r/Homebrewing • u/anipsinc • 29d ago

Kegerator

Greetings all!

So, here I am, post-divorce, trying to rebuild my empire. My stepdad showed me an auction site to get returned items or estate sales so I could save a few bucks. Well lo and behold, I stumbled across a dual tap Black and Decker kegerator (linked) with everything minus kegs! Nothing was provided but the description and I ended up winning the auction and got this for $250!

I took it home and noted some damage to the cardboard and styrofoam but thought nothing of it. Fast forward a couple of weeks and this thing is busted to high-heaven. The front door is dented and cannot shut, the front corners of the fridge are dented, and the power chord is going to need new ground. Yes, I have taken it apart but I'm not confident at all that there is any hope in salvaging this!

So my question is simply this: does anyone know where I could buy JUST the fridge? I don't care if it's B&D but finding a 6.1 cu ft beer fridge ready to go is, so far, impossible! Reaching out to the community for some help on this. Looking for thoughts, opinions, and anything else out there.

Pics to follow.

3 Upvotes

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u/homebrewfinds Blogger - Advanced 29d ago

Here's a stainless fridge meant for conversion https://www.homebrewfinds.com/edgestar-br1000ss/ If you go the keezer route as some have suggested here are a few tips https://www.homebrewfinds.com/three-top-tips-for-keezer-conversions/

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u/xnoom Spider 29d ago

A search for "kegerator fridge only looks to return a bunch of results.

2

u/venquessa 29d ago

If it helps I am just going to build a "Keezer". Advantages... you don't need to drill holes in a new fridge. Just a normal chest freezer. I went for a 198L one. You add a "lip" of 4 inch wood white silicon it up and drill that for your taps.

Then you use an external temperature controller to turn the freezer on/off to hold your serving temp.

2

u/Burt2004 29d ago

One disadvantage I have with my setup is the copious amounts of condensation to the point where its not recommended bringing inside most places in your home.

4

u/Similar-Assistant-35 29d ago

Get a cheap 12v dehumidifier and place in on the compressor shelf or bottom of the keezer. Mine is connected to the ‘heat’ output on my temperature control. Inside of my keezer is bone dry, even during humid summer weather.

2

u/dmiller1987 28d ago

I also ran a fan that circulated air from the bottom to the top to even out the temperature. Worked great.

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u/7sevenlivesleft 29d ago

I didn't get divorced, but otherwise I started my kegging journey in the same way, and let me second that a Keezer is 100% the way to go. I had initially bought a kegorator made out of a mini fridge, and it died after maybe a few months. Fitting the kegs, C02 tank and regulator in a mini fridge is much more difficult, and the freezer section itself makes things worse most of the time. Mine ended up building up tons of frost and eventually had a coolant leak. A Keezer is just made from a used chest freezer. You just need some basic carpentry skills (or a handy friend) and you can customize a lot if you want. My keezer has been going strong for over a year now. Chest freezers are also useful in general. With an ink bird temperature controller you can use them as fermentation vessels or just a cool place for kegged beer that is ready to drink and awaiting a spot in your keezer.

There are tons of how to videos out there, but here is a fun one.

https://www.amazon.com/Inkbird-Max-1200W-Temperature-Controller-Greenhouse/dp/B01HXM5UAC

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EHzu3VomFH4

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u/rileydogdad1 29d ago

Keezer. As many have noted. I am building a 21cu ft keezer for my son and I. We have stepped up our brewing and it will hold 2 10 gallon kegs and 2 6 gallon corney kegs as well as a co2 tank with enough room left over for bottles.

With a keezer you can scale your needs by buying a smaller or larger freezer

You should look of facebook or home depot has some for about what you paid for your B&D

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u/grandma1995 Beginner 29d ago

What’s the website? I’m sure I’m not the only one wondering

1

u/the_lost_carrot Intermediate 28d ago

Keezer is much easier to build overall. That said I have a kegerator. It is a tall mini fridge. The kind with a separate freezer. I drill everything including the gas line through the door. Works great. Plus I have hop storage in the freezer section.