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This Countertop Dispenser Is My New Favorite Party Hack

It goes anywhere you go, and immediately makes a party way more entertaining.

Russell Holly

Russell Holly is a Managing Editor on the Commerce team at CNET. He works with all of CNET to assemble top recommendations as well as helping everyone find the best way to buy anything at the best price. When not writing for CNET you can find him riding a bike, running around in Jedi robes, or contributing to WOSU public radio's Tech Tuesday segment.

Expertise 7 years experience as a smartphone reviewer and analyst, 5 years experience as a competitive cyclist Credentials

Author of Taking your Android Tablets to the Max

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Russell Holly

May 19, 2023 6:53 a.m. PT

2 min read

As the temperature increases and the days grow longer, gathering a group of friends somewhere and enjoying good conversation and silly games over a couple of drinks is one of my favorite ways to spend a day. And while filling a cooler with cans or bottles is fine, I love a good cocktail to match the event. What I don't love is playing bartender when there's fun to be had, which led me down a rabbit hole that has totally changed the way I plan for outdoor events.

I used to bring a full cooler of mixing equipment, but now I make a big batch of something delicious at home and toss my new favorite accessory in a bag.

Battery-powered dispenser $30 at Amazon

While its Amazon page lists it as a water dispenser, a quick look at how it functions quickly revealed it didn't matter what liquid was on the other end as long as it was liquid. As an experiment, I spent the $27 to see what this little dispenser was actually capable of. Mechanically, this is little more than a pump with a long tube coming out of the back and a nice-looking spout to dispense. The base with the pump has a battery, which charges via USB-C and easily lasted through two full days of use.

Because it's battery-powered, I was able to toss it in a bag and bring it outside for everyone to enjoy. The tube dropped down into a sealed pitcher surrounded by ice and filled with a big batch of rum punch, and that's it. You set your glass down on the platter, push the button and in a few seconds you have a perfect pour. There's a secondary button for choosing how much is dispensed, with six options ranging from 100ml (3.4 ounces) to 1 liter (33.8 ounces). I set mine to 300ml (10.1 ounces) and wandered off. Everyone immediately understood how it worked, and was delighted by being able to quickly grab a drink with no mess.

It's simple, easy to clean, relatively inexpensive and you can use it with just about anything. Whether you're setting up a hydration station for a long day in the sun, a no-spill juice station for kids or a cocktail spot for a killer evening, this is my new favorite party trick.

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