Nostalgia KRS2150 5.1 Cubic-Foot Full Size Kegorater Stainless Steel Draft Beer Dispenser Review

“Preserving The Past, Embracing the Present and Beyond.”

That above is the Nostalgia Corporation’s company motto. Each of their appliances are designed to evoke feelings of warmth and fond memories of times past. They pay homage to those bygone eras and childhood memories that constantly grabble our souls.

As such, Nostalgia’s retro/vintage Kegerator is nothing more than an underscoring statement of that majestic mission. A way for the company to strive even further towards that singular vision. With its attention grabbing motifs, plus its quality, Nostalgia’s kegerators pay tribute to that slogan they are so fund of peddling in their PR briefs.

Now, let’s talk features:

Features:

Comes in two distinct colors: black matte (KRS2100) and stainless steel (KRS2150).
Holds one full size 1/2 barrel keg, or 1/4 pony size barrel or – if you fancy mixing and matching your brews – two 5-gallon D system kegs.
Adjustable thermostat with interior temperature settings that can range from 30-40 degrees Fahrenheit.
Adjustable easy clean drip tray.
Spring loaded beer tapper.
Has a 5.1 cubic foot capacity in its interior.
5 Ounce CO2 tank.
13-inch chrome guardrail.
Casters (fancy wheels) for easy mobility.
Weight: 85 pounds.
Product dimensions: 26 x 32 x 20.3 inches.

Pros:

One of the great pros of this little engine that could, and one of the main reasons why it serves as a bridge between countertop (toy kegerators) and the real McCoy’s out there (those big wheeling bar monsters), is the fact that it manages to hold various kegs sizes. Will fit the likes of Coors and Millers as well as your friendly neighborhood’s home-brew brand.
Accepts standard beer tap handles. So you can customize it without any problem or troublesome adapter.
Fits industry standard D system valves.
Comes with 4 casters, the front ones have a locking mechanism, for moving the unit around.
Compare to others in the market of its size, it has a fairly decent price tag. It’s not exactly cheap, but you won’t have to blow your whole Christmas bonus on it.
A sturdy bastard. I’ve logged this baby around the house (inside and outside) and can honestly say that even if it gets a licking it keeps on ticking. Mine banged against a wall a week in, by accident, and aside from a tiny scratch the door was right as rain. Compared to other models out there, that go belly up if a kitten walks past them, a smack like that should have left it comatose and with a few dents.
If you follow the instructions, or if you surf the net, one of the great maladies of the kegerators – the foamy head – can easily be remedied by this model.

Cons:

Kegs not included. Some brands out there, and other competitors in the market, as an added bonus and in order to sweeten the pot in their favor, generally add a free empty keg into the mix.
Rear exhaust. This sort of puts a damper on those of us who wish to couple it into a fixed bar.
The tap tower only has One dispenser. If you use two 5 gallon D system kegs you’ll will constantly have to switch the hose between brews. The KRS6100SS, Nostalgia’s next model manages – for a buck or two more – to add that dual head… for us that simply can’t make up our minds between a Black Honey or cold Corona.
I noticed that, on rigorous inspection and examination, the CO2 canister started leaking on the second refill. It’s a Chinese knock-off, poorly made cylinder. Eventually, at least in my model, I had to buy a new CO2 canister; luckily it wasn’t that expensive.
Needs an adapter for non-standard D class valves. As such, for those of us who fancy beers from our European cousins, we might need to invest on that adapter in order to assuage our Guinness inspired thirst.
The directions and manuals might as well have been written in Sumerian. They make absolutely no sense and, unless you happen to know your way around kegerators, you will need some help. As such, prepare to scour the likes of YouTube and Google for some help in setting up the device.
The temperature dial is located on a terrible spot (the lower back); it’s not that user friendly.
For less, other brands manage to integrate LED push button displays; this kegerator is all analogue.
Advertises that fact that it will reach 30ºF, after a 24 hour inspection it only managed to strive and hit a frosty 35ºF.
It’s very loud. Once the fan starts operating, expect your house’s noise contamination to reach AC/DC concert levels.

Conclusions:

Let’s talk turkey, “is it worth it?”

Well, it all depends on your budget. The truth of the matter is that you can probably get, for a few extra Ben Franklins, a better kegerator. But, if you’re here – rummaging through those spotty models, that might have gotten a bad rap’ in other sites – then you’ve been naughty with your finances.

The truth of the matter is that, in essence, at least where it counts, this is a fine kegerator. The pillars and foundations on which it built its beer heavy church are solid. So, what if the manual was written up by a drunken Tolkien, chanting some elvish nonsense?

So, who cares if the CO2 canister it comes in has more holes than Swiss cheese? And are we really that picky with the fact that the temp’ dial is in the back? If all those things bother you, than waltz on down to another pricier model. Now, if you are working on a strict budget and want something with a little more oomph than a countertop Kegerator, than Nostalgia’s beer baby has what you need.

Everything else, when the hoses go kaput or when the CO2 canister drifts off to a better life, can easily be replaced. Use till’ they drop. Ride those Chinese trinkets to death trinkets and then go American and pimp your Kegerator with that can-do spirit.