Are you looking to buy a Whirlpool water cooler?
Whirlpool manufactures a number of different types of water coolers for the home and small office. This article provides an in-depth review of one particular Whirlpool water cooler that is readily available to the average consumer for home use at a reasonable price.
Learn all about the pros and cons of this product.
Several different factors have contributed to the rising popularity of home and small-office water coolers. People have become increasingly concerned about the poor water quality of municipal water systems.
Contamination problems like those experienced in Flint, Michigan, make people reluctant to open their water tap and swig down the liquid that comes out. Some residents fear even a home water filtration system may not entirely solve the problem and feel they are better off drinking bottled water.
Individual-serving water bottles come at a price, however, to family budgets and the environment. We are awash in empty plastic water bottles, and they are jamming our landfills and our oceans.
Enter the water cooler with its large-size refillable bottles and perfect hot and cold temperatures. Now available for reasonable prices at big-box home and appliance stores, they answer an increasing necessity for clean, safe water ready to dispense day or night.
The Whirlpool Water Cooler Fulfills a Pressing Need
Whirlpool has developed a full line of water coolers to meet every situation for the home or small office by providing sparkling, uncontaminated drinking water. With just a pull of the spigot, you can get refreshing cold water, hot water for tea or instant mixes, or room-temperature water.
Whirlpool offers top-loading models where a 3- or 5-gallon bottle fits on top of the unit and gravity helps pull the water into the cooling or heating reservoirs.
They also make bottom-loading coolers where the bottle fits underneath in a cabinet and a water pump moves the water to the reservoirs. In addition, Whirlpool markets all-stainless steel models and sells self-cleaning coolers using unstable oxygen to kill stray bacteria within the unit.
For the purpose of this review, we will focus on the Whirlpool All-Stainless Steel and Nickel Self-Cleaning Bottom-Load Water Dispenser. This attractive unit hides a 3- or 5-gallon bottle of water in the bottom of the cooler, and a water pump pulls the water out of the bottle into the hot and cold reservoirs.
The Whirlpool water cooler keeps cold water, hot water and room temperature water available 24/7.
Product Specifications: Whirlpool Water Cooler
Unlike some water coolers that struggle to keep the water cold enough with frequent use, this stainless cooler features Whirlpool’s Accu-Chill technology which forms ice in the sides to keep the water at an icy-cold temperature even in the hottest weather.
The special self-cleaning technology built into this unit destroys biofilm bacteria and viruses by automatically injecting charged oxygen into the cooler several times a day. This not only keeps the unit sanitary, but the water retains a fresh, clean taste.
Users always have hot water available for steeping tea, mixing hot chocolate and preparing instant oatmeal and other products. The three constant water temperatures provide refreshment for every taste day or night.
As the following specifications show, this compact water cooler fits into almost any nook or cranny.
The tasteful, modern look complements many types of rooms and decor.
- Height: 40.5 inches
- Length: 15.0 inches
- Width: 12.6 inches
- Compatible Bottle Sizes: 3 gallon and 5 gallon
- Color: Metallic Steel
- Country of Origin: Imported
- Target Audience: Home or Small Office
- Warranty: One-year Limited Warranty
How the Whirlpool Water Cooler Compares
How does the Whirlpool All-Stainless Steel and Nickel Self-Cleaning Bottom-Load Water Dispenser compare with similar models in its price range?
Let’s take a product-by-product look.
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Pros and Cons
We found the following plusses and minuses with the Whirlpool All-Stainless Steel and Nickel Self-Cleaning Bottom-Load Water Dispenser.
Pros
- It’s easy to load the 40-pound bottles in the bottom compartment.
Many people find bottom-loading water coolers easier to handle because they eliminate the need to lift up large filled water bottles that can weigh up to 40 pounds for a 5-gallon container. This style cooler also eliminates any accidental water spillage.
- Attractive design and quality stainless steel fit into any room.
Aesthetics improve the look of any room, and the design and materials of this water cooler are outstanding. It looks great with other appliances in the kitchen, but it also blends in well with other rooms.
- Hidden bottle compartment eliminates ugly bottle on top.
There’s something very clinical looking about the traditional cooler with the large bottle sticking up on top, perhaps because we so often see them in offices of doctors and dentists. With the cabinet design, you hardly realize you’re looking at a water cooler.
- Accu-Chill technology keeps water icy cold.
If you read customer reviews of different water coolers, it soon becomes evident that keeping the water temperature sufficiently cold is a challenge for some makes. Whirlpool has perfected temperature control with their Accu-Chill technology.
- The self-cleaning feature using unstable oxygen gives peace of mind and keeps the water tasting great.
Cleaning the water cooler often becomes one of those jobs that you find easy to put off. Before you know it, months have passed, the water cooler is dirty, and your chilled water starts to taste funky. Whirlpool’s automatic self-cleaning feature activates up to six times daily, keeping the interior free of bacteria and viruses. You’ll know your cooler keeps everyone safe with clean, tasty water.
Cons
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Bottom loading requires a water pump which may break down.
It’s hard to beat the pull of gravity you get with a top-loading water cooler, but Whirlpool’s high-quality water pump typically holds up well. Just be aware that over time you may need to replace the pump.
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Water pumps don’t completely empty bottles in the same way top-load coolers do.
Once again, with gravity on the side of the top-loading coolers the bottles generally empty down to the last drop. This doesn’t always happen with a water pump, although Whirlpool’s technology has lessened the amount of water left in the bottle. It’s a bit like spray cologne – you never get that last little bit out.
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This Whirlpool model has no Energy Star features.
Unfortunately, this model water cooler does not boast any energy stars. The upside is that your cold and hot water are instantly available. Whirlpool puts a switch on many models that turns off the heating element if you aren’t going to use hot water for a while.
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The price of this water cooler runs rather high.
This particular water cooler is loaded with great features, but you may find the cost on the high end of your budget. Whirlpool offers a good value with this model, but you may want to investigate some lower-cost coolers that don’t come with so many extras.
Using a Water Cooler in the Home
At this point you may be wondering if you really should spring for a water cooler. In addition to the initial outlay, you will typically have costs associated with refilling the water bottles and energy charges for heating and cooling the water. Here are a few thoughts to consider.
Water Safety for Your Family
Even if you live in a rural area and perhaps have your own well, real concerns exist today for all water supplies. Agricultural fertilizers, pesticides and manure all may affect groundwater.
Detergents, sewage treatment plants and other chemicals also pose threats to our water supplies. At the very least, you may want to have your water tested if you have a private well. If you use a municipal water system, request the latest water quality reports from your local water department.
Water coolers go a long way toward providing clean, safe water for you and your loved ones. They make efficient use of bottled water, free up refrigerator space and provide a bonus of hot water for brewing quick drinks and making fast cooked cereals and soups
A Water Cooler in the Kitchen Aids Cooking Chores
Not only will you use it for making obvious things like instant soups, tea and iced lemonade, but you will find yourself going to the cooler frequently as you prepare meals. You can give vegetables and pasta a head start by putting on a kettle filled with hot water to boil. Are you making pie crust or a quiche? Your ice water is right at hand.
Whenever your children want a drink of cold water, they won’t need to run the faucet for a while to get the tap to run cold. They also will not be in and out of the refrigerator so much to get out a cold drink. Once everyone realizes how great the water tastes right out of the cooler, they may often choose to forgo the soda or sweetened ice tea and choose water instead.
Water Coolers Make a Great Addition to a Family Room or Recreation Area
If you have teens who frequently have guests over to watch movies, play video games or shoot some pool, a water cooler works perfectly for entertaining. You will find you save a lot of money on soda with the younger set, and their parents will thank you.
The same holds true if you have a built-in bar and adult guests over for an evening. Many people prefer bottled water now, so put out some attractive glasses and let them help themselves. Your guests can adjust the strength of their drinks or brew their own spiked tea, hot chocolate or other drinks.
Other Areas To Consider
Obviously you can’t put a water cooler in every room, but sometimes it makes sense to stock one in an untraditional area. Semi-invalids or those with limited mobility who need to drink water frequently for health reasons may often benefit from a bedroom water cooler.
If you spend a lot of time in a warm sunroom or home office, you might enjoy a water cooler there. Finally, if some family members do a lot of work in the garage or shop area, a water cooler not only offers convenience, but it may save on people traipsing in and out of the house and dragging in dirt and grease.
Conclusion: Whirlpool Water Cooler
Whirlpool has put a lot of thought and effort into its water cooler technology and design. The company emphasizes quality, convenience and safety to provide you and your family with a clean and refreshing source of drinking water.
The water cooler model we’ve examined here is readily available and an excellent choice for your home and family. After considering all the features loaded into this one model, we would have to give it a conservative rating of 4.5 out of 5 stars.
Most users have been very pleased with this water cooler. The two things that keep it from a perfect score are price and energy consumption. In spite of this, we think you’ll join the ranks of happy customers with this bottom-loading Whirlpool water cooler.
