Battle Of The Mini Kegerators : EdgeStar Versus Krups
As an avid beer enthusiast, I have been trying to get a decent and reliable kegerator for my home bar. I initially wanted to get a full sized one but the idea was soon dropped because I had limited space in my bar area and hence decided to get a mini kegerator instead. There are many mini versions on the market and after reading many reviews online, I finally shortlisted two mini kegerators and began to compare them closely. Below are some of the factors which I have taken into consideration while comparing the Krups BeerTender B95 and the EdgeStar Mini Kegerator TBC50S.
Price: Though both are mini kegerators, the Krups BeerTender B95 cost nearly 500 dollars while the EdgeStar Mini Kegerator cost less than 200 dollars. Though the Krups unit comes with brand worthy parts such as a Sankey tap and an LCD display panel which indicates the keg volume, temperature adjuster and keg freshness, paying 450 dollars for such luxury could only be for those with high disposable income. The EdgeStar unit which goes for around 180 dollars manages to keep the price low by producing the unit in cheaper plastic and chrome parts. It also comes with an LCD display though not as comprehensive and useful as the Krups but it still serves its purpose.
Features and functions: As mentioned above, consumers tend to be paying more for the Krups unit due to its attractive LCD control panel. This panel has an advantage that most kegerators lack, which is the ability to indicate the current keg volume. This allows users to prepare new kegs to be chilled before the existing one runs dry. This is a very good feature especially if you frequently hold parties and do not want to be stuck in a situation whereby your guests have to wait for a new keg to chill. A disadvantage of the Krups though, is that it can only serve Heineken Kegs and it can get pretty boring if you are not a Heineken fan. The EdgeStar however can dispense all kinds of 5 liter kegs if you purchase the optional CO2 upgrade kit.
My conclusion was to purchase the EdgeStar unit because it’s simple and cheap to maintain. The unit also comes with an AC and DC power supply which allowed me to move the unit around the house easily and also to any outdoor parties with the proper power supply outlets. As a beer enthusiast, I would not like my kegerator to be restricted to only dispensing one brand of keg and given that the EdgeStar unit was a more versatile one, I decided to invest in it and so far 4 months have passed and I have not regretted my choice.