Equipment Guide: Sparkling Water Machines for the Office

An office sparkling water machine connects directly to your building’s water line, giving employees fresh, filtered sparkling water without weekly cases of cans.

For offices going through cases of sparkling water every week, all those cans add up. A sparkling water machine gives employees the variety they love while reducing single-use packaging and helping keep beverage budgets in check.

Let's get into how these machines work, what the upkeep looks like, and how to choose the right one for your office.

What Is an Office Sparkling Water Dispenser?

A sparkling water machine is a commercial dispenser that carbonates filtered water right at the point of use. Available in countertop and freestanding models, these machines use a built-in carbonation system and a CO₂ supply to turn regular water into sparkling water in seconds. 

How Does a Sparkling Water Machine Work?

A sparkling water machine filters tap water from your building’s line, chills it, and adds CO₂ to carbonate it on demand. Here's what happens between the water line and your cup:

• Connect: Water flows directly from your building's water line into the machine.
• Filter: An internal filtration system removes impurities to improve water quality and taste.
• Chill: The machine cools the filtered water to a refreshing, ready-to-drink temperature.
• Carbonate: CO₂ from a connected tank is added to create the bubbles. Some models even let employees choose how fizzy they want it.
• Dispense: Employees choose sparkling or still water with the push of a button or a touchless sensor.

Some machines go a step further with antimicrobial protection and touchless dispensing to help keep things clean in busy, shared breakrooms.

Benefits of a Sparkling Water Machine for the Office

Sparkling water machines give employees more ways to stay hydrated while helping workplaces cut down on packaging waste and beverage costs. Here are the biggest benefits:

• Stretch Your Beverage Budget: For offices with high consumption, a machine can significantly lower the cost per serving and free up budget for other pantry favorites.
• Reduce Waste: Fewer single-use cans and bottles mean less packaging waste and a more sustainable beverage program.
• Maintain Variety: Keep the sparkling water employees love while offering still and flavored options, all from one machine.

Sparkling-Only vs. Multi-Function Machines

Not every office needs a machine that does it all. The right setup depends on what your employees drink and what your breakroom already offers. Here's how to narrow it down:

• Sparkling-Only vs. Multi-Function: If sparkling and still water are your priorities, keep it simple. Some machines offer additional features that can replace multiple beverage stations.
• Plain vs. Flavored: Want to maintain the variety of canned drinks without all the packaging? Machines like Bevi let employees customize their drinks with flavors and add-ins like electrolytes or caffeine.
• Water Temperatures: Cold water is great for everyday hydration, while ambient water gives employees a room-temperature option. Some machines also dispense hot water for tea, hot chocolate, and instant meals.

When Should Your Office Switch from Cans to a Sparkling Water Machine?

At some point, the amount you're spending on canned sparkling water makes you wonder if there's a better way. For offices with high consumption, switching to a machine can be an opportunity to cut costs without cutting the drinks employees love.

Here's how to know if the investment makes sense:

• Review Your Beverage Spend: Look at how much of your beverage budget goes toward water and sparkling water. If those categories are driving up your spend, a sparkling water machine could be an opportunity to bring costs down.
• Check Your Space: You'll need access to a water line, power outlet, and CO₂ supply. Some countertop models also require undercounter space and a cutout for installation.
• Calculate Your Potential Savings: Crafty data shows a 100-person office can save roughly $5,500 annually by switching to a Bevi, with estimated savings across offices ranging from $3,195 to $41,965 per year. Your savings will depend on headcount, consumption, and current beverage spend.
• Consider the Waste: Every refill can replace a single-use can or bottle. Across Crafty clients that switched to Bevi, more than 1.7 million bottles and cans have been avoided.
• Keep Employee Favorites: Switching doesn't have to mean eliminating cans entirely. Keep a smaller selection of employee favorites and let the machine handle the bulk of your sparkling water demand.

The goal is to find the right balance between cost, consumption, and employee experience. If a machine can cover most of your demand for less, those savings can go toward other pantry priorities.

Sparkling Water Machines vs. Cans: The Sustainability Impact

Cans and bottles might be recyclable, but that doesn't mean they actually get recycled. And when your office goes through hundreds of them every week, that waste adds up. Here's what the numbers tell us:

• Only 43% of Aluminum Cans Get Recycled: According to the Aluminum Association and Can Manufacturers Institute, just 43% of US aluminum beverage cans were recycled, down from the historical average of 52%. 
• Plastic Bottles Aren't Much Better: NAPCOR reports that only 30.2% of US PET bottles were recycled, which means roughly seven out of ten don’t get recycled.
• Refills Have a Smaller Environmental Footprint: According to the City of Portland, tap water in a reusable bottle uses 85% less energy and produces 79% fewer greenhouse gas emissions than disposable bottled water. 

For offices looking to reduce waste, switching to a sparkling water machine is a practical way to make a difference without taking away the drinks employees enjoy.

How Much Maintenance Does a Sparkling Water Machine Need?

A basic sparkling water machine needs a daily wipe-down, weekly nozzle cleaning, and monthly filter and CO₂ checks. Flavored models add cartridge swaps on top of that. Here's what a typical maintenance schedule looks like:

• Daily: Wipe down the machine and dispensing area, and empty the drip tray.
• Weekly: Give the drip tray and dispensing nozzle a deeper clean.
• Monthly: Check filter and CO₂ levels, replacing them as needed based on usage and manufacturer recommendations. For flavored machines, check cartridges more frequently and replace them as flavors run low.

Best Sparkling Water Machines for Offices

With so many sparkling water machines on the market, the best choice comes down to what your office needs most. Whether that's more variety, multiple water temperatures, or touchless dispensing, here are three of our top picks based on our experience managing office pantries:

• Bevi 2.0 Sparkling Water Machine: Best for offices that want to maximize variety. Employees can choose their carbonation level, water temperature, and mix up to three flavors and two add-ins, like electrolytes or caffeine, in a single drink.
• Natural Choice iON TS400: Best for offices that want a little bit of everything. This countertop machine combines hot, cold, and sparkling water in one unit, making it a great option for everyday hydration and hot beverages.
• Quench 533 Touchless Sparkling Water Dispenser: Best for busy, shared breakrooms. Its compact countertop design offers cold, ambient, hot, and chilled sparkling water, with touchless dispensing to help keep high-traffic spaces clean.

How to Choose a Sparkling Water Machine for Your Office

The best sparkling water machine is one that fits your space, supports your headcount, and gives employees the options they'll actually use. Before committing to a model, here's what to consider:

• Headcount: Think about how many employees will use the machine and how often. Smaller offices may be fine with a compact dispenser, while busy breakrooms need something that can keep up with back-to-back refills.
• Countertop vs. Freestanding: Countertop models like the Quench 533 save floor space, while freestanding options like the Bevi sparkling water machine work well in high-traffic areas. Consider where employees will access the machine and how much room you have.
• Installation Requirements: You'll need access to a water line, power outlet, and CO₂ supply. Some countertop models also require cabinet space below and a cutout for plumbing. Confirm your space can support the setup before choosing a machine.
• Features and Variety: Decide what your team actually needs. If sparkling and still water cover it, keep things simple. If employees want flavors, multiple temperatures, or add-ins, look for a machine that offers those options.
• Dispensing Style: Buttons or touchless? Consider employee preferences and how much traffic your breakroom gets.
• Budget: More features typically mean a higher price tag and potentially more maintenance. Focus on the options employees will use most so you're getting the best value from your investment.

Sparkling vs. Hot, Cold, and Flavored Water Machines

Sparkling water is just one option when it comes to office water machines. Depending on your team’s preferences and what your breakroom already offers, another type of machine may be a better fit.

Sparkling Water Machines

• What You Get: Sparkling water, often alongside still water.
• Best For: Teams that reach for sparkling water all day and want an alternative to stocking can after can.
• Space: Usually requires room for the machine plus a CO₂ tank.
• Upkeep: A little more involved, with CO₂ replacements in addition to regular cleaning and filtration.

Cold Water Machines

• What You Get: Cold and ambient filtered water.
• Best For: Straightforward, everyday hydration.
• Space: Typically compact, with countertop and freestanding options.
• Upkeep: Low, especially compared to machines doing multiple jobs.

Flavored Water Machines

• What You Get: Flavored still and sparkling water with a rotating selection of flavors.
• Best For: Teams that want more variety from their water station.
• Space: Varies by machine and setup.
• Upkeep: More moving pieces, with flavor cartridges and CO₂ to manage on top of regular filtration.

Hot Water Machines

• What You Get: Hot water, often alongside cold and ambient options.
• Best For: Tea, hot chocolate, instant meals, and offices that want hot and cold water in one place.
• Space: Countertop and freestanding options are available.
• Upkeep: Generally pretty low, with routine cleaning and filter changes.

Find the Right Sparkling Water Machine for Your Office

The right sparkling water machine for your office fits your space, keeps up with your headcount, and offers the options your team will actually use. Crafty handles selection, installation, and ongoing maintenance, so your team gets the drinks they want without the upkeep. Whether you're looking for a simple sparkling water dispenser or a machine with flavors, multiple temperatures, and touchless dispensing, there's an option to fit your team's needs.