When you need a warm beverage on a cold morning, you don’t want to wait for the water to heat up. When you’ve just come back from a long run on a hot day, you don’t want to stand around waiting for the tap water to get cold. Installing a hot and cold water dispenser can alleviate both of these problems by giving you access to water at just the right temperature as soon as you need it. Installation is fairly easy for a motivated do-it-yourselfer and, depending on how frequently you use hot water, installing a dispenser may even save you some money. Consider the following questions to learn more about the many things a dispenser makes possible and how to choose the right one for your needs:

• What can a hot or cold water dispenser be used for?
• What do you need to know about hot water dispensers?
• How are cold water or combination dispensers different?
• How important is energy efficiency?
• What features would you like to have?
  
  

Types, Uses and Installation

From tea to soup to cereal and more, there are nearly unlimited uses for hot and cold water dispensers. While it may seem as though you only use hot water on occasion, if you stop to examine your daily routine, you may find that you use it a lot more than you think. Choosing between a hot, cold and hot/cold combination dispenser will primarily be a matter of which you will utilize most, as prices are fairly comparable. If you’re comfortable making a few pipe connections, you should be able to install a hot water dispenser on your own. Freestanding combination units are even easier to install.

Applications: Cold water dispensers provide cool, refreshing water for drinking, cooking, filling your pet’s water dish and any other situation that calls for cold, clean water. Hot water dispensers provide water not only for food and beverage preparation, but a host of other activities as well. Dispense hot water into a pot and then place a container of food you’d like to thaw, warm or soften into the pot. This is an ideal way to melt chocolate, soften butter or prepare a baby’s bottle. Look through the chart below to learn about the types of activities a hot water dispenser can assist you with.

Hot Water Applications	.
Uses	Examples
Beverage Preparation	Coffee, tea and cocoa
Food Preparation	Pasta and instant noodles Soup Rice Gelatin Sauces Cereal Baby food
Cleaning and Household Activities	Soften and rinse dried food from pots and pans Remove labels from jars Prepare canning jars Clean containers for recycling Loosening tight lids on cans and jars Polishing silver Making hot compresses to relieve aches and pains Preparing potpourri
Warming	Preparing baby bottles Heating an ice cream scoop or cheese slicer to make use easier Melting chocolate and softening butter Thawing meat or frozen vegetables

Hot Water Dispensers: These units feature a faucet connected to a small storage tank that is mounted underneath your kitchen sink. The tank is connected to the cold-water supply line, which fills the tank with cold water. The tank is also connected to a standard 120 V household circuit, which powers an electric coil. This connection doesn’t require any special wiring, and because the coil heats the water while it’s in the tank, it is always hot and ready the instant you dispense it. The temperature of the dispensed water can usually be adjusted and will range from around 140° F to just under 200° F. Water boils at 212° F, so it’s important that water in the tank not get too hot or else it can boil and turn into steam, which can damage the tank. A replaceable thermal fuse will help prevent the tank from overheating.

• Tanks often hold around a half gallon of hot water at a time and fit easily under sinks
• Dispensers can generally produce around 40 to 60 cups of hot water per hour
• Dispensers are easy to install when you’re remodeling or installing a new sink or faucet
• Faucets may feature knobs, levers, push buttons and other configurations
• Wattage varies from 500 to 1,300 watts but is usually around 750 watts
• Units dispense water more slowly than conventional faucets
  
  

Cold Water and Combination Dispensers: Cold water dispensers, or water coolers, are often freestanding units. They usually feature large jugs of water that must be replaced as they are used. Look for refill jugs that feature plugs over the openings to make it easy to replace empty jugs without spilling water all over the floor. Combination hot/cold dispensers are available as freestanding units as well, though there are also models that can be hooked to your sink in a manner similar to hot water dispensers.

• Freestanding water dispensers are ideal for garages, workshops and porches
• Combination dispensers provide both ice-cold and near-boiling water
• Some combination units feature LED displays that indicate hot and cold temperatures
• You’ll need to periodically run a cleaning solution through freestanding units
  
  

Installation and Efficiency Considerations: If you’re installing a hot water dispenser into your sink, the sink must have a hole for the spout. Make sure you turn off the water before you begin installation. Tools needed for the job include a cordless drill, screwdrivers, adjustable wrench, pliers, tube cutter and level. When you’ve finished installing the unit, turn the water back on and run the faucet for a few minutes to make sure nothing’s leaking. If you’re concerned about how adding a hot water dispenser will affect your utility bills, consider how much you’ll use it. If you will use it multiple times during the course of a day, odds are it will save you money versus heating water up in the microwave or on the stovetop. ENERGY STAR qualified combination hot/cold dispensers use only about half as much energy as regular units. Depending upon your electricity rates, ENERGY STAR models can save you $29-$47 per year versus standard models.

• A saddle valve makes it easy to connect a hot water dispenser to your supply line
• You may need to check local building codes to ensure that saddle valves are permissible
• Leave space underneath the dispenser if it has a drainage plug
• If installing a filter at the same time, leave enough room to access the cartridge
• ENERGY STAR qualified units improve separation of hot and cold water to prevent mixing and provide better insulation and improved chilling mechanisms
  
  

Features

Childproof Lock: If you have young children around the house, look for a hot water dispenser or combination dispenser that has a childproof lock to prevent little hands from accidentally getting scalded.

Gooseneck Faucet: A gooseneck faucet not only provides a stylish look, it makes it easier to get larger pots and pans and taller glasses underneath the hot water dispenser. Some also swivel for easier use.

Finishes: Choose a finish that complements your existing faucet. Available finishes include white, black, brass, chrome, almond and more. Spouts are also available in a range of different styles.

Filter: Some dispensers include built-in filtration systems, helping to ensure high-quality water that is free of contaminants.

Drain Plugs: Over time, lime scale may build up inside a hot water dispenser’s tank, particularly if you have hard water. Units that include a drain plug allow you to drain them periodically, helping to prevent this from happening.