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tomcho74

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So I'm finally ready to ditch the painful bottling exercise and move to kegging and I've been researching equipment, kegerators and mini-fridge conversions for a few days now. I like DIY as much as anybody but I'm wondering if I'm missing something with a big DIY costs savings in the mini-fridge conversation.

Let's say I were to buy a 2 faucet tower kit like this from Keg Connection, it's $260 with a 5lb CO2 tank.
http://www.kegconnection.com/2-faucet-tower-homebrew-kegerator-kit/

A Danby 4.4 CuFT fridge runs from say $160 to $200 if I wanted stainless.
http://www.costco.com/Danby-4.4CuFt-Spotless-Steel-Compact-Refrigerator.product.100126897.html

So that's $460, beverage factory has a two faucet stainless kegerator with a C02 tank for $540.
http://www.beveragefactory.com/draftbeer/kegerators/dualkegerator/Kegco_K199SS-2.html?CAWELAID=1372129915&CAGPSPN=pla&catargetid=320012430000210381&cadevice=c&gclid=CKHkqouT4coCFQcaaQodZj0Nng

Is the cost savings typically less than $100 or am I way off base here.
 
For one thing, there can be big savings in the fridge if you troll Craigslist
 
+1 for craigslist.

I found my corny kegs and c02 bottle on there. You can also find good deals on chest freezers. The only stuff I bought new was taps, lines, and fittings, and stuff to build the thermostat. Much cheaper than buying a pre-built one.

Also, I started off with a buying a mini fridge and converting it. I quickly realized this was not enough space. Do it right the first time and pick up a chest freezer and build a Keezer (if you have the space).
 
Please go to home depot and see if your space is big enough for a 7 or a 5 cu freezer. The ability to have 3 or 4 kegs just makes things so much easier . The 5 cu will hold 3 kegs and the 7cu will hold 4. I went the mini fridge route and regretted it.:mug:
 
Thanks for the feedback so far. After I posted I wondered into the show us your kegerator thread and I now have keezer envy. Like I said I love a good DIY and the ability to store more than 2 kegs and even cold crash makes the keezer option really attractive. I have room for a 5 or 7 just need wife approval
 
Thanks for the feedback so far. After I posted I wondered into the show us your kegerator thread and I now have keezer envy. Like I said I love a good DIY and the ability to store more than 2 kegs and even cold crash makes the keezer option really attractive. I have room for a 5 or 7 just need wife approval

Like others have said, go bigger if you can. I have a 5.0cuft keezer and wish I had gone 7 for that third keg. No more capacity than a mini fridge but I fit a 10lb tank in mine. I *could* fit an additional 3gal keg in there, but before I bother modifying what I have, I'll just move to a larger fridge. Two 5gal kegs will do me fine if I can keep an extra on standby to keep the pipeline going. I haven't even filled the second keg yet so I'll cross that bridge when I get there :mug:
 
If you were planning to limit to 2 kegs AND you would have equipped a DIY with the cheapest possible tower and faucets, then buying ready built is fine. That's the thing though, most kegerators come with crappy faucets.
 
100% dependent on how you find parts and what your time is worth. I for example got a fridge for free, the taps and C02 setup for about $150, and count my time as nothing because I like making things. So that's a huge savings.

If you however don't like wasting time searching for craigslist deals and are just going to buy everything new, maybe it's not as worth it.
 
I was able to get a couple of the nice Sanyo mini fridges off of Craigslist with a little looking, $50 for one and $75 for the other. They are perfect, fit 2 kegs and CO2 with no modifications.

A couple hundred bucks for a tower, Perlick faucets, and a drip tray and I have a nice kegerator for $250.
 
If you were planning to limit to 2 kegs AND you would have equipped a DIY with the cheapest possible tower and faucets, then buying ready built is fine. That's the thing though, most kegerators come with crappy faucets.

I can fit 3 kegs in my Summit brand kegorator. And a CO2 tank.

Have to use at least one shorter Coke style keg (converted ball lock) to fit it under the bump out in back.
 
Building my dad a 2 keg kegerator for his shop. What are good freezer less models to buy? Only need 2 kegs so a keeper doesn't make sense.
 
I went the DIY track. I like the ability to modify the way you want it. Since I'm down in the south, the added benefit is while I wait to have funds to finish up the kegerator, I at least have the temp controller connected so I can use it as a fermentation chamber while I wait to use it for kegging.
 
Building my dad a 2 keg kegerator for his shop. What are good freezer less models to buy? Only need 2 kegs so a keeper doesn't make sense.

I've found it nearly impossible to find a mini fridge without a freezer.... especially since it's generally the "chilling" part. Generally people get one that's bend-able and bend it back.
 
They're out there, just hard to find used. The bigger issue is some won't fit two ball lock kegs side by side because they are too narrow.
 
They're out there, just hard to find used. The bigger issue is some won't fit two ball lock kegs side by side because they are too narrow.

I had trouble even finding a new one. I mean, from the perspective of using a mini fridge for normal use, I can see why a small freezer section would still be useful :p
 
I'm probably the minority with this opinion but I say do not use a freezer. I did, and I'm going to sell and switch to a fridge.

Keezers are hard to control because they continue to cool past set point and there's a big difference in temp at bottom and top (in freezer and on the keg).

Even after installing a computer fan I have temp stratification and I'm not messing with brupie to help with the over-cooling.

I'd say DIY with a used fridge or buy that commercial version but don't use or buy a keezer.

Ok, you guys can shoot me now...you old keezers. [emoji51]
 
I've found it nearly impossible to find a mini fridge without a freezer.... especially since it's generally the "chilling" part. Generally people get one that's bend-able and bend it back.

This. My kegorator is a standard college dorm mini fridge. The buddy I got it from bent the "freezer" tray down because he realized when he did that they could fit three 30-racks in in. Thing works like a champ and is super quiet.
 
I have seen some awesome keeper builds but I went with a fridge for 2 reasons, 1 it was free and 2 a friend of mine built one before I did and he could fit 4 kegs in his and had a shelf for bottled beer too.

I have a very old frigidaire with the little freezer in it and it holds 3 kegs and it's nice to not deal with a temp controller which is 1 more thing to go wrong.
 
I have seen some awesome keeper builds but I went with a fridge for 2 reasons, 1 it was free and 2 a friend of mine built one before I did and he could fit 4 kegs in his and had a shelf for bottled beer too.

I have a very old frigidaire with the little freezer in it and it holds 3 kegs and it's nice to not deal with a temp controller which is 1 more thing to go wrong.


That's what I'm saying! I use a fridge for fermentation and its problem free and like yours, second hand. Gotta have a controller on that one but straight fridge cold serving would be fine by me. Freezerless fridge would be even better...double layer corny kegs...8 of em. 4 tapped and 4 conditioning!
 
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