Need advice on commercial kegerator

[chiefski]

My wife is about to Explode. My Basement is filling up with brown glass bottles that don’t seam to find their own way back to where they came from. I just had a small party and found that some good brews are now available in tall slim kegs. I have looked online at a few sites that have kegerators but would like to hear from beer drinkers about their experiences with various models.

[Stodbrew]

As tempting as it is to do, don't skimp on the price. True and Beverage Aire are two of the better kegerator manufacturers. They tend to cost, I think, around a grand, but it is money well spent, IMO.

[wortchillergoal]

I might suggest looking for a used restaurant equipment dealer in your area. If you find a unit through one of these guys, do the following. Go to a new equipment house and geta price on a new one. I used to be in that business, new, and I know some shady used guys used to quote their customers more than new.

True and Bevair are good names as is Perlick. There weren't a;ot of peopel making them stock when I was in the business but that has been a few years now.

[chazwicke]

Welcome to the board. I can recommend the Beverage Air kegerators. I have one that I am very happy with. Meridian did a buch of research on kegerators and the same model was his choice. I'd recommend that you stay away from the Chinese made Haier brand and Sanyo has also had bad reviews. Be sure to buy a unit that has a chilled tower.

This thread might help you. There are several links contained in it that might be useful in your search.

http://www.realbeer.com/discussions...o+fills+cornies

[danno]

If you can find a Superior kegerator, it too is a good one, it's a Beverage Aire with a private label. (Superior Products is a nationwide restaurant supply chain...)

[chazwicke]

I'll second the use of Superior Products catalog which is also online. I've been buying from them for years. A good place to also get 20 oz. Imperial pint nonics. I think they run about 58.00 for 36 of them.

[MeridianFC]

All of the above is good advice. I feel I should reiterate the following:

DO NOT BUY HAIER

Read the reviews on Amazon.com and check the problem section at the micromatic.com discussion forum.

I have a Beverage-Air BM-23 (it's actually under the Superior name) that I love. If you're patient you should eventually be able to find a used one (Bev-Air, Continental, Perlick, True) in the $500-700 zone, though you'll probably need to buy new lines, etc. It'll make a big difference. If you've got the cash just get one new for the warranty.

[toneyc]

As no one else has mentioned it yet (in this thread, at least), I will:

Depending on your requirements, you might consider converting a refrigerator or chest freezer. I know that with my chest freezer, I have capacity for a couple of 15.5 gallon kegs or one keg and 5-6 cornies, with room for bottles on the compressor shelf. Ya just gotta remember that a full 15.5 gallon keg weighs in around 150 pounds. I have to have help getting the kegs into the freezer these days.

See this link for a nice example:

http://www.oregonbrewcrew.com/freezer/freezer.html

:)
Toney.

[chiefski]

Thanks to all who replied. I think I will go with the beverave air. I hate to waste any good brew. I do some homebrewing once in a whilel and do have a five gallon keg. Thanks again to all.

[chazwicke]

Good choice. Let us know how it works out. And what beers your putting on tap.

[Derekt2]

Good choice. Let us know how it works out. And what beers your putting on tap.

And also when you will be having us over to, um... test the equiptment for you.

[I'mRocketMan]

Originally posted by Derekt2
And also when you will be having us over to, um... test the equiptment for you.

You know... Quality Assurance!!

[laneto]

Before you buy you may want to listen to the compressor run depending where you are going to place it. I have a Superior kegerator that I was going to leave in my dining room and it runs so loud that I moved it into the laundry room.

[KegeratorKing]

Yo....there is a website that you can quickly look at a bunch of different kegerators by price, manufacturer, and type. It's called kegerators.net and they have a Danby kegerator starting at just $509.00 plus $9.99 S+H. Not that bad of a deal, yet the quality of the Danby is questionable. I would personally go with the Beverage-Air Line of kegerators.

http://www.kegerators.net (http://www.kegerators.net/directory/206.html)

[chazwicke]

Welcome Keg King. I have this model but with a dual faucet tower:

http://www.kegworks.com/shoppingcart/customer/product.php?productid=16391&source=linkshare&siteID=0hzBT3BtdWU-IMmRoCrgW683qBzh1_XGvw&

It is important that your tower is cooled.