water cooler dispenser
Water Cooler vs. Water Dispenser
While both types are dispensers, a water dispenser is not necessarily a water cooler. There are two types of water dispensers: one that does not cool the water (usually non-electric) and an electric water cooler that cools and dispenses the water.
Either type will usually accommodate standard water bottles (two-, four-, or five-gallon) that you can buy already filled either with potable spring, distilled, or treated water or that you have filled yourself with a hot water dispenser.
Benefits of a Water Cooler
While some use a water cooler out of necessity for drinking water, others with treated water like to dispense (better tasting) water if theirs is heavily chlorinated. And others will use a cooler merely to have cold drinking water available without having to run (metered) water for several minutes to get it cold, thus realizing some energy savings.
Whatever the reason, everyone seems to like dispensing water from a cooler, and it can quickly become the place even the kids will gravitate to get a refreshing drink. Even a dispenser (without the cooling) can provide a room-temperature or cool drink of water.