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6 best home beer dispensers for pouring the perfect draught pint

Get beer on tap without leaving the comfort of your own home

Emmie Harrison-West
Friday 05 January 2024 13:05 GMT
<p>If tinnies don’t cut it, upgrade to a freshly pulled pint of Guinness, IPA, cider and more  </p>

If tinnies don’t cut it, upgrade to a freshly pulled pint of Guinness, IPA, cider and more

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There’s nothing quite like a fresh pint. The feeling of a cold pint glass in your fingers, or a beer’s white, frothy bubbles on your lips, is unrivalled. And while our local pubs need our hard-earned cash more than ever after the pandemic, and should always be our number one choice for a pint, sometimes an at-home beer dispenser does just the trick.

Whether for parties, or long, lazy days out in the sunshine – with a barbecue sizzling away – gone are the days of grimacing over a lukewarm can of lager, or awkwardly swigging from a sun-kissed bottle. Draught beer dispensers do exactly what it says on the tin – making your very own kitchen, or indeed garden, a temporary local.

Beer dispensers are perfect for entertaining, and guarantee a chilled, perfectly carbonated beer, with a white, frothy head each and every time (once you’ve mastered the art of pouring, that is). They’re a great crowd-pleaser, and often use kegs – helping you avoid the dreaded clean-up and trips to the recycling bin after dinner parties.

The best home beer dispensers range in size and price, with many being mains- and keg-operated – others, are rechargeable, and battery- or USB-powered. Some can even help you pour a perfect pint of beer that you’ve made with your very own hands (how cool is that?).

There’s no denying that many are pricey, we’ll give you that – but they’re an investment that delivers results. Here, we’ve rounded up our favourites to help you get that perfect at-home pint every single time. Cheers to that.

How we tested

Over the course of two months, we tested a selection of the best home beer dispensers across price ranges and different types, including many that were mains-operated. Using our knowledge and expertise as a member of The British Guild of Beer Writers, we analysed whether a true beer lover like ourselves would be satisfied – and whether each entry could stand the test of time. We invited friends and family over to test each machine out, examining whether it was a hot topic of conversation, and – of course – worth the money.

The best home beer dispensers for 2024 are:

  • Best overall – Pinter 3: £99, Pinter.co.uk
  • Best for supermarket beers – Fizzics draftpour home beer tap: £139, Menkind.co.uk
  • Best for Guinness lovers – Guinness draught Nitrosurge device: £28.50, Amazon.co.uk
  • Best for garden parties – Stribling 2.5l beverage dispenser: £96.99, Wayfair.co.uk

Pinter 3

best beer dispenser
  • Best: Overall
  • Size: 354mm x 234mm x 243mm
  • Colour: Grey, blue or red
  • Mains powered?: No

What could be better than pouring beer that you’ve made yourself? With the latest Pinter 3, you can play the role of both brewer and bartender – from your very own home. Plus, the machine is available in grey, red and blue, your new favourite piece of tech will not be a sight for sore eyes on your kitchen counter while doing it. And for under £100, it’s our worthy best buy for being a (pretty good looking) Jack of all trades.

There’s no denying that the concept of the Pinter is pretty impressive. Hailing from London, each purchase of the keg-shaped machine comes with a 10-pint Pinter pack which contains everything you need to create a beer style of your choice. Simply, follow the snazzy app’s instructions by combining something called a fresh press (it looks like sticky Marmite) with brewing yeast into the machine, leave to ferment at room temperature, then in the fridge, and in around seven to 10 days its app will inform you that you’re ready to pour fresh beer directly from your beer dispenser.

We will admit, it is a little heavy, and you will need to make some space in your fridge, but drinking your very own creation is a feeling like no other – in our opinion. Plus, don’t all beer lovers have a mini fridge anyway? Or shelves filled with cans? With the Pinter, it’s not like it’s taking up any more space that isn’t already reserved for bevs. And, in terms of what you can make with your own hands/excitement, choose from 10 pints of award-winning IPAs, lagers, stouts, ciders and more, starting from just £19.99.

Pinter’s eco-credentials are pretty impressive, too. Every pack replaces 17 bottles or cans, meaning less waste. The packs are letterbox-friendly, too. For under £100, we think it’s a really great gift for any beer (or cider!) lover.

  1. £99 from Pinter.co.uk
Prices may vary
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PerfectDraft pro

best beer dispenser
  • Best: Luxury beer dispenser
  • Size: 44.5cm x 29.4cm x 40.1cm
  • Colour: Silver and black
  • Mains powered?: Yes

It goes without saying that the PerfectDraft pro is one the best beer dispensers we’ve ever tested. Yes, it’s hefty and yes, it will take up about a microwave-sized space on your kitchen bench, but do you need your microwave, really? Absolutely not when literally the perfect pint is so readily available and extremely fun to pour from the comfort of your own home (it’s even complete with a drip-tray, so there’s minimal mess).

The PerfectDraft pro is so easy to use, and can be temperature controlled from the easy-to-navigate PerfectDraft app which is available on most smartphones. Simply follow the thorough instructions pasted on the inside of the machine, and slide in a 10-pinter (6l) keg of your choice from the PerfectDraft site. Then, insert provided tubing into the machine’s tap, wait for it to chill (the optimal temperature of most light-coloured beers are around 5C to 7C, but the machine can go down to 3C) and perfect your pouring technique.

We found it was a real party starter, with beer-lovers keen to become their very own landlord or lady. We’d recommend prepping your machine in advance of any parties, though, as it can take a number of hours to chill your keg down (we keep our kegs outside in colder climes to reduce this).

At first, we were concerned about its impact on our electricity bills, being plugged into the mains constantly in order to keep the beer cool and fresh – but it’s had such a minimal impact on them, we haven’t even noticed. Plus, if you find yourself out – or if the machine isn’t going to be in use for a few days (we can’t drink everyday, after all) – simply pop it on the energy saver mode in the app, and the machine will keep it at an optimal temperature, using minimal power.

For £329, we know it’s pretty pricey. But, you will receive the machine and plenty of merch to transform your kitchen into your new favourite local. Plus, there’s plenty of beer to choose from, with a variety of styles from IPAs to lagers and big names from Goose Island and Stella, to Tennant’s and Thornbridge on offer from the PerfectDraft site – with plenty of discounts in the forms of bundles. Don’t chuck your kegs in the bin either, as you’ll receive 100 beer tokens worth £5 for every keg returned to PerfectDraft, too. That’s money off your next keg, so it’s worth being eco-conscious.

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Fizzics draftpour home beer tap

best home dispensers
  • Best: For supermarket beers
  • Size: 59cm x 44cm x 25cm
  • Colour?: Grey and silver chrome
  • Mains-powered?: No, battery and USB

Look, we get it, money is tight – and sometimes, guests just aren’t as picky about beers as we are. Supermarket beers deserve no judgement or titters from crafty beer lovers, but they do deserve to be poured properly. This battery or USB-operated tap from Fizzics is available for less than £130 at Menkind, which was crowdfunded on Kickstarter, and is pretty impressive for what it is.

Simply insert any beer can or bottle of your choice, and let the magic happen (the magic being sound waves, apparently). We didn’t see any improvement to mouth-feel or aroma – you can release any beer’s aroma by simply pouring it into a glass – but admit that it was fun to use, and enjoyable to get a creamier head than pouring a regular tinnie straight into the glass.

While we felt like wizards using it, it’s pretty no-frills and sadly doesn’t solve the waste issue, or the fact that you’ll still have to head to the recycling bin at the end of the night…

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Guinness draught Nitrosurge device

best home beer dispenser
  • Best: For Guinness lovers
  • Size: Not specified
  • Colour? : Black, white and gold
  • Mains-powered?: No, USB

It goes without saying that waiting for a pint of Guinness is the most mesmerising (and infuriating) three-to-four minutes of your life. Whether a very clever marketing ploy to make you thirsty and for the black stuff to stand out from the crowd or not, a well-poured, cool and perfectly creamy Guinness is unrivalled. And now, thanks to a new nifty device that fits in the palm of your hand, you can pour a perfect Guinness from your very own kitchen – or, indeed, anywhere: your garden, the park, on holiday, the list goes on.

The round Nitrosurge device is pretty simple and easy to use (...and clean!). It’s a round, USB-charged impressive piece of tech that fits snugly onto compatible Guinness Nitrosurge cans; you simply press the famous harp and while it glows, it’s ready to use. Tilting it into your favourite glass (don’t worry, there’s pouring instructions provided, too), the good stuff surges through a small pipe, filling the can with its ultrasonic transducer – using a specifically tuned wavelength and frequency to create the iconic Guinness surge.

But be sure to pour your Guinness in two parts, as is tradition – filling your pint glass around three-quarters full, before letting it settle for about a minute, and then finish pouring to complete it with its creamy, iconic head. To clean, overrun the device under the tap, and run water through the pipe – simple.

It’s frustrating that the Nitrosurge device only works with specific Nitrosurge cans (trust us, we’ve tried with your average Guinness can) while it isn’t as cost-effective to stock up on these than your usual favourite black tinnies, but it’s a great investment for serious Guinness lovers.

  1. £28 from Tesco.com
Prices may vary
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Krups the SUB compact

best home beer dispenser
  • Best: For those short on space
  • Size: 45.3 x 19cm x 38.3cm
  • Colour?: Black
  • Mains-powered? : Yes

If there’s only one beer lover in the house, and you’re short on space, the compact, seriously slim-line Krups SUB dispenser is a must-have. Despite its small footprint, it has a beer capacity of 2l, and the ability to chill beer down to 2C, making it a great gift for those with limited kitchen bench capacity, but who don’t want to miss out on pouring a pub-worthy pint at home.

The toaster-sized sub, available on Beerwulf and designed by Krups is easy to use as well as easy on the eye, compatible with four-pinter beer torps available online – starting from just £9.59. There’s over 20 big-name beer brands on offer too, including Birra Moretti, Heineken, Amstel, Strongbow, Brewgooder and much more – and can be chilled in advance by popping its torps in the fridge. Our friends loved using it (though we hated how quickly the beer went down!).

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Stribling 2.5l beverage dispenser

best home beer dispenser
  • Best: For garden parties
  • Size: 50cm x 23cm x 18cm
  • Colour: Black and transparent
  • Mains-powered? : No

Now, this beer dispenser from Wayfair may appear as no-frills, but it’s still ideal for those blazing hot family BBQs where beer is needed literally on tap. This beer-tight dispenser, complete with a leak-stop lid, holds up to 2.5l – around four and a bit pints – and is lightweight enough to transport safely from the kitchen, to the garden. It has an internal ice-holder to keep drinks cool (so no energy needed, just ice cubes) and an external barometer display to see how quickly your beer is being guzzled by keen guests – and when you need to get your next cans cracked open for a refill.

There’s no drip tray, so have a tea towel (or fancy bar mat, if you’re so inclined) handy to catch any spills – but we like it’s sturdiness, thanks to its wide base, so there’s no risk of it toppling with over-exertion, or keenness (or, simply, the great British weather). We think it is a little pricey for what it is, and you will need to provide your own cans, or bottles – so it doesn’t exactly solve the waste issue, or help with cleaning up after a big night. Still, it’s an affordable, fun table centrepiece.

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Home beer dispensers FAQs

What is a kegerator?

A kegerator is a refrigerator that’s been specially designed to store, dispense and keep kegs of beer in a chilled environment so that it remains fresh and carbonated for longer. Components of a kegerator usually included a stainless-steel keg, CO2cylinder and pressure regulator, a tap, tower, drip tray, shank, faucet and faucet handle.

The most important part of the keg is the coupler, which differs depending on what beer you wish to dispense. For example, Beck’s, Heineken, Amstel and Stella require a system S coupler, while Guinness and Harp need a system U, so you’ll want to consider which coupler is right for you.

How long will a keg of beer stay fresh in a beer dispenser?

The dispensation of CO2 and the right pressure conditions can keep unpasteurised draft beer fresh for about 45-60 days and pasteurised draft beer for about 90-120 days. Once dispensing keg beer, it will remain fresh for no longer than 8-12 hours.

Where do I fill a CO2 tank for a beer dispenser?

From camping trips to fish aquariums, CO2 is necessary for many things, so it’s easy to refill your kegs. You can refill CO2 bottles at most dealers for camping supplies, beverage shops and some DIY stores.

How to clean a beer dispenser

Most manufacturers recommend rinsing the tap unit every time you change the keg and surface cleaning the rest of the dispenser, using a damp cloth on the exterior and a dry cloth to clean the inside of the cooling chamber. Often, dish trays are dishwasher safe but always double check and handwash if not. Never fully immerse beer machines in water.

How to set up a beer pump at home

Most machines boast a plug in-and-go design with kegs that click in and can be easily hooked up to the tap. Others – such a the Fizzics machine (£129, Menkind.co.uk) – are battery or USB operated, while larger setups such as the CDA machine (£1,791.99, Tapsuk.com) require a DIY approach with drills, as the pump is designed to be built into your kitchen.

The verdict: Beer dispensers

As you can probably tell, we loved the Pinter. It’s seamless, fun and a proper party starter. It’s the ideal gift and piece of kit for any beer lover, who takes their beverages seriously. It’s simple to use at home, and while it does take up a considerable amount more space than your usual beer dispenser. We loved feeling like home brewers, and felt excited to drink our very own concoction for the first time. We’re really impressed by the local offerings and partnerships the brand does with local breweries, too.

Being a Guinness lover, we can’t deny that the famous brand’s Nitrosurge device is pretty nifty, as well as surprisingly easy to clean with a minimal footprint. We poured a perfect Guinness from the very first use, thanks to its simple instructions, and were really impressed with how close it tasted to an expertly poured draught pint.

And for the serious beer lovers in your life, the PerfectDraft pro was pretty impressive, too. Its app had a simple, easy-to-use interface, and we loved the selection of (returnable!) kegs on offer, too. It’s a worthy investment, in our (beer-goggled) eyes.

Stock up your new at-home bar tech with beer from our round-up of best mini kegs

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