If you’re thinking about water coolers for offices and adding one or more to your premises, you might face a choice between renting or buying. While both options are a great investment in health and hydration, deciding which is best for your office could prove challenging. Let’s look at some of the pros and cons of each option – and find out whether you can refill your office water cooler yourself.

Rental: flexibility and convenience

Renting a bottled water cooler for your office is popular because it gives you flexibility. A standard rental agreement includes regular service and maintenance, filter changes, and sanitisation, so you don’t have to worry about any unexpected costs. On top of this, rental agreements will often allow you to upgrade whenever you want to. This option makes it easy to switch to a different model or add more water coolers as your team grows or your needs change.

With a rented bottled water cooler, you often receive a set number of water deliveries each month (which you should easily be able to change depending on your usage), so your office always has a consistent water supply.

This consistency is good news for high-traffic offices with plenty of people where water can be consumed quickly – and at volume, especially in hot weather. And, of course, when one bottle runs out, you can quickly and easily refill it yourself with a new bottle filled with 100% natural spring water.

On the downside, renting water coolers for offices may add up to a higher cost over time than buying a cooler and owning it outright, especially for long-term use.

Buying: long-term investment

For some offices, buying a water cooler outright might make more sense financially, so while the initial outlay is higher, owning your cooler can save you money in the long run, especially if you’re in a small office or at home where usage may be lower. 

Owning your water cooler also lets you choose who supplies your bottled water, giving you more control over costs and how much you use. And you’re not tied to any lengthy contracts, so you can use your water cooler as long as you like.

But, the downside to water cooler ownership is that you’ll be responsible for maintenance, filter replacements, and repairs. If you’re busy running your business, finding someone to service or repair your cooler can be time-consuming and expensive if it runs into any problems. And without regular servicing, maintenance, and sanitisation, your cooler’s performance will drop over time, reducing the water quality and internal hygiene.

The best water coolers for offices

Ultimately, the decision between renting or buying and making the right choice of water cooler depends on you and the needs of your office and team. For most businesses, renting will offer convenience, peace of mind, and great-tasting refreshing water on tap, while buying can be a cost-effective option for smaller offices – if you’re prepared to handle the ongoing supplies and maintenance yourself. 

Either way, a reliable water cooler for your office that delivers cool, ambient, or even hot water can only promote hydration at work and a healthier, more productive team.

To find out about our range of water coolers and our fast, local deliveries in your area, call our customer service team on 01392 877 172 or email hello@thirstywork.com today. We’ll prepare you a free quote and even start you off with a no-obligation, 10-day free trialso you can see how a water cooler in your office can benefit everyone.