With Father’s Day rapidly approaching, choosing a thoughtful and practical gift can often feel tricky. One idea is the PerfectDraft beer machine, designed specifically for beer enthusiasts who want a pub-quality pint at home.
“It is great to be able to pour my own pint of pub quality Stella Artois beer at home with PerfectDraft,” said David Beckham, the face of PerfectDraft — you may have seen him on all the adverts. Essentially, the machine is an at-home beer dispenser, capable of chilling and serving beer directly from six-litre kegs. The sleek, matte black machine keeps beer consistently chilled at a perfect 3°C and maintains freshness for up to 30 days. Recently, I was lucky enough to be sent the PerfectDraft Pro machine to test out, alongside my husband, who loves nothing more than enjoying a beer while watching the football.
Right out of the box, its premium look was undeniable. The machine came with a Stella Artois keg and matching glasses, but there’s over 40 keg options available including Peroni, San Miguel, Kopparberg and Camden Hells.
Setup was straightforward and when it was finally ready, the pints didn’t disappoint. The Stella Artois poured smoothly with a creamy, satisfying head, reminiscent of the best pub pours. Every pint was perfectly chilled, crisp, and delightfully carbonated. The user-friendly touches were particularly impressive.
Clear LED indicators let you know exactly when your beer is chilled and when you’re running low, and it’s simple to change a keg once it is finished. And then there’s the app (only on the pro version), which lets you regulate the keg’s temperature and cooling cycle from 0°C to 12°C without having to leave your sofa.
Meanwhile, a free empty keg return scheme is available, meaning you can get £5 of credit for each empty keg returned.
The machine would be perfect for weekend BBQs, watching the football or even taking on staycation holidays, assuming there’s room in the car.
However, the machine does have a couple of considerations to keep in mind. Firstly, its size — it’s bulkier than expected, measuring 37.6cm in height and weighing over 8kg, so you’ll need to plan carefully where to position it in your home.
Secondly, it takes around 12 hours for the keg to reach optimal drinking temperature, meaning spontaneous pint cravings can’t be instantly satisfied.
Despite these minor drawbacks, the PerfectDraft beer machine remains an excellent gift choice for Father’s Day. It’s practical, stylish, and perfect for anyone who appreciates a good pint at home. Just ensure you’ve measured your available space and planned your pint time!
PerfectDraft machines start from £159 (down from £275) in the Father’s Day sale, with kegs retailing from £30 to £42.
The PerfectDraft return keg scheme involves consumers returning empty PerfectDraft kegs to designated collection points, either through a store drop-off or by arranging a home collection. For each keg returned, PerfectDraft credits the customer with £5 in “Beer Tokens” that can be used towards future purchases.
You can also return kegs at Majestic. Customers can return empty 6L Perfect Draft kegs to any participating Majestic store and receive £5 credit towards the next Perfect Draft keg purchase. This credit is applied immediately when making a new purchase, and it’s non-transferrable.