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Avalon A8 Countertop Bottleless vs Costway 5 Gallon Water Cooler Dispenser Side-by-Side Comparison
Avalon A8 countertop bottleless water cooler dispenser vs Costway 5-gallon. Two small machines, but different quality and performance scores.
Avalon A8 Countertop Bottleless
Tested Using Methodology v1.0Costway 5 Gallon Water Cooler Dispenser
Tested Using Methodology v1.0
Overall Verdict
The Avalon A8 is a small countertop water cooler dispenser with a filter so it needs to connect to a water main. The Costway 5-gallon is a comparatively small and light top-loading water cooler dispenser.
The key difference between these machines is the build quality. The Avalon A8 has excellent build quality while the Costway is an all-plastic budget water cooler dispenser. Quality shortcuts include the drip tray which falls off very easily and the hot water safety clip design makes hot water dispensing cumbersome.
The Costway does slightly better with hot water. It has a high temperature of 199 ℉ while the Avalon is 198 ℉. The Costway also puts out 5 L of hot water per hour compared to the Avalon’s 4 L. The key difference is the Avalon A8 does 22.7 fl. oz. on back-to-back draws, but the Costway does only 19 fl.oz.
The cold water capacity and performance is pretty much the same. Both can put out an 8.5 fl. oz. (300ml) cup of cold water every 7 minutes or 2.7 L per hour which is enough for nine people. The rear heat exchange of the Avalon, however, gets much hotter if working under constant pressure.
Overall, the Avalon A8 has much better build quality, while the main drawback of the Costway is its very slow flow rate and use of poor quality materials. The Avalons A8 looks good in a family kitchen and has ozone sanitation.
Pros & Cons
- Color design
- Hot water heating time
- Filter attachment design
- Side pocket handles
- Hot water safety mechanism
- Ozone self-cleaning
- Hot water temperature
- Detachable faucets
- Light weight
- Cold water performance
- Fixed nozzle design
- Narrow drip tray
- Slow flow rate
- Loose drip tray
- Shoddy drainage plug
- Poor build quality
Key Specs
Where to Buy
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Analysis and Test Results
Performance
Hot Water Test
Cold Water Test
Design
In the Box
Build Quality
Dimensions
Panel & Indicators
Water Inlet Controls
Water Dispensers
Drip Tray
Rear Switches
Door and Cabinet
Cord and Plug
Usability
Dispensing Water
Hot Water Safety
Bottle / Filter Changing
Cleaning
Behind the Comparison
Roger Shitaki is a writer, author, and editor. His niches are household appliances, health & wellness, and travel. He’s a freelance contributor to a Tokyo lifestyle website and a leading ophthalmology magazine in Asia.
Lap is Head of the Research, Testing, and Review Team (RTR Team) at HealthyKitchen101.com, where he directs and supervises the testing of kitchen gadgets and appliances.
Nguyen Ntk is a graphic designer, photographer, and videographer whose philosophy centers around respecting and celebrating the beauty of reality. Through his lenses, Nguyen strives to capture the true essence of objects and events, showcasing and highlighting authentic features without distortion or exaggeration.
