Do Water Coolers Come With Water?

On this page (9 sections)

1. What comes in the box when you buy a water cooler?
2. Why don't water coolers include a bottle?
3. How does water get into the cooler?
4. Do you need to buy a bottle for a new cooler?
5. Can you use tap water in a water cooler?
6. How do you keep a cooler clean between bottles?
7. What else do you need to know before the first bottle goes on?
8. Does a cooler use much power once it's filled?
9. So, do water coolers come with water?

No. Water coolers ship without water, so you supply your own 5 gallon bottle filled with water.

The cooler is the dispenser, not the water source.

That one fact catches a lot of first-time buyers off guard, because the box holds the machine and the cord, not a bottle.

The rest is simple once you know the setup. You buy or rent a bottle, fill it, and load it onto the cooler.

The sections below cover what's actually in the box, how the water gets in, and how to keep it clean.

What comes in the box when you buy a water cooler?

The box holds the dispenser, a manual and a care guide. No bottle and no water are inside.

A typical cooler ships with the cabinet, the taps and drip tray, the power cord, and printed instructions for setup and cleaning.

Bottom-load units like the Brio 520 also include the internal pump and cabinet that holds the bottle. The Brio's included components list is short: the bottom loading water cooler dispenser, a manual and a care guide.

Top-load models include the collar where the bottle sits. Neither type ships with a bottle, because bottles are sold or rented separately.

That means the first thing you buy after the cooler is a bottle. A new 5 gallon jug from a store or an online seller works, and so does a rental bottle from a water delivery service.

Our guide to what water coolers are explains how the two types differ.

Why don't water coolers include a bottle?

Bottles are a separate supply item, so coolers ship empty for practical reasons. Shipping a full 5 gallon bottle would add about 40 lb of water to every box and risk leaks in transit.

Keeping them separate also lets you choose tap, filtered or delivered water.

The cooler itself is already a heavy item without a bottle in it. The Brio 520 weighs about 39.6 lb empty, so adding a full jug would push the shipping weight well past 80 lb.

A leaking bottle in a carton could also damage the electronics inside a cooler.

A water delivery service supplies its own bottles and collects them on refill. If you buy your own bottle, you fill it from a tap or a filter and reuse it.

That flexibility is the point: the cooler works with whichever supply you pick.

So when you ask whether water coolers come with water, the honest answer is no, and that's by design. The cooler and the bottle are two separate purchases.

How does water get into the cooler?

You fill a 5 gallon bottle and load it onto the machine. On a top-load cooler, you flip the bottle upside down and drop it onto the collar.

On a bottom-load cooler, you slide the bottle upright into the lower cabinet and the pump draws water up.

Top-load units are usually cheaper and simpler. Bottom-load units like the Brio 520 avoid lifting a 40 lb bottle over your head, which helps if you have back or shoulder concerns.

Brio describes the design as keeping the jug in a lower cabinet so bottle changes involve less lifting strain.

Once the bottle is seated, the cooler's reservoir fills and the taps dispense. You don't connect plumbing unless you buy a bottleless cooler, which hooks to a water line and filters tap water instead.

Most homes and offices use the bottle type.

Do you need to buy a bottle for a new cooler?

Yes, you need at least one 5 gallon bottle. Buy a reusable jug, rent one from a delivery service, or buy filtered water in refillable bottles.

Without a bottle, the cooler has nothing to dispense.

A reusable jug like the EcoForm holds 5 gallons and comes with two screw-on caps. One cap seals the bottle for storage and transport, and the other has a built-in opening that fits standard top-load and bottom-load coolers.

That means you can carry it full, store it, then drop it straight onto the machine. The dispenser cap is the part that matters here, since a plain sealing cap won't let water flow into a cooler.

The bottle is BPA-free PET and weighs about 1.8 lb empty. Filled, it's around 42 lb, which is heavy for overhead lifting.

That's another reason bottom-load coolers are popular. Its footprint matches the bottles the major water services deliver, so it drops into the same machine.

What should you check before buying a bottle?

Two details decide whether a bottle works with your cooler. First, the neck type.

The EcoForm has a screw neck and takes its two threaded caps, but it does not accept 55mm crown-top snap caps. Second, the fit.

The bottle stands 19.5 inches tall and about 10.75 inches across, which is the same footprint as delivered 5 gallon bottles. Check your cooler's bottle well and cabinet clearance against those numbers before you order.

A bottle that seals well but won't seat wastes your money.

Can you use tap water in a water cooler?

Yes. Tap water works fine in a reusable bottle.

Fill the jug from your kitchen tap, load it, and the cooler dispenses it cold.

Many people run tap water through a filter pitcher first for taste, but that's a preference, not a requirement.

If your tap water has a strong chlorine taste, a basic carbon filter removes much of it. Fill the bottle with filtered water and chill it on the cooler as usual.

Keep the bottle out of direct sun and clean it between fills so nothing grows inside. The EcoForm arrives ready to fill, though a light rinse first clears out any dust from transit.

Delivered water is another option. Services drop off full bottles and take away empties, which suits offices that don't want to refill by hand.

The cooler works the same either way.

How do you keep a cooler clean between bottles?

Clean the cooler every 3 to 6 months, or sooner if water tastes off or you see buildup. Wipe the taps, drip tray and reservoir, then run a cleaning solution through the lines and rinse well.

A dedicated cooler cleaner makes the job easier than soap and water, like the Pristine H2OK water cooler cleaner.

It reaches the reservoir and taps where film and residue collect. Brio's own UV self-cleaning feature on the 520 is a helpful extra here: press the button and the unit sanitizes on its own between deeper cleans.

It doesn't replace a proper flush, but it helps keep the reservoir fresher between bottle changes.

Clean the bottle too. Rinse it with warm water and let it dry upside down before the next fill.

The EcoForm is hand wash only, and harsh abrasives on plastic scratch the surface and give residue a place to cling. A scratched bottle is harder to keep clean over time.

What else do you need to know before the first bottle goes on?

Check the cooler's tap height and the bottle's fit before you buy. Most 5 gallon bottles share a standard neck size, but some coolers and bottles need matching caps.

Confirm the bottle works with your cooler type, top-load or bottom-load.

A screw-cap bottle like the EcoForm needs its dispenser cap, not a snap cap.

Also think about where the cooler will sit. The Brio 520 measures 15.6 inches deep, 12.2 inches wide and 41.4 inches tall, so measure your spot against those numbers.

It needs a grounded outlet and a flat, stable surface away from direct sun. Bottom-load units need clearance to open the cabinet door and slide the bottle in.

Cold water takes time to chill after the first bottle goes on. Give the cooler a few hours before expecting the coldest pour.

If the water stays warm after that, see our guide to water cooler not cooling water for what to check first.

Does a cooler use much power once it's filled?

A typical cooler draws little power, mostly when the compressor runs to chill the reservoir. Bottle type and room temperature both affect how often it cycles on.

A cooler in a hot, sunny spot runs more than one in a cool corner. The Brio 520 runs on corded electric power and offers three temperature settings, so you can pick hot, cold or room temperature at the tap.

The hot side is worth a mention too. The Brio's upper temperature rating is 200 °F, and it uses a two-step child safety lock so hot water isn't dispensed by accident.

The lock relocks itself after each pour. If you're choosing where to place the unit, keep it out of direct sun and away from ovens or heaters.

That reduces how hard it works and how often it runs. Our post on water cooler power consumption breaks down what affects the draw.

Coolers last for years with basic care. How you clean and where you place it matter more than the brand.

Our guide to how long water coolers last covers the signs that it's time to replace one.

So, do water coolers come with water?

No, and that's the key thing to plan for. A new cooler arrives empty, so budget for a 5 gallon bottle and decide where the water will come from: tap, a filter, or a delivery service.

The first thing you buy after the cooler is a bottle, so budget for both.

For most households, a reusable jug plus a bottom-load cooler is the easiest setup, since you fill the bottle yourself and never lift it overhead. Pick a top-load cooler if you want the simplest machine and don't mind the lift.

Either way, the water is your supply, not the cooler's.

Once the bottle is on and the water is cold, the cooler does the rest. Clean it on schedule, keep the bottle rinsed, and you'll get years of cold water without thinking about it.

Frequently asked questions

How much water does a 5 gallon bottle hold?

A standard 5 gallon bottle holds 5 gallons, or 18.9 liters. That's roughly 40 to 42 lb when full, which is why bottom-load coolers exist for people who don't want to lift it overhead.

Is the first bottle included with a new cooler?

No. New water coolers ship empty, with no bottle and no water.

You buy or rent a bottle separately from a delivery service or a store, then fill it and load it onto the cooler.

How often should I clean a water cooler?

Most makers suggest cleaning the cooler every 3 to 6 months, and sooner if you notice buildup or a strange taste. A dedicated cleaner plus a rinse cycle keeps the reservoir and lines fresh between bottle changes.