Bought this to use for a continuous-brew kombucha system. It is as promised: holds about 2.5 gallons and is a pleasant off-white color. I have noticed some staining inside, but honestly with the amount of tea I've put thru here I'm not surprised. I haven't noticed any off flavors or sediment (other than the yeast sediment to be expected with kombucha).

Mine did not come with a plastic ring for the top, which someone else mentioned receiving. I don't need it, so I don't mind, but if you're expecting it you might be disappointed.

Note that I did exchange the plastic spigot that comes with this for a Yonik Stainless Steel Replacement Spigot/Faucet for Beverage Dispenser (Polished Finish). That spigot has not leaked at all, but I can't speak to how the plastic one was.

Love the stainless steel. Using with a 3 gal job of water. No leaks from the top or from the valve assembly. Easy to put together. Simple to wipe down. Dispenser is plastic. I bought a stainless steel dispenser instead. The washers with the stainless steel dispenser stunk like a fragrance chemical. Days in sunlight did nothing. Tried the washers from the plastic dispenser included with enviro product. Fit just fine. Up and going and now I have a stainless steel container, stainless steel dispenser, and no leaks.

I noticed the same problem as another reviewer - the bottom. It's basically think metal in a circle shape that touches the counter. It doesn't feel that smooth or safe for a counter. I put an old cardboard back of a pad of paper down as a mat for the container. The bottom could use a redesign to be less hurtful to counters. Will it scratch a counter? I don't know. I don't want to chance it. Replacing a counter costs more than a mat to cushion this enviro container.

We got this to replace a plastic dispenser that screws onto the jug bottle openings. We had a fairly new one that just kept leaking with any bottle we tried. So we didn't want to muck around with the screw on dispenser caps, their o-rings, and all that stuff. They say the screw on dispensers don't leak and they're partially right. It doesn't "leak," it just drips out the excess water on your floor after a few seconds of closing the dispenser. Kind of like if you suck water up a straw, hold at an angle, and let go. Air comes up the bottom, water goes out. That's what we kept having with the dispensers that go on top of jugs.

So we tried this. It's so easy and so nice. When it's empty, I just wipe it out, easy to clean in seconds. Load up a new jug. Back in business. No leaks and no more drip drip drip like we had with the screw on cap dispensers. Haven't tried the plastic dispenser included with the enviro; we used a separate stainless steel dispenser. I love this enviro product. We still have a bowl on the floor just in case of a leak, spill, or whatever ... thanks to years of drips from the old screw on dispenser we used before this enviro. It's so nice to wake up and see the bowl dry with the enviro container.

Will it hold a 5 gallon? I don't know. 5 gallons is beyond my weight limit. Works great with 3 gallon jugs.

I absolutely LOVE this dispenser. I'm going on my 3rd batch of continuous brew kombucha in this and it's been PERFECT.

What I love:
-Sturdy
-Plastic spout
-Holds 2 gallons
-Physical Appearance is really nice and minimalist
-The plastic ring that allows me to easily keep a thin towel over my kombucha. Bugs stay out and air comes in!

Things to be aware of:
-The bottom is rough! So don't pull it across your counter or table. It could scratch (I'm going to put some felt on the bottom to fix this issue).
-Not a lightweight container, so it will be heavy when filled with 2 gallons of water. Not a con at all, just something to be aware of when you go to pick it up!

I could not be happier with this dispenser. I recommend it to all my friends who are getting serious about Kombucha brewing, as nothing else makes sense once you've found this perfect, extremely functional, and visually appealing device.

I purchased this to use to brew Kombucha and it is perfect! I ordered two SCOBYs from Kombucha Kamp and already had a really nice baby SCOBY after three days.

The glaze is beautiful and it looks really nice on my counter top. I went ahead and ordered a stainless steel spigot. I think it looks nicer than the plastic one that comes with the container. It also comes with the plastic ring on top which I use to hold down my fabric top cover.

If you want to start brewing Kombucha, this is the perfect solution.

After Flint, Michigan, we were a little nervous about our apartment water. We couldn't attach a water filter to our faucet, so we were delighted when we stumbled across this product. We have been using it for almost a year, and are still amazed at how well it holds up. Not only does it keep our five-gallon container firmly in place, but the spout is very easy to pour. Since the dispenser is so visually appealing, it actually added to the clean look and feel of our apartment. This product isn't overly heavy, is easy to clean, and very simple to assemble. We use this daily for our everyday water, as well as brewing kombucha at home. I love the versatility it offers when we have small gatherings too. I would highly recommend this to anyone looking for a long-lasting product that will look great in your space.