Hot Water Dispensers

Written by

Natalie Kunz

Last updated

14 March 2024

Why Choose a Hot Water Dispenser for Your Business?

In almost any office nowadays, you can find water dispensers that supply office workers with clean, filtered water on demand. Hot water dispensers, in particular, are useful in making tea or coffee instantly available. Businesses need to be able to offer easy access to clean water, and with water dispensers, this is possible.

Hot water dispensers are essential for keeping employees hydrated in order to keep them focused and productive. Similarly, customer-facing businesses need to be able to provide guests with refreshments, especially in a reception area or a waiting room.

While some coffee machines have an integrated hot water dispenser functionality, it is also possible to get a stand-alone hot water dispenser.

The dispenser itself should be visually appealing and have features and options that fulfill your business needs, whether it is for internal use only, or if your clients will be using it too. A first impression is made in just a few seconds when a client enters your office, therefore the right hot water dispenser will enhance the experience.

Therefore, it is important to select the right hot water dispenser for your business: one that is able to provide comfort along with functionality.

Factors to Consider before Choosing a Hot Water Dispenser

When selecting a hot water dispenser for your office, you need to consider a number of different factors. There are several types of hot water dispensers, and each have different features that are beneficial for some businesses and not others. So you need to choose one carefully, depending on your particular business needs.

Where Will You Place Your Dispenser?

It is important to consider where you will physically place your hot water dispenser. If your company is using it in an office for guests or employees, it is important to select a hot water dispenser that has a larger volume and is able to satisfy visitors’ needs in an instant, and is located in an easy-to-find spot.

Where the dispenser will be placed will heavily determine whether you should opt for a free-standing hot water dispenser or a plumbed-in solution, for example. With bottled water dispensers, you do not need to worry about putting it in any particular spot, just be sure that it is placed within a high traffic area where people can easily access it, or walk past regularly to make them fully enjoy advantages of the water dispenser.

As an example, the dispenser can be placed near kitchen or staff room, just make sure that water dispenser is visible, as you can allocate it almost anywhere near a power source.

Do You Need a Plumbed In or Bottled Water Solution?

Both the plumbed-in solutions and bottled water dispensers have their own advantages, but both types also have their own distinct requirements. Many people consider that bottled versions are cheaper, but the regular purchase of the bottles can become more costly and time-consuming in the long run.

In addition, you need to ensure you have enough storage space for both the new stock of fresh bottles, but also to store the empty bottles before they are disposed of.

There are also the environmental implications to consider, as the plastic used for the production of bottles is harmful for the environment.

However, for some offices it is more convenient to connect the hot water dispenser right to a plumbing system. This will give you the opportunity to supply unlimited filtered water, without the need to refill anything.

Unfortunately, with all the impressive advantages of direct piping system, you need to consider one fact that it cannot be installed just anywhere in the office, but only where there is access to a plumbing system.

Do You Need a Hot and Cold Water Dispenser?

When choosing the right hot water dispenser, you should also determine whether you want a dispenser that only provides hot water, or if you want one dispenser that has both functionalities, namely a hot and cold water dispenser.

If you want to offer exclusively hot water to your guests and employees, then it is beneficial to have a hot water dispenser. Some may think that the hot water tap is not used so frequently, but when you consider all of the possibilities, like making instant coffee, tea, soups, cereals, and other instant beverages, you will find that people in your office would use a hot water tap in their daily morning or afternoon routines.

However, if you think that there is no need for having hot water in your office, then you should consider choosing a model that only has cold water.

Types of Hot Water Dispensers

When it comes to hot water dispensers, there are a few different types to choose from. It is important to be aware of the options out there, so that you can make the most well-informed decision and select a machine that best suits your business needs.

Instant Hot Water Dispenser

An instant hot water dispenser is also referred to as “boil on demand”. As its name suggests, this type of dispenser boils small amounts of water very quickly. It is one of the cheapest types on the market, with an average purchase price between £30 and £70. It is very universal and can be moved around very easily.

Instant hot water dispensers are instant, energy efficient, and they preserve water by re-boiling unused water from the previous use. They only heat water as the demand for it arises. This special type of hot water dispensers is useful for boiling hot water for just one or two cups of water in a matter of seconds.

There is a subcategory within instant hot water dispensers, which is called an electric thermo pot hot water dispenser. This type combines both an electric kettle and hot water vacuum flask.

The main difference between this type of dispenser and the “boil on demand” is that water is being heated in the pot and dispensed through a pump, and the temperature can be adjusted and kept according to people’s needs and dispenser’s availability.

They are suitable as portable hot water dispensers for CEOs to have in their offices, or it could be a good option to use in small offices with up to 11 employees. The table below outlines some key advantages and disadvantages of instant hot water dispensers.

Bottled Water Dispenser

This type of hot water dispenser is the most common on the market, as it is typically one of the most affordable. Bottled water dispensers are distinguished as bottom loaded and top mounted, and usually have a dual functionality for both hot and cold water.

A bottom loaded hot water dispenser features a water bottle that is placed at the bottom of the dispenser. This is very convenient, as the bottle does not have to be lifted up and placed upside down, as it does with a top loaded type. It can also make the machine look more sophisticated, as the big plastic bottle is not visible. With bottled water dispensers, you already get filtered water in the bottles themselves, so there is no need for installing extra filters to a plumbing system.

Bottom loaded water dispensers cost a bit more than top loading dispensers. The average purchasing price varies from £130 to £185, and rental price starts from £3.50 per week. The operational costs are the same for either purchasing or rental.

On the other hand, top loaded dispensers are the cheaper of the two bottled water types, and they are convenient because you can easily see when you are about to run out of water. Purchase price varies from £80 to £150 and rental price starts only for £1 per week. However, they are difficult to refill because they require lifting the bottle up and placing it on top of the unit.

These two types of water dispensers have some benefits compared to other types. First of all, both of them are affordable and will help to save money in the long run. Therefore, they could be a perfect match for either start-ups or businesses with a limited budget.

In addition to this, bottled office dispensers require minimal maintenance. You can either choose to do it by yourself, or order a service, as companies who supply water dispensers are typically responsible for the maintenance if there is a warranty included.

However, there are some downsides to having a bottled water dispenser. You need to do some administrative work, which will mainly consist of ensuring there is a constant supply of water bottles for your employees, and that the empty bottles are also adequately stored and disposed of.

There is a some risk of leave your employees without access to the water, as it heavily depends on the availability of the stock you have and delivery speed of the company that offers a service.

Moreover, the water capacity of the bottles is limited, as the average volume of bottles is 20 litres. Finally, each time your dispenser has to be refilled, there is some manual labour involved in attaching a fresh bottle to your dispenser, which could be cumbersome.

Direct Piping Water Dispenser

A direct piping water dispenser is a point of use (POU) dispenser, and can be directly connected to the water mains, and can therefore supply an unlimited amount of water without any waiting time. The purchase price varies from £230 to £600.

Direct piping water dispensers are more cost effective than bottled dispensers in the long run, mainly because bottled water dispensers require the regular purchasing of the bottles. Depending on the agreement with your supplier, you may also incur delivery fees each time you receive your new stock of water bottles.

As the point of use water dispenser draws water directly from the water line, it is essential to install filters in order to thoroughly clean the water and prevent the dispensing of hard water. However, it will add to the installation cost.

This type of hot water dispenser is inherently not portable, therefore the placement of the machine would be very important to consider when selecting a direct piping dispenser.

This type of dispenser is designed to be used in bigger offices with a large number of staff.

Though their capacity is technically limitless, they can only dispense water for one cup at a time, and you can not use tall mugs unless the model is specifically designed to fit them.

Find the Best Hot Water Dispenser Suppliers in the UK

Choosing a hot water dispenser can be a difficult enough task by itself, especially when you have wide range of types you can choose from, which all have a unique set of advantages and disadvantages. It is important to identify whether you need a plumbed in or bottled water dispenser solution, and if you need purely a hot water dispenser, or one that offers both hot and cold water.