The human body is 70% water. And the water balance must be constantly replenished and maintained; the quality of life and productivity depend on it. There is no doubt that the better the water people drink, the healthier these very people will be. Long gone are the days when water was consumed directly from the tap. Today, there are special devices for this.
Technical equipment allows you to purify water or purchase ready-made and pre-packaged in a store. But containers and
hand pumps are far from always convenient in operation. In addition, a water bottle does not always look aesthetic, so this is unacceptable for office premises or any other organizations. A great way out of this situation is a water cooler with a refrigerator.
Cooler or dispenser?
A cooler is a system that dispenses bottled water. Professionals call this device nothing more than a dispenser. Distinguish between household and professional devices.
In general, a dispenser is a strictly dosing device. Its main task is to give out something in small portions. A dispenser or cooler for water with a refrigerator is a special household appliance designed, depending on the functional features, for pouring water, cooling it or heating it. Some devices also allow carbonation or ionization of water.
Water cooler with refrigerator
Household and professional coolers, which require electrical connection to work, consist of a housing, a water chamber, a check valve, a heating element, a refrigerator, electronic sensors.
Depending on the technical equipment, several types of these devices are distinguished. They can also vary in size and design. So, there are floor and desktop devices. At the same time, the desktop ones are intended exclusively for domestic use, while the floor-mounted water cooler with a refrigerator is exclusively office equipment.
Principle of operation
These devices work very simply. Water from plastic containers is supplied to compartments for cooling and for heating. When the water level in these tanks decreases, a new portion is fed there.
Features of office dispensers
Any floor model is made taking into account intensive use every day. They are very profitable to put in offices, where there are always a lot of employees or visitors. They are purchased and installed in office premises, medical facilities, catering facilities.
Due to the size and the possibility of stationary installation, floor models are often multifunctional. Firstly, the floor system does not need special platforms or stands. In addition, at the bottom of the manufacturers integrate a refrigerator or other functional elements.
Advantages and disadvantages of floor solutions
Among the advantages of this group of equipment can be distinguished multifunctionality. Manufacturers offer devices for almost any task of modern offices or any other institution. Most devices are equipped with refrigerators. There is no need for supports and platforms, as the design is separate and independent.
Among the shortcomings are high electricity consumption. Also a major drawback that distinguishes any similar cooler for water with a refrigerator is the price. She's tall enough. Another drawback is the very easy access to chilled and hot water. Children may accidentally burn themselves.
Compressor or electronic cooling?
A water cooler with a refrigerator uses a compressor to cool. But there is also an electronic cooling system. Consider their advantages and disadvantages, as well as the main differences.
Features of compressor cooling
Compressor equipment allows you to adjust the temperature. Also a positive aspect of these devices is that the cooling rate of water is greater than in any other systems. As for performance, the refrigerator in such a device can cool about 2 liters of water per hour. This is a reliable and time-tested solution. The operation of the device is independent of the ambient temperature.
In addition to dispensers for bottled water, there are also devices for filtering and cooling the flowing liquid. This is more relevant in large offices because a large team needs more water.
Pros and Cons of Electronic Cooling
Electronic cooling works through a special thermoelectric semiconductor module. It is made up of several thermocouples. They are located between two special plates. When a direct current passes through an electric pair, one plate will heat up and the other will cool. The operation of the device depends on the air temperature in the room. These coolers can only cool water to 10 ° C and not lower.
The main advantage of this solution is the complete absence of any mechanical parts, which significantly increases reliability. The service life of this equipment is almost eternal. Another plus is the lack of refrigerants in the design, so this
group of devices is safer for people.
Among the minuses are the slow cooling process. So, the speed of operation is only 0.7-0.8 liters per hour. If the compressor equipment is more suitable for offices, then electronically-cooled systems work very well as a home solution.
Top or bottom loading
There are two more groups of devices. The first is an outdoor water cooler with a refrigerator, where a water tank is installed on top. The second group is with lower loading.
It is not always convenient to install a new 20-liter bottle in a top-loading cooler. Often these devices are serviced by workers who supply water, or by men who work in the office. There are handles on the bottles, but they make installation easier. Therefore, if women mainly work in the office, it is better to purchase a cooler with a lower load.
Bottom-mounted equipment is much easier to operate and maintain. To replace containers requires significantly less effort. It is enough just to remove the lid from the container, install the adapter and push the bottle into the apparatus. Even fragile women can do it. Therefore, in the office with a female team, you should purchase such a water cooler with a refrigerator. Moscow offers a wide selection of stores where you can buy a suitable device.
Options
The cooler's task is to cool or heat. But there are models that can cool not only water. This is a floor standing solution where there is also a built-in refrigerator. As a rule, the capacity of the camera is small - only 20 liters, but it is enough for small things. There is a larger water cooler with a refrigerator. Its price is not much higher than usual. For example, the model HotForst V205 provides a refrigerator with a volume of 60 liters. Often in such refrigerators there are several shelves for food.
In addition to the refrigerator, there is also such an option as an ice generator. For example, a model that makes ice - IceS A106C. At the bottom of this compact machine there is a special department where the user can take ice. The price of such decisions starts at 20 thousand rubles.
There are still devices with the possibility of ozonation or carbonation. Many people choose this cooler for water with a refrigerator. Reviews about these devices are positive, but their maintenance is expensive. It is necessary to purchase containers with carbon dioxide.
The cooler is a convenient device for both home and office use.