Buyer’s Guide: Drinking Fountains and Bottle Fillers

Drinking fountains and bottle filling stations are a cost-effective way of keeping your users hydrated on the go. In this buyer’s guide, we’ll talk about the different types of fountains and filling stations that are available and help you find your perfect hydration station. But before we do that, let’s consider the reasons for installing a water fountain in the first place.

Why bother?

Nowadays, most people are happy to buy bottled water from the shop, and many see drinking fountains as slightly old fashioned. Bottled water may be convenient, but in comparison with tap water, it is astronomically expensive. This would be understandable if the water itself were of a higher quality - but in reality, most bottled water is simply ordinary drinking water that has been purified. The majority of the money you pay for it goes on branding and the plastic bottle itself.

Not only is bottled water expensive - it’s also terrible for the environment. High streets and school playgrounds across the country are littered with discarded plastic bottles, the vast majority of which eventually end up in landfill, where they take many hundreds of years to break down.

Installing a drinking fountain or bottle filler in your venue will not only help you cut down on litter - it will also save your users money, enhance your green credentials, and help save the planet. Not bad for a humble water fountain.

Fountains vs. fillers

There are two basic types of water station: drinking fountains and bottle fillers. Each has its own set of advantages and disadvantages, and what works for one venue may not work for another.

Drinking fountains are great for refreshment on the go. The user simply drinks as much water as they like before moving on. Bottle fillers, on the other hand, take a little longer to use, which can lead to queuing; for that reason, drinking fountains are better suited to high traffic areas such as shopping centres.

Conversely, bottle fillers can be especially useful in venues such as airports where access to water is limited. If your budget allows, you could always purchase a combination of fountains and fillers to give your users flexibility.

Drinking fountains

A wall mounted drinking fountain is a classic and cost effective option. We also sell wall mounted drinking fountains with shrouding to protect your pipework from vandalism or accidental damage, making them ideal for use in schools.

If space is tight, we also sell a recessed drinking fountain, which is designed to be fitted discreetly within a wall cavity. Recessed units may be a little trickier to install, but they do save a considerable amount of space. On the other hand, if you have room to spare, we sell a range of floor standing drinking fountains, including attractive pedestal models. Floor standing units may take up more space, but they tend to have a sturdier finish than wall mounted units.

While all of our drinking fountains are made from stainless steel, we do offer a powder coated water fountain that is available in a range of colours, allowing you to tailor it to the overall aesthetic of your venue.

Bottle fillers

As with our drinking fountains, our bottle filling stations are available in wall mounted, shrouded, and recessed designs. We also sell a floor standing outdoor bottle filler, which comes with a choice of push button or infrared operation and is available in a range of colours, as well as an optional pet fountain for canine friends. Our multi-user bottle filling station, which comes with an integrated overflow trough, is ideal for sports venues and gyms.

Combination units

Still can’t decide between a fountain and a filler? Then why not have the best of both worlds with a combination unit? This unit comprises a bottle filling station and a drinking fountain in a single unit, making it a cost effective and space saving solution that is also convenient for your users.

Stainless steel

You may have noticed a recurring theme with our drinking fountains and bottle filling stations: they’re all made from stainless steel. Aside from its durability and toughness, the corrosion-resistant properties of stainless steel make it ideal for use in water fixtures; after all, nothing is more off-putting than a drinking fountain covered in unsightly rust.

Stainless steel is also simple to clean and maintain, requiring only warm water, household detergent and a soft cloth. The ruggedness of stainless steel means that it’s also highly resistant to vandalism, which makes it ideal for use in public conveniences and schools.

Next steps

By now, you should have some idea of what sort of water fountain is best for your venue. Once you’ve made your decision, be sure to check out our water fountain installation guide for tips, tricks and troubleshooting.