The bottled water dispenser has gone from an office staple to a source of healthy habits at work. Bottled water dispensers save the waste of many individual plastic bottles, and, if you keep up with bottled water dispensers news and trends, you can make sure your water cooler has other environmentally friendly features like Energy Star compliance or bottleless operation.

Among other bottled water dispensers news and trends is the innovative styling of new water dispensers. Whether you're looking for a commercial filtered water dispenser to blend into a classic or modern aesthetic, specialty styles of hot-cold water dispenser that hide the bottles and the heating and cooling devices will surely catch your eye.

When shopping for the latest bottled water dispensers, keep up with the following trends:

1. Look for an environmentally friendly water dispenser with the Energy Star seal.

2. Get distinctive styling with wood grain and stainless steel water coolers.

3. Personalize your bottled water dispenser to maximize convenience.

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Rely on Energy Star certification to find a cutting edge commercial bottled water dispenser

With Energy Star ratings, it's easy to find a commercial bottled water dispenser that is CFC (chlorofluorocarbon)-free and that operates efficiently. Your employees and clients will be pleased to see the extra steps your office has taken to conserve environmental and business resources. Another way to cut down on resource use with water coolers is by using a bottleless water dispenser.

I recommend: Energy Star publishes a buyers guide and product list of approved water dispensers online. FilterWater.com is one of many retailers selling bottleless water dispensers, which still heat and cool water like other bottled water dispensers, but filter water from the water line instead of using bottles that require replacement.

Keep up with the latest bottled water dispenser styles

If you want your bottled water dispenser to blend into the decor of a room, style trends in water coolers are what will interest you. Newer bottled and bottleless water dispensers offer an unprecedented range of style options that will hide the bottle as well as the heating and cooling devices, and match any room.

I recommend: Living in Comfort sells a range of wood finish water coolers, while Aquaverve offers stainless steel water dispensers in addition to models with various wood finishes. Aquaverve's style options are available in bottled or bottleless versions for an added cost of between $200 and $300.

Get a water dispenser to fit your space and lifestyle needs

Another trend in cold water dispensers is flexibility of use. A traditional standing water cooler may pose too many problems in terms of space restrictions or maintenance needs. Water coolers that you can fit anywhere, or water dispensers with a built-in cleaning reminder, reflect two trends that add convenience and peace of mind to your workplace.

I recommend: AirWater.biz sells a Greenway water dispenser with an electronic cleaning reminder, so you don't have to keep track of scheduled maintenance. If space is prohibitive, try a bottled water dispenser without the dispenser. Aqua-EZ-Flo is a bottled water pump that can be placed in a cabinet and attached to a refrigerator, coffee brewer or faucet to provide clean, bottled water wherever you need it.

Follow commercial bottled water dispenser news

To see what's in development for commercial bottled water dispensers, distribution and manufacture, check the industry's leading news sources.

I recommend: The International Bottled Water Association wraps up the latest bottled-water issues in its blog. AMOnline covers the vending industry, while BottledWaterWeb, Beverage World and Beverage Industry cover the bottled water companies.

Tips & Tactics

Helpful advice for making the most of this Guide

• •  If you're using filtered water and want to keep up with the latest health and environmental trends for your water dispenser, contact your water distribution office to find out what local contaminants you should be filtering out. Different types of filters are available for drinking water to filter out different types of deposits.
• •  If you're using filtered water and want to keep up with the latest health and environmental trends for your water dispenser, contact your water distribution office to find out what local contaminants you should be filtering out. Different types of filters are available for drinking water to filter out different types of deposits.

Bottled water dispensers can seem omnipresent in some locations like the office or the gym, but they are also popular for home use and other social and recreational spots. Commercial bottled water dispensers typically involve two parts: a large bottle to hold the water and a stand with a faucet built in.

Water dispensers today, however, offer many more options. You can find water dispensers that don't just chill water but also heat it, water dispensers that cover the unsightly bottle to keep it out of sight, and even water dispensers with no bottles involved.

1. Shop for bottled water coolers and pumps if you're looking for a traditional commercial water dispenser or don't want to set up a water dispenser stand.

2. Look at hot and cold options for a more versatile water dispenser.

3. Check out more stylish covered bottle models for a more attractive look.

4. Look at countertop and bottle-less options for less conventional water dispensers.

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Shop coolers and pumps for simple bottled water dispensers

If you have any kind of water dispensing needs, from faucets to refrigerator units, a simple bottled water dispenser with a pump will cool the water and transport it to the dispenser. These units can be on a dispenser stand, under a sink, in a refrigerator unit, or anywhere else where you can store a large water bottle.

I recommend: Get a bottled water cooler and pump if you have simple filtered water needs and don't care a lot about aesthetics. These bottled water dispenser units are utilitarian and get the job done.

Look for hot and cold options on water dispensers

Many bottled water dispensers now come with both hot and cold dispensing options. In many cases, the hot faucet will be optional, so you can turn it on if you need hot water and turn it off to conserve energy when you don't. Most will also have safety features to avoid burns from water that's too hot.

I recommend: Try a commercial bottled water dispenser with the most features, like GE's tri-temperature hot cold water dispenser.

Check out stylish new designs for covered bottle water dispensers

Many bottled water dispensers now offer dispensing options that keep the bottle away from view under a cover that blends into the stand. These dispensers are also typically hot water dispensers as well as cold water dispensers.

I recommend: Try the stainless steel and various wood finish options from Aquaverve for the most attractive bottled water dispensers available.

Check out countertop water dispensers for more space-conscious options

Many of the same options of large bottled water dispensers are also offered by smaller countertop water dispensers. Countertop dispensers can also serve both cooled and heated water, and also typically come in bottle or bottleless varieties.

I recommend: If you need an instant hot water dispenser for coffee or tea, or want a commercial bottled water dispenser but don't have the space, these smaller water dispensers can be an excellent choice. Check out hot cold models as well as bottleless.

Tips & Tactics

Helpful advice for making the most of this Guide

• •  Make sure that when shopping for a commercial bottled water dispenser, you understand whether or not you are purchasing a bottled water service. Some dispensers require a kind of subscription service to get new bottles of filtered water, while others do not. Avoid hidden fees but understand the product.

Providing a bottled water dispenser is a convenient way to promote health and productivity in the workplace, but when estimating the cost of a commercial bottled water dispenser, you must take several factors into account. Pricing and costs of bottled water dispensers depend on individual models' features, size and maintenance requirements.

Which type of water dispenser you choose, whether it's a cold water dispenser, a hot water dispenser or a filtered water dispenser, will ultimately determine much of the cost. Style decisions also influence the price, since sleeker models with hidden bottles or woodgrain finish are more expensive than the standard water bottle and dispenser.

When determining pricing and costs of bottled water dispensers, take the following approach:

1. Consider the prices of a variety of upright bottled water dispenser brands;

2. Compare the cost of bottled and bottleless water dispensers;

3. Calculate an estimate for maintenance and supplies for your bottled water dispenser.

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Compare water dispenser costs across brands and sizes

When shopping for a commercial filtered water dispenser, a variety of options exist. Basic cold water dispensers are fairly standard and often go for between $100 and $150. Coolers with additional features, such as a hot-cold water dispenser or a filter, have added costs.

I recommend: Everything Furniture sells a range of brands of upright water coolers averaging around $200. Cooler-Store.com sells both bottled and filtered water dispensers ranging from about $150 or $200 to about $500.

Look at prices of various bottleless and bottled water dispensers

Bottleless dispensers can look like bottled water coolers, but store water in a compartment rather than a bottle. Other bottleless coolers attach directly to the water line as a wall unit. Both bottled water dispensers and bottleless water dispensers have cost benefits--bottleless water dispensers do not require replacement bottles, but are more expensive up front. While bottleless and bottled water dispenser prices vary across brands, expect to pay at least $500 or more for a bottleless water dispenser.

I recommend: Pure n Natural's average bottleless water dispenser is about $500. An Elkay wall unit chiller and fountain, on the other hand, can run anywhere from $750 to $1500 and has replaceable filters.

Consider accessories for water dispensers when calculating cost

A commercial bottled watered dispenser comes with the additional costs of replacement bottles (unless the water cooler is a bottleless dispenser). Replacement water bottles can be delivered to your workplace from a number of companies. Filtered water also requires replacement filters, which run about $20 and are available online.

I recommend: Companies like Crystal Springs deliver replacement water bottles, and offer online quotes for calculating refill and delivery costs. If your commercial bottled water dispenser uses a filter, you will need to replace the filter every one to six months, depending on the frequency of use. Keystone sells various filter sizes for different water filtration systems.

Tips & Tactics

Helpful advice for making the most of this Guide

• •  Consider reusing water bottles rather than purchasing new ones for your commercial bottled water dispenser. Having bottles refilled instead of replaced is cost effective and reduces waste.

The term "bottled water dispensers" does not generally refer to the machines that sell bottled water in 20-ounce or other sizes: most call those vending machines. Instead, a "bottled water dispenser" refers to a water dispenser system that dispenses from a 3- to 5-gallon tank. Some might call this a "water cooler." Regardless of this semantic distinction, buyers or businesses with these systems will want to know about some key terms for dealing with any water dispensing system.

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Bottled and bottleless water dispensers

The difference between these two kinds of water dispensers is that the bottled water dispensers use those large (3- to 5-gallon) plastic bottles you see in many models, where a bottleless water dispenser just runs water through a filter.

I recommend: See more on the differences between these two types of water dispensers at IdeaMarketers.

Reverse osmosis

The process known as reverse osmosis is a powerful way to filter water for cleanliness naturally. This technology is frequently used in all kinds of water dispensing systems.

I recommend: Find out more about reverse osmosis for bottled or bottleless water dispenser filtration at the H20 Buyer's Guide.

WaterTrail sanitation

This kind of sanitation system is just one way of promoting clean water for dispenser systems.

I recommend: Read up about WaterTrail sanitation and other elements of certain water dispenser brands and types at Ebac Water Dispensers Guide.

Energy Star

This government system of approving low-energy usage products for the market is applied to water dispensers that meet the criteria for allowing 'greener' thirst-quenching systems. Energy Star is part of a broader program that is doing important work in limiting the amount of energy Americans use every day.

I recommend: Find out more about Energy Star from this U.S. EPA web page.

Countertop water dispensers

These space-saving units replace the bulky water cooler with an installation that will fit on top of a counter for compacting water dispensing into a smaller and more efficient space.

I recommend: Read about countertop vs. freestanding water dispensers and more at Living in Comfort.

Safe water

This term really just applies to the safety standards for drinking water. However, the safety issues in drinking water are various, and to really study the end result for a drinking water source, you'll need to know about all of the possible pollutants that may contaminate water.

I recommend: Find definitions and information on safe water and all of its related terms at the Bottled Water Glossary page.