5 Gallon Reconditioned Ball Lock Keg

Up till now, I'd only purchased new kegs, but as everyone knows, it gets very expensive. Midwest has always been a good source of supplies, so I decided to give a used keg a try. As promised, the keg was in very good shape, and the seals looked very good as well. I was surprised to find a little bit of pressure in the tank, but glad to see it as well since it showed me the tank was good. Inside the tank, it looked brand new. Though they don't advertise it, I'm fairly sure it had been cleaned and disinfected. The outside had a couple minor dings and one 4 inch scratch, but they are only cosmetic. I will definitely buy more of them.

(Posted on 5/2/12)

I expect the word 'reconditioned' to refer to more than just "check if it seals", but that doesn't seem to be the case here.

The dip tube o-rings on my kegs are in rotten shape, and while they are still capable of sealing, it doesn't qualify as reconditioned as far as I'm concerned

I'm ok with having to clean labels off the outside of my keg, since that has nothing to do with function. I do expect parts to be evaluated and replaced if you're going to call it reconditioned.

(Posted on 4/10/12)

Best pricing and reasonable condition.

(Posted on 3/21/12)

I recently purchased a keg from another big brew supply store and it took some hammering before it would seal. This keg was in great condition and I have had no problems with sealing.

The only downside was the price was a little high when shipping was considered.

(Posted on 3/20/12)

The keg I got wasn't the best looking but it was clean and works great. I will be getting another one soon.

(Posted on 3/9/12)

I got a nice used keg - got the o-ring kit too - right out of the box, this keg does not need the o-ring kit. Very happy with this out of the box. A bit pricier than other places, but I placed a big order so I saved on shipping.

(Posted on 12/29/11)

This is the second reconditioned keg I've bought form Midwest and both were in excellent condition.. It had a couple stickers which of course doesnt effect it's functionality... other than that they were in great shape.. all gaskets were in great shape as well..I highly recommend them

(Posted on 9/18/11)

These kegs are not of the same quality as the other kegs I own.
Problems:
1. The "o-rings" that seal the dip tubes to the keg are not o-rings. They are cheap old rubber gaskets. They turn anything they touch black. Do yourself a favor and buy the extra o-rings.
2. The poppets are installed in the posts so you cannot remove them. This can be a problem when cleaning.
3. The post for the gas and the post for the liquid both have a six point nut. On all of my other kegs, the gas post has a twelve point nut so you can tell which one goes where. Not a big deal but inconvenient.
4. The dip tubes for the gas side are plastic, and smell like root beer. Also, if you want to replace them with stainless steel you have to bore out the hole because the plastic tubes are smaller in diameter then the stainless steel ones. However, they told me that they are manufacturing some stainless gas tubes that will fit in the smaller hole, but they will not be ready until the end of the year (2011).

These kegs are only worth buying because ball lock kegs are so hard to find. If I decide to buy more, i will definitely ask for ones with stainless gas tubes, and posts without the poppets attached. The other problems are no big deal, just not what i expected.

(Posted on 8/12/11)

It's only fair that I give credit where credit is due. I wrote the review below this one and subsequently wrote to Midwest's customer service. I immediately received a response from Peter Christenson who apologized for the mix up and promptly sent out another keg. It arrived quickly in great shape and holding pressure. I have to commend Midwest for their unequaled customer service and they truly seem committed to customer satisfaction.

(Posted on 7/25/11)

I've been kegging since the middle 1990's, and have a few corney kegs. This last one I purchased from Midwest is without a doubt the worst piece of crap ever sold. I expect scratches, stickers, and some dents, but this looks like it was run over by a truck and thrown in the dumpster. The gas port is at a 20 degree angle and the whole opening is so distorted you can even get the cover in place. I can't force the cover far enough to even get the rubber gasket to touch anything. This is supposed to be reconditioned, which means it's supposed to work. I don't care what it looks like, but this is nothing more than trash. Save you money and get a new one. Didn't expect this from Midwest, but maybe it's time to shop elsewhere.

Editor's note: It sounds like this keg wasn't reconditioned, but most likely was pulled from the wrong place. Please call us if you receive a bad keg, we will take it back and get you a proper one.

(Posted on 7/8/11)