Three questions pick a kegerator. Will it sit under a counter (then it must be front venting) or stand on its own? How many beers do you want on at once? And are you pouring commercial kegs (D system couplers) or homebrew (ball lock)?
Our picks at a glance
From published specs and our sizing rules. Not lab tested.
- 1
Lowest cost, one tap
EdgeStar KC2000 Full Size Kegerator
1 tap, freestanding
Check price on AmazonPaid link
- 2
Built-in, two taps
Kegco HK38BSU-2 Undercounter Kegerator, 2 Tap
2 taps, built-in
Check price on AmazonPaid link
- 3
Homebrew
Kegco HBK309S-2 Homebrew Kegerator, 2 Tap
2 taps, ball lock
Check price on AmazonPaid link
For a freestanding bar cart style setup the EdgeStar KC2000 is the low-cost single tap. For a built-in bar, Kegco's HK38BSU undercounter units and EdgeStar's front-venting triple tap are made to close into cabinetry. Homebrewers want the Kegco HBK309S-2, which ships with ball lock couplers.
Top picks, and why
EdgeStar KC2000 Full Size Kegerator
- 20.2 in wide
- Fits a 1/2 barrel
- Temp low 30s to mid 40s F
Holds a half barrel, quarter or two sixth barrels, 5 lb CO2 tank included. Freestanding only. $500 to $1,000.
- Holds a 1/2, 1/4 or two 1/6 barrel kegs
- Converts to a refrigerator
- 5 lb CO2 tank included (ships empty)
- Freestanding only, not for building in under a counter
- Does not fit Coors, Miller or rubber kegs
$500 to $1,000, live price on Amazon
Check price on AmazonPaid link. We earn a commission at no cost to you.
Kegco HK38BSU-2 Undercounter Kegerator, 2 Tap
- 24 in undercounter
- 32 to 59 F
- Converts to a fridge
24 in undercounter kegerator with a two-tap stainless direct draw kit, 32 to 59 F. $1,000 to $2,000.
- Built-in or freestanding
- Two-tap stainless direct draw kit
- Holds a full size keg or three 5 gal kegs
- Two taps need two kegs that fit side by side (sixth barrels or quarter slims)
$1,000 to $2,000, live price on Amazon
Check price on AmazonPaid link. We earn a commission at no cost to you.
Kegco HBK309S-2 Homebrew Kegerator, 2 Tap
- 23.6 in wide
- Three 5 gal corny kegs
- 32 to 75 F
Ball lock couplers for three corny kegs, and a 32 to 75 F range so it doubles as a fermentation chamber. $500 to $1,000.
- Holds three 5 gal ball lock kegs
- 32 to 75 F, so it can ferment too
- Deep chill mode
- Ball lock couplers will not tap commercial D system kegs (buy a D coupler separately)
$500 to $1,000, live price on Amazon
Check price on AmazonPaid link. We earn a commission at no cost to you.
Compare every pick
Paid links: we earn a commission if you buy, at no cost to you. Amazon prices change often, so we show a range and link to the live price.
Freestanding kegerators
Freestanding kegerators vent heat out the back or sides, so they need open air around them. They roll on casters, which makes them good for a garage, patio or the end of a bar, and they cost the least.
Check the keg fit: the KC2000 takes standard US half and quarter barrels but not Coors, Miller or rubber kegs, while the Kegco K309SS-2 takes any full size keg.
EdgeStar KC2000 Full Size Kegerator
- 20.2 in wide
- Fits a 1/2 barrel
- Temp low 30s to mid 40s F
20.2 in wide, low 30s to mid 40s F, converts to a fridge. $500 to $1,000.
- Holds a 1/2, 1/4 or two 1/6 barrel kegs
- Converts to a refrigerator
- 5 lb CO2 tank included (ships empty)
- Freestanding only, not for building in under a counter
- Does not fit Coors, Miller or rubber kegs
$500 to $1,000, live price on Amazon
Check price on AmazonPaid link. We earn a commission at no cost to you.
Kegco K309SS-2 Dual Tap Kegerator
- 24 in wide, 33.25 in tall
- D system couplers
- Deep chill mode
D system couplers for two kegs, down to 32 F with fan-forced cooling and deep chill. $500 to $1,000.
- Two taps, D system couplers included
- Holds any full size keg, or two 5 gal D kegs
- Down to 32 F with fan-forced cooling
- Freestanding: rolls on casters, not rated for building in
$500 to $1,000, live price on Amazon
Check price on AmazonPaid link. We earn a commission at no cost to you.
Built-in (undercounter) kegerators
A kegerator closed into cabinetry must be front venting: it pulls and pushes air through the grille at the bottom of the door. A freestanding model boxed in runs hot and wears out its compressor.
These cost about twice as much as freestanding units, but they sit flush with the back bar and look built in.
Kegco HK38BSU-1 Undercounter Kegerator, 1 Tap
- 24 in undercounter
- Stainless tower and kit
- Converts to a fridge
24 in, built-in or freestanding, holds a full size keg or three 5 gal kegs. $1,000 to $2,000.
- Built-in or freestanding
- Holds a full size keg, two quarter slims or three 5 gal kegs
- 32 to 59 F digital control
- Costs about twice a freestanding single tap
$1,000 to $2,000, live price on Amazon
Check price on AmazonPaid link. We earn a commission at no cost to you.
Kegco HK38BSU-2 Undercounter Kegerator, 2 Tap
- 24 in undercounter
- 32 to 59 F
- Converts to a fridge
Same cabinet with a two-tap tower; pair it with two sixth barrels. $1,000 to $2,000.
- Built-in or freestanding
- Two-tap stainless direct draw kit
- Holds a full size keg or three 5 gal kegs
- Two taps need two kegs that fit side by side (sixth barrels or quarter slims)
$1,000 to $2,000, live price on Amazon
Check price on AmazonPaid link. We earn a commission at no cost to you.
EdgeStar KC7000SSTRIP Triple Tap Built-In Kegerator
- Front venting
- Air-cooled tower
- D Sankey couplers
Front ventilation, air-cooled triple tower and three D Sankey couplers. over $2,000.
- Front ventilation, made to build in
- Three taps, three D couplers included
- Air-cooled tower keeps the first pour cold
- Curbside delivery only
Over $2,000, live price on Amazon
Check price on AmazonPaid link. We earn a commission at no cost to you.
Homebrew kegerators
Homebrew goes in Cornelius (corny) kegs with ball lock or pin lock posts, not the Sankey valve on commercial kegs. A homebrew kegerator ships with ball lock couplers; to pour a commercial keg too, buy a D coupler separately.
Kegco HBK309S-2 Homebrew Kegerator, 2 Tap
- 23.6 in wide
- Three 5 gal corny kegs
- 32 to 75 F
Three 5 gal corny kegs, or a 6 gal fermenter, 32 to 75 F. $500 to $1,000.
- Holds three 5 gal ball lock kegs
- 32 to 75 F, so it can ferment too
- Deep chill mode
- Ball lock couplers will not tap commercial D system kegs (buy a D coupler separately)
$500 to $1,000, live price on Amazon
Check price on AmazonPaid link. We earn a commission at no cost to you.
Which keg size?
A half barrel holds 15.5 gal, about 165 12 oz beers. A quarter barrel holds 7.75 gal (about 82), a sixth barrel 5.16 gal (about 55). A homebrew corny keg holds 5 gal, about 53.
At home, smaller usually wins. A party of 12 drinking 3 beers each pours about 36, well inside a sixth barrel, and two sixth barrels on two taps give a choice of beers in the same space as one half barrel.
The bottom line
From published specs and our sizing rules. Not lab tested.
- 1
Lowest cost, one tap
EdgeStar KC2000 Full Size Kegerator
1 tap, freestanding
Check price on AmazonPaid link
- 2
Built-in, two taps
Kegco HK38BSU-2 Undercounter Kegerator, 2 Tap
2 taps, built-in
Check price on AmazonPaid link
- 3
Homebrew
Kegco HBK309S-2 Homebrew Kegerator, 2 Tap
2 taps, ball lock
Check price on AmazonPaid link
Frequently asked questions
How many beers are in a keg?
A half barrel (15.5 gal) pours about 165 12 oz beers, a quarter barrel (7.75 gal) about 82, and a sixth barrel (5.16 gal) about 55. Expect a few less after foam on the first pours.
Can I put a kegerator under my counter?
Only if it is front venting and sold as built-in, like the Kegco HK38BSU or EdgeStar KC7000SSTRIP. Freestanding models need open air at the back and sides.
What coupler does a kegerator need?
Most US commercial beers use the D system (American Sankey) coupler, which comes with most kegerators. Some imports use S, A, G, U or M couplers. Homebrew corny kegs use ball lock or pin lock fittings.
How much does it cost to run a kegerator?
Listed figures for full size kegerators and conversion fridges run about 290 to 310 kWh a year, roughly $50 to $55 a year at the US average of 17.3 cents per kWh. A hot garage pushes that up.
How long does a keg stay fresh in a kegerator?
Kept cold and on CO2, pasteurized commercial beer typically holds about 2 to 3 months and unpasteurized craft beer closer to 1 to 2. That is the reason sixth barrels suit most home bars.
Single or dual tap?
Two taps if you host often or like a choice. The cabinet fits two sixth barrels or two quarter slims side by side, so a dual tap costs little more space than a single.
9 products are linked on this page. We have not lab-tested these products; picks are based on published specifications and our sizing rules. Amazon prices change, so we show a range and link to the live price. See our disclosure.
Size it for your home
Marcus Reed
Founder and Editor, CrunchYourDollars
Marcus Reed builds the sizing tools on CrunchYourDollars. He is a software engineer with a long-running PC hardware and power supply habit, which is where the watts, watt-hours and surge math on this site comes from. Product specs are pulled from manufacturer data sheets, electricity rates from the U.S. Energy Information Administration, and water chemistry rules from the Water Quality Association. He is not a licensed electrician or plumber: the tools show the math and the matching models so you can make the call, and anything involving your electrical panel should be checked by a licensed pro.
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