For beer lovers, few things compare to a crisp, cold pint on draught. While this was once limited to bars or breweries, modern at-home beer dispensers have brought the taproom to the kitchen. Whether you're a casual drinker or a dedicated craft beer connoisseur, these gadgets offer a convenient and satisfying way to enjoy your favourite brews at home, perfectly chilled and with just the right amount of foam.
Great for entertaining, many at-home beer dispensers are compatible with mini-kegs, while others are designed for specific branded canisters or even standard beer cans.
With varying sizes, features, and levels of sophistication, some are mains-operated, while others are rechargeable and battery or USB-powered. Some can even help you pour a perfect pint of homemade beer.
There’s no denying that many of these machines are pricey, but that’s why we’ve made it our mission to find a dispenser for every kind of beer drinker and budget. Here, we’ve rounded up our favourites to help you get that perfect at-home pint every single time.
How we tested home beer dispensers
Over many months, we tested a selection of the best home beer dispensers across price ranges and different types. Using our knowledge and expertise, we analysed whether a true beer lover would be satisfied – and whether each entry could stand the test of time. We also invited friends and family over to test out each machine, examining whether it was a hot topic of conversation, and – of course – worth the money.
Why you can trust IndyBest reviews
Sarah Jones is IndyBest’s assistant editor and has years of experience writing and editing shopping content across food and drink, kids and home appliances. So, it’s fair to say she knows a thing or two about finding quality products, whether that’s the best Father’s Day gifts or a new mattress. Emmie Harrison-West is a freelance journalist who has contributed to IndyBest since 2022 and is a self-confessed beer lover. Together, the two writers combined their love of a good pint with their shopping expertise to steer their selection of the best beer dispensers.
The best home beer dispensers for 2025 are:
- Best overall – PerfectDraft pro beer dispenser: £348, Argos.co.uk
- Best budget buy – Guinness draught Nitrosurge device: £29.97, Amazon.co.uk
- Best for parties – Beerwulf blade beer tap: £469, Beerwulf.com
- Best for home brewing – Pinter 3: £99, Pinter.co.uk
PerfectDraft pro
The PerfectDraft pro is one of the best beer dispensers we’ve ever tested. Yes, it’s hefty, and yes, it will take up about a microwave-sized space on your kitchen counter, but do you really need a microwave when you can have perfect pints at home?
Easy to use, this appliance can be temperature-controlled from the easy-to-navigate PerfectDraft app, which is available on most smartphones. Simply follow the instructions pasted on the inside of the machine, and slide in a 6l (roughly 10 pint) keg of your choice. Then, insert the provided tubing into the machine’s tap, wait for it to chill (the optimal temperature of most light-coloured beers is around 5C to 7C, but the machine can go down to 3C) and perfect your pouring technique.
We found it was a real party starter. We’d recommend prepping your machine in advance of any parties, though, as it can take a few hours to chill your keg (we kept our kegs outside in colder weather to reduce the wait).
At first, we were concerned about its impact on our electricity bills, being plugged into the mains constantly in order to keep the beer cool and fresh, but we saw very little increase. If you find yourself out – or if the machine isn’t going to be in use for a few days (we can’t drink every day, after all) – simply pop it on the energy saver mode in the app, and the machine will keep it at an optimal temperature with minimal power.
It’s pretty pricey, but if you have the money, it’s well worth the investment. Plus, there’s plenty of beer to choose from, with a variety of styles from IPAs to lagers. They’re big names, too; there’s everything from Stella to Old Peculier on offer from the PerfectDraft site. Don’t chuck your kegs in the bin either, as you’ll receive 100 beer tokens worth £5 for every keg returned to PerfectDraft, too. That’s money off your next keg, so it’s worth being eco-conscious.
Buy now £348.00, Argos.co.uk
Guinness draught Nitrosurge device
Waiting for a pint of Guinness is the most mesmerising (and infuriating) three minutes of your life. Whether or not it’s just a clever marketing ploy, a well-poured, cool and perfectly creamy Guinness is unrivalled, and impossible to achieve in a can.
However, thanks to a nifty device that fits in the palm of your hand, you can pour a perfect Guinness from your very own kitchen – or, indeed, anywhere: your garden, the park, on holiday, the list goes on.
The round Nitrosurge device is pretty simple and easy to use. It’s a small piece of tech that fits snugly onto compatible Guinness Nitrosurge cans. You simply press the famous harp and tilt it into your favourite glass. In another marketing coup, the beer is agitated through he pompously-named “ultrasonic transducer”, which uses a specific frequency to create the iconic Guinness surge.
Marketing or not, it works perfectly. This makes a Guinness that tastes just as good as your local. It’s easy to clean, too – just run the device under the tap, and run water through the pipe.
The only frustration is that the Nitrosurge device only works with specific Nitrosurge cans. We’ve tried with the standard Guinness can, and it doesn’t work. These Nitrosurge cans are more expensive. At the time of writing, a four-pack of Nitrosurge cans costs £8.75 (Tesco.com), and a standard four-pack costs £5.75 (Tesco.com). So, while it isn’t as cost-effective to stock up on these as the usual tins, it’s a great investment for serious Guinness lovers.
Buy now £29.97, Amazon.co.uk
Pinter 3
With the Pinter 3, you can play the role of both brewer and bartender – from your very own home. Each keg-shaped machine comes with a 10-pint Pinter pack, which contains everything you need to create a beer style of your choice. Simply follow the snazzy app’s instructions by combining something called a fresh press (it looks like sticky Marmite) with brewing yeast into the machine, leave to ferment at room temperature, then in the fridge, and in around seven to 10 days, the app will inform you that you’re ready to pour fresh beer directly from your beer dispenser.
We will admit that it is a little heavy, and you will need to make some space in your fridge, but drinking your very own creation is a feeling like no other. You can choose from 10 pints of award-winning IPAs, lagers, stouts, ciders and more, starting from just £19.99. There’s also a subscription service.
Pinter’s eco-credentials are pretty impressive, too. Every pack replaces 17 bottles or cans, meaning less waste. The packs are letterbox-friendly, too. For under £100, we think it’s a great gift for any beer lover.
Buy now £99.00, Pinter.co.uk
Beerwulf blade beer tap
This is a slick bit of kit that delivers a top-quality pint every time, but it might not be for everyone. The headline is that it holds around 14 pints, and it’s compatible with well-known brands such as Heineken, Birra Moretti, Tiger and Stella Artois. Its design, however, is divisive.
While we liked the unique stainless steel construct, which features toggle buttons, a temperature gauge, and a beer meter, it won’t appeal to everyone. It should come as no surprise, but a gadget that can hold 8l of beer takes up a lot of room. Though it will fit on most kitchen counters, it will dominate the room.
But aside from the struggle to heave it into place, the blade was relatively easy to set up. It’s worth noting that you need to let the machine rest for two hours, and it requires between 16 and 24 hours to cool before you can enjoy your first sip.
We should address the price, too. The blade is incredibly expensive, and the initial outlay may be beyond many people’s reach. However, if you’re a regular beer drinker, investing in the dispenser could perhaps save you money in the long run. A single 8l keg costs around £38 (though this depends on the brand), which puts the cost of a pint at around £2.70. That’s a real bargain when you consider that the average price of a pint of beer has risen by more than 70 per cent in the last six years. Overall, we were impressed by the blade. If you’re an avid beer drinker or enjoy hosting parties, it’s well worth considering.
Buy now £406.90, Beerwulf.com
Fizzics draftpour home beer tap
Supermarket beers at least deserve a proper pour. This battery or USB-operated tap from Fizzics is available for less than £130.
Simply insert any beer can or bottle of your choice, and let the magic happen (the magic being sound waves, apparently). We didn’t see any improvement to mouth-feel or aroma – you can release any beer’s aroma by simply pouring it into a glass – but admit that it was fun to use, and enjoyable to get a better head than pouring a regular tinnie straight into the glass.
While we felt like wizards using it, it’s pretty no-frills and sadly doesn’t solve the waste issue, or the fact that you’ll still have to head to the recycling bin at the end of the night.
Buy now £129.99, Lakeland.co.uk
Drinkstuff 2.5l beverage dispenser
This beer dispenser may be no-frills, but it’s still ideal for blazing hot family barbecues. This dispenser, complete with a leak-stop lid, holds up to 2.5l – around four and a bit pints – and is lightweight enough to transport safely from the kitchen to the garden. There are plenty of useful features; the internal ice holder keeps drinks cool, no energy needed, just ice cubes. It also has an external barometer, showing how quickly your beer is going.
There’s no drip tray, so have a tea towel handy to catch any spills – but the wide base means there’s no risk of it toppling over. You will need to provide your own cans or bottles, so it doesn’t exactly solve the waste issue or help with cleaning up after a big night. Still, it’s an affordable, fun table centrepiece.
Buy now £34.99, Amazon.co.uk
Home beer dispensers FAQs
How long will a keg of beer stay fresh in a beer dispenser?
Unpasteurised draft beer is fresh for about 45-60 days, and pasteurised draft beer for about 90-120 days. Once you start dispensing, it will remain fresh for no longer than 8-12 hours.
How to clean a beer dispenser
Most manufacturers recommend rinsing the tap unit every time you change the keg and surface cleaning the rest of the dispenser, using a damp cloth on the exterior and a dry cloth to clean the inside of the cooling chamber. Often, dish trays are dishwasher safe, but always double-check and handwash if not. Never fully immerse beer machines in water.
How to set up a beer pump at home
Most machines boast a plug-in-and-go design with kegs that click in and can be easily hooked up to the tap, while others are battery or USB-operated.
The verdict: Beer dispensers
For the serious beer lovers in your life, the PerfectDraft pro was pretty impressive. Its app has a simple, easy-to-use interface, and we loved the selection of kegs on offer, too. It’s a worthy investment.
Special mention also has to go to Pinter, which is seamless, fun and a proper party starter. We loved feeling like home brewers and felt excited to drink our very own concoction for the first time. We’re impressed by the local offerings and the brand’s partnerships with local breweries.
Stock up your new at-home bar tech with beer from our round-up of best mini kegs
