Avalon Premium Top Loading Countertop Water Dispenser, Hot & Cold Water Temperature - Black

This countertop hot and cold water dispenser was super-easy to set up! It is important to read the included brief instruction manual (taped to the top) before using as, there is a step that needs to be completed prior to plugging in the machine. The instruction manual was easy to follow: brief, large print and lots of pictures. The dispenser ships in a box which just needs the top of the box removed; do not tilt the dispenser -- it should remove easily from the cut-away box after snipping off the plastic shipping ties. This dispenser did not come with a water bottle so I headed over to my local Walmart and found an American Maid BPA-free, 3-gallon reusable square jug (can also use a 5-gallon jug) with reusable lid and easy-grip handle for less than $6.00 (FIND MY JUG HERE: www.walmart.com/ip/3-Gallon-Stackable-Water-Bottle/180676866). The dispenser with this 3-gallon jug on top measures 34" tall. I also purchased three 1-gallon bottles of water, filled up my new 3-gallon reusable jug and popped it onto the dispenser. After following the instructions and performing the pre-startup functions, I plugged in the machine and it seemed like the hot and cold water were instantaneous! It is so nice to have pre-chilled water on demand and readily available for morning smoothies. As well, I have now converted over to drinking healthier tea instead of waiting for coffee to brew now that the hot water is on demand as well. There are two switches on the left side of the machine for the user to turn off either the hot (red), cold (blue) or both functions. This is a great feature for someone who only uses one of the two functions periodically. Honestly, there is no reason to keep them both on all of the time unless you use it frequently as, once turned on, hot and cold water is pretty much instantaneous. The machine is quiet, perhaps a slight hum and cycles through cooling and warming each side so that you water is the right temperature when you want it. This dispenser comes with a removable water collector. With the water collector in place, a 7" travel mug will not fit/sit by itself under the taps. This isn't really an issue for me as, I just tilt my mug while pressing against the tap and it fills up fast. It's a little bit more cumbersome with the hot water feature due to the child safety lock, but can still be done. Note that the water is HOT and the user's tall mug will get hot to the touch while filling. The water collector can always be removed in the event the user wants to fit/sit a taller mug under the tap. My recommendation to the manufacturer would be to take taller travel mugs into consideration so that they can sit on the water collector without the user having to hold and tilt the mug while filling. I am extremely happy with this dispenser especially now that I have converted to tea because of this great new appliance. I would recommend it for home, dorm, school, office. This item is ENERGY STAR compliant and is manufactured in China. This item is recommended for children age 8 and above only if trained on how to use this dispenser safely.

I was a little worried reading other reviews. But this met all of my requirements so I took the risk. This has been perfect, exactly what I was going for and the family loves it.