Comparing Bottleless Water Coolers: Price, Capacity and Features

Choosing the right bottleless water cooler involves matching your office size and budget with advanced features like reverse osmosis (RO) and UVC sanitization. Because they connect directly to your water line, these systems provide a sustainable, high-capacity hydration solution that eliminates the cost and hassle of heavy 5-gallon jugs. Keep reading to learn more about the Culligan Quench lineup to help you find the most hygienic and cost-effective fit for your team.

What are bottleless water coolers?

A bottleless water cooler, also known as a point-of-use dispenser, connects directly to your building’s water line, eliminating the need for plastic jugs. When comparing office water coolers, businesses should evaluate the monthly rental price, the daily user capacity (ranging from 25 to over 100 people) and the filtration technology, such as reverse osmosis and UV sanitization.

Unlike traditional dispensers that rely on gravity and limited bottle volume, Culligan Quench machines offer an unlimited supply of filtered water. This is crucial for high-traffic areas, helping prevent the recovery time or low-flow issues often found in gravity-fed bottled systems during stress tests.

The price of your bottleless water cooler varies depending on your contract agreement. Similar to renting a home, the monthly cost of your water cooler decreases as you commit to a longer rental agreement. For example, the monthly price per cooler will be lower if you sign a four-year term compared to a month-to-month term.

Other factors that impact the Culligan Quench water dispenser price include:

• Filtration type: Reverse osmosis vs. advanced carbon filtration
• Volume: The number of units required for your facility
• Capacity: Whether you need a standard or commercial-grade machine

Bottleless dispensers may seem like an investment upfront, but the long-term return on investment (ROI) is significant. A single standard-capacity Culligan Quench bottleless water cooler often costs the same or less than one single-use bottle of water per day. That means you can hydrate everyone in your office for the same amount of money you would spend to hydrate a single employee one time. Click the link to our cost calculator below to get a custom estimate for your business needs.

Culligan Quench offers a variety of bottleless water coolers to accommodate your building’s size and configuration. Choosing the right capacity is essential:

• Standard capacity: Serves up to 25 daily users
• High capacity: Serves up to 50 daily users
• Commercial capacity: Serves up to 100 or more daily users

Standard capacity machines such as the Q3 or Q4 have smaller storage tanks, making them perfect for serving smaller offices. The Q5 and Q8 are ideal for businesses like professional services or enterprises with 50 or fewer daily users.

If your building sees hundreds of people a day, such as large warehouses, corporate buildings, cafeterias or hospitals, you may need a water cooler for large office spaces, like the commercial capacity Q14.

Culligan Quench machines dispense premium, electrolyte-enhanced water called quenchWATER+. Some competitors stop at 4-stage ultrafiltration, but our Q-Series machines utilize a 5-stage process to ensure the highest quality hydration.

Filter 1: Sediment filter

This filter removes large contaminants and dissolved solids larger than 10 microns (roughly the size of a piece of sand).

Filter 2: Pre-carbon filter

The pre-carbon filter removes anything larger than 5 microns (the size of a speck of flour).

Filter 3: Reverse osmosis (RO)

Reverse osmosis allows water to pass through a semi-permeable membrane that removes up to 99.9% of contaminants, including particles as small as 0.001 micron. It’s a critical step for removing forever chemicals such as PFAS. While some DIY methods, such as aeration or freezing, can remove chlorine odors, they don’t remove dissolved solids or PFAS. Only professional-grade RO filtration can provide that level of safety.

Filter 4: Mineral addback

Reverse osmosis is so effective that it removes almost everything, including hydrating minerals. The mineral addback filter adds a blend of calcium, magnesium, sodium and potassium back into the water. This produces a revitalizing taste and promotes alkalinity.

Filter 5: Polishing filter

Using carbon and coconut husk fibers, this filter purifies the water one last time. The result is crisp, clean, alkaline water that studies suggest allows the body to absorb water more readily.

Culligan Quench machines use LED UVC sanitization to deactivate microorganisms. Independent testing concludes that UV technology can eliminate 99.9999% of bacteria, 99.999% of viruses and 99.9% of parasites.

UVC vs. ozone

Culligan Quench prioritizes LED UVC over ozone. Ozone is a gas that can degrade rubber seals over time, potentially leading to leaks. On the other hand, LED UVC is a chemical-free, highly effective method that works to keep the water tank clean without risking equipment durability.

Antimicrobial protection

As a last line of defense, Q-Series machines feature antimicrobial surface protection on the outer tank to inhibit the growth of germs on surfaces.

Touchless technology

Keep your hands clean with the Q-Series sensor-activated touchless water dispensers. Available on the Q4, Q8 and Q12, these units use position-sensitive detector buttons, allowing you to wave a hand to dispense water without direct contact.

You might need a professional’s help if:

• You’re unsure where your building’s water lines are located.
• You need to run water lines through drop ceilings or walls.
• You require a site survey to determine the best location for high-traffic hydration stations.
• You want to ensure your installation meets all local building and safety codes.

If you’re experiencing these problems, contact a Culligan Quench water expert today.