[Wheat_Brewer]

Yeah. Mine all work, but some have oddball parts and they are not pretty. The cheapest new kegs I've seen were $180 for a 2/pack. If I had to do it over again, I'd strongly consider that over ordering used kegs off the internet. I'm sure you get the stock nobody wanted to buy in the store when you do that.

is that 180 for two kegs? or 180 each if you buy two? If the former please post your source!

$180 for two - $90 each. or $335 for 4 - $83 each.
http://www.beveragefactory.com/draftbeer/home_brew/kegs/2X-KEG-5GAL-NSH_ball_lock_keg.html

With plastic bottoms - $195 for 2.
http://www.beveragefactory.com/draftbeer/home_brew/kegs/Set_of_2_AB5G-SH_ball_lock_kegs.html

At that price point I would have to seriously consider the merits of used. I guess there is benefit in that most of the new ones are a lot flimsier than the old ones which were built to last. on the other hand most of us are not treating our kegs like a 16 year old who is unhappy with his crappy job at mc d's either so maybe it all comes out in the wash.

Given that so many of the used kegs are now being sold as scrap to china and most of the new kegs are coming from china I wonder how much of that SS was originally in a old keg and got recycled into a new keg?

^^^^ THIS WAS FUNNY!!

[Wheat_Brewer]

http://www.bvrgelements.com/product/Ball-Lock-NEW-5-Gallon-Class-2/

Under $70.  New, but scratch and dent.

They were $63 a little while ago.  I would buy some but I've got enough kegs at a dozen +.  Of course, can one ever have enough?

I've not ordered from Beverage Elements, but a friend sent me the link.

EDIT:  Yes, at this price I would buy new.  Kinda fries me as that's only a little more than my last batch of used a few months ago which needed more reconditioning than usual.

+1

I paid about $200 for 4 used a while back (it was a sale and this is a rough guess for shipping, parts, etc) and have had nothing but problems since I ordered them. I think I got the rejects of all other shipments...ever...and am regretting it ever since.

Thanks all for your insights I definitely know the way forward from here on.

[Jimmy K]

I paid about $200 for 4 used a while back (it was a sale and this is a rough guess for shipping, parts, etc) and have had nothing but problems since I ordered them. I think I got the rejects of all other shipments...ever...and am regretting it ever since.

I agree! If I can look at it in a store, I might buy used. But I'll never order used online again for this reason.

[Joe Sr.]

I have a couple of the new ones with the single strap and while they're nice, they don't have removable poppets. That bothers me. I've read that you can remove them and insert the universal poppets, which is fine, but I question the abilities of the universals.
I also had issues with posts getting stuck and had to send a couple kegs back for replacements.

Having said that, I'd still buy new. I just make sure to put in the comments on the order to make sure the posts can be removed before shipping.
I have 3 used kegs that I got from Midwest about 3 or 4 years ago that were $30 a piece. The prices have doubled in the last 2 or 3 years. It's crazy.
Might as well buy new.

So, are you saying that the new Italian kegs (which is what I think I linked to) don't have removable poppets?  I did not know that.

I'm transitioning to universal poppets.  I like them.  They will be my replacements going forward.  I've got several gas poppets that don't like to seal and it's a PITA.  I've also got three or maybe four different styles of kegs, so the concept of a universal part is very appealing.

[Jimmy K]

So, are you saying that the new Italian kegs (which is what I think I linked to) don't have removable poppets?  I did not know that.

I had heard that some Chinese ones don't have removable posts, but the Italian ones did. But it's all hearsay for me.

[Joe Sr.]

So, are you saying that the new Italian kegs (which is what I think I linked to) don't have removable poppets?  I did not know that.

I had heard that some Chinese ones don't have removable posts, but the Italian ones did. But it's all hearsay for me.

I bought some 2.5 gallon Chinese ones from Williams on a scratch and dent sale a couple years back like these: http://www.williamsbrewing.com/-2-GALLON-BALL-LOCK-KEG--P3151C109.aspx

The posts are removable and come with universal poppets.  They're nice for splitting batches (oak, bourbon, etc.).  Big punt on the bottom and short dip tube, so you can be left with a fair amount of beer in the keg.  I extended the dip tube with vinyl tubing, cuz I drink every drop.

They are MUCH thinner than the old kegs.  Someone on another thread was saying they have lead in them, but it hasn't affected me!

[beersk]

Unfortunately, you won't know that the lead is affecting you until it's too late.

Anyway, as far as the poppets go, no, they aren't removable. It sucks, but I guess I could rip them out with a needle nose pliers or something and use universals. I've read that that works well. I'm not going to mess with that right now though. Perhaps I will eventually though.

[Joe Sr.]

Unfortunately, you won't know that the lead is affecting you until it's too late.

FWIW, I don't believe they have lead in them.  I think it was a baseless rumor.

To my knowledge, stainless contains no lead.

[Stevie]

Unfortunately, you won't know that the lead is affecting you until it's too late.

FWIW, I don't believe they have lead in them.  I think it was a baseless rumor.

To my knowledge, stainless contains no lead.

Adventures in Homebrewing posted a report regarding the composition of their kegs.

http://www.homebrewing.org/assets/images/PDF/Metal%20test.pdf

[beersk]

Unfortunately, you won't know that the lead is affecting you until it's too late.

FWIW, I don't believe they have lead in them.  I think it was a baseless rumor.

To my knowledge, stainless contains no lead.

Adventures in Homebrewing posted a report regarding the composition of their kegs.

http://www.homebrewing.org/assets/images/PDF/Metal%20test.pdf

I saw that, but didn't know what any of it meant. I guess it means they're safe.

[Stevie]

Adventures in Homebrewing posted a report regarding the composition of their kegs.

http://www.homebrewing.org/assets/images/PDF/Metal%20test.pdf

I saw that, but didn't know what any of it meant. I guess it means they're safe.

From left to right the elements are Carbon, Silicon, Manganese, Phosphorus, Sulfer, Chromium, Nickel, Nitrogen

Lead (Pb) isn't listed. Does lack of listing raise concern?

I searched around and other stainless manufactures do not list it.

http://www.aksteel.com/pdf/markets_products/stainless/austenitic/304_304L_Data_Sheet.pdf
http://asm.matweb.com/search/SpecificMaterial.asp?bassnum=MQ304A

[Joe Sr.]

Adventures in Homebrewing posted a report regarding the composition of their kegs.

http://www.homebrewing.org/assets/images/PDF/Metal%20test.pdf

I saw that, but didn't know what any of it meant. I guess it means they're safe.

From left to right the elements are Carbon, Silicon, Manganese, Phosphorus, Sulfer, Chromium, Nickel, Nitrogen

Lead (Pb) isn't listed. Does lack of listing raise concern?

I searched around and other stainless manufactures do not list it.

http://www.aksteel.com/pdf/markets_products/stainless/austenitic/304_304L_Data_Sheet.pdf
http://asm.matweb.com/search/SpecificMaterial.asp?bassnum=MQ304A

I am not a metallurgist, but my understanding is that lead is not a component of stainless steel.  Thus it should not be listed.

Now, I suppose it could be in the solder used on the welds.  But then, it should show up in the testing, right?

[Jimmy K]

FWIW, I don't believe they have lead in them.  I think it was a baseless rumor.

Anyone who knows anything knows that everyone on the internet knows that anything made in China contains lead ... except maybe Chinese lead.

[Joe Sr.]

FWIW, I don't believe they have lead in them.  I think it was a baseless rumor.

Anyone who knows anything knows that everyone on the internet knows that anything made in China contains lead ... except maybe Chinese lead.

Chinese lead is made out of tin.

[reverseapachemaster]

I bought two corny kegs in (I think) 2010 for $30 each. I frequently think about selling them back into the market at current prices since I don't have a keg set up yet.

It's going to start getting cheap enough to find used 1/6th barrel sanke kegs and buy sanke connectors over buying corny kegs. I've seen the 1/6ths on craigslist for as little as $25. 7.5 gallon sankes sometimes float around for $20-50. Corny kegs locally are $45-60. I hear there are going to be 7.5 gallon slim kegs showing up on the market that may replace the 1/6th kegs which could push those out onto the homebrewing market.