Tired of having to run down to the store to get boxes after boxes of bottled water for your family? You can address this issue by investing in a water dispenser instead. And to ensure your family’s safety even more, get a self-cleaning unit.
How much better is a self cleaning water dispenser vs non self-cleaning unit anyway? Is it even worth the extra bucks you’ll be paying? Let’s take a close look at what this reliable kitchen appliance can do so that you can decide for yourself.
What Is a Self Cleaning Water Dispenser?
At first glance, you might think that a self-cleaning water dispenser is just like your regular kitchen appliance. In truth, inside it is a system of technological advancements that work together to provide you with fresh-tasting drinking water.
Similar to any water dispenser, it delivers ice-cold, piping hot, and room-temperature water on demand. It runs on electricity and is a great addition to any home kitchen or office breakroom.
Depending on the model, you either connect it to your water supply or load it with a water jug. Some models even feature a set of filters to get rid of harmful contaminants from the water. What sets it apart, however, is the fact that it is designed to automatically clean itself from time to time. How does this work, you ask?
How Does the Self Cleaning Feature Work?
A water dispenser with a self-cleaning feature either uses UV or ozone technology to disinfect the tank and the pipes. As such, you can expect to keep mold and bacteria at bay without having to exert much effort. Often, the machine does it automatically, or, other times, you will have to press a single button to activate it.
- Ozone Cleaning
The ozone cleaning technology utilizes water, air, and electricity to produce a deodorizing and disinfecting solution. This means it doesn’t use dyes, fragrances, or any harmful chemical to clean the machine. Having been in use for over a hundred years, you can trust that this technology works effectively.
- UV Cleaning
On the other hand, UV technology uses ultraviolet rays to destroy microorganisms down to the cellular level. By targeting their DNA, the reproduction of bacteria and germs is halted, and the existing ones are damaged and destroyed completely. Like ozone cleaning, it also doesn’t use toxic chemicals or any harsh cleaner to do its job.
Self Cleaning Water Dispenser vs Non Self Cleaning
Remember the good old days when we had no problems drinking water from the tap? Nowadays, regardless of where you are in the world, it is getting harder and harder to have access to clean drinking water.
In fact, some have resorted to buying and stocking up on bottled water. The problem with this is that it can eat up your budget, and you’d be adding to the world’s ever-growing plastic problem at the same time.
To somehow combat this problem, many households and offices are now investing in water dispensers. Then again, we all know that water and moisture will inevitably result in the growth of mold and bacteria. Hence, the creation of self cleaning water dispensers.
Compared to their counterparts, you won’t have to go down on your hands and knees just to make sure they stay clean and sanitized. Instead, the built-in self-cleaning feature will do all the hard work for you. As a result, you will be saving your precious time and energy so that you can do more important tasks.
Self Cleaning Water Dispenser vs Non Self Cleaning Comparison Chart
Still finding it hard to choose between the two? To give you a clearer look at how they fare against each other, here is a comparison chart showing their pros and cons:
| Self Cleaning Water Dispenser | Non Self Cleaning Water Dispenser |
|---|---|
| Pros: – Works like any other water dispenser – Easier to keep clean – Produces fresh-tasting water – Reduces risk of water-related diseases – Helps save time and effort – Keeps your family safe | Pros: – Functions like any water dispenser – Cheaper than self-cleaning units – Lower energy consumption than self-cleaning dispensers |
| Cons: – Not for those on a budget – Consumes more energy | Cons: – Invites mold and bacteria growth – Hard to disinfect and sanitize – Higher chance of contamination |
Do You Need to Clean a Self Cleaning Water Dispenser?
If you own a water dispenser, then you are aware of just how dirty it can get. Not cleaning it regularly would result in the buildup of a bacteria think enough to create a biofilm. By the time this has formed, that means there are now billions of bacteria built up inside your water dispenser’s tank and pipes. Who knows what these are and what they can do to your family’s health?
Is that the case with a self-cleaning water dispenser, too? Do you need to clean it like you would a regular unit?
Those who have a self-cleaning water dispenser can rest in the fact that cleaning the interiors won’t be a problem anymore. Sure, you would need to wipe down and disinfect the outer parts from time to time. But the tank and every pipe where the water goes through is taken care of by the built-in self-cleaning feature.
Are Self Cleaning Water Dispensers Worth It?
If you come to think of it, the alternative of not having a self-cleaning water dispenser is your family getting sick from the very water they drink. As such, it is easy to say that this appliance is indeed worth it.
After all, what’s the point of buying jugs of purified water to load onto your water dispenser if the tank and pipes would only contaminate it? We need drinking water to survive. And if we want to take care of our health, we have to make sure that what we’re drinking is clean and not riddled with disease-causing bacteria.
Conclusion
Compared to a non-self-cleaning water dispenser, you will get tons of benefits from a unit that cleans itself. Unfortunately, even if you clean your regular water dispenser with bleach and other harsh chemicals, it still wouldn’t be enough.
While you can’t see it with your own eyes, it doesn’t mean that there are no lingering microorganisms in the machine. The only effective way to guarantee your family’s safety is investing in a water dispenser that uses advanced technology to get rid of any and all bacteria.
After finding out what you know now, which would you choose between a self-cleaning water dispenser vs non self-cleaning unit? For us, adding in a few extra bucks to ensure our family’s safety is no problem. It might even help save money, as it lowers the risk of developing illnesses from these microorganisms.