Rent or Buy Water Dispenser in Malaysia | Pros, Cons and Solutions
Water purifiers are essential for offices and homes. Even with high clean water standards by SYABAS and other water consortium; once water hits the old piping systems around Malaysia it will be filled with sediments. So, renting or buying a water dispenser in Malaysia is important.
Moving water from storage to another, also increases exposure to bacterial growth. Water tanks for homes and condos are also places where bacteria and algae will thrive, when there is lack of maintenance cleaning.
At the very least, basic filtration is needed to remove sediments and chlorine (taste and smell) before consuming water from the pipes.
Option: 1 Renting Water Purifiers
There are plenty of rental brands such as SK Magic, Cuckoo and Coway that will rent a water purifier for a monthly cost. This will include paying for the unit itself and with the scheduled maintenance plan. The shortest rental is 3 years and the longest being 7 years. This is very convenient when you do not want to fork out lump sum cash to purchase and not deal with maintenance yourself.
Usually service is done every 4 months to clean the water tank and replace the filters. The rental option is suitable for people or offices that want to have a hassle-free approach to having a water purifier unit. Especially in higher quantities.
PROS:
– No full price payment upfront. For businesses in particular, this is good.
– Maintenance and warranty are covered by the appliance rental company. You do not need to pay more (as according to the rental contract).
– Some brands give a free once per year relocation. No cost and hassle on your part to move the purifier.
– Affordable promo prices when available (contract will be a minimum of 5 years rental to enjoy the promo rate).
– Full product replacement if purifier is faulty.
– Free parts replacement at no additional cost.
CONS:
– You don’t own the water purifier until the stipulated contract period. May not matter so much for most people.
– Cancelling within contract period will incur a penalty fee. Can be solved by transferring owner name to another person. This way there are no charges.
– The vast variety of models to choose. Just know what features/ benefits you need and what budget you’re willing to pay per month.
SOLUTION:
You may like the rental concept but perhaps you don’t want to hang on too long on a contract. So, the best solution is when you want to quit contract, you can just find a family or friend who can continue the leftover rental month period. You pay nothing in penalty fees this way. Always check with the rental brands on what are the penalty fees and alternatives when opting to terminate the rental contract earlier
Option 2: Buy and Own Water Dispensers
Independent water filter stores sell a variety of water purifiers, from USA, China, Japan and Korea. Though Made in Korea water purifier products are more common. Outright purchase allows you to own unit with at least a one-year warranty. This does not include parts maintenance and servicing as it maybe charged separately.
For full purchase water dispensers, check with the sellers that they would come at least a minimum of every 6 months. Any more than 6 months can lead to algae and bacterial growth in the water tank. Stainless steel tank steam cleaning and wiping should be every 4 to 6 months. Plastic on the other hand, will have to be every 2 to 4 months (algae and sediments tend to stick on plastic easily).
The average rate is RM150 for the workmanship (including water tank cleaning) and about RM80 per filter. Purifiers usually use 3 to 4 filters. So, your total for every service can amount to RM470
Sediment and carbon filters can last up to 6 months maximum depending on volume usage. UF (ultrafine) membrane lifespan is up to 12 months. Reverse Osmosis filter is anywhere from 12 months to 24 months
A possible problem is that a lot of the independent sellers do not have a service schedule and do not perform a thorough cleaning of the tank. So, be sure to check with them on their service standards and frequency.
PROS:
– You get the own unit if you prefer it that way.
– No monthly payments. One off full purchase.
CONS:
– Separate charges for servicing, parts, filters and warranty. May cost more than the monthly rental brands in the long term.
-Uncertain cleaning standards from different independent water purifier businesses. You must ask to find out about their cleaning procedure.
-Limited to one-year warranty depending on seller.
-If sellers no longer provide service, you need to search another supplier or solve maintenance on your own.
SOLUTION:
You need to have some basic understanding of the water filters, piping and cleaning procedure if you want to take the trouble to perform maintenance. Usually the hot and cold function can last up to 5 years without manufacturing defects. For a large office, the maintenance crew would be able to look after it with the necessary parts and equipment.
CONCLUSION
If you do not want to trouble yourself with maintenance and prefer not to outright purchase; then water purifier rental plans would suit well for you. If you want to own it and do not mind maintaining yourself, then purchase it along with the filters and equipment.