BeerTender from Heineken and Krups B95 Home Beer-Tap System Review

If you love draft beer but don't drink enough to need a full keg this is for you!

I like my beer ice cold poured in a SMALL frozen glass .... I dont drink enough to warrant a full size type draft keg machine with all the hassles that come with it (like Co2) this unit is simple: just drop the draughtkeg in and your done. This unit has a thermostat setting that lets you set it to 36 degrees , the other unit will not allow you to lower the setting so this alone makes it worth the extra $20.

With the draughtkeg and beertender you get a nice little fridge who's sole job is to keep that keg ice cold and easy to pour... since it has a bottom drip tray you can pour your draught " english " style by letting the first half second just pour out to clear the foam then quickly put your glass in to get a nice pour with little foam - you cant do that when pulling from the big fridge....

What makes it nice is you can pour as much or more importantly as little as you want... like I said I like a small beer glassthat gives me nice cold gulps of beer then just pour more - no wasted warm beer just nice and cold PLUS its fun to pour ! Lets face it this is a luxury item because you could just keep it in the big fridge and pour from there but thats no fun! Plus the big fridge is not going to maintain that keg at a constant 36 degrees!

The unit itself is pretty small and very light - it uses some induction type cooling so there is no typical fridge motor its a small fan - now this fan will work hard at first to get that keg down to temp but once its done it gets quieter - its loud enough that you should not put it in an area that is normally quiet .. also since it does not use a fridge type motor it will not work outdoors! It uses the ambient air to help cool the unit - anything over 85 degrees and it will not be able to maintain the temp - so indoor use only.

So to sum up - if you like the Heineken draghtkegs you will enjoy this item - is it necessary ? No , but you will get a much more enjoyable feeling when pouring that perfectly chilled draught. I hope Heineken adds more to the draughtkeg line up like they have in Europe... remember it only works with Heineken so if you dont like Heineken then this item will not work for you...

B95 or B90 ? Spend a little more and get the fancy lcd screen and temp control - especially if you like the cold beer because the other unit is preprogrammed at 39 or 40 deg ... but some people like a warmer draught but the price difference is so little you might as well ' go all the way ' ....

Cheers!

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Product Description:
Krups, the world wide leader of small appliances and Heineken, the leader in European Premium Imported Beer have partnered together to create the ultimate beer drinking experience at home. The BeerTender system is compatible with the Heineken DraughtKeg system which utilizes an internal carbonator pressure unit. The Heineken DraughtKeg unit releases Co2 every time the tap is opened, ensuring the beer remains fresh for up to 30 days and allows for a crisp quality beer with Heinekens' signature head of foam and trademark "bite". The BeerTender silent cooling system provides constant and consistent cooling of the 5L Heineken DraughtKeg and will keep it at the ideal temperature of 41 degrees F.Easy to operate, just run the keg's plastic tube to the BeerTender tap and you're done. It's that simple. Inserting a keg takes less than 15-seconds. The Krups BeerTender has an LCD display panel featuring a volume indicator and temperature indicator. It features a detachable pour handle, detachable draw spout, a removable tray. Beautifully designed, the BeerTender is compatible with the Heineken DraughtKeg and Heineken Premium Light DraughtKeg.

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BeerTender from Heineken and Krups B90 Home Beer-Tap System Review

ALas.....it seems I as many of the early adopters are learning the pain of the KRUPS BEERTENDER.

I was very excited for this product and my girlfriend bought one for me for my birthday in APRIL 2008.
THe product is well designed and works well when it works.
Problem is...I only used it 2x...and the unit stopped cooling.

One thing customers of this item should know is that you really aren't supposed to store a Heineken Draught Keg in it for more than a day (they say this in the manual) and that you are supposed to remove the keg and put it in the fridge if you plan on storing it longer.

ISn't that kinda stupid and defeats the purpose of such an expensive unit?? Also...it only uses Mini-Kegs that have their own CO2 pressuration built in like the Heineken Mini-keg.....so expect your choice (if any) to be limited.

Anyhoo, I used 2 Draught Kegs in a 6 week period....and the unit stopped cooling. I contacted KRUPS and received an RMA and had the unit shipped in for repair on 6/23/08. After hearing nothing I followed up on 7/24/08 as to the status of my machine, they apologized and put in a rush order to have a replacement shipped after emailing them 2x and calling.

My latest phone conversation (8/19/08) I was told that they had been backordered on the machine until this past week and should receive my replacement machine in 2 weeks....we'll see.

While I like the machine......the rep said that this being a brand new product for Krups they were experiencing issues in servicing of the unit. I am thinking this machine was not ready to be released and that the cooling unit is very likely to fail in every unit.

I would have to say there might be a better options if you plan to use this type of dispenser regularly.

UPDATE (9/21/08):
Received my warranty replacement unit at the end of AUGUST. To my surprise.......KRUPS did not repair my machine...they sent a completely NEW Unit!! YAY!

So far the unit has worked perfectly and I have used it 1x since i received it. Hopefully they have resolved any issues they were experiencing in manufacturing so I or others won't experience the cooling failure that I did with my 1st unit. So Far So Good.....there are also rumors of more varieties of Draught Keg coming to the US like they have in Europe....that would definitely make the unit a more worthwhile purchase rather than a creature comfort.

Click Here to see more reviews about: BeerTender from Heineken and Krups B90 Home Beer-Tap System

Product Description:
Krups, the world wide leader of small appliances and Heineken, the leader in European Premium Imported Beer have partnered together to create the ultimate beer drinking experience at home. The BeerTender system is compatible with the Heineken DraughtKeg system which utilizes an internal carbonator pressure unit. The Heineken DraughtKeg unit releases Co2 every time the tap is opened, ensuring the beer remains fresh for up to 30 days and allows for a crisp quality beer with Heinekens' signature head of foam and trademark "bite". The BeerTender silent cooling system provides constant and consistent cooling of the 5L Heineken DraughtKeg and will keep it at the ideal temperature of 41 degrees F.Easy to operate, just run the keg's plastic tube to the BeerTender tap and you're done. It's that simple. Inserting a keg takes less than 15-seconds. The Krups BeerTender has an LCD display panel featuring a volume indicator and temperature indicator. It features a detachable pour handle, detachable draw spout, a removable tray. Beautifully designed, the BeerTender is compatible with the Heineken DraughtKeg and Heineken Premium Light DraughtKeg.

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Danby DKC645BLS 5.8-Cu.Ft. Designer Beer Keg Cooler, Black/Stainless Review

Out of the box, this unit will not function correctly.You will have serious problems with foaming beer because of 3 defects.

1. Temperature regulator does not sense liquid temperature.It is also located too close to the cooling plate and needs to be moved further away to get a more accurate reading.

2. The tower does not flow cool air and ambient temperature inside is much higher than it needs to be

3. The spigot is also non-conventional and doesnt encourage an even flow

As far as I know, mine doesnt make any noises at all so I'm not sure what the other review is referring to or if they have a unit that isnt working correctly.

All of the above problems can be corrected.

Temperature -

a) Purchase a new regulator and bypass danby's.
b) Move the sensor away from its current position and put it in water to get a more accurate "liquid" reading.

Tower - Install a small fan to circulate air into the tower

Spigot - Replace with a standard one

Unfortunately for Amazon reviews, i cant link to other information that will help you do all of this, but if you search for the name of the unit, links that will help, show up very high in the list.

Click Here to see more reviews about: Danby DKC645BLS 5.8-Cu.Ft. Designer Beer Keg Cooler, Black/Stainless

Product Description:
The Danby DKC645BLS 5.8 Cu. Ft. Designer Beer Keg Cooler takes beer drinking to a whole new level. With room for full or pony sized kegs, this cooler also converts to a 5.8 cu. ft. all refrigerator for maximum versatility. It features an easy-to-program electronic thermostat, a scratch resistant work top for storing accessories and a stainless steel door with reversible door hinge. Designed for indoor use, this keg cooler is perfect for parties or watching the big game.

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Standard Kegerator Refrigerator Conversion Kit Review

Shipping was fast, billing a breeze.This product is everything you expect it to be, and installation couldn't have been easier.I told my dad that these were the best, clearest instructions I have ever read, for anything.I highly recommend the product, and the company's customer service is fantastic.

Click Here to see more reviews about: Standard Kegerator Refrigerator Conversion Kit

Product Description:
The Standard Kegerator Conversion Kit comes with everything you will need to successfully convert your refrigerator into a draft beer dispenser. Keg Beer Cooler Tap Kit.Compared to the Economy kegerator kit, the standard kit upgrades the single gauge Commercial Grade regulator to a double gauge (second gauge lets you know how much Co2 is left in the tank) and also upgrades the keg coupler from wing handle design to the more durable lever handle. All the draft beer parts are of the highest commercial grade quality which are designed and built to last.

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Mini Kegerator Refrigerator & Draft Beer Dispenser - EdgeStar Review

The Background:
I first thought of the BeerTender from Heineken as the 5L kegs are simple, easy to use and a big hit at parties and keeping the beer cool and out of the fridge is a challenge.While in a specialty shop I saw several other foreign brands of beer also in 5L kegs, but to my surprise, their tap was at the bottom like a Gatorade cooler.I then learned that the Heineken Draft kegs have an internal pressure system and that the Beertender would only work with that particular type of keg.

The Search:
At first it didn't really matter that much to me because I love Heineken and Heineken Light.After seeing the variety of beers available in the 5L minikegs, I decided to start shopping for a kegerator that would work with more than just the Draftkeg line.A low price was important, but so was functionality and reliablility.While searching, I found several other options with most looking similar and having the same features.You can go crazy and get one of the $300+ models out there, but I'd only recommend doing that if you have that kind of cash-flow to spend on a counter-top beer dispenser.

The Product:
The EdgeStar Mini Kegerator jumped out at me first because of its low price, and second, because it's identical to the more expensive Avanti MBD5L Mini Kegerator.(Note: Although the Edgestar doesn't display a drip tray like the Avanti, one is included.)For about $50, you can purchase a CO2 kit to tap and use non-pressurized 5L kegs from any other brewer (I've even seen it suggested that home-made beer can be placed in such a keg.)The kit comes with three 16-Gram CO2 cartridges (the small silver ones that you can pick up at Walmart) which are enough to dispense 3 or more 5L kegs.If you don't feel like replacing the cartridge every time you change the keg out, the space provided for the CO2 canister is large enough to accommodate a larger (340-Gram) CO2 Cylinder which is enough to dispense up to 20 5L kegs!The EdgeStar comes with a direction booklet, a cleaner bottle to wash out the system, an AC cable and DC cable, and an adapter for the Heineken Draft kegs.

The Perks:
- Having draft beer right in your own home!
- Looks great and comes in silver or black
- Better than the BeerTender for the following reasons:
o Costs less even with the CO2 kit
o CO2 kit allows you to use any 5L keg
o Has a controllable temp fan (38-54 degrees Fahrenheit) for a variety of beer types
o Comes with a DC adapter for tailgate parties and RV use!

The Bad:
- Can be tricky for people who don't normally pour from a tap
- Pours a lot of head if not setup properly (I suggest coiling the tube and getting it as horizontal as possible to mitigate this.)
- Tap is plastic, not stainless steel

Five stars because even with the few shortfalls, it blows the BeerTender away!

Click Here to see more reviews about: Mini Kegerator Refrigerator & Draft Beer Dispenser - EdgeStar

Product Description:
The EdgeStar 5-Liter Mini Kegerator (model: TBC50S) is an advanced beer dispensing system that uses DraughtKegTM carbonator pressure technology to deliver a pub-quality pour of beer everytime. In addition to being the perfect complement to the Heineken DraughtKeg, the TBC50S mini kegerator can easily be modified to tap and serve any (non-Heineken) standard size 5-liter keg using the optional CO2 accessory kit.The TBC50S mini kegerator features electronic temperature controls that preserve the mini keg at your preferred temperature for drinking. And the compact size, lightweight construction and included AC & DC power adapters enable the EdgeStar TBC50S to readily go from the home countertop to a tailgate party or RV application'perfect for the active beer connoisseur.Key Features Include:# Quietly and efficiently maintains optimum mini keg temperature# Metallic silver cabinet with window for displaying favorite brand of mini keg# Interior blue LED lighting with on/off switch showcases mini keg without raising beer temperature# Chrome faucet and design accents# AC / DC compatible with both adapters included# Easy upgrade kit available to fit any brand of mini kegs

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