Looking to buy a kegerator?

Question

I've been looking into getting on for sometime now, but they are all so expensive... I know that I will get my money back within time, just from saving what I normally spend on bottles... But does anyone know where I can purchase one that isn't going to cost me an arm and a leg.. I have also seen where you can buy the kits to make one... Any thoughts?!

Answer 1

Buy up a refrigerator at a garage sale or a used appliance store. You can also find them in the classifieds of your local newspaper. After you find one, just buy a kit and make one. This will save you a ton of money, especially if you find a great deal on an old fridge. You can find the old style ones for cheap, and they seem to last forever. Mine is a 70's model.

Answer 2

The build your own kegerator is an awesome idea, but it is a lot of work to get it right, and sometimes a keg won't fit right with the CO2 container. If you want to buy one pre-made, there are a ton of brands. Check with your local restaurant supply company, they will know what kinds they have and how well they work. Most of them will have an insulated tower that keeps the beer in the line plenty cold. I'd stay away from the tabletop ones that are designed for the new Heineken kegs, as you can only get one kind of beer in them. One last suggestion: When you go to a gas supply company, see if they will give you a nitrogen CO2 blend. They don't last as long as a straight CO2 tank, but they will pour a much better beer. Make sure the keg always has pressure (don't turn the tank off) or the beer will go flat. Getting the right pressure is an issue too, start at 5 psi and work your way up until it pours right in 1/2 psi increments. I've found that 7.5 psi works the best, but all kegerators are different.

Answer 3

Look in the yellow pages for a restaurant equipment company. Often they will have used stuff from bars that have gone out of business. I got a really nice stainless steel kegerator for 300 bucks and it had only been used for about a year. The tricky part is getting the CO2 lines to work right. But it's nice to have really good beer on tap all of the time.

Answer 4

I picked up a used fridge for $50 then ordered the kit from E-bay for $165. Has paid for itself at least 10 times now. You might need some lumber to build up the bottom of the fridge (if it had drawers on the botom) and a hole saw to drill through the door. Do not drill the sides.

Answer 5

I would highly recommend building one yourself. If you have a drill and some other basic tools, you'll be able to do the job.

You can get a used fridge (make sure it still works).. and a kit for pretty cheap, rather than spending tons on a new fridge that someone put a kit on for you and charged you loads more.

Answer 6

I say build one, with a little research and some time you'll end up with a more personalized kegerator. Check out Dave Miller's Homebrewing Guide, chapter 29 specifically, for a good general guide for setting up a home draft system. everything from mounting pressure tanks to flow resistance and amount of hosing you'll need.