How To Choose The Right Water Cooler For Your Gym Or Fitness Centre

If you own or run a gym, fitness centre, or sports complex, making sure your members and visitors have easy access to cool, fresh water is essential. A well-placed water dispenser in different areas of your gym is all part of the service in providing the great workout experience your members expect, especially after an intense workout or recovery session.

Choosing the right water dispenser for your gym can be tough when you consider the different options available. We’ll take a look at some of the more essential things to look into to help you choose the right water dispenser for your gym and your members.

Focus on the needs of your members

When you’re choosing which type of water cooler would be best for your gym, it can be easy to get carried away and not give enough thought to the people who’ll be using it – your members. Before you make any decisions, start by thinking about the needs they’ll have before, during, and after their workout. Here are some pointers:

• Member numbers: The more members you have, the more water dispensers you’ll need with a greater water capacity. And if you have a larger gym with multiple floors or workout areas, you’ll need additional units so people won't need to queue to use them.
• Class or activity type: Understand the type and duration of the classes or sessions you offer. If your gym offers high-intensity training classes or longer workout sessions, people will need to rehydrate more often during and after their exercise.
• Peak gym times: Hydration during exercise is vital, so knowing when people use your gym most and if there’s a high volume of people during specific hours is key to knowing which type of water cooler you should install to meet the demand.

Being confident in these factors beforehand means you’ll be able to choose one or more water dispensers that will suit the volume of water your gym will need on a typical day. That way, you’ll keep your members healthy and hydrated for as long as they're working out.

Which type of water dispenser is best?

With different types of water coolers available, each one can offer you something different. It’s important to weigh up the facts at this stge so you can make the right choice for you and your members. Here are some of the most popular water dispensers found in gyms and fitness centres:

Bottled water coolers

Floor-standing bottled water coolers, as seen in offices, gyms, and reception areas across the country, use 13 or 18.9-litre bottles filled with natural spring water for easy replacement when they run out. Ideal for smaller boutique gyms, they’re lightweight and portable, so you can move them at any time, and you only need a standard plug socket to deliver refreshing, chilled water.

Mains-fed water coolers

Connecting directly to your mains water supply, a slimline mains-fed water cooler will be a more permanent fixture in your gym or fitness centre. Delivering a constant water supply, they won’t have large bottles, so they’re ideal for larger gyms with a high footfall. And though they’ll need professional installation, they can be positioned up to 13m away from your water source in any direction.

Countertop water coolers

Space-saving countertop models of both mains-fed and bottled water coolers are designed to fit on countertops, work surfaces, or in any other tight-space areas, including offices or staff rooms in your gym. Installed and used in the same way as their freestanding cousins, countertop models can still deliver everything you need.

Water fountains and bottle fillers

Members of any gym or fitness centre will usually bring their own refillable water bottles to use during their sessions, so why not offer them the use of a wall-mounted or freestanding water bottle filler? With a filling area large enough to accommodate most bottle sizes, sensor-activated operation means they get the chilled or ambient water they need – touch-free.

An alternative to the bottle filler is a water bottle and drinking fountain combo. Wall-mounted, the Versa water fountain and bottle fillerallows for the same touch-free bottle-filling operation while providing a manually operated water fountain for quick bursts of chilled water when your members need it most.

Each of these water dispensers has advantages that depend on the size and type of gym or fitness centre you run. If you have a smaller boutique gym, portable bottled or countertop models may be a better option. But if you run a larger fitness centre or sports complex with more demand, mains-fed coolers would be a better choice.

Water dispenser options

It’s not just the style or type of water cooler you choose that can make a difference – its features can also have an impact on your gym and its members. Here are some water cooler features that you can consider:

• Water temperature: As we’ve seen, many water dispensers offer both chilled and ambient water options – do your members need both, or would they prefer one or the other? How about a hot water option? Many coolers offer all three for maximum choice.
• Water filtration: While bottled water cooler options deliver naturally filtered spring water from underground sources, mains-fed coolers have additional filtration systems built in. These can remove even more chemicals, contaminants, and impurities for a cleaner, fresher taste.
• Water capacity: Choose a water dispenser with a capacity that matches your member's needs. A cooler with a 50l/h (litres per hour) capacity is great for delivering ambient, chilled, or hot water for a gym with high footfall and near constant use.

Where’s best to place your water dispenser?

Whatever the size of your gym, fitness centre, or sports complex, the placement and position of your water dispenser is crucial. You should make your water dispensers easily accessible to everyone at all times, regardless of how busy a workout room or training session is. Here are some suggestions on where to place your water dispensers:

• In and around workout areas: No one wants to leave the area or go too far to refill or rehydrate during their session. Position your coolers near high-traffic workout areas for easy hydration before, during, and after exercise.
• In communal areas: Beyond workout and exercise areas, placing a water dispenser in communal areas like lounges, receptions, and changing rooms makes staying hydrated more convenient for every member.
• In quieter areas: Away from the high-traffic areas, placing water dispensers in quieter, tucked away, or less visited areas or recovery zones can provide additional water points when needed, away from any exercise equipment.

Get water cooler ready with Thirsty Work

Choosing the right water dispenser for your gym, fitness centre, or sports complex is a decision that could impact your members, both in their experience of your gym and their health and hydration. By giving thought to the size of your gym, what classes or sessions you offer, and any specific features you need from your water dispensers, you’ll make the right choice.

Whether you’re leaning towards mains-fed models or more portable bottled coolers, speak with a member of our Thirsty Work customer service team today to help your members stay hydrated and refreshed during their workouts. Call 01392 877 172 or email hello@thirstywork.com for your free quote or to start your 10-day free trial to find the right water cooler for your gym.