The 10 Best Bottom Loading Water Dispensers of 2023

Photo: Primo

Bottom-loading water dispensers offer many benefits, such as compactness, because the bottle in the bottom makes them shorter than top-loading units, so they fit into smaller spaces.

They provide the same accessibility to water and ease of use that top-loading units offer, but they work better for the weak and elderly because lifting isn’t involved. They also conceal the bottle and this looks better in professional environments like offices.

In this bottom loading water dispensers review, we’ll walk you through our list of the market’s top offers below and additionally show you how to make the right choice.

10 Best Bottom Loading Water Dispensers – Review

IMAGE	PRODUCT	FEATURES
	1. Avalon A5 (Best Overall)	Bottle-less dispenser A dual-stage filter Self-cleaning Child safety lock
	2. Primo 601088 (Best Budget)	Attractively priced Includes Primo coupons Sleek black look Removable drip tray
	3. Brio CLBL420V2 (Best Stylish)	Stylish stainless steel design Smart features Quality construction
	4. Avalon A6 (Best Touch-less)	Touch-less dispense Child safety lock Built-in night light
	5. Brio CLBL720SC (Best Premium)	Top style Stainless steel construction Programmable temperature Digital clock
	6. Primo 601090-SO (Single Spout)	Sleek single spout Includes Primo coupons Self-cleaning design UL/Energy Star certified
	7. Avalon A4BLWTRCLR (Empty Bottle Indicator)	Empty bottle indicator Sleek & modern 2.5 l/h cooling capacity
	8. Vitapur VWD1006BLP (Adjustable Cold Water)	Adjustable cold level LED night light Auto-shutoff system Childproof safety lock
	9. Avalon A3BLK (Ozone Self Cleaner)	Ozone self-cleaning system Sleek & modern design Child-safety features UL/Energy Star rating
	10. Costway 23358-CYPE (Simple & Nice)	Simple & nice design Touch-less activation Child-safety button Energy-saver feature

1. Best Overall Bottom Loading Water Dispenser: Avalon A5

Photo: Avalon

• Capacity: Bottle-less
• Temperature: 3 (adjustable)
• Dispense Method: Button-press
• Self Cleaning: Yes

Avalon combines a modern look with innovative features here. These features include a bottle-less design that draws water straight from the tap, stainless steel construction that stands out, and a 3-temperature design with hot, cold, and cool water. They make this Avalon A5 dispenser our best overall pick on this list.

Its bottle-less concept saves costs by using a 2-stage filtration system to purify tap water and offer it in the 3 convenient temperatures of cold, cool, and hot.

This set of filters are also rated to last 6 months or up to 1,500 gallons, making this unit more user friendly than those with 3- and 5-gallon bottles.

Further features include temperature settings, a built-in night light, and a child-safety lock on the hot water spout to protect your family. It also has a self-cleaning function to help prevent germ growth.

The only issue with this unit is the relatively slower water flow rate than from bottled units. This is due to its filtering system, however, which produces high-quality and very affordable water.

Pros:

• Bottle-less water dispenser design
• Comes with a dual-stage filter
• Delivers water in three temperatures
• Includes a child safety lock

Cons:

• It has a relatively slower water-flow rate

2. Best Budget Bottom Loading Water Dispenser: Primo 601088

Photo: Primo

• Capacity: 3 & 5 gallons
• Temperature: 2 temperatures
• Dispense Method: Button-press
• Self Cleaning: No

For those who like to save a few bucks, this Primo 601088 dispenser is worth a closer look. It comes at an attractive price, but it also includes many great features to make it one of the market’s best bottom loading water coolers.

The package includes coupons for Primo water, so you can go on saving with this brand. It works with both 3- and 5-gallon bottles, and dispenses hot and cold water, with the hot-water button featuring a child-safety lock.

Another feature is its smooth black finish, which although it’s plastic, makes it worthy of appearing in stylish homes and offices without looking cheap.

But, you must clean it manually because there’s no self-cleaning feature on this unit. It’s easy to clean though, and this includes its stainless steel drip tray.

Pros:

• Attractively priced bottom loading dispenser
• Includes Primo coupons
• Designed with a sleek black look
• Also features a removable drip tray

Cons:

• It lacks a self-cleaning feature

3. Best Stylish Bottom Loading Water Cooler: Brio CLBL420V2

Photo: Brio

• Capacity: 3 & 5 gallons
• Temperature: 3 temperatures
• Dispense Method: Button-press
• Self Cleaning: No

Here’s the most stylish offer on this list and it additionally features stainless steel accents to make it our best stainless steel bottom loading water dispenser. This Brio dispenser is a joy for those who prize looks and functionality, and it will add a nice touch of style and class to any home or office.

Brio makes it compatible with 3- and 5-gallon jugs, plus it can produce cold, cool, and hot water from its 3 different faucets. There are also 3 buttons for control, with the hot-water button featuring a child-safety lock.

Another nice feature is Brio’s Smart Technology, which conveniently monitors the water jug and lets you know when it needs changing.

For issues, it’s costlier than many other dispensers, but then, the price margin isn’t that much and this unit looks great.

Pros:

• Very stylish stainless steel design
• Offers hot, cold, and room-temperature water
• Includes smart technology for user-friendliness
• High-quality materials and construction

Cons:

• It’s pricey but seems worth it

4. Best Touchless Bottom Loading Water Dispenser: Avalon A6

Photo: Avalon

• Capacity: 3 & 5 gallons
• Temperature: 47 – 185° F
• Dispense Method: Touch-less
• Self Cleaning: Yes (Ozone)

If you like simple-looking but reliable items, then you may like this offer from Avalon. The A6 is simple and cute, but straight to the point. You can get it in either this white version or you can also get it in black.

Both versions offer the same touch-less mechanism that lets you get your water by pressing your cup against the blue or red lever, although the red, hot water spout includes a child-safety lock that you must activate first.

There’s a built-in night light to help guide you and your family to the right spouts when it’s dark and you can use both 3- and 5-gallon jugs with this unit. Avalon also guarantees it will produce 47° F cold and 185° F hot water.

Although it features a somewhat stylish design, it still has a rather cheap plastic look to it. Then it also produces only two water temperatures, but it does it all touch-less, and that matters.

Pros:

• Simple dispenser with touch-less design
• Available in black or white
• Features a child safety lock
• Include a built-in night light

Cons:

• It has a rather cheap plastic look
• Offers only two temperatures

5. Best Premium Bottom Loading Water Dispenser: Brio CLBL720SC

Photo: Brio

• Capacity: 3 & 5 gallons
• Temperature: 39 – 174° F (Customizable)
• Dispense Method: Panel touch
• Self Cleaning: Yes (Ozone)

This Brio CLBL720SC has it all, from style to class, and other impressive features that set it aside from the rest to make it one of the top-rated bottom loading water dispensers in the market.

There’s the stainless steel profile, that makes it look better than other units with plastic bodies. Then, there’s the digital control system with touchpads and a digital display with a clock that also shows at night.

Brio even goes further and makes it easy to customize the hot and cold temperatures to your taste, plus an LED night light is there to assist you. You can use 3- and 5-gallon bottles with it and a single button will activate its self-cleaning Ozone system.

This premium water dispenser is also the costliest offer on this list. But, anyone will agree that its many features are worth its price.

Pros:

• Top design with top style
• Features a complete stainless steel profile
• Programmable water temperature
• Night light & digital clock display
• Features an ozone self-cleaning system

Cons:

• It’s the costliest water dispenser here

6. Single Spout Bottom Loading Water Dispenser: Primo 601090-SO

Photo: Primo

• Capacity: 3 & 5 gallons
• Temperature: 3 temperatures
• Dispense Method: Button push
• Self Cleaning: Yes

This Primo bottom loading water dispenser stands out from the rest for its sleek and single-spout design, while other units usually come with 2 or 3 spouts. It also comes with Primo water coupons, so you can save some extra money.

Despite that, it offers cold, cool, and hot water at the push of a button, but they all come out from the same spout. Then, it includes a child-safety lock to protect the young ones and a stainless steel drip tray that’s easy to clean.

Primo adds a self-cleaning feature to it, so you need not worry about its cleanliness and overall maintenance. It’s also energy-star rated and uses both 3- and 5-gallon jugs.

One issue with it, however, is that it’s not sturdily built, as Primo seems not to have used the best of materials here. It comes with a 1-year warranty, anyway, and you can’t complain much about its low price.

Pros:

• Sleek design with a single spout
• Comes with extra water-bottle coupons
• Includes a self-cleaning function
• Backed by a 1-year warranty

Cons:

• It’s not sturdily built

7. Bottom Loading Water Dispenser With Empty Bottle Indicator: Avalon A4BLWTRCLR

Photo: Avalon

• Capacity: 3 & 5 gallons
• Temperature: 3 temperatures
• Dispense Method: Button press
• Self Cleaning: No

With this Avalon bottom loading dispenser, there’s no need to stress about water-bottle levels because it has an empty-bottle indicator that lights up once the bottle needs replacing.

Besides that, it also features an overall sleek design with stainless steel accents to keep it good looking and fit for classy offices and homes, making it one of the market’s best bottom loading water dispensers.

Other nice features include a night light, a child-safety switch for hot water, UL/Energy Star approval, and a 2.5-liter per hour cold water capacity, which is okay for small to medium-sized families or groups.

But you must bear with the lack of a self-cleaning function, which means more maintenance work. However, Avalon guarantees 47° F ice cold and 180° F steaming hot water from it.

Pros:

• Features an empty bottle indicator
• Delivers 2.5 liters per hour cold water
• Accurately delivers water in 3 temperatures
• Also features a modern dispenser design

Cons:

• It’s not a self-cleaning dispenser

8. Bottom Loading Dispenser With Adjustable Cold Water: Vitapur VWD1006BLP

Photo: Vitapur

• Capacity: 3 & 5 gallons
• Temperature: 3 temperatures
• Dispense Method: Button push
• Self Cleaning: No

This Vitapur VWD1006BLP dispenser is a very simple bottom loading water dispenser with reliable features. It lets you adjust its cold-water level, so you can set the water output to a temperature of your choice. And for hot water, it also features a patented kettle system that provides steaming hot water in under 3 minutes for your beverages.

This dispenser offers cool water for those who want neither hot nor cold water, and its nicely positioned and easy-to-press buttons make it a user-friendlier device. Then there are further features like the LED night light, a ‘Ready’ indicator that lets you know when the temperatures are right, and an automatic shut-off switch to prevent overflows and leaks.

Both its hot and cold water reservoirs are made entirely from stainless steel, but the system doesn’t offer a self-cleaning mode, and this isn’t impressive at all, especially given its price. A second con with this unit is that its plastic housing looks cheap.

Pros:

• Lets you adjust its cold water level
• Features an LED night light
• Auto-shutoff to prevent leaks
• Includes a childproof safety lock

Cons:

• Its plastic housing looks cheap
• There’s no self-cleaning mode

9. Water Dispenser With Ozone Self Cleaner: Avalon A3BLK

Photo: Avalon

• Capacity: 3 & 5 gallons
• Temperature: 3 temperatures
• Dispense Method: Button press
• Self Cleaning: Yes

Those who prefer low-maintenance and high-quality may want to check out this Avalon A3BLK offer. It’s a UL/Energy Star certified black and stainless steel unit, with an ozone self-cleaning system, which periodically sanitizes the dispenser to kill off germs and maintain good hygiene.

This dispenser also features a glossy finish that combines with its dark color and overall style to give it a mature look, perfect for mature users. Still, it comes with a child-safety button and is 41 inches high, so, it’s great for families too.

You can expect 47° F ice-cold and 185° F hot water, with a 2.5-liter per hour cooling capacity and up to 4 liters per hour for hot water. Also, the empty-bottle indicator will light up to inform you once your bottle needs replacing.

Everything is great about this bottom loading water dispenser, except its price, because it’s one of the costliest offers on this list. Still, if you want one of the best bottom loading hot and cold water dispensers, then you may want to take a closer look.

Pros:

• Includes an ozone self-cleaning feature
• Features 3 temperature settings
• Sleek and modern design
• With child-safety features

Cons:

• It’s one of the costlier models

10. Simple & Nice Bottom Loading Water Dispenser: Costway 23358-CYPE

Photo: Costway

• Capacity: 3 & 5 gallons
• Temperature: 2 temperatures
• Dispense Method:
• Self Cleaning: No

Costway presents its water-dispenser solution with a very simple but beautiful design. It comes in a black and white color combination with a timeless design that lends it the beauty of an art piece.

It’s very functional, featuring a touch-less faucet activation for both hot and cold water, although there’s a child-safety lock on the hot faucet. The temperatures are also impressive, as it delivers 42.8° F chilled and 203° F hot water.

But if you are energy or environment conscious, then you could use its energy-saver feature and stop the unit from consistently heating and cooling the water over and again to maintain those temperatures. This saves you lots of energy and makes it one of the market’s best bottom loading water dispensers for energy efficiency.

One sore point, however, is that it only has two faucets, so there’s no provision for room-temperature water. But, if you can overlook that little detail, then this dispenser is still a great deal.

Pros:

• Simple & nice design
• Features a touch-less faucet activation
• Includes a child-safety function for hot water
• Also comes with an energy-saver feature

Cons:

• It only offers 2 water temperatures

How to Buy the Best Bottom Loading Water Dispensers

Photo: Brio

1. Capacity

This is a necessary consideration because it determines how conveniently you can use the dispenser. The two popular bottle sizes for water dispensers are 3 and 5 gallons, but most bottom loaders can handle them, so there’s nothing to worry about.

You’ll, however, also find dispensers such as the Avalon A5, that don’t use bottles like the rest. Rather, you connect it to a water source and it passes through a 2-stage filter before getting dispensed.

2. Flow Rate

Asides from bottle size, you also must consider the dispenser’s flow rate if you’re considering setting it up for many people. In such a case, you’ll want a unit with a higher flow rate.

The flow rates are given in liters per hour, with a higher rating meaning more water flow. Typical values range from 1.5 to 2 liters per hour.

3. Temperature Options

Another major difference between water dispensers is their temperature offering. Most basic models will offer just 2 water temperatures, while premium models will offer 3 temperatures: cold, room temperature, and hot.

Other features to watch out for are the temperature settings. While many dispensers lack this feature, you’ll find units that let you select how ‘hot’ you want your hot water, or how ‘cold’ you want the cold one.

4. Dispense System

The standard dispense system uses a button press to release the water flow. Most dispensers in the market use this system and offer one button each for the desired water temperature.

Units like the Avalon A6, however, are touch-less, and this means you need not press a button. Just bring your cup close to the tap and push it back a little to activate the water flow.

5. Self-cleaning Function

Many models require you to wipe their reservoir with water and a little vinegar from time to time, but some units come with a self-cleaning feature to help ease this maintenance stress for you. This can be a huge time-saver, especially if you’re the busy type.

6. Child Safety Features

This helps to prevent kids from getting burned by hot water. The idea is simple, but different manufacturers use different mechanisms to achieve it. Usually, it’s an extra button or lever that you activate before trying to release hot water, something small kids will never think of.

7. Noise Level

Unlike top-loading water dispensers, which rely on gravity to make the water flow downward, bottom-loading dispensers have to pump the water upward and into the reservoirs first.

This leads to different dispenser models producing different levels of noise. So, if you’re averse to noise or you just need a system that’s as quiet as possible, then keep an eye out for the unit’s noise rating.

8. Construction Quality & Materials

Finally, don’t forget the construction materials, which also help to determine a water dispenser’s overall quality. Stainless steel reservoirs are a must, while stainless steel or other metallic housing material is a plus for strength and durability.

Conclusion

We have come to the end of this bottom loading water dispensers review and you’ve seen the market’s top offers. Now’s your turn to make a choice.

For a great and reliable unit, we recommend the Avalon A5 dispenser with its bottle-less 2-stage filter design and 3-temperature water delivery.

Those who like things a little cheaper may find the Primo 601088 water dispenser interesting, as it offers 2 temperatures, comes at a lower price, and includes a 1-year warranty.

Else, if you don’t enjoy pressing buttons to get your water, then we recommend the Avalon A6 dispenser, because it offers a touch-less dispense system, features a night light, and is even available in two colors.