With the weather starting to warm up, it's likely that some of us will be drinking plenty of the amber nectar over the next few months – so, it seems to us like the perfect time to bring you a list of the best home beer dispensers around so you can get set up and pouring ASAP.
What exactly are home beer dispensers? Put simply, they're devices that enable you to pour a deliciously refreshing pint of draught at home for those days when you can't get down to your local bar.
With so many shapes, sizes and styles available, trying to pick the best home beer dispenser could give you the kind of headache you'd normally get after sinking a skinful. There's no chance of that here, though, as we've narrowed down your search to seven top picks, and given you compelling reasons why each of them deserves your consideration. Bottoms up!
Best home beer dispensers: The Louder Choice
If you've been trawling the internet looking for the best home beer dispensers, you'll have noticed there are a lot of products made by lesser-known brands. While there are bound to be some good ones among these, you might be better off going for a tried-and-tested company – such as Philips, for example.
The British firm's PerfectDraft HD3720/26 (opens in new tab) may not be one of the cheaper dispensers out there, but you get what you pay for, and this sleek and sturdy device delivers a top-notch tipple. It serves beer at just the right temperature for drinking, requires no gas cartridges and can hold a whopping six litres of that luscious elixir.
As impressive as it is, the Philips machine isn't portable – meaning you won't be able to take it on beach outings or camping trips. For that, you'll need something like the GrowlerWerks uKeg Go 128 (opens in new tab). This rough-and-ready dispenser is one tough cookie, clad in a powder-coated finish that'll prevent it from getting damaged. And with double-wall stainless-steel vacuum insulation on board, it'll keep your booze chilled for hours at a time.
Best home beer dispensers: Product guide
Even without our beer goggles on, we can see that the Philips PerfectDraft HD3720/26 is a beautiful machine, with its black and chrome, stainless-steel finish bringing a real sense of class to the kitchen or utility room. And the beer it dispenses is pretty fantastic, too, and the machine's LCD display indicates when it's at just the right temperature for drinking.
Six-litre kegs can be easily swapped in and out via the front-opening cabinet, and your favourite brew will stay fresh for up to 30 days inside the device. Let's be honest, though – you'll have emptied them long before that time has elapsed. It's not portable though, so bear that in mind if you're looking for a beach-friendly beer dispenser.
If you're planning a trip to the beach this summer, then you don't really want to be shelling out for expensive pints of beer in a tourist trap. But what's the alternative? Well, you could always take a GrowlerWerks uKeg Go 128 with you. Boasting double-wall stainless-steel vacuum insulation, this canister can keep up to 3.8 litres of beer cool all day long, and optimally carbonated for weeks at a time.
Its three-position dispenser tap means that you can pour drinks for your friends without having to turn the whole thing round, while its durable, powder-coated finish offers robust protection from dents and scratches.
Available in four fancy finishes (Carbon, Ice, Pub or Copper), the Fizzics DraftPour relies upon something called Micro-Foam Technology to provide what the company describes as “the perfect pour”. Simply insert a bottle or can of carbonated ale into the device, tilt the lever and you'll be treated to a bevy that's truly smooth and flavoursome.
While this sleek dispenser would grace any kitchen work surface, its light weight and ability to run on battery power enable you to carry it from one place to the next – meaning you're guaranteed ravishing refreshment wherever you go. A perfect travelling companion for the summer months.
With its distinctive horizontal design, The SUB Compact will appeal to those who like to stand out from the crowd. It's sure to be a hit with people who enjoy a nice pint, too, since it keeps beer at the optimal temperature and freshness for up to 15 days at a time.
This Beerwulf-endorsed dispenser only works with Krups' SUB Kegs, and seeing as they're only two litres, you'll probably find yourself changing them more often than you'd like. However, with loads of top beer brands represented, you're sure to find something that tempts your palate.
If you've been shopping around for a home beer dispenser, then you'll have doubtless come across Klarstein. The German company is one of the more prominent names in this particular market, due to the fact its devices are stylish and feature-packed without costing a mint. Sleek and shiny, the Skal features six cooling temperatures – selectable via the machine's LCD display – to ensure your beer will be poured exactly as you like it.
The Skal isn't a portable dispenser, but on the flip side it does accept five-litre kegs, meaning it'll keep the beer flowing, and the party going, all night long.
Another growler-style home beer dispenser, the Triplej Mini 304 is a stout and sturdy customer that's able to hold up to five litres of beer at high pressure, meaning you'll be guaranteed fizzy refreshment as and when you need it. Simply pull the lever and the pressure will automatically release at 35 or 70psi, depending on which valve you have fitted.
A carry handle makes it easy to take the growler with you on festival and camping trips, and since the unit is cloaked in a black powder finish, you needn't worry about it getting scraped or scratched on your adventures.
Don't have much money to spend? Well, this dispenser will do a reasonable job for very little cost. Holding up to four litres, it relies on a removable ice core to keep drinks chilled for hours at a time, making it a great choice for summer barbecues. You don't even have to fill it with beer if you don't want to, as it's designed to work with any kind of cold drink.
There's no carbonation system, and the dispenser tap feels a bit flimsy, but if you're looking for a bargain beer-cooling solution, then you can't really go wrong with this.
Best home beer dispensers: Buying advice
Choosing the best home beer dispenser for you
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We know you're gasping for a pint, but there are a few things you need to consider before buying your first home beer dispenser. Firstly, what's your tipple of choice? Most dispensers are designed to serve beer cool and carbonated, so if you're a fan of flat real ale served at room temperature, then you might want to give the products in this guide a swerve. If you do love a chilled, fizzy pint, then you'll find that almost all dispensers work with a wide range of beer types and brands, which can usually be swapped in and out at your leisure.
Portable or mains powered?
Another consideration is where you're planning to use your dispenser. If you want something that'll sit on the patio table while you're having a barbecue, or that you can stuff in your rucksack on a camping trip, then a mains-powered dispenser is obviously not going to be an ideal choice. Instead, look out for a portable device that can be run on batteries, or requires no power at all.
How much beer do you want to drink?
Then there's the question of how much beer you require. If you're hosting a garden party for 20 people – and you don't want to have to keep changing the keg every half an hour – then it makes sense to buy something that can hold a large amount of ale. Floor-standing and integrated units tend to have the biggest capacity, but they also take up a lot of room – not to mention a large chunk out of your bank balance!
Read more on how we test products and services at Louder.
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