Insignia™ - 5.6 Cu. Ft. 1-Tap Beverage Cooler Kegerator - Stainless steel

I researched multiple kegerators around the $400 price before pulling the trigger on this one. I learned the difference between these cheaper priced kegerators and the more expensive ones so I am able to give a reasonable review, considering this is a cheaper kegerator, respectfully. The kegerator came with a dent near the top of the door to the unit. I actually expected this, as this seems to be common with this kegerator so I wasn't too upset about it. Just put a VT magnet over it. The instructions are okay for the most part but really suck in regards to explaining the washer placement. There are different types and sizes of washers and it groups them all as one part, "valve washers." So when it's time to add a washer to a part of the unit it refers to all the washers so you don't know which one goes where. There is a clear rubber "duckbill washer" which goes between the gas line and coupler. The duckbill (pointed) part goes into the coupler with the rounder part exposed to the tank/gas line. This part is quite important. I had a leak and did not locate and fix it until I went through 4 tanks (Over $100 wasted on tank refills). I have attached a photo with the responsible loose nut circled. The instructions explain to connect the gas line to the gas line connector on the regulator. Well the nut which the gas line slips up against should be tightened already but apparently it came too loose. I sprayed soap water on this connection and saw the air bubbles flowing. I just tightened it slightly and after 2 weeks, I have had no leaks. I have already recommended this kegerator to many people. Just keep in mind that you need to check all connections, even connections that you did not make but were already done when you got the item. I'd do the soap water test once the gas is hooked up, before I'd connect a keg so that you don't mess up your beer in the keg and also don't waste money on CO2 tanks with leaks. I also added an AC Infinity Axial 1225 fan to circulate the air inside the kegerator, sitting next to the keg (elevated to allow air intake). It is very quiet and pushes air from the bottom of the unit to the top. That took care of some temperature disparities I was having within the unit itself. So as long as you check the connections, cover up any small dent(s), and add a cheap fan inside and your $400 kegerator works just as well (almost) as the more expensive ones. If you want to be extra ana1 about it you can add a beer tower cooling system for about $40 as well. I'd personally rather just have some extra head on that first pour and wait the 2 minutes it takes to go down. Every pour after that is perfect. I have my temperature dial set at 5 and my CO2 regulator pressure set to 8-10psi (people recommend 10-12, I do not). Enjoy.

This is my first kegerator so I can't attest to how well this performs to higher end models. However, I must say that finding a name brand stainless steel kegerator for less than $500 is difficult. I bought this on sale at Bestbuy. It works great! Assembly was easy. The unit did come dented on the door, but it was so minor it didn't feel worth taking back. It cools the beer to 34 degrees at the 5.5/6.0 setting. Keeping beer cold is key and keeping CO2 levels in check is key in reducing foam. Unfortunately, I had about 3 lbs of CO2 leak out. It was my fault for not putting the supplied O ring on the keg coupler and I don't believe I fully twisted the keg coupler properly on my second keg. However, CO2 is cheap ($15 at local paintball supply in the Atlanta area). It's only a pain in that I live 30 min from my supplier. So make sure your connections are tight and secure. The best way to check for leaks is with soapy water and by weighing the tank (it weighs 8.14 lbs, so just add 5 to that for a full tank weight excluding the regulator and hosing). A 5lb tank should last about 6 half kegs or 17 1/6 kegs (I get the 1/6 kegs to change it up more often and to save my back hauling it upstairs). So, I think the 5 lb tanks works out great. If your beer is too foamy just increase the temperature dial number on the back of the fridge (lower temp) and lower your CO2 (using less is better, right?). You may also want to consider using keg lube on your O rings and invest in a cleaning system (I use it after every 2 kegs). I recommend Brew Clean by Keg Connection and Petro Gel food grade lubricant. I don't see the need for a tower fan for this unit. Hope you enjoy it as much as I do!

As other reviews state, the instructions are vague and hard to follow. The main problem is the lack of detail for the gaskets and knowing where and how to put them in There is another post that goes into great detail about what gaskets go where, but the main point is the one that is duck bill shaped goes in the CO2 line(the duck bill going into the actual line and the flat part against the tap and the flat rubber gasket goes with beer line. Fyi you cannot get it to seal by hand tightening, use a wrench BUT a 1/4 turn, at most, is all that is needed or you will cut the gasket (which i did the first time) That being said there is more that goes in than hooking up the keg and co2 and drinking. DO YOUR RESEARCH. This unit comes with a 5ft beer line which will work for your regular beers (bud light, etc.), but if you do craft beers plan on getting a new line. I drink Sam Adams summer ale and couldn't get foaming issues to stop, all due to this short beer line. After changing the beer line i would randomly get foam issues. I changed the faucet to a different style and have not had this issue ever again. The faucet they include with the unit has a ball that stops the beer when closed, when it is fully open. randomly you will get a foamy poor (all foam no beer). I think the ball creates a venturi effect and produces excessive foam. This unit appears to be aimed for the first time buyer, but the lack of information is the down fall. After a few hours of research and a few upgrades it is a great unit. But as for the unit being an off the shelf, plug and play. this unit, it is not, and the best advice i can give is to do the research before you buy it.

So far I'm loving this kegerator. I read all the reviews and did some research online. So when I bought this one I also ordered a longer beer line, a small fan, a tower cooler, a tower sleeve and cap. I assembled it by myself with no problem and let it cool down. Went a day later to get the keg. The first night was foamy but I hadn't let the keg settle either. I was impatient lol. The next morning was good. I wrapped the beer line up on top of the keg (the regular 5 ft one) and i have my pressure set at 8 for magners irish cider. No foam problems at all since I've found the right settings. Right now I have a 5G keg and plenty of room to keep the pint glasses in there to chill. Plan to get a full keg next. The tower sleeve and cap are a must. The fan not really needed IMO. The longer beer line I havent installed yet. I put the tower cooler in today and the lines froze lol. So far I'm down to 3 on the temp and I might need to go to 2 to keep from freezing. My biggest confusion with assembly was all the extra gaskets and all the reviews saying you had to use the duckbill shaped one somewhere. As far as I can tell, the duckbill gasket is the backflow gasket that goes in the coupler but the coupler should have one built in already. This comes with a D coupler so make sure thats what you need for the beer you want. I have to assume that the duckbill gasket in the bag is a replacement in case the one in the coupler fails. So far I've had no issues with beer going up the gas line. The only gasket I actually had to use was the one that goes under the tower when you install it and the one that goes between the gas line and the coupler. The tower was a pain to install, you really have to force it to turn and lock in. I was afraid to break it. But now it snaps in and out with little force (I had to take it off to get the tower cooler installed well) The only thing I dont love is that the temp dial is way on the back. Makes it a pain during the first adjustment period. But I assume once I have it all figured out and perfect, I wont need to reach it.

Follow these simple guidelines and you will be successful in setting up and operating your Kegerator. First off, when it arrives, unbox it as indicated on the package. Everything is clearly illustrated but there are a few tricks. The draft arm assembly is an insert and twist type, but the 4 screws at the base protrude about 1/16th inch too long and restrict the insert and twist motion required. Simply back them off about two turns, insert and twist as shown, then retighten the screws. Do not plug it in yet. Let it sit overnight in the place you intend to use it. Next day, set the thermostat to 3.5, place a small cup of water inside anong with a remote reading thermometer. Do not chase the thermostat up and down. It takes several hours for everything inside to normalize. I ended up with 35 deg. but it will get below freezing if you turn up the thermostat. Get your keg and hook it up but do not turn the co2 on. Let the keg settle a few hours. After waiting, turn on the co2 and slowly increase the perssure to about 8 lbs. Get a pitcher, your first pour will be a little foamy. Enjoy from there on and chuckle at the rest of humanity that just rushes through the set up process and gives a bad review due to temperature and foam problems.

I had a commercial kegerator for my home brewing hobby that broke down. Since it cost about $1,000 to repair, I decided to purchase an inexpensive replacement and this unit from Best Buy seemed to meet my needs. It can fit 3 home brew kegs (5 gallon cornelius style). It has room for all the hoses, and I can run my gas line to the outside of the kegerator. The kegerator is quiet and has been keeping my beer chilled below 40 degrees at less than the coldest setting. It comes with a very nice 5 lb CO2 tank that needs to be filled, of course. The tower mounting holes are compatible with an upgraded 3 faucet setup I installed. Very nice! The railing is really good as it can be removed and cleaned separately. Very nice. The downside is that the kegerator top is plastic and is made cheaply. I modified this by inserting a plate of aluminum under the top. It was less than flat after the mod, but it now securely holds the 3-faucet tower in place. There is no air circulation inside the kegerator chamber or tower, so I solved this by building my own kegerator tower cooler. I believe that this sufficiently moves the air around the whole kegerator. Overall a very cost effective solution for a home kegerator system, large capacity, relatively easy to modify. As long as it gives me many years of service, I'll be very satisfied with this purchase.

I was able to pick this up at a great deal and I am very impressed with it. You can't tell how large it is from the picture, but it's tall enough that the average person can dispense beer very comfortably. It also fits the common 1/2 kegs. It will also fit smaller ones as well. You cannot use the shelves with the 1/2 keg. That's ok I have a separate beer fridge for bottles. Putting it together isn't that difficult, but the instructions are written bad. So, make sure you read them over and over before completing the assembly. There are steps that you need to take to mount the co2 tank on the backside to allow for more room inside, but they tell you this later in the directions. But, it's all good...I figured it out. If you do install the tank on the backside this will make it so you have to have the kegerator about a foot from the wall. I have mine in the corner so it doesn't matter. The only thing is I can't get the beer to not be so foamy, but as I read about the problem it could be that I need to let the new keg rest longer after transport...or that the first 5 pints are always foamy and I haven't gotten through it yet. The tank is easy to adjust though. ***Make sure you get the tank filled somewhere first. We have a keg place in town and they fill as well, but not all places do. Also, paintball places fill the co2 tanks apparently. So, call around to see where you need to go. I started with a cheaper beer to test at first. It tastes and works great. I'm very happy with this purchase.

I love this thing. There's enough room for two pony kegs - but I only have one tap. So, I have the pony keg in and add a couple bottles of beer to keep chilled. Temps can get pretty low, so I have a thermometer in it to keep track of the temp (35-38 range :dial set at 4.5 - top view). Be careful to not set the temp too low and don't have the lines next to the cooling condenser - your discharge line can freeze up. Co2 canister comes empty. You will have to go to a local gas suppy company to get an exchange. Cost me $22 at Praxair. You may get it filled at a paint gun shop - or similar business. I have the co2 inside the fridge. There's plenty of room for it and the keg. I also have an additional co2 canister attached to the included bracket outside the fridge for a back-up. Over the past month and 2 pony kegs, I still have to use up one canister of co2 - set at 10psi. There's no guage on the included regulator to check the co2 amount in the canister. I bought a seperate one that has the output pressure and the canister pressure - which I recommend if you want to keep tract of how much co2 you have. I keep the pressure at the recommended 10psi. But, I can tell when the keg is running low - I get a lot of foam. Otherwise, I get a perfect pint every time. It's quiet, dependable and easy to clean. Totally recommended if you enjoy draft beer. You may like the bottles or cans - and they serve their purpose - but there's nothing better than draft !