Best Water Dispensers for Your Kitchen

Cold water dispensers provide cold, clean water for drinking and cooking. Hot water dispensers provide water for food and beverage preparation. But, it doesn't stop there.

Here are different types of activities a hot water dispenser can do:

Beverage Preparation:

• Coffee
• Tea
• Hot cocoa

Food Preparation:

• Pasta and instant noodles
• Soup
• Rice
• Gelatin
• Sauces
• Cereal
• Baby food

Cleaning and Household Activities:

• Soften and rinse dried food from pots and pans
• Remove labels from jars
• Prepare canning jars
• Clean containers for recycling
• Loosening tight lids on cans and jars
• Polishing silver
• Making hot compresses to relieve aches and pains
• Preparing potpourri

Warming:

• Preparing baby bottles
• Heating an ice cream scoop or cheese slicer to make use easier
• Melting chocolate
• Softening butter
• Thawing meat or frozen vegetables

These dispensers feature a faucet connected to a small storage tank. The tank mounts under the kitchen sink. It's connected to the cold-water supply line. It connects to a standard 120-volt house circuit powering an electric coil. Wattage varies from 500 to 1,300 watts. The average is usually around 750 watts.

In these dispensers, you can often adjust temps. Temperatures range from around 140 degrees to just under 200 degrees. Temperatures vary between models and manufacturers. It's good to check the manual before buying. This ensures the advertised temperature matches your preferences.

Make sure the water doesn’t get too hot, or it can damage the tank. A replaceable thermal fuse helps to prevent a tank from overheating.

Tanks often hold around a half gallon of hot water at a time. Dispensers generally produce around 40 to 60 cups of hot water per hour.

Dispenser faucets may feature knobs, levers, push buttons and more. Many configurations are available. Just know, these units dispense water slower than conventional faucets. Don't be alarmed if the water stream is slower than you're used to.

Cold water dispensers or water coolers are often freestanding units. They feature large jugs of water that must be replaced as you go. Jugs range from 2 to 5 gallons. Freestanding water dispensers are ideal for garages, workshops and porches. You must run a cleaning solution through freestanding units so often. If you don't, you can deal with mold.

A countertop model dispenser exists. They use 1- or 2-gallon jugs. This size is probably sufficient if you have a small house. It's great if you don't have the floor space for a freestanding unit.

Just like with hot dispensers, temps vary between models and manufacturers. It's good to check the manual before buying. This ensures the advertised temperature matches your preferences.

Combination dispensers provide both ice-cold and near-boiling water. Some combination units feature LED displays. These displays indicate hot and cold temperatures.

Tools needed for a water dispenser installation include:

• Cordless drill
• Screwdrivers
• Adjustable wrench
• Pliers
• Tube cutter
• Level

Installing a hot water dispenser on your sink? You must have a hole for your spout. Make sure to turn the water off before you begin installation. Remember that any unit that heats or cools water runs on power. It needs to be positioned near an outlet to be plugged in.

Although most units operate silently, some can make a lot of noise. If you like quiet, check this out before purchasing.

If you don’t want to do a lot of heavy lifting, choose a smaller model. Models with a smaller 1- or 2-gallon jug can be a good option. Also, look for bottom-load or bottom-mount coolers. These have their bottles placed in the cabinet in the lower part of the unit.

For homes that drink a lot, it’s recommended to choose bottle-less dispensers. These are also known as point-of use filter dispenser. These connect directly to the supply line carrying household tap water. The filter canisters can be located under the kitchen sink. Or, they can be placed in a dispenser cabinet. The filter's spigot mounts on the sink deck or on a countertop near the sink. Or, in a spot where the water dispenser will be reachable by the whole family. These systems require hook-up to your water supply with a thin tube.

Some tips:

• A saddle valve makes it easy to connect dispensers to supply lines. You may need to check local building codes. Some don't allow saddle valves.
• Leave space underneath your dispenser if it has a drainage plug.
• If installing a filter at the same time, leave enough room to access the cartridge.
• ENERGY STAR qualified units improve hot/cold water separation. This allows for better insulation and improved chilling mechanisms.
• When you finish installing the unit, turn the water back on. Run the faucet for a few minutes to make sure nothing is leaking.

While there are many features to consider, pay extra attention to these:

• Childproof lock: Prevents children from accidentally getting scalded.
• Gooseneck faucet:
  Better for ease of use. This makes it easier to get larger pots, pans and glasses under the dispenser. Some also swivel for easier use.
• Finishes: Choose a finish that complements your existing faucet. Available finishes include white, black, brass, chrome, almond and more.
• Water filter: Built-in filtration systems make a difference. They help to ensure high-quality water that is free of contaminants.
• Drain plugs: These prevent lime scale buildup. They allow you to drain a hot water dispenser’s tank to keep it clean.
• Removable drip tray: makes things easier to clean.
• Pet stations: refillable trays for your pets. Some top-loading systems have a dog or cat water bowl. You can pull it out at the bottom of the dispenser. It is refillable with the press of a button.
• Self-cleaning mode: great for the busy household.