30 replies to this topic

[SchwanzBrewer]

I think I'm gonna bite the bullet and get a new freezer to turn into a kegerator. I would go used except I want it to last a long time and I want a quiet one so that I might persuade the significant other to let me put it in the house.So I ask the beer forum brain trust, what is the best freezer for a kegerator?Cheers,Rich

[Deerslyr]

I like my Oster 5.0

[SchwanzBrewer]

I should note that this needs to hold at least 4 kegs, 6 would be preferable.

[ncbeerbrewer]

I bought all new freezers when I decided to go the kegerator route back in 2008. I went to Lowes and have two Holiday brand 7 cuft freezers and they both are awesome. One is my kegerator and other is fermentation chamber. I got a floor model for the second one and only paid like $140 for it too. Both are working great! My kegerator has 4 taps too so 4 kegs fits in nicely.

[gnef]

Are you specifically looking for a chest freezer?You can also look into upright freezers or upright refrigerators (less common, but can still be found with no freezer section). The refrigerator may be nice since you will be operating it within its specified temperature range. I used to have a top/bottom refrigerator (top section freezer, old style) that I used for many years that could hold six kegs. My 15 cf chest freezers can hold 7-8 kegs, depending on pin or ball lock.

[SchwanzBrewer]

I would rather have a chest freezer for this. I want to make a classy looking collar.

[Deerslyr]

I should note that this needs to hold at least 4 kegs, 6 would be preferable.

Page 3 material right there!

[Mya]

one thing to consider if going the chest freezer route is longevity, they typically seem to die off faster than a refrigerator

[SchwanzBrewer]

Freezerless refrigerators are expensive. That would last a while, but it wouldn't look as good, in my opinion. The GF has given me the blessing to put it in the kitchen, so it needs to look good. Having the taps through the door is kind of meh. The upside would be no temp controller needed though and I could put a cabinet next to it for my beer glasses...hmmmm.

[Kremer]

I still love my top freezer./fridge that I turned into all fridge: LINK

[Jdtirado]

I still love my top freezer./fridge that I turned into all fridge: LINK

I'm jealous

[SchwanzBrewer]

How do you keep the freezer portion from freezing?

[Kremer]

I'm jealous

The faucuets are spaced for three more, 9 kegs will fit inside if I remove the door liner

How do you keep the freezer portion from freezing?

How do you keep the freezer portion from freezing?

There is no more freezer portion, I pulled the divider, rerouted all the wiring and thermostat from it, sliced the back off, and reassembled. in the pics you can see through from the top door down into the bottom part. It is a split door all-refrigerator now.on this one at least and most top freezer I've seen with two dials there is only one actual thermostat, and it is in the fridge part. the dial for fridge temp is the thermostat, the dial for freezer temp is just a diverter/bleed door adjustment to control how much freezer air goes to the bottom warmer section. by removing the divider the factory thermostat still does its thing but the whole interior is that temperature instead of a staged arrangement.

[SchwanzBrewer]

Cool. How many ft^3 is it?

[Kremer]

Frigidaire FRT22QRAD3 so probably 22 cuft.

[SchwanzBrewer]

Frigidaire FRT22QRAD3 so probably 22 cuft.

Cool, thanks. I think I might go that route. No heavy lifting of kegs in and out.

[Kremer]

Cool, thanks. I think I might go that route. No heavy lifting of kegs in and out.

Not lifting high anyway, still need to get them up to the shelf and if the one you need to change is in the back the front keg needs to be removed first, along with taming the medusa of lines and hoses.

[Mya]

I like having the top freezer, it's where I store my hops

[SchwanzBrewer]

Not lifting high anyway, still need to get them up to the shelf and if the one you need to change is in the back the front keg needs to be removed first, along with taming the medusa of lines and hoses.

Yeah, but that is a fight no matter what you have. Less lifting though. mic, I have tons of freezer and fridge space already. I just want a kegerator. A regular top freezer fridge would be less than a freezerless fridge and likely to last longer than a chest freezer as a kegerator.

[Kremer]

A regular top freezer fridge would be less than a freezerless fridge and likely to last longer than a chest freezer as a kegerator.

+1 and I like that with my conversion the faucets are up at a natural height, not way down low in the big door to keep from the freezer door from hitting the handles.