Salter Professional EK4919 Chilled Beer Dispenser, Freestanding Home Draught Machine and Beer Tap, Compatible with Any Non and Pre Carbonated 5L Keg, 3 x CO2 Cartridges, Integrated Cooling System

Product Information

So not only is this the only machine we tested that’s portable, but it’s also the only one that doesn’t require you to buy a specific keg. Full opening of the tap poured a perfect beer every time, with a smooth head of the type you’d normally only get in a pub; this just isn’t something you can replicate if pouring from a bottle. How a beer dispenser works obviously depends on the design and model of your machine but it'll involve pressure in some way to force the beer out. Fear not, there are plenty of affordable, budget-friendly options to choose from online, including your favourite - or next favourite - beer. When you’ve filled the glass around 2/3rds full, it’s time to focus on the head. Lower the glass further from the spout or if using the Fizzics machine, flip the tap away from you for the final foamy flourish.

The difficulty with the Salter Universal Chilled Draught Beer Dispenser is that it needs to cater for both types of keg, neither of which has been specifically designed for machine use. To fit a keg, I had to position the long adaptor. This has to be pushed through the hole on top of the keg (vent or tap), but it isn’t as easy a process as I had first thought. Honestly, pull a pint in a pub, and a pint out of Salter's machine, and you wouldn't be able to tell them apart in a blind test. Rather, the idea of a home beer dispenser like this isn’t a particularly compelling one. It’s more complicated than one expects it to be; it’s also expensive, and it makes little sense to put a keg with its own dispenser... in a dispenser. Question: Is there anything better than a chilled, fresh, relaxing, tasty, proper pint of beer in the pub? Answer (as if we actually need an answer): absolutely not.However, if you're someone with a bar or dedicated man cave (or just a really big kitchen) then this would be a nice luxury to treat yourself. It does, however, require 24 hours of cooling, so if you were having mates over, you would need to prepare this the day before. The PerfectDraft and Krups The Sub machines have an internal pump for example that pumps out the beer from your keg so it doesn't need any CO2 capsules. Its six-litre capacity means that it's a perfect party piece for small gatherings, making you the new favourite host with the most. It claims to enhance the aroma and give you a smooth mouthfeel. But we tasted the same beer straight from the can and it didn’t taste noticeably different.

They loved the strong “man cave vibes” but, frankly, we were more concerned about how heavy it was to lug around. I tested it with a range of kegs, including a Heineken, a foreign beer I've forgotten the name of and one of my favourite tipples, Adnams Ghost Ship. That made it super easy to use, but it felt a bit pointless. Fizzics says it uses sonic wave technology so you get a draft taste from any can or bottle of beer. However, the machine didn't feel as high quality to use - the tap felt quite flimsy and the drip tray was quite cheap looking.

In This Article

Value for money: we assessed whether the performance, ease of use and additional functionality justified the price. We also tested beer dispensers at a variety of prices to see if it was necessary to spend more money. Plus, you can get your hands on kegs from Corona, Jupiler, Leffes, Stella Artois, Thornbridge and more with your machine as part of a starter bundle. The larger PerfectDraft or BLADE systems are more expensive, reflecting the larger six and eight-litre kegs they dispense, respectively. How to set up a beer pump at home Freestanding design: Suitable for use anywhere, including the games room, kitchen, bar, office and more Overall the machine scored high on flavour but lost points overall because the price point was beyond many people’s reach.

So it’s easier to get hold of the beer to use Salter’s system; however, it’s more of a faff to use than PerfectDraft and it will cool your beer for only up to 21 hours. Design and Features While it would be easier for brands to list keg and dispenser capacities in pints — that’s how we like to drink it, after all — they’re measured in litres. (There’s 1.76 pints in a litre, so that’s just under two pints.) Most dispensers hold kegs of around 5 litres, though some will hold a little more or less. What types of beer do dispensers use? The size of the kegs means that you’ll get just over 10 pints of beer a turn, and each keg lasts for up to 30 days once opened. I feel that this is a good compromise: there’s enough beer for a small gathering, or to accommodate a single person over the course of a couple of weeks.Start by holding the glass at 45 degrees, flip the tap towards you and let the beer flow down the side of the glass.

Many of our favourite beer pumps below are part of a subscription service, meaning you can get monthly top-ups to mini-kegs or cans so you’re never short on sesh day, with the largest kegs holding eight litres or roughly 14 pints. Alternatively, you can buy your chosen poison elsewhere to keep costs down. This is the priciest pint of the machines we tested - but it was the best. Overall, this was our winner. It poured really nicely and was like a pint that you'd get in the pub, plus we liked the display features. We also liked the easy-to-read temperature display on the front and the indicator that tells you how full your keg is. And each keg is good for around nine pints, so it's great value for money. Oh, and the beer that comes out is absolutely delicious.

We all like a beer at home too — a bag of cans or a few bottles are all well and good — but it’s not the same as a proper pub-pulled pint. That’s why the home dispenser has become increasingly popular. For beer enthusiasts, it should go alongside the coffee machine or kettle. One of those absolutely essential appliances that every kitchen needs. The most important part of getting a beer dispenser is the beer! But kegs can't be bought from just anywhere, sadly. Chill the beer beforehand. Although beer dispensers can chill a keg from room temperature, this takes a lot more time and energy so if you do have the space, pop your keg in the fridge. You’re likely to want to chill it further in the machine. If you’re having a party you may need to chill more than one keg. Avoid trying to try serve the beer before it’s properly chilled as it will froth more. Performance: we tested the quality of the pint from each of the dispensers. If there was additional functionality or uses we tested these ,too.