I tried this at-home beer machine and I can now skip the pub

07 April 2023 , 16:00

932 0

PerfectDraft has more than 60 kegs to choose from (Image: Gemma Sherlock)

The cost of living crisis is hitting everyone hard, whether it's energy, food, petrol or even the price of a pint, it seems everyone's wallets are feeling the pressure.

Over the last year I've been looking at ways to save money at home which has included to using my tumble-dryer less, switching to an Oodie rather than my central heating and skipping the pub to have a beer at home.

The last part started out when me and my partner got our hands on the PerfectDraft beer machine. The machine makes cold pints from the comfort of your own home.

READ MORE: NOW TV Sky Sports mobile membership is £11.98 for six months saving viewers £60

While we enjoy the social aspect of going to the pub (and haven't skipped this out completely, we would rather have a cold one at home if money is a bit tight that month.

Kate Middleton swears by £19.99 rosehip oil that helps 'reduce wrinkles & scars'

Beer machines became a popular trend in lockdown during the coronavirus pandemic and now many people are snapping them up as a way to save some extra money, but you can only save the cash if you invest wisely. My review below explains how to use the machine, the results and the value for money.

I tried this at-home beer machine and I can now skip the pub

The Perfect Draft beer machine (Gemma Sherlock)

When we first had the machine delivered and removed it from the box, we were immediately surprised at how sleek the machine looked, and secondly how big it was. Put it this way, before you think about buying one, it's definitely worth measuring up and checking to see if you actually have space for it in your kitchen or, if you're lucky, in your at-home bar.

We jigged some things around in the kitchen to make room for it, it does take a lot of room up on the counter. It's really easy to set up despite it looking a little overwhelming due to its size but there's a handy manual guide if you get stuck.

This was easy to set up into the dispenser using the pump and tap supplied. You have to wait for each keg to get to the right temperature on the LED display before it is 'drinkable'. Once the beer reaches 3 degrees it's then ready to drink.

We recently tried out their new Camden Pale Ale keg as part of their new Easter range. My partner, Mark is happy to have another pale ale to choose from, as this is his favourite type of beer to drink.

He said: "It's a great-tasting, cold beer and I'm still really happy with the PerfectDraft machine, it's a good social talking point too and my friends and family all seem to love it when they are round.

"It’s cheaper than getting a pint in most pubs at the moment. But when you factor in price per litre it’s not as cheap compared to the likes of Asda which is £4.55/litre. This Camden Pale Ale keg is £6.15/litre, but I find that a cold draught pint tastes better than from a can, so I would prefer to buy the keg."

One of the beers from the machine (Gemma Sherlock)

When we read in the manual that it can the keg can take up to 12 hours for a beer to become chilled we were a little shocked. So our advice would be to make sure that once you receive the kegs you keep them in a cool place to reduce the waiting time, or pop it into the dispenser straight away to begin the countdown to cooling.

From an ambient temperature of around 16 degrees it can take up to 12 hours to chill the kegs, so if you are thinking of using this when hosting a get together make sure to keep the kegs cool before installing them in the machine.

PerfectDraft chills your beer to 3 degrees, keeping it fresh for 30 days. The LED display also counts down the days the beer is safe to still consume.

Argos shoppers rush to buy Hy-Pro Football Table that's slashed to half price

The kegs are six litres, which is roughly 10 pints. There is a great selection of beers to choose from and they are from all around the globe. You can only place kegs of beer from the PerfectDraft website into the machine.

Meanwhile, to mark the year of King Charles’ Coronation, PerfectDraft is giving away 50 Coronation Party Bundles. Each bundle features a PerfectDraft Pro beer machine along with 3 kegs of beer - that’s a whopping 30 pints to toast with neighbours at a street party or enjoy with friends and family.

There is a chance of winning one of 50 PerfectDraft Coronation Party Bundles. Simply enter here by Sunday 23rd April 2023. The 50 winners will be picked at random and sent their PerfectDraft beer machine and 3 keg bundle in time for the celebrations. Each PerfectDraft Coronation Party Bundle is worth over £500.

READ NEXT: