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Confession: I must admit that getting a water dispenser in my new home was not one of my top concerns while I was renovating the house. However, that turned out to be a mistake after I realised just how much canned drinks I was consuming.
If you can't tell from the picture, I really like my drinks cold, and when it comes to canned drinks I tend to go for sugar-free options because I thought these were healthier than the sugar-laden soft drinks.
However, after more than a year I came to realise that relying on cold beverages wasn't a very healthy option at all... and it was also costly and not environmentally friendly.
Living Care Water Dispenser
That's when I decided it was time to consider installing a water dispenser. But I did have some concerns over water dispenser because they tend to look huge and unsightly.
Most of the time, we'll only see those water dispensers in office pantries right? So it took me some time before I encountered Livingcare's Jewel water dispenser ($2,788).
I was so intrigued that I actually interviewed the founder of the company Benjamin Ling.
You can find out the why's and how's he founded his business and the various aspects that really set the Jewel series apart from the other home water purifiers on the market.
Personally, I ended up choosing Livingcare because I felt more confident knowing that the company has its headquarters here and that I could contact the company easily if something goes wrong.
I didn't visit the showroom because of the then Covid-19 pandemic. However getting an appointment for a specialist to come drop by my home to install the Living Care water dispenser was easy enough. All it took was one call to the company to find a date that I would be at home.
Countertop Water Dispenser
Jack was the Livingcare specialist that came to my home, and he was very friendly and accommodating in answering all my questions. I was worried that installing a water dispenser would take up the whole day, but he assured me that it can be easily done within an hour.
After that he proceeded to look for a suitable water source in my kitchen area, before asking me where I would like to place the unit.
Now I have to say that the Livingcare Jewel unit is REALLY compact! It is only 13cm wide, which means it's not going to look like an eyesore on my counter. Initially I wanted to place the unit at the corner to hide it, but after discussing with Jack, he recommended a much better position close to the sink area.
He began the installation by temporarily shutting off the water supply from under the sink area.
Water Dispenser Installation
Once we've decided where the hole for the pipes connecting the Livingcare Jewel to the water mains was going to be, Jack carefully drilled a small 2cm-wide hole in the counter.
Now I have to say that I chose a super-sturdy Cosentino stone top when I was designing the counter, so Jack made sure to take a little bit more time to ensure there were no cracks or mishaps.
Cosentino's Silestone tops are great for kitchen as they are made of strong composite stone, and are stain, heat, bacteria and scratch-resistant. Check them out for your countertops.
The drilling took about 5 minutes, and you can see how small the hole is. I was impressed because it meant that if I feel like removing the unit to another location later, it wouldn't be difficult to cover up the hole later.
The two pipes are connected to the top unit from the back, so they can be easily concealed. I liked that the Living Care Jewel water dispenser comes in a variety of colours - even though I ended up going with black for my kitchen as it fitted in with the rest of the decor.
Hot and Cold Water Dispenser
The other thing I like is that this unit offers a lot of convenience. Not only can you choose to have your water hot or cold, there are three options of varying temperatures you can choose from.
For hot water, you can choose to have it dispensed at 45, 70 or 90°C. That means you can also make tea of coffee, prepare baby formula and even cook cup noodles with it!
For the cold option, you can choose from 7, 9 or 11°C.
There's also another another option for normal room-temperature water. One thing to note is the hot water option also comes with a safety feature, so your children will not scald themselves by accident if they bump into the unit.
After the installation, the machine will run the water through the filters for a minute so you have to be prepared to let the water run into a bucket if it is not close to a sink.
Livingcare Water Dispenser Filter Change
During this time, Jack also taught me how to replace the filters myself. It's easy to do and fuss-free.
Here's how the front facade of the unit looks. It's streamlined and flush, and I love the fact that instead of buttons, all the features can be accessed through the touch-sensitive panel on the right side.
The filters are placed inside the machine and can be accessed by removing the cover on the left side of the machine. The two filters are:
- Carbon Block Filter - removes chlorine (which results in carcinogenic THMs, may cause skin irritation and dry hair) and organic chemicals that contribute to taste and odor. Carbon block pH contains additional Mg fine particles for mild alkaline water.
- Nano Positive Filter - purifies your water, removing germs, algae/moss, residual heavy metals while preserving the good minerals and softening your water.
UV Light Sterilisation
Aside from the filters, the machine also has an internal UV light function for killing any bacteria in the water. I live on my own, and Jack actually told me that the cartridges actually will be able to last me for up to three years of normal usage!
For a family of four however, he advises to replace the cartridges annually.
Here's a look at the unit when it is fully installed!
It's actually set in the middle of the entire counter, but you don't get the sense that the machine is very huge or cumbersome. There are no sharp edges or popping parts that disrupt the visual flow of the space.
Livingcare Jewel Review
One of the first things I tried out with the Livingcare Jewel was making cup noodles to see if it was hot enough, and it came out perfect!
I wonder if it can be used to make half-boiled eggs as well, but that's going to be my next experiment. This also means I don't need to have a kettle on my counter anymore! Yay.
Livingcare Jewel Price
In terms of pricing, the Livingcare Jewel is quite an economical investment. Back in 2021, a Living Care Jewel Water Dispenser Purifier cost $2,488 with a 3-year supply of filter cartridges free of charge. Today in 2024, it costs $2,788.
I noticed that the machine also doesn't use up much electricity as I didn't detect any major surge in my bills after installing the unit, so I would say electrical cost-wise it is negligible.