A water cooler keeps drinking water chilled so people reach for it instead of a sugary drink or a warm tap. In South Africa, where a summer afternoon on a factory floor, a school field or a Lowveld farm can be punishing, a cooler is often the first thing a site asks for. Some coolers only chill, others also heat. Some are fed by an 18.9 litre bottle and some by a filtered water line. Tell us what you need and suppliers in your area quote you directly. It is free and there is no obligation.
Cooler or dispenser: is there a difference?
In everyday talk the two words overlap. People usually say cooler when the main job is cold water, and dispenser when hot water is part of the deal. A cold-only unit is simpler, uses less power and has one less tap to keep clean. If you also want tea and coffee water, look at hot and cold dispensers. For the wider picture, see water dispensers.
Ask suppliers to be clear about which type they are quoting, so you compare like with like.
How the cooling works
There are two common systems, and the choice matters more in some places than others:
- Compressor cooling: works like a small fridge. It chills fast, copes with heavy use and holds up in hot weather. It is the better pick for offices, schools and factories.
- Electronic cooling: has no compressor, so it is quiet and light. It cools only a few degrees below the room, so it struggles in a hot room or a tin-roof workshop.
Also ask about the size of the cold tank. A small tank empties quickly at break time and then waits to recover.
Where to put it and what it needs
A cooler needs a plug, a flat floor and a little breathing space around the back and sides so the compressor can shed heat. Keep it out of direct sun and away from ovens, kettles and stoves. Leave room to lift or slide in a bottle, and a drip tray you can reach. If your power is unreliable, remember a cooler will warm up during load shedding and need time to chill again afterwards. Cold water already in the tank will stay cool for a while if you keep the door of the room shut.
Comparing quotes properly
Ask every supplier the same questions: buy or rent, delivery and set-up, how many bottles a month are included, the bottle deposit, how often the unit is sanitised and what happens when it breaks. A cheap cooler with no service can cost more over two years than a rental that includes cleaning and repairs. If you only want to buy a unit and collect your own bottle refills, say so, as some suppliers only quote rental with bottled water delivery.
What to include in your request
- How many people drink at the site each day
- Cold only, or hot and cold as well
- Buy or rent, and for how long
- Where it will stand and if there is a plug
- The suburb, town or industrial area
Water Coolers for different sites
- Households: a cold water cooler in the kitchen or passage so the family stops buying cold drinks
- Offices and business parks: a compressor cooler near the open-plan area, topped up with weekly bottle delivery
- Schools, crèches and colleges: cold water points near classrooms and sports fields so learners can drink between lessons
- Clinics, practices and care homes: a cooler in the waiting room so patients can sip water during long waits
- Lodges, hotels, restaurants and events: chilled water in the breakfast room, gym and conference area for guests and staff
- Factories, mines and building sites: heavy-duty coolers in workshops and canteens where heat and dust make people thirsty
- Shops, gyms and refill stations: a cooler for staff in the stockroom or for customers in a salon or showroom
- Farms, smallholdings and villages: a cold water cooler in the farm office or packing shed, on filtered or tested water
Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between a water cooler and a water dispenser?
How cold does a water cooler get?
Is it cheaper to buy or rent a water cooler?
Do you sell water coolers?
Water Coolers by province and city
- Johannesburg
- Pretoria
- Centurion
- Midrand
- Sandton
- Randburg
- Roodepoort
- Krugersdorp
- Randfontein
- Germiston
- Boksburg
- Benoni
- Kempton Park
- Alberton
- Vanderbijlpark
- Vereeniging
- Durban
- Pinetown
- Pietermaritzburg
- Richards Bay
- Newcastle
- Ladysmith
- Gqeberha (Port Elizabeth)
- East London
- Kariega (Uitenhage)
- Mthatha
- Cape Town
- Bellville
- Paarl
- Stellenbosch
- George
- Worcester
- eMalahleni (Witbank)
- Middelburg
- Secunda
- Mbombela (Nelspruit)
- Rustenburg
- Brits
- Klerksdorp
- Potchefstroom
- Mahikeng
- Polokwane
- Tzaneen
- Kimberley
- Upington
- Bloemfontein
- Welkom
- Sasolburg