This or that? Keg equipment

Right now I have a chest freezer, temp controller, kegs and lots of beer that wants to be kegged. SWMBO asked me what she should get me to complete my keezer. The limit is pretty much $200

I can't decide between kegconnections 3 keg fridge kit (with shanks/taps) for $199 or the 3 keg kit with picnic taps + a co2 tank which is just under $200 could probably add a keg in there.

How hard/expensive/worth it to convert from picnic taps to shanks to (fully) complete my keezer. Right now with the fridge kit I'd have to buy the co2 tank and keg on my own or with picnic tap kit I'd have to get the shanks/taps later on. Thoughts?

The other difference is if you want to do the work of turning your freezer into a keezer now or later. If it were me, I'd go with the picnic taps and CO2 tank now and you can start kegging right away. Pulling the picnic taps off the tubing and hooking the tubing up to new shanks/taps is no problem, the least work you'll have in making a keezer

One question - if you already have kegs, why are you buying more?

Cheers!

Sorry, I have 2 kegs. I wanted to cap this one out at 3 or 4. If I get the picnic, I can get an additional keg within the budget. More kegs = more drinking!

If you're just looking for a 5 lb CO2 tank, I wouldn't bother buying an empty one online. Most gas suppliers run an exchange on 5 pounders, so you'll probably end up with a cruddy steel one anyway - unless you want to pay more each time for them to fill yours. On top of that, my local welding shop sells the first tank for $80 full of gas (refills are $17). Most of the ones I've seen online end up costing about that or more and then you gotta pay to fill 'em.

Pappers_ said:

One question - if you already have kegs, why are you buying more?

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You can never have too many kegs.

I've already called my local workshops, gas etc and they sell Co2 tanks for nearly double what I can get from Keg Connection, so I'll go with online ordering.

drathbone said:

I've already called my local workshops, gas etc and they sell Co2 tanks for nearly double what I can get from Keg Connection, so I'll go with online ordering.

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That's crazy I went to a local fire extinguisher supplier and got a 5# steel tank for $58, and its $10 to fill. You should keep checking locally. Where are you at?

I would go with the picnic taps and co2 tank. You can complete the conversion later. You can't keg anything without a co2 tank.

You have to make sure you get your CO2 tank. It is your life line in kegging. You can send the next couple of monthes getting the rest of your keezer parts to get that done later.

Picnic taps?? Ugh...

But at least you can use them. If you don't have a regulator and tank, you don't serve ANY beer!

if it were me, I'd get a tank setup and faucet hardware and add kegs as I could afford to. That way you skip the picnic taps and start drinking right away. Kegs are not too hard to pick up as needed later.