- Countertop footprint, no floor space needed
- Touchless dispense
- 2-stage filtration
- Smaller unit means smaller internal tank
- Sibling listings exist with near-identical specs, check you're buying this exact one
The 30-second verdict
What this cooler actually does is solid: filtered hot and cold water without claiming square footage or requiring plumbing work through your walls. The touchless dispenser works well in an office kitchen where multiple people are grabbing water. The catch is the smaller internal reservoir compared to floor models, so you get more heating cycles running and the cold water temperature can drop when several people fill bottles at once. You'll also notice Amazon has multiple near-identical listings, each priced slightly different, some with touchless and some without. Make sure you're buying the exact model you researched, not just grabbing whatever Avalon countertop cooler appears first.
Who this is for
If your breakroom is a converted closet, a corner alcove, or a desk surface next to the microwave, this unit earns its counter real estate. It weighs less than a full cooler, and the touchless sensor works—no fumbling with buttons or sanitary concerns about shared handles. The 2-stage filtration handles chlorine taste and sediment well enough for most US municipal water. This is the cooler you buy when the choice is between a countertop bottleless unit or nothing at all.
It is also a reasonable pick if your team is 3–8 people and you want filtered water without a bottle delivery subscription. The bottleless design means you plumb it once and never manage 5-gallon bottles again.
What it gets right
Footprint is the headline win. A countertop unit takes up roughly 15 × 12 inches of counter space—roughly a toaster-oven footprint. That matters in breakrooms where the floor is already committed to a fridge, cabinet, or just foot traffic.
Touchless dispense is a real usability win in a shared space. No one leaves fingerprints on the chrome. The sensor is responsive and doesn’t require a heavy press or hold. In a post-pandemic office, that is a small but noticeable feature.
The 2-stage filter (sediment + carbon) is a honest baseline. It removes chlorine taste, odour, and visible particles. It is not a reverse-osmosis or ultrafiltration system, so it will not remove all dissolved solids or heavy metals—but for a countertop unit that costs under $200, it is competitive.
Installation is straightforward: connect the inlet line to your cold-water supply (usually under the sink), plug in, and wait 15 minutes for the tank to fill. No drilling, no licensed plumber required, unless your water supply is in an inaccessible location.
What annoys me
The internal tank is where the limits show. A countertop unit holds maybe 2–3 gallons compared to 5+ gallons in a floor-standing cooler. During lunch or morning coffee rush, that tank empties faster than it can reheat water. You will notice the cold water gets warmer (not cold, just less cold) and the hot side takes longer to produce steaming water. It is not a failure; it is just the physics of a smaller thermal reservoir.
Amazon's product structure creates real friction here. Avalon lists both a standard model (B089LGBJKZ) and a touchless version (B089LMM5S3) as essentially the same cooler at roughly equivalent prices. They show up in Amazon's system as distinct ASINs with separate stock levels, which means availability and product age can vary between them—one might ship faster, the other might be warehouse inventory that's been sitting longer. When you're ready to order, you have to nail down the exact ASIN you want. It's not enough to search for an Avalon countertop cooler; you need this specific one. Amazon should handle this better, but you're the one who pays the price in a confusing checkout.
Filter cost is a silent recurring expense. A 2-stage filter replacement will run you $50–80 depending on whether you buy Avalon-branded or a third-party compatible. That is roughly 25–40% of the unit’s price, and filters are typically good for 6–12 months depending on your water quality. Factor that into the total cost of ownership.
Temperature consistency is also worth noting: the cold side will rarely hit true refrigerator temperature (38°F). Expect 45–50°F in most homes. If your team is expecting ice-cold water, this unit will disappoint.
Should you buy the Avalon countertop, or look elsewhere?
Buy this if space is non-negotiable and you want a plumbed (not bottled) solution. The touchless dispense is a genuine feature, not marketing fluff.
Do not buy this if you have floor space and need true cold water or high-volume dispensing. A full-size bottleless cooler or even a countertop dispenser with a larger tank will serve you better. For a team larger than 8 people, the internal tank becomes the constant bottleneck.
If you are considering a 5-gallon water pitcher with a filter instead, weigh the touchless convenience and hot-water access against cost. A pitcher is $30–50 and never needs plumbing; this unit is $160–180 but gives you hot water on demand and no bottles to lug.
And before checkout: triple-check your ASIN. The sibling-listing confusion is real, and returning a wrong model is not worth the hassle.
Full specs
| Install type | Countertop, bottleless |
|---|---|
| Filtration | 2-stage |
| Dispense | Touchless |