Good user experience is when you make people download an app and create an account before they can get the thing that they actually want. That way you can delight users with the smooth animations and refined typography of the app.
Also let's talk about where this is, cause there are a ton of places in the US and abroad where you could make a strong argument that you're obstructing access to clean water. It's like if you had to pay five bucks to sit in the non smoking section.
On second though, I've considered the most ethical thing to do might be to bring your own big ass Brita-style pitcher w/ filter and fill it from the free option as slowly as possible.
The most ethical thing to do is destroy the dispenser. Over and over. Until it’s too expensive to replace and the softhanded failsons behind it take the L on their water-renting idea.
Reefill no longer exists, but in case anyone else tries:
Better method: Open it up.
Chances are it isn't actually that complicated, just a computer in between the button and the valve or however these fountains work.
Bypass it.
Defile any sort of mention of cost on the top. This is free now.
In my experience, most of these small brand techbro things, like rent able bikes are not like the Juicero.
Making custom electric bikes, Scooters, Water fountains.
EXPENSIVE.
Take an existing product, stick a microcontroller in it to operate some kinda lock?
CHEAP AND EASY!
I had a fellow machinist who took apart a Juicero, and the amount of overbuild was insane.
Centerless-ground shafts. Machined gears. Brass bushings for rotating assemblies. The thing was built like an airplane, they had to have lost hundreds on every single machine.
