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Igloo Countertop vs Frigidaire Stainless Steel Water Cooler Dispenser Side-by-Side Comparison

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Igloo Countertop Water Dispenser

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Frigidaire Stainless Steel

$110.99 from Amazon(+2 more)
Igloo Countertop vs Frigidaire Stainless Steel Water Cooler Dispenser

Overall Verdict

The Frigidaire EFWC519 is one the best water cooler dispensers we have tested in terms of build quality and performance. Larger freestanding machines will generally have better cold water capacity, but the Fridigaire is superior in other ways.

Even though the Igloo uses buttons, its flow rate is still significantly slower than the Frigidaire which has old-style faucet levers. The hot water mechanism on the Frigidaire is also much more comfortable to use.

The bodywork and material quality of the Frigidaire is top grade, whereas the Igloo has a much cheaper build quality and poor joining along the sides. The Frigidaire also ranks easier for periodic descaling. The Igloo is comparatively heavy for its size and difficult to move without having any side handles.

The Frigidair’s cold water performance is one of the best putting out 6 L per hour and the machine runs a lot cooler than any other. The Igloo’s capacity is only 2.7. L but a more key difference is the hot water temperature of the Igloo. It’s only 185 ℉ whereas the Frigidaire is a standard 198 ℉.

The Frigidaire is an excellent choice for an office water cooler dispenser. The Igloo will suit a small kitchen or if you have budget restraints. However, the key is whether the compromise on the slow flow rate and the lower hot water temperature are acceptable.

Ranking by
Showing: 2/2 Items

Pros & Cons

  • Heating time
  • Simple panel design
  • Adjustable feet
  • Cold water efficiency
  • Stainless steel body
  • Light weight
  • Cool to run
  • Easy to clean
  • Slow flow rate
  • Hot water safety
  • Water baffle
  • Drip tray
  • No pocket handles
  • Cramped dispensing space
  • Awkward hot water lever
  • Old design

Key Specs

Dimensions WDH
31 x 38 x 52 inches
12.5 x 12.6 x 41.5 inches
Weight
22.0 lbs (10.0 kg)
28.7 lbs (13.0 kg)
Loading Type
Top Loading Countertop
Top Loading
Dispensing Mechanisms
Buttons
Faucet levers
Cold Water Temperature
50‒54 ℉
50‒54 ℉
Cold Water Capacity
78 fl. oz. / Hr
202 fl.oz. / Hr

Where to Buy

Price at publication
$124.73
$152.32
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Analysis and Test Results

Performance

Overall Performance Scoring
5.0
9.3

Hot Water Test

5.8
8.2
Water temperature being measured as hot water flows out the nozzle of a water cooler dispenser.
Water temperature being measured as hot water flows out the nozzle of a water cooler dispenser.
Single Draw Capacity
21.5 fl. oz.
14.5 fl.oz.
Heating Time
8.5 fl.oz. / 1 min 57 sec
8.5 fl.oz. / 3.22 min
Temperature
185 ℉
198 ℉
Flow Rate
0.4 fl.oz. / or 12 ml /sec
0.98 fl.oz. or 33 ml /sec

Cold Water Test

4.5
10
Cold water testing on the Igloo countertop water cooler dispenser. A thermometer is measuring cold water flowing into a cup.
Two small paper cups barely fitting completely on the drip tray of a water cooler dispenser with a faucet design.
Serving Capacity
78 fl. oz. / Hr
202 fl.oz./6L per hour
Temperature
50-54 ℉
50-54 ℉

Design

Overall Design Scoring
6.2
8.4

In the Box

The unboxed Igloo countertop water cooler dispenser with the included drip tray and user manual shown on the far right.
An unboxed Frigidaire EFWC519 water cooler dispenser pictured next to the box, a detached drip tray, and bundled literature.

Build Quality

5.3
9.0
A close up side view of a countertop water cooler dispenser focuses on a poor joining seam.
A close up side view of a countertop water cooler dispenser focuses on a poor joining seam.
A front to angle view of the Igloo bottled water cooler dispenser showing side ventilation slats.
A gloved finger pointing to the sharp edges on the bottom of a heat exchange grid on a water cooler dispenser.
The underneath of a water cooler dispenser showing a metal plate, a stub leg, and a water drainage plug.
A gloved hand showing how to adjust a rubber stump leg on a water cooler dispenser.
Side view of the stainless steel body of the Frigidaire EFWC519 water cooler dispenser.
Side view of the stainless steel body of the Frigidaire EFWC519 water cooler dispenser.
Close up view of the water dispensing faucets and control panel of the Frigidaire EFWC519 water cooler dispenser.
A plastic cover over top top of a rear metal grate of a water cooler dispenser.
Side Body
White metal sheeting
stainless steel
Front Panel
White plastic
stainless steel and plastic
Cabinet Door
No
None
Base
Metal plate with rubber feet
plastic
Extra Features
Adjustable feet
None

Dimensions

Annotated diagram showing the dimensions of the Igloo countertop water cooler dispenser in inches.
Illustrated dimensions of the Frigidaire EFWC519 water cooler dispenser showing the height, depth, and width across in inches.
Depth
38.0" (96.5 cm)
12.6" (32.0 cm)
Width
31.0" (78.7 cm)
12.5" (31.8 cm)
Height
52.0" (132.1 cm)
41.5" (105.4 cm)
Weight
22.0 lbs (10.0 kg)
28.7 lbs (13.0 kg)

Panel & Indicators

7.2
8.5
A close up of the working panel of the Igloo countertop water cooler dispenser.
A close up of the working panel of the Igloo countertop water cooler dispenser.
A close up of the icons of a small water cooler dispenser.
Close up view of the control panel of the Frigidaire EFWC519 water cooler dispenser showing Cooling, Heating, and Power indicators.
Power Status
None
bottom
Hot Water Test
Top left
middle
Cold Water Test
Top right
top
Bottle Or Filter
No
None
Others
None
None

Water Inlet Controls

6.5
8.0
Close of a detachable water needle found on a small countertop top-loading water cooler dispenser.
Close of a detachable water needle found on a small countertop top-loading water cooler dispenser.
A gloved hand showing a partly removed water guard from a top loading water cooler dispenser.
A top down view of a typical water baffle found in the tank of a top loading water cooler dispenser.
A gloved hand holding a water baffle removed from a cold water tank of a water cooler dispenser.
A finger pointing where to open the water guard of a top loading water cooler dispenser.
A finger pointing where to open the water guard of a top loading water cooler dispenser.
The water guard of a top loading water cooler dispenser being removed.
A top down view into the tank of a top loading water cooler dispenser showing the water baffle of the tank.
Mechanism
Water guard, water baffle
water guard and baffle
Materials
Plastic
plastic
Extra Features
None
slender bottle needle

Water Dispensers

A close up top down view of three white buttons of a water cooler dispenser.
A close up top down view of three white buttons of a water cooler dispenser.
A bottom up view of three water nozzles found on a water cooler dispenser.
Close up of hot and cold water cooler dispenser taps with faucet-type levers. The left tap is red and the right is blue.
Mechanism
3 buttons
Hot and Cold water lever taps
Outflow Points
3 recessed panel nozzles
2 faucet nozzles
Material
Plastic
plastic
Extra Features
Original icon designs
Hot Water safety mechanism

Drip Tray

7.0
6.5
A top down view of a white colored drip tray of a small countertop water cooler dispenser.
A top down view of a white colored drip tray of a small countertop water cooler dispenser.
A gloved hand showing holding up the cover of a drip tray found on a water cooler dispenser.
A gloved hand holding a drip tray of a water cooler dispenser with the cover askew and removed from its holding.
Close up front view of a drip tray positioned in a water cooler dispenser.
Close up front view of a drip tray positioned in a water cooler dispenser.
The cover to the drip tray of a water cooler dispenser being removed.
A bottom up view of two paper cups resting on the narrow drip tray of a water cooler dispenser.
Material
Plastic
plastic
Color
White
black
Length
21.1" (53.6 cm)
10.5" (26.7 cm)
Width
2.9" (7.4 cm)
2.5" (6.4 cm)
Depth
1.6" (4.1 cm)
1.6" (4.1 cm)
Level Float
No
No

Rear Switches

Two tank switches found on the rear of a water cooler dispenser. The right is red and the left green, both with on/off labels.
Close up of two color-coded buttons at the rear of a water cooler dispenser with clear labeling for operation.
Close up of two color-coded buttons at the rear of a water cooler dispenser with clear labeling for operation.
Close up of the rear of the Frigidaire EFWC519 water cooler showing a temperature adjustment button on the bottom right.
Hot Water Test
Yes
Yes
Cold Water Test
Yes
Yes
Others
None
None

Door and Cabinet

Has Door
No
No
Internal WxDxH
N/A
N/A
Material
N/A
N/A
Extra Features
N/A
N/A

Cord and Plug

A man holding the electric cable of a small water cooler dispenser double folded across its horizontal length.
A man holding the electric cable of a small water cooler dispenser double folded across its horizontal length.
A gloved hand showing the plug of the Igloo water cooler dispenser against the front panel background.
A close up of the position of the electric cord in close proximity to the water drainage port of a water cooler dispenser.
A three pronged plug of a water cooler dispenser held in front of the machine's display panel.
A three pronged plug of a water cooler dispenser held in front of the machine's display panel.
Man holding an electric cord double-folded across the horizontal rear view of the Frigidaire EFWC519 water cooler dispenser.
Length
6.2 ft (1.9 m)
70.0" (177.8 cm)
Position
Rear rt., 4.3 in
Rear right, 4 in from ground
Plug Type
Type B - two flat pins, one grounding pin
Type B - two flat pins, one grounding pin

Usability

Overall Usability Scoring
6.1
7.5

Dispensing Water

5.5
8.0
A person dispensing hot water from the Igloo hot and cold water cooler dispenser.
A person dispensing hot water from the Igloo hot and cold water cooler dispenser.
A person dispensing cold water from the Igloo bottled water cooler dispenser.
Close up view of the two faucets on a water cooler dispenser, the left is red and the right is blue.
Mechanism
Push button
Hand operated lever
Water Type
Hot, cold, normal temperature
Hot and cold water
Spout Type
Recessed panel type
Tap type
Dispensing Height
9 in
8.0" (20.3 cm)

Hot Water Safety

6.0
6.0
Close up of the hot water button on a countertop water cooler dispenser.
Close up of the hot water button on a countertop water cooler dispenser.
A gloved finger showing how to operate a hot water safety mechanism on the button of a hot water cooler dispenser.
Close up of a hot water dispensing lever and safety mechanism on a water cooler dispenser.
Close up of a hot water dispensing lever and safety mechanism on a water cooler dispenser.
Close up on the hot water faucet removed from a water cooler dispenser.
Mechanism
Mounted lever
Double push back lever

Bottle / Filter Changing

7.5
7.0
A water bottle loaded onto the Igloo hot and cold water cooler dispenser.
A water bottle loaded onto the Igloo hot and cold water cooler dispenser.
Top down view of a countertop water cooler dispenser showing the water guard and water needle.
A close up of the water guard and water needle of a top-loading water cooler dispenser.
A demonstration on how to set up a bottle onto a top loading water cooler dispenser.
A demonstration on how to set up a bottle onto a top loading water cooler dispenser.
A water bottle set in place on a top loading water cooler dispenser.
Design
Top loading
Top loading
Feature
Water guard and needle
Water guard and water needle

Cleaning

6.2
7.9
A gloved hand holding a waterguard removed from a top loading water cooler dispenser.
A gloved hand holding a waterguard removed from a top loading water cooler dispenser.
The inside of a cold water tank of a top loading water cooler dispenser showing the water baffle.
The rear water drainage plug on a small countertop water cooler dispenser.
A demonstration of how to move the Igloo countertop water cooler dispenser with no side handles.
Cleaning the stainless steel front of a water cooler dispenser.
Cleaning the stainless steel front of a water cooler dispenser.
Cleaning the inside of a water faucet of a water cooler dispenser with a cotton Q-tip.
Plug at the rear of a water cooler dispenser for draining water out the hot and cold water tanks.
The water guard of a top loading water cooler dispenser being removed showing the tank with a baffle below.
Top down view of the inside of a cold water tank of a top loading water cooler dispenser.
A close up view of two detached water faucets on a water cooler dispenser.
Self Cleaning
No
No
Drainage Plug
Rear rt., 2 in from ground
Rear rt, 21 in from ground