- AC and DC compatible with DC adaptor cord included for easy portability
- Temperature Range: 38-54 degrees Fahrenheit
- Accepts Heineken 5 liter Draughtkegs
- Capacity: 1 standard 5L mini keg
- Dimensions: 15inches h x 15inches w x 13inches d
The Background:
I first thought of the BeerTender from Heineken as the 5L kegs are simple, easy to use and a big hit at parties and keeping the beer cool and out of the fridge is a challenge.While in a specialty shop I saw several other foreign brands of beer also in 5L kegs, but to my surprise, their tap was at the bottom like a Gatorade cooler.I then learned that the Heineken Draft kegs have an internal pressure system and that the Beertender would only work with that particular type of keg.
The Search:
At first it didn't really matter that much to me because I love Heineken and Heineken Light.After seeing the variety of beers available in the 5L minikegs, I decided to start shopping for a kegerator that would work with more than just the Draftkeg line.A low price was important, but so was functionality and reliablility.While searching, I found several other options with most looking similar and having the same features.You can go crazy and get one of the $300+ models out there, but I'd only recommend doing that if you have that kind of cash-flow to spend on a counter-top beer dispenser.
The Product:
The EdgeStar Mini Kegerator jumped out at me first because of its low price, and second, because it's identical to the more expensive Avanti MBD5L Mini Kegerator.(Note: Although the Edgestar doesn't display a drip tray like the Avanti, one is included.)For about $50, you can purchase a CO2 kit to tap and use non-pressurized 5L kegs from any other brewer (I've even seen it suggested that home-made beer can be placed in such a keg.)The kit comes with three 16-Gram CO2 cartridges (the small silver ones that you can pick up at Walmart) which are enough to dispense 3 or more 5L kegs.If you don't feel like replacing the cartridge every time you change the keg out, the space provided for the CO2 canister is large enough to accommodate a larger (340-Gram) CO2 Cylinder which is enough to dispense up to 20 5L kegs!The EdgeStar comes with a direction booklet, a cleaner bottle to wash out the system, an AC cable and DC cable, and an adapter for the Heineken Draft kegs.
The Perks:
Having draft beer right in your own home!
Looks great and comes in silver or black
Better than the BeerTender for the following reasons:
o Costs less even with the CO2 kit
o CO2 kit allows you to use any 5L keg
o Has a controllable temp fan (38-54 degrees Fahrenheit) for a variety of beer types
o Comes with a DC adapter for tailgate parties and RV use!
The Bad:
Can be tricky for people who don't normally pour from a tap
Pours a lot of head if not setup properly (I suggest coiling the tube and getting it as horizontal as possible to mitigate this.)
Tap is plastic, not stainless steel
Five stars because even with the few shortfalls, it blows the BeerTender away!
Buy EdgeStar Deluxe Mini Kegerator & Draft Beer Dispenser Now
As I'm sure with many people looking for a 5 liter keg unit I was torn between the various ones out there and the Krupps BeerTender. I chose the Edgestar due to the low price, looks and the additional ability to utilise a CO2 cannister, which the BeerTender cannot. As far as I know the Heineken 5L keg is the only keg to come with its own CO2 built-in and only such kegs are usable with the Krupps model. Therefore, whilst I'm a Heineken fan, the BeerTender completely limits your choice of drinkto Heineken or Heineken Light.
So I bought the Edgestar, sight unseen and I'm very glad I did. It's a light-weight unit comprising mostly of chrome plastic and a few actual chrome parts, and overall looks great and feel sturdy. The drip tray (not shown in the picture but supplied) is well thought out and easy to remove when full. The door is opened by a small button on top and swings outward. You only have to open it a short amount to place a keg in it, offering a small footprint for the unit. The keg is cooled by a plate and you have a blue backlit display indicating current temperature which is adjustable using the chrome buttons. There is also a small blue led inside the cabinet which is nice although not bright it can be toggled on and off using the lower button on the front of the display.
The tap is solid. I was completely surprised by how firm it is and it works a treat. The small black beer tap is removable and so you could replace it with one of your own if you had the right sized thread.
The unit is supplied with an AC and a DC lead so you could power it from a car/RV/boat. It also comes by default with a Heineken keg connector which was supremely easy to attach.
A final sweetner is the ability to clean the lines, which the BeerTender amazingly does not have (you have to buy a new line for each and every keg you use with the Krupps). The Edgestar comes with a small plastic bottle which I filled with 2 parts water and 1 vinegar and it clips onto the line and you simply squeeze it as you open the tap. Took 20 seconds.
Now I haven't purchased the optional CO2 kit yet, choosing initially to use up my Heineken kegs, but I have no fear that the kit will work as advertised. The small black circle to the right of the tap that you see in the picture is for a CO2 gauge to fit into, and the CO2 bottle sits inside the unit so it's all tucked away neatly.
Ultimately, very happy with the unit and had my first pint last night.
Cheers!
Read Best Reviews of EdgeStar Deluxe Mini Kegerator & Draft Beer Dispenser Here
For a while now I've wanted a kegerator for the bar/theater, but I've lacked the space for a full(or even mid-) sized one. So today, despite some iffy reviews here and there, I bought an Edgestar mini-kegerator to sit on top of the mini-fridge in my bar.
This little machine keeps a 5L beer keg chilled at 38 degrees and delivers the perfect amount of head for a pint glass...only you get used to the pour speed and nozzle strength. The unit is pretty much like the Krups BeerTender machines that support Heineken and Newcastle, but this one also supports non-pressurized mini-kegs. I have to admit that I'm not a beer expert by any means, but when I heard that Newcastle was FINALLY available in Atlanta in the 5L size, I jumped all over this.
After a short 4 hours with the unit, I'm breathing a sigh of relief (between beer pours, that is). As I mentioned above, reviews have been hit or miss. Some people complained the non-pressurized conversion kits weren't yet available. Maybe I'm just lucky, but I had no problem ordering the Edgestar-branded one two days ago, and it even arrived before the main unit itself. Some others complained Heineken was the only act in town. My local stores have all kinds of non-pressurized beers, in addition to the Heineken and Newcastle kegs, so again I'm probably just lucky to live in a fairly large city. Some folks said the unit was just cheap plastic junk. That last point will probably be true for me at some point, as the unit is just plastic and faux chrome, but at $140 I couldn't have expected too much more.Someone somewhere said that the door was constantly ajar and the cooling plate couldn't do its job.From what I've heard and now seen firsthand, this just isn't a problem.My mini-kegs set nicely on the cooling plate inside the unit and I'm able to close the door completely and securely.
My only complaints so far are 1) the internal fan or whatever parts make it go are a bit louder than I'd like, and 2) I dislodged a washer in the plastic cleaning solution bottle that came with it. The second part was just stupidity on my part when I first flushed the lines, and it's totally fixable, but the former point is indeed a minor inconvenience. It's no louder than my ice maker or mini-fridge, but it's something else whirring in the back of the theater. Oh well.
So at this point, my margarita machine quest is on the back-burner indefinitely as I work on my beer pour perfection and fish out that stupid washer in the cleaning bottle. But for anyone in my shoes who may be considering one of these units but afraid of the spotty older reviews of the unit, I'm pretty pleased so far.
Cheers.
Want EdgeStar Deluxe Mini Kegerator & Draft Beer Dispenser Discount?
I originally wrote this review for what I think is a different model of kegerator by this same company.After reviewing both listings, this is clearly the model I own, but the other model doesn't contain enough information on the Amazon page for me to tell if it's a duplicate of this one, or another model entirely.I lean towards the former.Off we go...
The reason I chose this kegerator is because the vast majority of kegerators on the market 1) only take Newcastle or Heineken pre-pressurized mini kegs, or 2) are really expensive. I'm not a huge macrobrew fan, so the fact that this model will accomodate non-pressurized 5-liter kegs is a huge plus. It's essentially the only reason I wanted it.
Now, if you're going to use the pre-pressurized kegs, it's a very easy process with only a few steps to get set up. If you're using non-pressurized kegs, it's a little more involved.
General Principles:
-CHILL YOUR KEG. If you don't chill your keg for at least 12 hours, you will get warm, gross, flat beer.
-Read the instructions. Especially when dealing with non-pressurized kegs.
-If you want to use this with non-pressurized kegs, you MUST buy the C02 adaptor kit. I've read some reviews indicating they were very hard to find. My wife got one with no issues.
-When using the C02 kit with non-pressurized kegs, ensure that 1) you keep the beer-to-tap supply line as straight and level as possible, and 2) keep the pressure valve set so that the C02 flow is extremely low-to-nonexistent for the first few pours, otherwise the first pints will be nearly all foam; increase the pressure in increments with each additional pint to maintain a proper head on your beer.
-Be sure to buy food-grade C02 cylinders, not sporting (paintball, bb etc). Sporting C02 often contains oil.
Upsides:
-Variable temperature settings.
-Compatible with all 5-liter kegs (with adaptor).
-Draft beer in your home. Can you beat that? No. No you can't.
-Once it's set up, it's easy to use and clean. No need to purchase new lines after each keg (as in the Krups Beer Tender); just use the included cleaning kit, water, and a little vinegar.
-With the adaptor, use any available 5-liter keg.
-If you homebrew, you can find brand-new, empty 5-liter kegs on Amazon. You can keg-condition 5-liters of your own beer and dispense it as a draft in your own home. How cool is that?
Downsides:
-It's not heavy metal construction, so you'll need to be a little gentle, especially until you get a feel for the tap.Don't yank that thing, be kind!
-Instruction manual is not terribly user-friendly. Take your time to study it, especially when using the C02 adapter kit. They could have done a much better job with the pictures and step-by-steps.Of course, it may help if you refrain from drinking while you're setting it up.
-When using the C02 adaptor: If you're obsessed with a perfect pour of beer, you'll need some practice with the C02 settings to make sure your foam-to-beer ratio is right.
Another thing worth noting, which I don't consider a downside, is that there aren't currently a ton of mini-kegs available. Other than the pre-pressurized Newcastle and Heineken, most everything else I've seen are German beers (Hefeweizen, Kolsch, Dortmunder, Pilsner, Maibock, Schwarzbier, Rauchbier, Kellerbier) in limited variety. Fortunately, most these are from good breweries (Einbecker, Reischdorff, Kulmbacher, Kostritzer, etc) and I like those styles of beer. However, you're not really going to find much in the way of American beers on here, especially if you like microbrews. Coors Light I understand is test marketing a 5-liter keg. HOWEVER, if you are a fan of Bell's Oberon summer beer (and who isn't), they DO offer 5-liter kegs of it. Oh frabjous day!
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I ordered this unit because I was angry that Heineken & Krups effectively doubled the price of their plastic tap units, which must be used (a new one with each minikeg you use) with the Krups. The EdgeStar unit requires no replacement tap parts. It does require cleaning--a very easy process but you do need to be conscientious about it. It is superior to the Krups in nearly every way. The pour is smoother. Replacing the keg is easier. The refrigerated part of the unit is much easier to clean and dry. And of course you don't need the taps at nearly $2 a pop.
If you want your beer ice cold, this unit is not quite to Krups, as the EdgeStar goes to 38, Krups 36. Made no difference to me, might to you.
I did not try or try to buy the conversion kit. I just use this with the pre-CO2'd Heineken and Newcastle minikegs.
And, please remember: The kegs need to be cold when you put them in. Otherwise you need to wait 10+ hours. If you want your beer fast, icy cold and with no head--stick to bottles. If you want good keg beer, this is a good dispenser for it.
