turn-key Kegerator advice

[Napolil]

i'm looking to get a Kegerator as a present for someone and would like your advice. basically what i'd like to get is a dual tap keg since he likes/needs his black & tan.

i've read some reviews on kegerators and i'm a little scared to pull the trigger. some people complain about 2.5 gallon CO2 instead of what is apparently the standard 5. others say theirs didn't get cold enough until they swapped out the thermostat.

can ya'll help out? some comments on the different manufacturers quality wouldn't hurt either.

 

[TyTanium]

I'm not aware of any kegerators with keys.

 

[Napolil]

I'm not aware of any kegerators with keys.

lol

 

[user 103238]

I'm not aware of any kegerators with keys.

Mine came with keys.

 

[TyTanium]

Wow, I stand corrected. I guess keys are a good idea, depending on who's around.

 

[Raenon]

What's your budget on the kegerator?

I picked up one from BeverageFactory.com with 3 taps (holds up to 3 corneys, 3 1/6th barrels, 2 slim 1/4's, or a half barrel keg with room to spare, made from a large Haier), and by the time I added in all my upgrades I had dropped around $1200, on what should have otherwise been $650.

Yes, that is including 3 perlick 575 creamer faucets, a dual gauge 5lb co2 tank, 2 more cornies, and an upgraded drip tray (that I still haven't installed... scratching my head how I'll be able to mount the drain hose inside the fridge) and an assortment of more crap, but it was way too easy to tack all of those things on. Thankfully the fridge gets mighty cold- at one point I'd turned the thermostat all the way up, and a couple of Liter bottles of beer I'd stashed behind the kegs on the compressor shelf, just in front of the cooling lines, froze solid, and the rear keg got slushy. Whoops!

Now, if you don't need the larger fridge, and you don't want the upgrades you might be able to keep it at half that, but budget is a HUGE consideration.

 

[Napolil]

no budget ceiling. just trying to get started with something that i won't regret. i guess i'm looking for a Toyota/Honda type of solution (versus Mercedes or Geo).

two taps is good enough. size is kind of an issue to. i'd like to be able to cart it around if i need to. so something about the size of those mini fridges. i've seen some of you guys on here have dresser sized coolers. ideal, but not practical in my case.

 

[brewingmeister]

To have a kegerator that can make a actual black and tan you would need a kegerator that would hold two 13 gal kegs, unless you can find euro kegs in a smaller size.
You would be looking for something like a True two door.
http://www.instawares.com/true-tdd-...htm?siteID=0hzBT3BtdWU-NL8gmT4VkbOsg7jt_keI7w

 

[chris41]

I bought the larger Danby unit from Walmart.com (free shipping to the store). Had same concerns you stated, but I think Danby corrected the temp problems. The newer reviews are much more positive than the older. Comes with the 5g CO2 tank, rear mounted and a plug to run a hose inside. The unit is gorgeous, energy efficient, and quiet. However, doesn't come with a dual tap tower unless you buy it from Beermeisters.com which is a customized Danby.

Summit and Sanyo would be a good choice but are expensive. A commercial unit tends to be noisier. Shipping at many places will run another $100. Many kegerators get dinged during shipping so you'll need to inspect the item especially if delivered by a freight carrier.

As Raenon said....I doubled the price upgrading to a double tap stainless tower with Perlick faucets, better regulator, dual soda keg disconnects, soda kegs, tower blower and special beer lines to eliminate any plastic taste. My upgraded Danby is essentially a fully loaded Corolla!

 

[Raenon]

no budget ceiling. just trying to get started with something that i won't regret. i guess i'm looking for a Toyota/Honda type of solution (versus Mercedes or Geo).

two taps is good enough. size is kind of an issue to. i'd like to be able to cart it around if i need to. so something about the size of those mini fridges. i've seen some of you guys on here have dresser sized coolers. ideal, but not practical in my case.

Yeah, "keezers" made from chest freezers are pretty popular around here for the DIY solution- you get a LOT of space for little money, provided you can do the rest of the modification work yourself. For those of us less technically inclined... simple kits are probably better.

Here is one made from the same fridge that I got, just in 2 faucet solution:
http://www.beveragefactory.com/draftbeer/kegerators/HBF205EBSS.shtml

That will hold up to two 1/4 barrel so it opens up your commercial options a little... but yeah, depending on your definition of "actual black and tan", it could be a problem. I'm sure that SOMEONE makes a stout in a US slim quarter, but it sure wouldn't be Guinness.
But, if you're going to be using it exclusively for homebrew, or you have room elsewhere to store full size kegs to do keg-to-keg transfers (as I do for my Yuengling Lager fix, especially while building up my pipeline), you could go with a smaller option.

 

[Gear101]

I bought this one off of CL for 125usd, it is ok but going to sell and make my own. Something that holds 8 kegs

http://www.walmart.com/ip/Kegorator-Beer-Dispenser-Mini-Barrel/5679263

 

[Napolil]

to have a kegerator that can make a actual black and tan you would need a kegerator that would hold two 13 gal kegs, unless you can find euro kegs in a smaller size.
You would be looking for something like a true two door.
http://www.instawares.com/true-tdd-...htm?siteid=0hzbt3btdwu-nl8gmt4vkbosg7jt_kei7w

omg!

 

[Napolil]

My upgraded Danby is essentially a fully loaded Corolla!

hahaha.. i like that one!