Should I start with a compact beer dispenser or a full kegerator?

Both put draft beer at home, but they ask for very different commitments in space, setup and ongoing cost.

Compact dispensers need almost nothing

A sealed-keg system like PerfectDraft or Krups Beertender plugs in, takes a pre-pressurized keg, and needs no CO2 management or coupler matching. The trade-off is a closed beer catalog tied to that specific system.

Kegerators need real installation

A full kegerator or pass-through cooling system takes standard kegs, opening up the beer selection considerably — but it needs a coupler matched to the keg, a CO2 supply, and genuinely more floor space, whether self-contained or pass-through with external keg storage.

Match the choice to how often you’ll actually use it

Occasional home draft beer favors the low-commitment compact format. Frequent entertaining, or a strong preference for rotating through different breweries, favors the kegerator’s flexibility despite the added setup.

What we would not do

Buy a full kegerator setup as a first purchase without having lived with draft beer at home before. A compact dispenser is a lower-risk way to find out whether the habit sticks before committing to a bigger installation.