Best Kegs for Home Brew

Updated September 2020
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BestReviews spends thousands of hours researching, analyzing, and testing products to recommend the best picks for most consumers. We only make money if you purchase a product through our links, and we never accept free products from manufacturers. Read more  
BestReviews spends thousands of hours researching, analyzing, and testing products to recommend the best picks for most consumers. We buy all products with our own funds, and we never accept free products from manufacturers.Read more 
Bottom Line
Pros
Cons
Best of the Best
BeerDroid Fully Automated Beer Brewing System
BeerDroid
Fully Automated Beer Brewing System
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Bottom Line

This cutting-edge keg is the future of home brew technology with automated brewing features to create your ideal beer.

Pros

Brew up to 2.6 gallons of quality beer inspired by the world's most popular brews. Ingredients are 100% natural with no additives or preservatives. Wi-Fi capabilities and an LCD screen allow you to monitor and control your brew with push notifications.

Cons

Price is double a regular home brewing keg and going automatic has technological flaws when Wi-Fi is down.

Best Bang for the Buck
YaeBrew Mini CO2 Regulator and 5L 170 oz Stainless Steel Keg System Kit Home Brew
YaeBrew
Mini CO2 Regulator and 5L 170 oz Stainless Steel Keg System Kit Home Brew
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Bottom Line

Affordable and easy to use, this home brewing keg is ideal for picnics and camping trips.

Pros

It's easy to use, easy to clean and easy to fill. Very good in outings and the best value keg out there. Strong tap compared to competitors and decent size.

Cons

It requires a lengthy assembly and de-assembly process. Some of the pieces are not as airtight as its competitors' kegs as they can come loose easily.

PicoBrew PICO Model C Beer Brewing Appliance
PicoBrew
PICO Model C Beer Brewing Appliance
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Bottom Line

Highly-acclaimed home brewing keg with a wide selection of beers that you can modify and customize.

Pros

Brews up to 5 liters of a craft beer, or 13, 12-ounce bottles, with a kit that uses all-natural grains and hops ingredients. Choose from beers from more than 180 breweries. Adjust the alcohol content to fit your needs, as well as the bitterness level. Dishwasher-safe with built-in steam cleaning.

Cons

Some models have a defective shuttle pump, while the CO2 regulator is not foolproof, creating carbonation problems.

GrowlerWerks uKeg 128 Pressurized Growler for Craft Beer
GrowlerWerks
uKeg 128 Pressurized Growler for Craft Beer
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Bottom Line

Great material to keep beer cold, very affordable and carbonation settings are easy to use.

Pros

It can keep your beer fresh, cold and carbonated for up to 2 weeks. The tap handle is interchangeable, making it easy to customize your beer the way you like it. Comes with a one-year warranty and a lifetime of customer support.

Cons

If you tighten the regulator too tight, the ring easily moves out of place, causing the carbonation to seep out. CO2 bulb is on the small side.

Cool Bank 5L Homebrew Keg System Kit for Home Brew Beer
Cool Bank
5L Homebrew Keg System Kit for Home Brew Beer
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Bottom Line

Portable, made with high-quality stainless steel to maintain quality of beverage.

Pros

The material offers a high level of insulation and carbonation. Price is reasonable and it comes packaged well, making it easy to assemble. This keg's regulator is nice and sensitive enough to dial in exact pressure levels.

Cons

The regulator that comes with the keg is faulty in some units and the tap doesn't line up perfectly.

Why trust BestReviews?
BestReviews spends thousands of hours researching, analyzing, and testing products to recommend the best picks for most consumers. We only make money if you purchase a product through our links, and we never accept free products from manufacturers. Read more  
BestReviews spends thousands of hours researching, analyzing, and testing products to recommend the best picks for most consumers. We only make money if you purchase a product through our links, and we never accept free products from manufacturers. Read more  
BestReviews spends thousands of hours researching, analyzing, and testing products to recommend the best picks for most consumers. We buy all products with our own funds, and we never accept free products from manufacturers.Read more 
How we decided

We purchase every product we review with our own funds — we never accept anything from product manufacturers.

18 Models Considered
22 Hours Researched
1 Experts Interviewed
198 Consumers Consulted
Zero products received from manufacturers.

We purchase every product we review with our own funds — we never accept anything from product manufacturers.

A homebrew keg stores your beer with a tap handle attached to dispense it. They’re great for parties, camping, and picnics as they’re made in a reasonable size for easy transport. Beer kegs for home use are made in one to two and a half gallon capacities. Some kegs for homebrewing come with kits to make your own beer. There’s even a keg with automated brewing features to take the guesswork out of beer making. Most kegs are made of stainless steel for durability. They need to seal well to keep flavor and carbonation from escaping. Some have a pressure gauge or regulator to monitor and maintain carbonation. The keg also needs to be easy to clean so that flavors don’t transfer to the next batch.

Other Products We Considered
The BestReviews editorial team researches hundreds of products based on consumer reviews, brand quality, and value. We then choose a shorter list for in-depth research and testing before finalizing our top picks. These are the products we considered that ultimately didn't make our top 5.
Nutrichef
Pressurized Beer Mini Keg System
YaeBrew
TEK-KI-0008 3.6L-Z Homebrew Keg System Kit
Old Ale Homebrew & Beverage Supply Co.
5-Gallon Home Brew Keg
Draft Brewer
Single Homebrew Kegging System
Keg Smiths
Portable Draft Keg System
The team that worked on this review
  • Jacob
    Jacob
    Head of e-Commerce Content
  • Katie
    Katie
    Editorial Director
  • Melinda
    Melinda
    Web Producer
×

BeerDroid

Fully Automated Beer Brewing System

BeerDroid

Fully Automated Beer Brewing System

This cutting-edge keg is the future of home brew technology with automated brewing features to create your ideal beer.
$499
×

PicoBrew

PICO Model C Beer Brewing Appliance

PicoBrew

PICO Model C Beer Brewing Appliance

Highly-acclaimed home brewing keg with a wide selection of beers that you can modify and customize.
$249
×

YaeBrew

Mini CO2 Regulator and 5L 170 oz Stainless Steel Keg System Kit Home Brew

YaeBrew

Mini CO2 Regulator and 5L 170 oz Stainless Steel Keg System Kit Home Brew

Affordable and easy to use, this home brewing keg is ideal for picnics and camping trips.
$99
×

GrowlerWerks

uKeg 128 Pressurized Growler for Craft Beer

GrowlerWerks

uKeg 128 Pressurized Growler for Craft Beer

Great material to keep beer cold, very affordable and carbonation settings are easy to use.
$209
×

Cool Bank

5L Homebrew Keg System Kit for Home Brew Beer

Cool Bank

5L Homebrew Keg System Kit for Home Brew Beer

Portable, made with high-quality stainless steel to maintain quality of beverage.
$114

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