Table of Contents
- Bottled Water Savings: What Actually Cuts Your Spend
- Quick Comparison: Solutions for Home, Work and Travel
- Bottled Water Alternatives for the Home Kitchen
- Choosing a Water Filter for Home Use
- Picking an Office Water Dispenser That Pays for Itself
- On-the-Go Options: Reusable Bottles and Filter Bottles
- Water Filter Replacement: The Cost Nobody Budgets For
- Which Solution Should You Pick?
- Frequently Asked Questions
Last Updated: October 19, 2026
Bottled Water Savings: What Actually Cuts Your Spend
Bottled water savings start with one simple shift: stop buying water you can filter at the tap. Every litre you replace with filtered tap water removes a recurring cost from your household or office budget, and the savings compound week after week.
At Awesome Water®, we have supplied filtration systems and coolers since 2011. Below, we break down the practical options for homes, workplaces and travel, and what each one costs to run.
Here is the part most guides get wrong: the purchase price is not the number that matters. The number that matters is cost per litre over the life of the system, including filter replacement. A cheap unit with expensive cartridges can cost more than a better-built one.
Quick Comparison: Solutions for Home, Work and Travel
The right choice depends on volume. A single person filling one bottle a day needs something very different from an office kitchen serving twenty staff.
| Solution | Best For | Typical Upfront Cost | Ongoing Cost | Space Needed |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Under-sink reverse osmosis | Families, high-volume home use | $494.99 | Filter replacements | Under-sink cupboard |
| Gravity-fed stainless filter | Camping, travel, no plumbing | $490.00 | Ceramic candle cleaning | Bench or shelf |
| Plumbed bench top dispenser | Small offices, home offices | $745.00 | Filter replacements | Bench top |
| Plumbed floor standing dispenser | Offices with high consumption | $775.00 | Filter replacements | Floor space |
| Self-fill filter bottle | Commuters, gym, desk | $149.00 | Filter replacements | Bag or desk |
| Reusable stainless bottle | Everyday carry, paired with filtered water | $47.50 | None beyond washing | Bag or desk |
Two patterns stand out. First, plumbed systems cost more upfront but remove the ongoing purchase of bottled water entirely. Second, portable options are cheap to buy but only deliver savings if you are refilling from a filtered source rather than buying bottles to pour into them.
Bottled Water Alternatives for the Home Kitchen
The kitchen is where most bottled water spending happens, and it is where the biggest savings are available. A family that replaces daily bottled water purchases with filtered tap water can find the system offers long-term savings.
Three home options are worth considering:
- Under-sink reverse osmosis: plumbed in, hidden away, produces purified water on demand from a dedicated tap
- Gravity-fed stainless filter: no plumbing or power required, portable, suited to camping and holiday homes
- Plumbed bench top dispenser: sits on the bench, offers chilled and ambient water, needs a nearby water connection
Under-Sink Reverse Osmosis: The Highest-Volume Home Option
Reverse osmosis is the highest-volume home option because it treats water continuously and stores it in a pressure tank for immediate use. The Awesome Water 5 Stage Reverse Osmosis System produces up to approximately 378 litres per day under suitable conditions, which comfortably covers drinking, cooking and food preparation for a household.
The five stages handle different jobs. Sediment filtration captures rust and particles. Two carbon stages reduce chlorine, tastes and odours. The reverse osmosis membrane does the heavy lifting, helping reduce fluoride, heavy metals, pesticides and dissolved impurities. A final carbon stage polishes the taste before the water reaches the tap.
The unit and its storage tank both need cupboard space, and a separate hole may be needed in the sink or benchtop for the dedicated tap. Measure before ordering.
Choosing a Water Filter for Home Use
A water filter for home use should be chosen by matching filtration to your actual water concerns, not by buying the most stages available. Start by identifying what you want removed, then check the system addresses it.
Work through these questions in order:
- What is your main concern: fluoride, heavy metals, chlorine taste, or sediment?
- How many litres does your household drink and cook with each day?
- Do you have under-sink cupboard space for a unit and storage tank?
- Can you connect to the cold water supply and drainage?
- What do replacement filters cost, and how often are they needed?
- Does the system suit your water pressure and incoming water quality?
If fluoride is the priority, check the system explicitly states it reduces fluoride.
Picking an Office Water Dispenser That Pays for Itself
An office water dispenser can offer savings when it replaces bottled water deliveries and the staff time spent managing them.
For workplaces with ten or more staff, a plumbed commercial system is usually the sensible route. The Awesome Water Commercial Cold Water System produces 70 litres per hour of instant chilled water and uses a 3-in-1 combination tap that replaces the standard kitchen faucet, so it delivers hot, cold and filtered water from one fixture. The Sparkling Water System adds chilled sparkling water on demand for staff who want it.
Smaller offices have a simpler path. The Eclipse Auto Fill bench top dispenser offers chilled and ambient or hot and cold water, a 2.5 litre stainless steel cold tank and a 3-year comprehensive warranty. For higher consumption, the Big Belly Auto Fill holds a 12 litre cooling reservoir and plumbs directly to the water source, removing bottle changes entirely.
AWESOME WATER - Stainless Steel Water Bottle →
On-the-Go Options: Reusable Bottles and Filter Bottles
On-the-go savings only work if the water comes from somewhere free. A reusable bottle filled at home or the office costs nothing per use. A filter bottle lets you refill from a tap you would not otherwise trust.
The Awesome Water Stainless Steel Bottle is a 700ml food-grade 304 stainless steel bottle weighing approximately 142 grams, with a screw-on sports lid, flip-top cover and pull stopper.
For refilling away from a trusted tap, the Waterworks Self-Fill Filter Bottle filters as you fill. This is the option for gym-goers, commuters and travellers who want filtered water without carrying a separate system.
Water Filter Replacement: The Cost Nobody Budgets For
Water filter replacement is the recurring cost that decides whether a system is genuinely cheap to run.
For the 5 Stage Reverse Osmosis System, pre-filter cartridges should generally be replaced approximately every six months. The post-carbon filter follows the recommended maintenance schedule, and membrane life depends on incoming water quality, usage and maintenance. Areas with high sediment or dissolved solids will need more frequent changes.
Factor this into your maths before buying:
- Replacement cartridge cost, multiplied by changes per year
- Any professional installation or servicing required
- The cost of skipping replacements, which is reduced performance and, eventually, a failed membrane
Filter replacement is not optional maintenance. It is the running cost of the system, and it belongs in your bottled water savings calculation from day one.
Which Solution Should You Pick?
Match the solution to where the water is consumed, and the savings follow.
- Family home, high volume: the 5 Stage Reverse Osmosis System at $494.99, with filter changes budgeted twice yearly
- Small office or home office: the Eclipse Auto Fill bench top dispenser at $745.00
- Workplace with ten or more staff: the Commercial Cold Water System at $4,000.00, or the Sparkling Water System at $4,500.00 if sparkling is wanted
- Camping, travel or no plumbing: the Gravity-Fed Stainless Steel Water Filter at $490.00
- Commuting and the gym: the Stainless Steel Bottle at $47.50, or the Self-Fill Filter Bottle at $149.00 for refills away from home
The throughline is simple. Pick the system that matches your volume, budget the replacement filters honestly, and stop paying per litre for something your tap already delivers.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the cheapest alternative to bottled water?
A plumbed-in filtration system usually works out cheapest over time because you stop paying per bottle. The Awesome Water 5 Stage Reverse Osmosis System costs $494.99 as a one-off, then only filter replacements. Compare that to roughly $60 a month on bottled water and the system pays for itself in under a year. If you rent or move often, a gravity-fed filter at $490.00 or a filter bottle at $149.00 avoids plumbing altogether.
Are bottleless water coolers cheaper than bottled water coolers?
Bottleless coolers remove the per-bottle delivery charge entirely. The Awesome Water Big Belly AutoFill bench top unit costs $755.00 and plumbs straight into your water supply, so you fill from the tap rather than ordering spring water. Over a year of office use, the savings on bottle deliveries and storage space can be significant. You also avoid the lifting, storing and swapping of 15kg bottles.
Is filtered tap water a good alternative to bottled water?
For most households, yes. A water filter for home use reduces chlorine, sediment, heavy metals and, depending on the system, fluoride. The Awesome Water 5 Stage Reverse Osmosis System is designed to reduce up to 99% of many unwanted contaminants, including fluoride, and produces up to 378 litres a day. That covers drinking, cooking and rinsing produce, which is where most bottled water spending goes.
How often should water filters be replaced?
It depends on the system and your incoming water quality. On the Awesome Water 5 Stage Reverse Osmosis System, pre-filter cartridges should generally be replaced about every six months, while the post-carbon filter and membrane follow their own schedules. Gravity-fed ceramic candles can be cleaned and reused. Build water filter replacement into your budget from day one so it never arrives as a surprise expense.
Are reusable water bottles worth it?
A reusable bottle only saves money if you fill it with water you did not pay a premium for. The Awesome Water Stainless Steel Bottle holds 700ml, weighs about 142g and costs $47.50, so it pays for itself after roughly 25 to 30 single-use bottles. Pair it with filtered water at home or a workplace dispenser and the ongoing cost per litre drops close to zero.
Replacing bottled water is a decision about where your water comes from, and it is worth getting right the first time. Awesome Water® is a proudly Australian family-owned business operating since 2011, with a wide range of filtration products, specialised fluoride removal filters and a physical showroom where you can see the systems before you commit. Explore the showroom with Awesome Water® and find the system that fits your kitchen, your office or your bag.