If you are looking for the perfect gift for the beer lover in your life, you should check out the KC7000 kegerator by EdgeStar. It is a beautiful appliance with features rarely seen in the kegerator market. The parent company of EdgeStar is Living Direct, Inc. They are based in Austin, Texas.
I realize not everyone is as capable as I am to sport a metaphorical hard-on for an appliance. If you fall into this boat, the KC7000 can help you learn.
First, take note of the all stainless exterior, including the top covering plate (not seen in this image). Cheaper kegerators usually have a thin sheet of stainless on the door. The rest of the kegerator will still be plastic. It might be a gray-colored plastic if you are lucky.
Air Cooled Beer Tower
Next, it is worth noting that the KC7000 is the first residential kegerator with an air-cooled beer tower. This is a feature that mechanical people could add to their current kegerator using a computer fan and a few other parts for around $30. A seller by the name Coldtower sells pre-made versions of the tower cooler on eBay. The reality is most people buying a pre-built kegerator don’t want to dink around with installing their own beer tower cooler. A cooler reduces waste from the likelihood your first few beers will be rancid or foamy.
Strong Casters
Many kegerators at all price points have removable casters to allow for easy mobility. The casters on the KC7000 are extra durable, and for the first time, they come in an interesting red color.
Automatic Defrost
While automatic defrost is common in most modern refrigerators, this feature is oddly lacking in most lower-cost consumer kegerators. The KC2000 and KC3000 series by EdgeStar do not automatically defrost. This feature likely isn’t a big deal if you don’t plan to use the kegerator all the time, but if you plan to consistently use the unit or it will be stored in a hard-to-move location, you will quickly appreciate this feature. It can be a major pain to move an unwieldy kegerator to an outside area to allow for accumulated ice to melt.
Capacity
Storage capacity is one of the major advantages of the KC7000. This advantage is particularly handy if you are a homebrewer because the unit can hold up to 3 corny kegs. If you aren’t familiar with homebrew kegs, “corny” isn’t bullshit terminology. It is simply short for the more mundane sounding cornelius or ball lock keg. Oversized kegs from brewers like Millers, Coors, and Yuengling are no problem either. My favorite place to shop for affordable cornelius kegs is CornyKeg.com. They are based out of Ohio and charge consistently low prices.
Durability
EdgeStar has manufactured kegerators and mini-refrigerators for many years. Knowledge of how to build a unit that lasts has been applied to the KC7000. Durability is frequently the enemy of cost. Said another way, manufacturers often use parts they know are inferior to ensure margins on a low-cost unit. The components used for this unit are rock solid.
Undercounter / Built-In Capability
Compressor-operated appliances, like a kegerator, need proper ventilation. If they don’t have proper airflow, the unit is likely to overheat dramatically reducing the life expectancy. This model vents from the front, allowing for it to be placed in built-in or under-the-counter setups. This is particularly useful if you want a kegerator without hurting the aesthetics of your home.
Cost
Price will be the rub for some potential buyers. The base model starts at $1399 and the top of the line outdoor unit with dual taps is $1699. I’m not going to lie. That’s a lot of money to drop on a device to keep draft beer cold. However, it isn’t out of line with the higher-end Marvel and TRUE kegerators it is competing against. Also, many people will find this price point reasonable for such a well-made device destined to be the crown jewel appliance for any beer lover.
Video
This video is mostly lame, but it is good at demonstrating how the unit looks.
What Models Are Comparable?
The KC7000SS is a commercial quality kegerator. As such, you aren’t going to find any comparable models for less than a thousand bucks.
- Marvel 60HK – At over $2000, this competitor is dramatically more expensive than the EdgeStar. It is still a beautiful machine with a triple tap option. Marvel also has a reputation for building quality appliances.
- Summit SBC-490 – It costs a couple hundred more than the EdgeStar, but it is still cheaper than than the Marvel unit.
- True TDD-1 – True is the manufacturer of the beverage refrigerators seen in many gas stations. This company is widely respected for making commercial appliances. It is hard to go wrong with a
Summary
I am absolutely in love with the EdgeStar KC7000 kegerator. Pictures don’t do it justice. It is a beautiful machine with a large capacity, cooled beer tower, automatic defrost and proven relaibility.
James says
I thoroughly enjoyed this review. I am trying to decide between a Summit model and the KC7000SS. It is a tough decision.
Frank says
I am still leaning towards a commercial model from TRUE. The tried and true designs from a company that targets commercial consumers is hard to ignore. I also appreciate the fact that they come with a 3 year standard warranty (5 years on the compressor).