Energy Star certified.
The water cooler dispenses cold, cool, and hot water and has a child-safety lock on the hot-water button. Its removable drip tray makes this cooler easy to keep clean. The convenient bottom-loading design makes it easy to load standard 3- or 5-gallon jugs.
When the container is running low, the empty-bottle indicator light will illuminate. It also has a built-in night light, which comes in handy when dispensing middle-of-the-night glasses of water.
Product Specs
- Type: Bottom-loading
- Capacity: 3 or 5 gallons
- Water temperatures: Cold, hot, and cool
Pros
- Underwriters Laboratories (UL) listed and Energy Star certified, designed with safety and energy conservation in mind
- High-contact surfaces are treated with an antimicrobial coating
- Good flow rate and reliable water temperature
Cons
- Some reviewers note that this unit can be loud
Get the Avalon bottom-loading water cooler at Amazon, Lowe’s, The Home Depot, or Best Buy.
Best Budget
Primo Hot Cold Temp Top-Loading Water Dispenser
Photo: walmart.com
If you are looking for a no-frills water cooler that gets the job done, this top-loading water cooler dispenser from Primo is a worthy contender. This budget-friendly pick provides quick access to hot or cold water at the touch of a button. It has a classic top-loading design (as well as a traditional office water cooler look) that fits any compatible 3- or 5-gallon jug. A child-safety lock makes this cost-friendly water cooler a safe option to have in the home or the office.
One benefit of a basic water cooler is the easy maintenance process. This water cooler features a spill-proof bottle holder with a leak guard, a movable dishwasher-safe drip tray, and a filterless design (which means no filters to clean or swap out). Setup and maintenance is as easy as loading a bottle and making sure the drip tray is clean.
Product Specs
- Type: Top-loading
- Capacity: 3 or 5 gallons
- Water temperatures: Cold or hot
Pro
- Affordable and no-frills, with a classic water-cooler look
- Hot-water button includes child safety latch
- Stainless steel drip tray is removable and dishwasher-safe
Cons
- Lacks a room-temperature water option
Get the Primo hot cold temp top-loading water cooler at Ace Hardware, The Home Depot, Target, or Primo.
Upgrade Pick
Brio Moderna Bottom-Load Water Cooler Dispenser
Photo: amazon.com
Adjustable temperature settings set the Brio Moderna bottom-load water cooler dispenser apart from other options on this list. With this upgraded bottom-loading water cooler, you can choose your temperature for the cold- and hot-water spouts. The temperature ranges from a chilly 39 degrees Fahrenheit to a piping hot 194 degrees Fahrenheit to dispense water as cold or as hot as needed.
With water this hot, the dispenser has a child-safety lock on the hot-water spout. Like most standard water coolers, it fits a 3- or 5-gallon bottle. A low-bottle notification feature lets you know when it’s running low so you won’t be stuck without fresh water.
To ensure the unit stays clean, this water cooler has a self-cleaning ozone feature that sanitizes the water tank and lines. On top of all its convenient features, this Energy Star-certified unit is made of stainless steel for extra durability and a sleek look.
Product Specs
- Type: Bottom-loading
- Capacity: 3 or 5 gallons
- Water temperatures: Adjustable temperature from 39 to 194 degrees Fahrenheit
Pros
- Adjustable cold and hot water temperatures with a wide temperature range
- Self-cleaning ozone feature helps clear bacteria and biofilms
- Upscale look and feel with a digital display and softly lit touch-sensitive buttons
Cons
- These features come at a cost, and this dispenser is pricier than most
Get the Brio Moderna water cooler at Amazon, The Home Depot, Wayfair, or Brio.
Best for Home Office
Primo Deluxe Hot/Cold/Room Temp Water Dispenser
Photo: amazon.com
This midrange water cooler from Primo strikes an excellent balance between a reasonable price and premium features, making it well suited for a home office. This deluxe cooler is relatively affordable while also boasting some functions that aren’t common in cheap water coolers.
It has a convenient bottom-loading design (so almost anyone can load it) and dispenses ice-cold, hot, and room-temperature water. An internal stainless steel reservoir helps prevent bacteria growth and unpleasant tastes.
Quiet operation and a sleek stainless steel front make this dispenser a good choice for an at-home workspace. A child-safety feature, LED night light, and dishwasher-safe drip tray enhances safety and convenience.
Product Specs
- Type: Bottom-loading
- Capacity: 3 or 5 gallons
- Water temperatures: Cold, hot, and room temperature
Pros
- Relatively quiet operation makes it an unobtrusive choice for a home office
- Bottom-loading design is easier to load
- Stainless steel finish and single-spout design looks nice and neat
Cons
- Some customers have reported that their units may have an unstable low-bottle indicator
Get the Primo Deluxe hot/cold/room temp water cooler at Lowe’s.
Best Top-Loading
Primo Deluxe Top-Loading Water Dispenser
Photo: amazon.com
Cat and dog parents will love the Primo top-loading water dispenser with a pet station. It comes with a built-in pet bowl (which can be installed on the front or either side of the dispenser) that fills at the press of a button. For those who don’t have pets at home (but might have the occasional furry guest), the dishwasher-safe pet bowl is removable.
Besides its pet-bowl feature, this water dispenser is just as practical for people. It provides cold or hot water at the press of a button (with a child-resistant safety latch for the hot water). A removable dishwasher-safe drip tray makes cleaning spills easy, but spills will hopefully be few and far between since this dispenser has a spill-proof bottle-holder feature and an LED night light.
Product Specs
- Type: Top-loading
- Capacity: 3 or 5 gallons
- Water temperatures: Cold or hot (room-temperature water for pet dispenser only)
Pros
- Removable, dishwasher-safe pet bowl helps provide clean water for cats and dogs
- Pet bowl can be mounted in front or on either side of the unit
- Features a bottle ho