The Best Drink Dispensers, According To Our Testing

Oct 28, 2024

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Whether you’re serving a batch of sweet tea or sangria, keep refreshments on tap with these drink dispensers.

In This Article

Southern Living / Nellah McGough

A drink dispenser is an essential item for anyone who enjoys entertaining. If you’re hosting a small function, a drink dispenser can help usher guests out of the kitchen and into the party. And they’re a must-have for large gatherings where guests are constantly refilling their cups while mingling about.

There are all kinds of drink dispensers on the market, from 1-gallon glass containers to 10-gallon plastic containers. When it comes to drink dispensers, style and design sometimes play just as much of a role as capacity and function.

We tested all the drink dispensers on our list over a two-week period, using them at least twice during the testing period. We considered factors such as design, function, capacity, size, and material.

Silicone lid creates a tight seal

Shatterproof

Easy to refill

Classic design

Sweats and feels slippery when full

Simple and functional, this dispenser from Williams Sonoma is made of BPA-free acrylic, so you get the look of glass without the risk of it shattering and causing a mess at your party. The acrylic is also scratch resistant and has great clarity, so you’ll easily be able to see chunks of fruit and add-ins in the container.

The lid is wrapped with a silicone rim to create a tight seal, meaning bugs and debris can’t get inside the dispenser if it’s outside. The spigot is made from stainless steel, and allows you to easily turn it from flowing to no flow without any drip.

We love it for lemonade, fruit punch, and even holiday cocktails. During testing, we used it for various gatherings, testing the spigot as well. We did find that it felt most secure to take off the lid and carry the dispenser by its lip, due to sweating when the dispenser was full of cold liquids.

We also tested the Nito stand from Williams Sonoma, and found that the pair together worked really well. Handwoven by artisans, the stand could also be used as a plant stand when you’re not using it with the drink dispenser.

Material: Acrylic | Capacity: 2 gallons | Size: 10 x 13.75 x 7.5 inches | Weight: Not listed

Easy to clean

Large opening for adding ingredients

Controlled flow

Not dishwasher safe

Not suited for larger parties

Some liquid remains in the spigot

If you’re looking for a dispenser for your home or a small party, this one from FineDine is a smart choice. It’s great for small-batch punches, sangria, lemonade, and more. The low price point means you may choose to buy two or three dispensers to mix and match beverages at your party. We tested it with ice and Kool-Aid, and found it suitable for small family gatherings and entertaining, with easy handling and an efficient design.

This dispenser is made from premium-grade glass in a mason jar design that allows guests to see what they’re drinking, and the stainless steel spigot is leak-proof and easy to clean.

A wide tin lid is included for the top of the dispenser, helping to keep bugs and dirt out of your beverage, but also making it easy to refill the dispenser as needed, or to infuse your drink with lemon slices, berries, and herbs.

The included ice cylinder is also an added perk, as it helps keep your liquid cold without diluting the contents of the dispenser. Simply fill it with ice and insert the cylinder, and when the ice melts inside the cylinder, remove it and fill again with fresh ice. It’s best to wash this dispenser by hand if possible to protect the spigot and lid from hot dishwasher temperatures.

Material: Glass | Capacity: 1 or 2 gallons | Size: 7 x 11 inches | Weight: 4.1 pounds for 1-gallon dispenser; 7.5 pounds for 2-gallon dispenser

Compatible with multiple stands from the same collection

Easy to clean

Stylish design

Spigot is a little high on the dispenser

This simple and functional drink dispenser, part of the Southern Living Home Collection at Dillard’s, is great for just about any event: birthdays, weddings, baby showers, graduation parties, and more. We tested it by making a double batch of “big-batch mojitos” and sweet tea.

When using it for mojitos, the spigot didn’t clog with mint leaves, but we did notice that the spout is placed a bit high, meaning you have to tilt the dispenser to get the last of it out. Overall, it’s ideal for entertaining large groups, but needs careful handling and would be great with an extra cooling method to avoid diluting drinks.

The whole thing is made from glass, including the lid, with the exception of the metal spout that easily opens and closes with a small turn of the knob. Fill it with punch, lemonade, tea, or even mixed drinks.

You can also purchase a wooden stand from the same collection as well as a woven Nito stand for a more tropical look. Do note that it’s best to hand wash this dispenser.

Material: Glass | Capacity: 1.6 gallons | Size: 6.9 x 11.2 inches | Weight: 4.8 pounds

Built-in tap

Backpack straps for on-the-go enjoyment

Keeps drinks cold all day

Large capacity

Heavy when full

Cumbersome to clean

Dribbles after dispensing

BruMate’s BackTap is an insulated cooler meets drink dispenser. It holds 3 gallons—or 14+ slim cans, 12 standard 12-ounce cans, or five bottles of wine. But if you don’t want to fill it with bottles or cans, you can fill the removable stainless steel insert with liquid and use the attached tap to pour drinks straight from the container.

We used it on a boat and had margaritas on tap for the entire day. It comes with a vent plug on the lid that you can pull to release pressure, which sped up the flow quite a bit. Although it did dribble a bit after releasing the button.

The BackTap also has backpack straps, so you can throw the unit over your shoulders and hit the road, or you can carry it by the attached metal handle. Its portable nature means it’s great for the beach, tailgates, road trips, and more, although it is quite heavy when full, and its large size can make cleaning a challenge. It’s available in six different colorways, ranging from a red and black swirl to denim.

Material: Rotomolded thermoplastic | Capacity: 3 gallons | Size: 13 x 14.8 inches | Weight: 13 pounds

Comes with colored lids and plain lids

Wide mouth for easy filling

Comes with ice bucket to keep drinks cold

Plastic spigot feels flimsy

Slow spigot flow

Chalkboard tags are difficult to write on

Ideal for parties, this set from Pioneer Woman allows you to serve two different beverages to give your guests variety. Great for tea, punch, lemonade, and more, the set comes with two 1-gallon glass dispensers with spigots and twist on/off lids, plus an ice bucket to help keep drinks cold and two chalkboards and a chalk pencil so you can write the contents on each dispenser.

We tested it with tea and lemonade at gatherings, and added fruit and ice. We found that the set is great for parties and serving multiple drinks, but the plastic spigot and chalkboard tags could be improved.

Material: Glass | Capacity: 1 gallon each | Size: 16.5 x 11 x 16.5 inches | Weight: 9 pounds

We tested five products over a two-week period. To start, we unboxed and cleaned the drink dispensers according to the manufacturer’s instructions. Then, we filled the drink dispensers with a beverage of choice, which often included ice, fresh fruit, and other additions. After each use, we emptied the dispensers and cleaned them as directed. Drink dispensers were used at least twice during the testing period.

All drink dispensers were hand washed due to the size, even if they could be used in the dishwasher. Common critiques were that the dispenser spout was too high on the body of the dispenser and that the spout would leak after dispensing.

Southern Living / Melanie Fincher

The most common materials used for drink dispensers are glass, stainless steel, and various types of plastic (such as Tritan). Determining what you plan to put in the dispenser can help determine which material is best for your needs.

Glass is best for cold liquids, while stainless steel is commonly used to keep liquids hot. Plastics can go either way, but are also commonly used for cold beverages. Keep in mind though that glass can easily shatter, stainless steel can be scorchingly hot to the touch, and certain plastics can crack quickly.

When buying a dispenser, think about how many people you’re going to be serving. Having a small dinner party for four people? You can probably get away with a 1- or 2-gallon dispenser. Trying to keep an entire soccer team from getting parched? You’re going to want to invest in a dispenser that holds 3 gallons or more.

It’s very important to know if the drink dispenser you’re buying is safe for the dishwasher or not before you buy. Some acrylic models can crack easily with the heat from a dishwasher, and lots of glass models are best for handwashing only.

It’s also important to make sure the spigot is easy to clean, especially if you’re dispensing things like sangria or punch that might have fruit mixed in the liquid. It might be best to detach the spigot and clean it thoroughly in these instances.

For hot beverages, it’s best to use a dispenser made for hot drinks. These will commonly have a place for a fuel box or a small candle to place underneath the dispenser, which helps keep liquids hot. For cold drinks, you can place ice inside an ice cylinder if the unit has one, or place ice directly inside the dispenser. Just know that if you place ice inside the dispenser mixed with your liquid, your drinks will be diluted.

Opinions vary on what the most durable material is, but most would agree that glass and acrylic are top choices. Ulises Arzamendi, a mixologist with Fairmont Mayakoba, prefers to use glass because it’s a more sustainable choice and can be reused over and over. “Acrylic is very resistant, but has a shorter lifetime as it loses its aesthetics very quickly,” he says. But Dancey York, director of bar and entertainment for Alma at Hotel Zachary, loves glass dispensers. “I’m a fan of an easy clean up, and premium-grade glass can often be tossed into the dishwasher,” she says.

Typically, beverage dispensers can range anywhere from around $25 to $200 or more, depending on the brand, capacity, materials, and features.

Amanda Ogle is a freelance writer and editor with seven years of experience covering food and drink, travel, and general lifestyle topics. To finalize our recommendations, we tested all the drink dispensers on our list for a two-week period, considering factors such as style, capacity, size, materials, and how the dispensers could be used. For expert insight, Ogle consulted with numerous mixologists including Dancey York, director of bar and entertainment for Alma at Hotel Zachary, and Ulises Arzamendi, a mixologist with Fairmont Mayakoba.