The B4 POU & Direct Chill water cooler dispenser is amongst a range of modern and innovative water coolers that are supplied by Hygienic Concepts, a company based in the UK. The model builds upon the solid foundation of the B3 as well as the B2 models – it includes all the enhanced features of the B3 model plus more.

One of its outstanding features is its innate flexibility. It’s built to flourish in all environments from commercial to domestic to industrial use. It’s compact, has a large dispensing area, and comes with a few other amazing features like touch panel button controls, an integrated cup dispenser, and multiple water options.

It does have some downsides though and one of them is that it’s not portable because it’s a POU water cooler that has to be connected to the mains water supply. Below is our comprehensive review of what you can expect from this stylish and innovative water cooler.

Design

At first glance, the Hygienic Concepts B4 looks modern and very stylish. The sleek graphite finish coupled with the nice touch key control panel at the top gives it a beautiful and elegant appeal that’s sure to visually enhance or fit in with many contemporary offices or kitchen decor. The model is available in three colours; black, silver, and white, all of which have the same stylish look.

It’s not just the design that’s great. The unit does feature a robust construction. It’s made using a sturdy ABS plastic material that can withstand heavy repeated use over a long period. Many attested that it remains in excellent condition even after prolonged use and abuse in demanding environments like workplaces.

With regards to size, the Hygienic Concepts B4 water cooler dispenser is a bit tall measuring 52.2 inches high. However, the footprint is small, at 12.6 x 18.5 inches, so it’s a unit that suits well small to medium-sized homes, offices, gyms and workplaces.

There’s also a countertop version of the same model that measures 12.6 x 18.5 x 16.3 inches, making it even more compact than the freestanding version and more ideal for space-conscious environments like small offices.

Performance

The Hygienic Concepts B4 is capable of producing both cold and hot water, and both functions work exceptionally well.

The Cooling Function

For the cold water function, the unit utilizes the direct-chill cooling system which is a highly efficient technology that’s able to chill water instantly.

This innovative system works via conduction and utilizes refrigerant gas. Water flows directly from the mains supply into the unit and passes through the chilling coil where a refrigerant gas inside another coil cools it instantly as it flows through on its way to the unit’s tap outlet.

The gas doesn’t directly touch the water and the cooling process is very effective as the water becomes ice cold. It can be chilled to about 2°C/35°F at a minimum of 11°C at a maximum (which is still a pretty cool temperature).

The best part is that it works instantly. It’s able to produce up to 22 litres of cold water per hour making it ideal for use in high-traffic areas or in busy, demanding environments. The dispensing speed is sufficient enough to cater to the needs of small to medium size workplaces and offices where 1 – 40 people access the cooler regularly.

Another advantage of this direct chilling process is that the temperature of the water is constant throughout – it doesn’t fluctuate since the water is chilled and dispensed instantly on demand. It doesn’t sit in a reservoir once it’s chilled.

Besides that, direct chilling coolers tend to be more hygienic compared to reservoir water coolers since they prohibit bacterial growth. There’s no reservoir for the chilled water to lie in, which is the case with basic water coolers – the reservoir is partially emptied and refilled constantly, which can encourage bacterial growth. With a direct chill system, the water you get is hygienic and fresh.

Heating Function

The heating function of the B4 utilizes a 500W heating element which is capable of heating the water to a maximum temperature of 92°C/198°F. You get very hot water, sufficiently hot for brewing a cup of tea or coffee.

The heating capacity is quite decent too. It’s able to deliver around 6 litres of hot water per hour, which is about 20+ cups of coffee in an hour, so it should be able to meet the demand for hot water or coffee in a small office setting.

Usability

The Hygienic Concepts B4 cooler is equipped with a touch-sensitive control panel that’s simple to understand and use. The menu provides three dispensing options; chilled, hot, and sparkling. The response of the system is almost immediate when you touch a particular button, allowing for instant preparation of hot or cold drinks.

The fact that the unit uses a touch control panel also makes it more hygienic because it’s completely flush – there are no intricate buttons that can harbour germs and contaminants.

Despite its compact design, the dispensing area of the B4 is spacious (measuring 27cm high) – it can comfortably accommodate tall sports bottles as well as pint glasses and jugs.

There’s also a built-in night light on the top part of the dispensing area which is a pretty useful bonus feature as it makes the water spout visible in the dark, especially at night. The spout itself is shrouded which is another great measure that ensures hygienic protection.

The drip tray, however, is on the small-size end – you may have to hold large cups or wide containers while filling them since they are likely to fall if you don’t support them.

Installation

This is a point-of-use (POU) or mains-fed cooler. It connects directly to your water supply, meaning you won’t have to buy, carry or store heavy water bottles hence saving storage space and money.

The lower half of the unit does also provide convenient storage space for cups and filters. This whole setup also means a continuous supply of cold and hot water for everyone throughout since there’s no running out of water as is the case with reservoir water coolers.

The cooler doesn’t require much assembly either, other than plumbing it directly into the mains water supply. It’s a fairly easy unit to self-install. The rear cover is tamper-proof and anchors the unit to the wall and as well protects the plumbing and electrical connections, so you can set it up in public areas without much worry about safety.

The appliance even includes a leak detection kit that utilizes a moisture sensor to detect leaks. The system will shut down the water supply should a leak be detected.

Now the best part about the B4 model and its direct-chill cooling system, in particular, is that it’s energy-efficient. The direct-chill system ensures that only the water that’s required is cooled, not a larger volume that may not be needed lying on standby in the reservoir.

What this means is that the efficiency of the cooler is greater, which combined with the heavy insulation can result in lower power consumption compared to most standard reservoir water coolers.

For instance, the average energy consumption of a direct chill model (with hot and cold functions) over an 8-hour day operation could be just 0.885kw/h while for a reservoir model (with hot and cold functions) it could be 1.107kW/h. So, the former is more energy-efficient and can save you money as well as help lower your carbon footprint.

Customer Support

Apart from offering water cooler dispensers like the B4 and several other models, Hygienic Concepts also provides a wide range of water cooler services. They offer servicing and maintenance throughout homes and workplaces – they install and maintain many different water coolers varying in price and features.

The company supplies its systems throughout the UK market, both freestanding and countertop models, including this B4 model. They provide their services all year long and have a wide supply chain consisting of distributors and courier services. The B4 model for instance can come fully serviced under the company’s water cooling service plan, for just a small monthly fee.

The customer service team is always available and very responsive to any enquiries. They can help you find the right or much more suitable cooler for your particular business or home.

Final Remarks

The Hygienic Concepts B4 water cooler is a reliable system with an effective cooling technology that allows for instant dispensing of chilled, hot or sparkling water. You don’t have to sit and wait for the water to be chilled or heated. You just select the kind of water you want and dispense it immediately.

The unit is also easy to set up and use, plus you can get additional servicing and maintenance from Hygienicconcepts, for just a small monthly fee. It’s, basically, a suitable option if you are looking for an ideal water cooler that can handle the traffic in an office or if you just need a cooler that can deliver hot or cold water instantly for home use.

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