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As Scottsdale residents search for alternatives to unpleasant tasting tap water, , more and more are installing bottleless coolers in their home. Bottleless coolers are cost-effective and eco-friendly, and provide great tasting water whenever you need it.

Depending on the model, bottleless coolers use various water treatment methods such as filtration or even reverse osmosis to make sure the water they dispense is safe and pure.

What is a Bottleless Cooler?

You’ve probably stepped into an office and seen a bulky water cooler with a five gallon water jug on top. But water cooler technology has improved drastically in the past several years. Bottleless cooler options are now available for the home and the office. These coolers attach to a building’s water line and purify and dispense tap water. Depending on the model, bottleless coolers use various water treatment methods such as filtration or even reverse osmosis to make sure the water they dispense is safe and pure. A bottleless cooler can even be selected to address known water quality issues. Once water has been purified, it’s held in an internal tank until it’s needed, so water is available instantly. Most dispense both hot and cold water.

Benefits of Bottleless Water Coolers

Folks who don’t like the taste of their tap water have several options: drink it anyway, purchase bottled water instead, or consider home water treatment. Bottleless water coolers are a fourth option that utilizes water treatment technology but dispenses water from a standalone appliance instead of your sink. While some may be better off considering a water treatment system for their home, there are several reasons that bottleless water coolers are a much better alternative to depending on bottled water.

More Cost Effective

Bottled water is expensive. You may not notice if you buy a case every time you go to the grocery store, but over a year it can easily add up to hundreds of dollars per person, especially in our Arizona heat.

Bottleless water coolers require an initial investment. Their price varies depending on brand, type of filtration used, and special features. But once installed, your water costs will be minimal. Tap water typically costs less than a penny per gallon. Although bottleless water coolers use electricity, it’s such a minimal amount you’re unlikely to notice the difference on your utility bill. Most bottleless water coolers do need to be serviced annually so filters can be replaced. But for most households, that cost is significantly less than what they’d otherwise spend on bottled water.

Depending on your particular water quality issues, installing a water treatment system, such as an undersink reverse osmosis system, may require less of an initial investment than a bottleless water cooler. Those systems also require regular maintenance and filter replacement, so overall costs should be similar after installation.

Better For the Environment

Bottled water is also bad for the environment. Not only do the bottles often end up in landfills, it takes a lot of energy to make the bottles, fill them, and transport bottled water to the store. Even if you recycle every bottle, depending on them as your chief water source is not a very eco-friendly practice.

When you switch to a bottleless water cooler, you eliminate all plastic waste. These coolers are built to last many years. Their only waste is their internal filter cartridges or membranes which need to be replaced according to manufacturer’s instructions, probably every year.

Better Tasting Water

Pure water is tasteless. But trace amounts of harmless minerals often give it flavor. Because bottleless coolers are designed to dispense water, they are the best solution for great tasting (and crystal clean) water. Anything that could negatively impact the taste or smell of the water is filtered out. After filtration, many coolers add minerals back in to improve the taste of the water. Some even balance pH for your optimal enjoyment.

Not all bottled water comes from the beautiful springs you see on the label. Some is just tap water, and it may not actually taste all that refreshing. And if the bottle gets warm, plastics could leach into the water, impacting the taste.

Some home water treatment processes, like reverse osmosis, remove so much from water that some people find the taste to be “flat.” Some reverse osmosis systems offer an optional post-treatment mineral filter to add these minerals back into the water to address this issue. But if great tasting water is your top priority, consider choosing a bottleless cooler which was designed with this in mind.

More Convenient

Bottleless water coolers provide an instant source of clean and delicious drinking water. There is no need to purchase, transport, and store bulky cases of bottled water, and you don’t have to worry about running out if you forget to add water to your shopping list. Once installed, all you have to do is schedule annual service or replace the filters yourself whenever the manufacturer recommends.

Bottleless water coolers come in many sleek, modern designs that can match any room. With both freestanding and countertop models, most people can find space for one in even a cramped kitchen. Although it taps into your water line, there is no need to replace the faucet on your sink or add another spigot like with most point-of-use reverse osmosis systems. But if kitchen space is truly at a premium, an under the sink water treatment system may be preferable.

In Conclusion

Water coolers aren’t just for the office anymore! If you’re looking for a simple, cost-effective source for delicious drinking water in your home, a bottleless water cooler may be the best solution. Because they need to be hooked up to your water line, installation should be done by a licensed plumber. If you’re in the Phoenix area, contact JW Plumbing today!