Water Cooler vs Water Dispenser: What Is the Difference?

On this page (15 sections)

1. What do the two words mean in shopping?
2. Which other names will you see on a product?
3. Where does the water come from?
4. What does setup take on install day?
5. What happens when you use a lot of water?
6. Who handles the upkeep: jugs or filters?
7. Which one is easier to keep clean?
8. Where does each one sit?
9. Which temperatures does each one offer?
10. How much power does each one use?
11. How much does each one weigh?
12. Which one suits an apartment or a rental home?
13. The specs side by side
14. Who should pick which one
15. Water cooler or water dispenser: which one to pick?

A water cooler and a water dispenser are often the same thing, because brands and shoppers use both words for the same units. The useful question is where the water comes from: a jug you swap, or your cold-water line.

In shopping, "cooler" usually means a jug-fed unit with hot and cold water, while "dispenser" can also mean a bottleless unit on a water line.

We compared a jug-fed Avalon A4 with a bottleless Avalon B8BLK, so you can see how each setup works day to day.

If you're buying for a home, our water dispenser buying guide for your home is a good place to start. Our bottom-loading water dispensers guide covers the jug route in more depth.

What do the two words mean in shopping?

A water cooler usually means a jug-fed unit with hot and cold water, and a water dispenser can be a jug-fed unit or a bottleless one on a water line.

Makers use both words for both types, so the label alone isn't a reliable guide. Brio names its 130 Series a "Water Cooler Dispenser," and Avalon calls the A4 a "Water Cooler Water Dispenser."

Why a water cooler and a water dispenser overlap

Both types heat water, chill it and dispense it, so either word fits either type. The difference that matters is the water source, and neither word tells you that.

Read the setup before you buy, because the setup is what changes your daily routine.

Avalon sells both types, which is why we compare one of each here.

Which other names will you see on a product?

Most other names describe the loading style, the water source or the temperatures, and they sit on top of the cooler-or-dispenser question.

• Bottom-loading or top-loading: where the jug goes on a jug-fed unit.
• Bottleless or point-of-use (POU): a unit that connects to your water line and filters the water at the unit. Brio uses the POU name.
• Water tower: Igloo's name for its top-loader.
• Tri-temp or three temperatures: hot, room-temperature and cold water from one unit.
• Countertop or freestanding: whether the unit sits on a counter or stands on the floor.

When a name is unclear, three quick checks tell you what you're looking at:

• An installation kit or filters in the box: the unit is bottleless and needs a water line.
• "Fits 3- and 5-gallon jugs" or a loading style: the unit is jug-fed and needs no water line.
• A temperature count: two settings usually means hot and cold, and three adds room temperature.

Where does the water come from?

The A4 takes water from a jug you swap, and the B8BLK takes water from your cold-water line through two filters. That one difference shapes every other row in this comparison.

The jug-fed cooler draws from a 3- to 5-gallon bottle in its cabinet, so you buy and move the bottle. The bottleless unit draws from your cold-water line, runs it through a sediment filter and a carbon block, and then heats or chills it.

Follow the maker's guidance on water, and ask your local water utility about your tap water. If the water line is a short run from the spot you want, a bottleless unit saves you from hauling jugs.

For the bottleless side in more detail, read our bottleless vs bottled water coolers comparison. For the loading style of a jug-fed unit, see top-loading vs bottom-loading water dispensers.

What does setup take on install day?

The A4 needs a power outlet and a jug, while the B8BLK needs a water line and an install. The A4 is the simpler of the two to set up.

Setting up the A4 means finding a spot, plugging it in and loading the jug. Avalon's B8BLK kit includes 20 feet of tubing, a three-way push-connect adapter, an under-sink 3/8-inch adapter with a shut-off valve and a filter flushing adapter.

Follow the maker's install guide for the connection, since plumbing steps are outside what we cover. If your kitchen has no cold-water line near the sink, the jug-fed cooler is the practical choice.

If you're replacing an old bottleless unit, the line is already in place, which saves the most time.

What happens when you use a lot of water?

A jug-fed cooler runs dry when the jug is empty, while a bottleless unit keeps supplying water as long as the line is on. That difference matters most in a busy household.

With the A4, the empty-bottle light tells you the jug needs replacing, and a spare jug keeps you going. With the B8BLK, there is no jug to run out, though the unit still needs its filters changed on schedule.

Who handles the upkeep: jugs or filters?

The A4's upkeep is swapping jugs, and the B8BLK's upkeep is changing filters. Both are routine tasks, but they follow different timing.

The A4 has an empty-bottle indicator that lights up when the bottle needs replacing, so you know when to order. Jug swaps follow how much water you use, so a busy household swaps jugs far more often than it changes a filter.

Avalon says the B8BLK's dual filters last 6 months or 1,500 gallons, and the kit includes a filter flushing adapter. A filter change needs a date on your calendar, while a jug swap needs a spare jug on hand.

Which one is easier to keep clean?

Neither is maintenance-free, because both follow the cleaning steps in the manual. Unplug the unit first, then rinse well and let it dry.

On a jug-fed cooler, the manual's steps cover the spouts, the drip tray and the area where the jug connects. A bottleless unit adds filter changes, and the kit includes a filter flushing adapter.

Some manuals allow a cleaning kit, a manufacturer-approved cleaner or a mild vinegar solution. Use only what your manual names.

Our how to clean a water dispenser guide covers the routine, and how to clean an Avalon water dispenser covers both Avalon types.

Where does each one sit?

The A4 stands on the floor at 41 inches tall, and the B8BLK sits on a counter or under a sink at 19 inches tall. Those two heights are the first thing to check against your space.

The A4 is freestanding, so it needs floor space and a spot near an outlet. The B8BLK measures 12 inches deep, 13 wide and 19 tall, so it fits a counter or the cabinet space under a sink.

A floor unit takes floor space but leaves the counter free. A counter model frees the floor but uses counter space and needs a water line nearby.

Which temperatures does each one offer?

The A4 offers hot, room and cold settings, while the B8BLK offers hot and cold only. If room-temperature water matters to you, that is the main difference.

Avalon rates the A4's cold output near 47 °F (8.3 °C). The B8BLK gives crisp cold and piping hot output, with a child safety lock on the hot spout.

If you need room-temperature water for sports bottles or mixing, the A4 covers that and the B8BLK doesn't. Hot water suits tea, coffee and instant meals, and cold water suits everyday drinks, so a unit with both covers most daily use.

How much power does each one use?

Avalon lists 420 watts for the A4's hot side and 100 watts for its cold side, and it publishes no wattage for the B8BLK. A direct power comparison isn't possible on those numbers.

Power use also depends on how often you draw hot water. On the A4, the hot side is rated at 420 watts and the cold side at 100, so hot water draws most of the power.

For what drives power use, our electricity use guide explains the factors without cost figures. Avalon describes both units as UL and ENERGY STAR approved, and you can read about that program at ENERGY STAR.

How much does each one weigh?

The A4 weighs 38.1 lb before you add a jug, and the smaller B8BLK weighs less. Either way, the jug is the weight that matters.

A full 3- or 5-gallon jug adds about 25 to 42 lb of water that you carry at every refill. The B8BLK stays at its own weight once it's installed, but it has to stay near its water line.

If you move house, the jug-fed cooler is easier to take with you, since a bottleless unit stays tied to its line.

Which one suits an apartment or a rental home?

A jug-fed cooler is the lower-commitment pick for an apartment, because it needs only an outlet and a jug. A bottleless unit needs a connection to the cold-water line.

If you rent, check whether your lease or building allows a new water connection before you buy a bottleless unit. A jug-fed cooler skips that question.

A bottleless unit works well in a home you own, where the line is yours to use.

The specs side by side

The two Avalon units differ on water supply, setup and height, and they match on hot water and corded power. The water supply row is the one that settles the choice for most homes.

Avalon also gives both a 1-year warranty and describes both as UL and ENERGY STAR approved, so those rows don't separate them.

Who should pick which one

Pick the jug-fed cooler if you have no water line and don't mind swapping jugs, and pick the bottleless dispenser if you have a cold-water line and want no jugs.

• Pick the jug-fed cooler if you want no install and have room for a jug.
• Pick the jug-fed cooler if you want room-temperature water as well as hot and cold.
• Pick the bottleless dispenser if you have a cold-water line near the spot.
• Pick the bottleless dispenser if you'd rather not haul jugs.

If you're unsure, a jug-fed cooler is the lower-commitment start, since it needs no install.

In a home kitchen

In a kitchen with a cold-water line near the sink, the bottleless dispenser is the better fit. Our best hot and cold water dispensers for home roundup covers more models if you want to compare.

Water cooler or water dispenser in a small office

For a small office without a water line near the break room, the jug-fed cooler is easier to place. The bottleless model fits an office that already has a cold-water line at the spot.

Our guide on how to choose a water dispenser for a small office walks through the choice step by step.

Water cooler or water dispenser: which one to pick?

Pick a water cooler or a water dispenser by its water supply, not its name, because the setup decides your daily routine.

For a jug-fed hot and cold unit, choose a model with an empty-bottle light and a cabinet that suits your bottle size. For a bottleless dispenser, check the water line, the install kit and the filter schedule before you order.

If you're still deciding, write down whether you have a water line, how much you want to lift and whether room-temperature water matters. Then match your answers to the setup.

If you can't reach a cold-water line from the spot, the jug-fed cooler is your answer. If you can, the bottleless dispenser is worth a close look.

For a wider set of options, see our best hot and cold water dispensers for small offices roundup.

Frequently asked questions

Is a water cooler the same as a water dispenser?

Often, yes, because brands use both words for the same units, but in shopping a cooler usually means a jug-fed hot and cold unit and a dispenser can also be bottleless. Check the water supply and setup before you buy, since the name alone won't tell you.

Do I need a water line for a water dispenser?

Only if you buy a bottleless unit, since jug-fed coolers like the Avalon A4 run on a 3- to 5-gallon bottle and need no water line. Bottleless models like the Avalon B8BLK connect to a cold-water line with an installation kit, so follow the maker's install guide.

Which uses more power, a jug cooler or a bottleless dispenser?

Avalon lists 420 watts for the A4's hot side and 100 watts for its cold side, and it publishes no wattage for the B8BLK, so the two can't be compared on one number. Power use also depends on how often you draw hot water.

Can a bottleless water dispenser work in a small office?

Yes, if the office has a cold-water line near the spot and a plan for changing filters. A bottleless unit suits a space where you'd rather skip jugs, and a jug-fed cooler is the simpler route when there is no line nearby.

Which is easier to set up, a water cooler or a bottleless dispenser?

A jug-fed cooler is easier, because you pick a spot near an outlet, plug it in and load a jug. A bottleless dispenser needs a cold-water connection and an installation kit, so it takes more planning before the first cup.