Best Kegerators for Home Brewers

Do you need an ice-cold glass of beer after a long week of working from home? How about an ice cold beer on tap?

Well, you probably should have your homebrews chilled to perfection in a dual tap keg system like this one I have.

Amidst the many changes and constant evolution of our world, beer has not gone anywhere. In this article, we’ll share with you the benefits of you beer enthusiasts having a kegerator in your home’s comfort.

And of course, we’ll also list down and review the best kegerators on the market.

5 Best Kegerators You Should Consider Investing In

07/02/2024 06:01 pm GMT

Investing in a kegerator is cost-efficient for those who love beer or any alcoholic drink.

There are so many options of kegerators at Costco, Amazon, you name it. With so many keg size options at your disposal, it surely is challenging to find the one that best suits your needs and overall satisfaction.

Thankfully, this review is here to break down some of the best kegerators on the market today.

The next part will break own each kegerator’s features, contents, pros, and cons. After reading each kegerator type, hopefully, you will have an easier time weighing the options. This will help you make the smart decision with regard to buying the best kegerator to buy for your home or even your business.

Kegco Dual Tap Freestanding Beer Dispenser

This Kegco Dual Tap Freestanding Beer Dispenser is on a league of its own. It’s one of the best kegerators on this list. In terms of aesthetic looks, it features a black matte exterior gives off a sleek style. It’s also headlined by stainless steel and a dual tap faucet made out of chrome materials.

These characteristics alone make this the best-looking kegerator so far. Unfortunately, as they say in the movies, “Looks can be deceiving.”

Fortunately, this kegerator contains three solid features that make it stand out from the pack’s rest.  

1. First, you can control the temperature while brewing your beer. It has a temperature range of 32 degrees to 75 degrees Fahrenheit. This particular kegerator has a built-in digital LED display of your beer’s temperature.
2. Second, it contains a massive interior that can fit up to a full-sized keg worth of beer. With this, you won’t have to worry about running out of beer supply during your house parties or business meetings.
3. The third feature is its fan-forced cooling system. This cooling type makes this kegerator operate at a very productive pace. Your warm kegs will be cooled in no time.

This machine also contains safety parts such as the easy-to-clean drip tray and rail guard made out of chrome.

You can also lock the casters once you have given your kegerator a permanent position in your home. The machine’s base contains an evenly spaced out stainless steel mat.

This ensures your kegerator does not get damaged due to the weight’s pressure. This smooth mat also gives you an easier time rolling the kegs both in and out of the refrigerator.

The Kegco Dual Tap Freestanding Beer Dispenser surely makes a case to be the best kegerator on this list.

Benefits

• ​The forced-fan cooling feature enables the machine’s interior to uniformly cool. The temperatures range from 32 to 75 degrees Fahrenheit.
• ​Its interior is very huge, thus giving you more than enough space to store your full-sized kegs.
• It features a fan-forced cooling system.
• It has casters at the base. These enable you to move around the kegerator from one spot to another. All casters can be locked for stable positioning.
• It has a multi-purpose functioned. It can be used as a refrigerator when inserting the wire racks that come along with it.

Risks

• ​It can create an annoying background noise when the internal fan is turned on. This may throw off some people during your gatherings.
• The faucet sometimes freezes at its lowest temperature. As a result, the tap becomes difficult to open, and the beer from its keg might not flow consistently.

Nostalgia KRS2100 Full Size Kegerator Draft Beer Faucet

Another kegerator where you will be getting your money’s worth is this Full Size Draft Beer Kegerator. It has a slim design that suits those who want to save space in their dining room or home bar.

Its stylish black body complements this slender look, making this kegerator a solid add-on to your house decorations.

Despite its peg as a ‘mini kegerator,’ it can hold full-sized kegs of up to 5.1 cubic feet, so you don’t have to worry about running out of beer supply with this portable kegerator.

It features a chrome-plated faucet that is 13 inches tall. The faucet is spring-loaded, which enables your beer to flow out of the keg in an instant.

The guardrail surrounds the machine’s top surface. Its job is to avoid glasses from breaking and your beer from spilling. The bottom portions of this kegerator do not disappoint as well.

The 4 roll casters located below the machine make it easier for you to move around the kegerator to wherever you want to position it.

The two front casters also have brakes, which you can use to lock these wheels to your desired spot. This helps avoid the accidental movement of your kegs.

The Nostalgia KRS2100 also comes with two regulators. These are important when monitoring output pressure and CO2 amounts.

The regulators are connected to the CO2 tank, which can hold up to 2.5 pounds of CO2 pressure. If you are new to handling kegerators, the double meters are there to display pressure readings. Therefore, you can easily adjust the pressure to your liking.

Lastly, It contains a wire rack, which means this kegerator can also serve as a normal refrigerator.

Indeed, these features mentioned above prove why the Nostalgia KRS2100 is the best kegerator for sale.

Advantages

• It has a volume of 5.1 cubic feet. This is more than enough for your full-sized kegs to fit.
• ​It has a thermostat so you can modify the interior’s temperature range.
• ​Its drip tray can be detached if you want to clean it. It’s also designed with stainless steel, which makes it durable and corrosion-resistant.
• The machine’s base has canisters and brakes. This allows you to move around the kegerator with ease.
• It is powered by an automatic tap dispenser.

Disadvantages

• There is no digital display for your beer’s temperature. So you might be required to manually read the thermostat if you want to check out the temperature readings.
• It only has a single faucet and tap. You and your guests may need to fall in line to refill your glasses and beer mugs one at a time.

EdgeStar KC7000SSTRIP Full-Size Triple Tap Tower Cooled Built-In Kegerator

The EdgeStar KC7000SSTRIP also has some unique characteristics of its own. For starters, it boasts of three dispensing taps. Not 1, not 2, but 3! Personally, this is one of the best characteristics of this kegerator.

This factor alone will attract many beer drinkers and lovers who want to distribute beer to their friends at a rapid pace.

These faucets are made of stainless steel, making it durable and resistant from potential corrosion and rust.

This machine performs one of the best in terms of its high cooling power. It is provided by a cooling system that uses forced air, a system for ventilating in front, and a tower dispenser, which the air cools.

This is a significant advantage if you need your keg fridge to swiftly cool your warm keg. You can enjoy your deep chill beer thanks to this feature. Its built-in thermostat enables you to lower the kegerator’s internal temperature to your liking. The lowest it can go is 32 degrees F

This machine also contains a CO2 tank, which is essential for controlling the CO2 pressure for the perfect pour. Besides the tank, it also comes with a CO2 regulator with double meters. This helps determine more precise and accurate readings.

Its interior can be lit up using LED lights. This is helpful for viewing components and kegs clearly, especially at night. This machine is surrounded by a heavy-duty guardrail that will make sure your glasses stay in place. It also has a drip tray that collects excess beer drips.

The kegerator’s interior base is reinforced so that each keg’s weight is evenly distributed and withstood. In effect, this won’t cause any sort of damage to the bottom part of the machine. Lastly, it has four casters that will help you move your kegerator to where you want it to be.

All in all, this is the best kegerator in terms of the number of dispenser taps and cooling power.

Advantages

• It contains three dispensing taps.
• It has a powerful cooling system. This makes your warm keg cool in an instant.
• The body is built with stainless steel. This makes your machine durable.
• The control panel’s screen gives you an easier time going over the temperature readings.
• The door’s swivel direction is reversible.

Disadvantages

• Its exterior design may be too plain and bland for some.
• Unlike other kegerators, this does not have a refrigerator add-on.

EdgeStar BR3001SS Full Size Tower Cooled

The EdgeStar BR3001SS Full Size Tower has some unique features that outdo other kegerators. For starters, this full-size kegerator has a customizable dispensing tower. This means you can choose to go for either a single tap or dual tap kegerator.

Other kegerators have built-in faucets that you can’t change any more. This machine lets you customize your dispenser to your liking

Another special feature is the deep chill mode. By pushing the button, you can quickly cool down a warm beer keg. This can be done by overdriving the machine’s cooling compressor.

It is a user-friendly product due to its control panel and LED display of the temperature readings

For logistics purposes, it contains a drip tray and guardrails surrounding the topmost part of the machine. These ensure that no messes are made, and beer mugs are fully intact. It also consists of two selves where you can keep your beer, other drinks, and even some food. Basically, this kegerator can also serve as your refrigerator.

As with any other product, this machine’s base has four casters. This makes your product easy to move around without any lifting required.

You cannot possibly go wrong with the EdgeStar BR3001SS Full Size as the best kegerator in terms of customization and unique features.

Advantages

• You can customize your dispenser tower to your liking.
• It has a Special Deep Chill mode feature. This allows your warm kegs to quickly cool down with the push of a button.
• This has tons of interior space. You can store more multiple keg types and sizes.
• It has an LED display that lets you read the digital temperature reading.
• The beer and keg temperature can range from 32 degrees to 50 degrees Fahrenheit.

Disadvantages

• Because this machine is customizable, it does not come with a dispenser kit. This might not be ideal for beginners.
• The absence of a dispenser kit means you will have to pay for this kegerator and dispenser kit separately. This may be more expensive for you.

Keggermeister KM2800BK Kegerator Full-Size Single-Tap Beer Refrigerator and Dispenser

If you need a sturdy and sustainable kegerator, then the Keggermeister KM2800BK is the one for you. Its interior space is large enough to store a full-sized keg and the CO2 tank.

The kegerator’s inner compartment also features a built-in thermometer. This allows you to manipulate and change the temperature to what you want it to be.

For those who want a fashionable kegerator, this product will meet your expectations in terms of aesthetic appeal.

The Keggermeister KM2800BK kegerator has a matte black look that enhances the kegerator’s interior and exterior. It’s also designed with stainless steel, which gives the keg a modern design.

Its single faucet, which is made up of black and chrome surface materials, and adds to its attractive look.

Moreover, this machine also has a drip tray on top of the kegerator. This is to make sure your beer does not go to waste. After all, every single drop counts, right?

The top part also features a chrome-based guardrail. This ensures that your glasses and beer mugs are secured from slipping off the holder, resulting in breakages.

The cooling system of this kegerator can keep your beer fresh for around 3 months. It also consists of four wheels on the bottom, making it easier to set up and move around the house.

Lastly, it contains a full kit for distributing your drink all the way from the kegs. The Keggermeister KM2800BK kegerator will store your homemade kegs or popular kegs all over the market. Indeed, you will be making a solid investment with this option.

Benefits

• It can produce 3 months’ worth of freshly-brewed beer.
• ​The machine’s interior features a large space. This is good enough for storing your kegs.
• ​Its base contains four casters that enable your kegerator to easily move from a specific spot to another.
• ​Two out of the four casters contain breaks with that can lock the kegerator at your desired position.
• ​The dispenser faucet is backed up by sturdy materials. It has a drip tray below it to collect excess drips.

Risks

• It only has one faucet. This could be disadvantageous, especially if you’re hosting a party with multiple people.
• The temperature is not displayed digitally. Therefore, you have to read it manually.

What is a kegerator?

A kegerator is a combination of a refrigerator and a small barrel called keg. One of its functions is to preserve the beer’s taste, aroma, and fizz. Therefore, you won’t need to worry about your beer losing its flavor. Another role of the kegerator is to maintain your beer’s temperature. It will maintain your desired temperature for the duration of your beer night.

Lastly, they use faucets to aid you in pouring the ideal pint for your glass. In short, they make sure your glass has the optimal volume.

Questions to Consider

Before we hop into the different types of kegerators, we need to answer these two questions:

1. What are the parts of a kegerator?
2. Why should you buy a kegerator?

What are the Important Parts of a kegerator?

Before buying the best kegerator for your household, you need to familiarize yourself with the different parts that make up this machine along with keg sizes.

There are 18 parts all in all. To make it easier on your part, we’ll list down and describe your kegerator’s most notable parts.

It’s important to note that the rest of the kegerator will not function if you take away one part.

• Faucet Handle

This is located at the topmost part of the kegerator. You pull on to the handle so that the beer stored in your keg is released.

You can choose from a wide category of tap handles. These can go from plain to customizable.

Some kegerators have a dual tap feature, wherein their product features multiple handles.

• Faucet

This is located at the topmost part of the kegerator. You pull on to the handle so that the cold draft beer stored in your keg is released.

Being one of the most used parts, it can also be one of the dirtiest as well. It pays to clean the faucet regularly to avoid your beer from spoiling or losing its flavor.

• Beer Tower

This tube-like tower grasps the beer lines that flow from faucet to keg. Most towers are tall enough to keep your beer glasses (for example, pint glasses) below the faucet.

• Guard Rail

The guard rail adds an aesthetic element to most kegerators too. This part stands out for most kegerator owners.

More importantly, they make sure that your beer glasses don’t fall from the top. This avoids spillage and broken glasses from happening.

• Drip Tray

The drip tray keeps extra droplets or amounts of beer from overflowing glasses and spills. It ensures that you won’t make a mess on the dining table.

• Regulator

The kegerator regulator lets you monitor the amount of CO2 pressure on your keg. This part will inform you when it is time to refill the CO2 tank.

• CO2 Tube

This enables the CO2 to flow through your kegerator. This lets the beer flow out of the faucet at a constant rate, giving you the perfect amount that isn’t too little nor too much.

• Keg Coupler

The keg coupler is a tap that is placed onto the keg and mechanized by the gas line.

• Half-Barrel Keg

The half-barrel keg stands as one of the most vital parts of your kegerator. The half-barrel keg avoids your beer from spoiling or losing its original taste. It also makes sure to keep cold beverages keep your beer keg ice cold.

• Casters (4 Wheels)

Rolling casters make it easier for you to move around your kegerator anywhere and anytime. Rather than lift the whole load, you can simply roll it to wherever you want it positioned.

• Other Kegerator Parts

1. CO2 Cylinder
2. Cylinder Holder
3. Metal Keg Floor Support
4. Caster Washer
5. Casters
6. Neoprene Washer
7. Snap-on Clamps
8. Wire Shelves
9. Faucet Wrench

Why should you buy a kegerator?

I know what you’re thinking. The kegerator will take up some space in the kitchen. It can also be expensive, depending on your budget.

You might ask, “Is it worth buying this for my house?” Although these are very valid considerations, I still believe you should invest in a kegerator.

For starters, you won’t have to worry about having Cenosillicaphobia, the fear of empty beer glasses. These kegs will always provide you a constant supply of fresh beer at anytime.

This is because the kegs store freshly brewed drinks in bulk sizes. You don’t have to go to your local store anymore if you want to buy yourself a beer bottle.

Speaking of bottles, they tend to be clumped together in supermarkets and breweries. As a result, the beer may lose its authentic flavor after days, weeks, or even months of storage in cans and battles.

As mentioned earlier, kegerators are built to maintain your beer’s original taste. All that’s needed is to pour your favorite brew straight from the keg tap.

Kegerators also speed up the process of fermentation, so you can enjoy your drink ASAP. Even if these kegerators are pricey, consider this product a long-term asset and not a short-term consumption.

You have the privilege of spending for a keg that contains portions of beer equivalent to half barrel kegs up to a half barrel at minimum. This is a far cry from buying a new batch of bottles every week. If anything, you are saving yourself more money by doing the former option rather than the latter.

Investing in a kegerator is ideal, especially if you are hosting house parties with family members, relatives, and friends.

If you have your hands full as the party host, the kegerator comes in as your personal bartender.

All your guests have to do is pour their drinks from the dispenser, and they are good to go. There is no need to buy a bottle or can openers anymore. With the bountiful quantity and top-notch quality of the whole beer line, you get the best of both worlds, thanks to your keg.

Frequently Asked Questions

What are the top 5 kegerators recommended by the Homebrew Academy?

1. Kegco Dual Tap Freestanding Beer Dispenser
2. Nostalgia KRS2100 Full Size Kegerator Draft Beer Faucet
3. EdgeStar KC7000SSTRIP Full-Size Triple Tap Tower Cooled Built-In Kegerator
4. EdgeStar BR3001SS Full Size Tower Cooled
5. Keggermeister KM2800BK Kegerator Full-Size Single-Tap Beer Refrigerator and Dispenser

What are the benefits of having a kegerator at home?

Having a kegerator at your home brewing side provides several benefits such as maintaining the beer’s original taste, aroma, and fizz. It also ensures a constant supply of beer, which is particularly beneficial if you frequently host parties or gatherings. Additionally, a kegerator can serve as a normal refrigerator.

What are the key features to look for in a kegerator?

Key features to look for in a kegerator include the number of dispensing taps, cooling power, temperature control, interior space for storing kegs, and additional features like a drip tray, guardrails, and casters for easy movement.

What are the potential downsides of owning a kegerator?

Potential downsides of owning a kegerator include the space it takes up in your kitchen or bar area, the initial cost of the unit, and the ongoing maintenance and cleaning required to keep the unit functioning optimally. Some models may also produce noise when the internal fan is turned on.

What is the ‘Deep Chill’ function found in some kegerators?

The ‘Deep Chill’ function is a feature found in some kegerators that allows you to quickly cool down a warm beer keg by forcing the compressor to work continuously. This feature is particularly useful for rapidly chilling your beer to the desired temperature.

Conclusion

You just read a review of some of the best kegerators the market offers. The characteristics of each machine make all these kegerators a solid pick up. Investing in any of these products will be worth it. At the end of the day, the choice is still yours.

Just be sure to buy one that can store your kegs, supply enough beer for the family, and make your house look good. Most of all, buy the one that best fits your budget.

There are ways to keep a keg of beer cold without a kegerator, but they are mostly for when said keg is to be drained in a single day or weekend.