Haier HBF05EBSS Draft Beer Dispenser Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)It was 'ignaugurated' at a party I hosted, and the 5 gal keg didn't last long! (Of course, it was a good beer...locally brewed Pacific Coast Emerald Ale.)
Be prepared: After it's set up and you've had people over, you're going to be QUITE popular! Expect comments like "I'm going to be over at your place every afternoon." Haier America should realize their best marketing ploy is satisfied customers. I've had it two weeks and Haier may be selling 3 additional units soon.
OK, so what about the product rating, especially in light of all the negative comments provided earlier? Well, here's my take on it:
- Set up was fairly simple, if you discount the fact that one part was missing (see below).
- Quality seems to be adequate. They use quality parts, e.g., the CO2 regulator and dispensing valve.
- It's keeping my second (post party) keg perfectly chilled and pressurized. (Since the first keg only lasted several hours, we can't base much judgement on that.)
- It's wonderful to come home to a fresh, draft beer!
- Finding a place to refill the CO2 canister can be difficult. Most commercial places will only exchange (take your brand new canister and give you a used, filled canister). I finally found a fire extinguisher service that does refills after making MANY calls.
Does this make it perfect? Hardly.
My experience confirms that Haier America has poor customer service. I purcased the unit a week in advance of a party I was hosting. After getting it home and setting it up, I realized (according to the manual) that it was missing the washer that goes between the CO2 tank and the regulator. I called Haier customer service the following morning and was shocked by how they treated me. The basic tone of their response was "tough luck." I would have to follow their procedures which were: 1) fax or send via US mail my purchase receipt 2) Allow them two business days from their receipt of this to get back to me 3) After doing a 'confirmation' they would send me the washer within two weeks.
I was irate and told them so! I had purchased the unit specifically for my upcoming party and now would not be able to use it! Their reponse: "These are our procedures."
I did two things after this:
1) I located the manufacturer of the CO2 regulator and contacted them about the possibility of getting a washer. They informed me that the regulator was redesigned and did not need a washer. Haier was supposed to include an update with their user manual (they didn't, and customer service obviously wasn't aware of this change).
2) I located information on Haier America and faxed their CEO an scathing letter telling him what I thought about spending $500 for something and not being able to use it at the function I bought it for! Lo and behold, the next day I received a call from their corporate offices saying they would be overnighting me the missing washer. I explained I had learned it wasn't needed, but the woman calling me wasn't taking any chances. She overnighted it to me anyway. Moral of the story: Make your voice heard when you recieve bad service.
Anyway, my 'washerless' set up is now working fine and I'm loving the unit.

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The Haier HBF05EBSS Kegerator with Stainless Steel Door is the only full-size keg beer cooler with the ability to be turned into an all-refrigerator with two shelves. In addition to coming complete with all the all the necessary draft beer equipment to pour fresh draft beer straight from the keg, this kegerator can easily be converted to a regulator refrigerator. The Haier Kegerator with Stainless Steel Door is designed for home use so it designed with quiet and energy efficiency in mind. 2 1/2" casters make this unit very easy to move from your bar to your patio. This unit also comes with an attractive metal safety rail to help keep mugs and glasses from sliding off. This unit comes with everything you need except the keg. You will need to get the CO2 tank filled locally. You should look up gas suppliers in your local yellow pages to find a place to get the tank filled. A full CO2 tank should last about 5 to 6 kegs.

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

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)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.

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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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Mini Kegerator Refrigerator & Draft Beer Dispenser - EdgeStar Review

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(More customer reviews)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!


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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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