What is a good price for kegging equipment?

[JackSmash]

Just curious about what some of your experiences have been with purchasing kegging equipment.

I have only done batches in bottles at this point, but I'm really interested in getting a mini fridge, converting it into a kegerator, and getting kegging equipment.

I'm totally fine with getting used stuff, but I see a fairly wide variance of pricing for this stuff.

Any thoughts on what is too much and what is a good deal?

 

[Hello]

The lowest I could price was keg connection.com. I started with picnic taps.
Used kegs for me, because I went ball lock, average $55-$65 a keg.

 

[ColoHox]

If you can part out a kit system (eg. 1-keg kit from kegconnection or one of the others) it will probably be cheaper. Deals for bits will occasionally pop up on Ebay and craigslist, and you can piece things together over time.

Buying the kit is pretty convenient, and they are usually priced pretty well. Sometimes morebeer and the other sites have deals, which helps a lot.

Kegging requires a lot of overhead, but the upkeep is pretty cheap.

There are loads of threads about kegerator conversions. They are usually pretty easily done, especially with powertool skills.

Welcome to the site!

 

[JackSmash]

The lowest I could price was keg connection.com. I started with picnic taps.
Used kegs for me, because I went ball lock, average $55-$65 a keg.

Any reason why you preferred a ball lock vs others?

 

[JackSmash]

If you can part out a kit system (eg. 1-keg kit from kegconnection or one of the others) it will probably be cheaper. Deals for bits will occasionally pop up on Ebay and craigslist, and you can piece things together over time.

Buying the kit is pretty convenient, and they are usually priced pretty well. Sometimes morebeer and the other sites have deals, which helps a lot.

Kegging requires a lot of overhead, but the upkeep is pretty cheap.

There are loads of threads about kegerator conversions. They are usually pretty easily done, especially with powertool skills.

Welcome to the site!

Right on.

I was thinking of just buying a used mini fridge, tapping a line into the top and then searching around for a pistol and CO2 unit.

 

[Hello]

Any reason why you preferred a ball lock vs others?

Yeah it allowed me to get 1 more keg in my keezer than if I were to use pin lock.

 

[JackSmash]

Yeah it allowed me to get 1 more keg in my keezer than if I were to use pin lock.

right on.

 

[Otis1031]

I recently purchased my kegging equipment thru ritebrew.com fast shipping and pretty cheap. Depending on your available space you may want to consider a larger refrigerator or a chest freezer to expand your capacity later on.

 

[JackSmash]

I recently purchased my kegging equipment thru ritebrew.com fast shipping and pretty cheap. Depending on your available space you may want to consider a larger refrigerator or a chest freezer to expand your capacity later on.

I have considered a coffin freezer. Though, I'd have to do some convincin' for the wife to agree, lol.

We have a 2nd fridge out in the garage. And I am building a bar in the basement...which is why I was considering a mini-fridge or something of that nature.

 

[whattheheld]

This is the best value I've been able to find so far.

http://www.homebrewing.org/5-Gallon-Economy-Pin-Lock-Keg-System-USED-Keg-E_p_4139.html

I've been researching a bit and it seems like this setup wouldnt be too bad? I'd probably just end up getting the CO2 tank from here too since it seems like a decent price.

 

[henchman24]

Check your LHBS... a couple of the ones around me are much cheaper than buying online and then paying for shipping. One I don't necessarily like going to sells his pin locks for $35 with a new set of o rings. That is way cheaper than I have seen anywhere else, and the rest of the equipment needed was pretty close to the cost you see online.

 

[JackSmash]

This is the best value I've been able to find so far.

http://www.homebrewing.org/5-Gallon-Economy-Pin-Lock-Keg-System-USED-Keg-E_p_4139.html

I've been researching a bit and it seems like this setup wouldnt be too bad? I'd probably just end up getting the CO2 tank from here too since it seems like a decent price.

Sweet!

I'll check this out.

 

[bobeer]

Ive ordered kegs from homebrew.org and theyre totally fine. Id recommend using them. Morebeer.com has free shipping over $59 so check them out too.

 

[Puddlethumper]

I started with picnic taps but found that they often leaked, leaving a puddle of beer in the bottom of the keezer. Waste of beer and a mess to clean up.

Rather than trying to go cheap and end up spending more in the long run I would suggest you figure on setting up a regular tap system. The initial outlay will be more but, if your experience ends up like mine, will be quite a bit cheaper in the long run.

Cheers!

 

[gatsby174]

I would definitely recommend going with a keezer and making sure you have 4 taps. I went with a dual tap kegerator, thinking I'd never want/need more than two taps...boy was I wrong. However many you THINK you want, double it. Obviously, thats a lot of money in kegs, taps, etc. So I'd recommend building the keezer with the ability to hold 4, and maybe buy only 2 kegs to start. I also bought a spare co2 tank, running out really stinks if the welding shops are closed!

 

[Darwin18]

Another recommendation here for kegconnection.

 

[brokebucket]

I also have a second fridge in the garage. One night, while my wife was asleep, I went out and drilled a hole in the door and put a perlick tap in it. WALA! A kegerator! There are now two taps in it, and it will hold three kegs plus a bunch of other junk. Wife was pissed that i did it, but she got over it....cant plug the hole back, so whatchagonna do?

 

[Clonefan94]

I started with picnic taps but found that they often leaked, leaving a puddle of beer in the bottom of the keezer. Waste of beer and a mess to clean up.



Rather than trying to go cheap and end up spending more in the long run I would suggest you figure on setting up a regular tap system. The initial outlay will be more but, if your experience ends up like mine, will be quite a bit cheaper in the long run.



Cheers!

I couldn't agree with this more. I know everyone is on a budget of some kind, but you will spend more money in the long run if you don't build exactly what you want off the bat. I did this with Perlick faucets. I saved about $60 initially, but am now seeing the error of my ways and the money I wasted by not just laying out the cash initially for the right set up.

Even if you have to wait a little bit to make the purchase, you are better off than laying out more money later.


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[JackSmash]

I also have a second fridge in the garage. One night, while my wife was asleep, I went out and drilled a hole in the door and put a perlick tap in it. WALA! A kegerator! There are now two taps in it, and it will hold three kegs plus a bunch of other junk. Wife was pissed that i did it, but she got over it....cant plug the hole back, so whatchagonna do?

Lol, believe you me...I have thought about this multiple times...