PerfectDraft Pro Review: a next-level home beer machine | The Sun
THE PerfectDraft Pro is the most recent home beer machine to be released by Philips.
It's had several upgrades on the previous model, including faster cooling and adjustable temperatures, and since we liked its predecessor so much we put it to the test to see how it compares.
- PerfectDraft Pro, £335 from Beerhawk – buy here
PerfectDraft Pro Review: Quick Summary
I would say the PerfectDraft Pro is the most impressive beer machine we've tested. It poured a delicious pint and every detail from setup to clean-up has been expertly designed. It's a high-quality piece of kit which is reflected in its price tag.
The two main "flaws" I found with the beer machine were its size and its price. Despite having a relatively small footprint (it's just smaller than an A3 piece of paper), it takes up a significant amount of space on my kitchen counter.
The RRP is £385 (though you can currently get it for £335), which I'd say is enough to make most people pause, especially when you can get The Sub for £125. Though, I have to admit that the quality and pint of The Sub machine don't come close to the PerfectDraft Pro.
If you're a passionate beer drinker seeking the best at-home pint, have the space, and are likely to be regularly topping up with new kegs, then it's well worth the price tag.
Pros:
- Pub-quality pints
- Good selection of kegs (50+ beer and cider options)
- Quick to set-up
- Adjustable temperature
- Easy to clean
- Keeps beer fresh for 30 days
- Useful app to set temperature and monitor beer levels
- Quieter than the previous model
- Faster at chilling the beer than the previous model
- Get £5 in beer tokens every time you return a keg
Cons:
- Quite large – bigger than the original PerfectDraft
- Set-up instructions could be clearer
- Expensive
Ratings:
- Taste of pint 5/5
- Ease of use: 5/5
- Functions: 4.5/5
- Value for money: 4/5
- Overall score: 4.5/5
PerfectDraft Pro, £335 from Beerhawk – buy here
PerfectDraft Pro: Full Review
Unboxing and First Impressions
The PerfectDraft Pro arrived in a large box with the Punk IPA keg delivered alongside it. It was heavier than I was expecting and so I enlisted some help to get it lifted out of the box and onto the counter.
In theory, the set-up could probably be done in under five minutes. It's extremely straightforward once you've done it once and know what you're doing.
However, it probably took me around 15 minutes to get the machine set up as the instructions weren't as clear as they could've been. They failed to mention a couple of (fairly obvious) steps, which made me second-guess myself. More fool-proof instructions would've been welcomed on my end.
Once the keg was installed, the screen immediately shared how much beer was left in the keg, though it took a little while to load the temperature – see the image below.
- PerfectDraft Pro, £335 from Beerhawk – buy here
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Performance
I'd pre-chilled the beer in the fridge, as I'd read that otherwise, it could take the machine around 7-10 hours to chill the keg from room temperature.
It took the machine barely 20 minutes to chill the refrigerated beer to the recommended temperature (3°C for Punk IPA), but I got a little impatient and poured myself a glass before it was ready. This resulted in a slightly warm, rather frothy pour, which did not do the machine or the beer justice.
Once the beer was at the recommended serving temperature, I poured several excellent pints with the perfect amount of foam, which tasted just as good as those served in my local pub.
I'd go as far as to say that the pints poured by the PerfectDraft Pro were the best I've had from a home beer pump.
Features and Design
The design of the Pro beer machine is exceptional. It's been cleverly constructed to be as easy to use as possible, with set-up taking minimal time and cleaning basically non-existent (apart from the drip tray).
I've touched on the size of the machine before – it's pretty large. It takes up a significant chunk of space in my already space-poor kitchen and therefore I feel like I need to put it away until I want to use it again.
If I had a utility room, home bar, or a (wo)man cave to keep it in, I would, without a doubt, have it out at all times. If you don't have a tonne of space in your home, you might want to consider where you're going to put it before purchase.
One of the main differences between the Pro and the previous PerfectDraft model is the new app. You can use it to monitor how much beer is left in your machine, purchase more beer, as well as adjust the temperature of the keg.
The variable temperature is a brand new feature and appears to have gone down very well with many beer fans. With over 50 different kegs to choose from (including ciders, IPAs, stouts, and lagers) being able to adjust the temperature of the keg means that you'll get the best results no matter what you're drinking.
The app will provide you with temperature recommendations for the keg installed, though you can also adapt it to suit your personal preferences. The previous model had a set temperature of 3ºC, so the ability to adjust this is a big upgrade. The Pro's temperature goes as chilly as 0ºC and as high as 12ºC.
I wasn't convinced about the usefulness of the app at first, but I'll admit the temperature setting feature is extremely useful, plus I was fully converted when it suddenly occurred to me at work that I might need more beer ahead of a BBQ and I could check beer levels via the app instead of waiting until I got home.
Another key feature new to the Pro is the Smart Pour technology, which means every pint is meant to be spot on. I decided to put this to the test and asked four of my family members (including non-beer drinkers) to try pouring a beer, and each resulted in an almost-perfect pint every time. Impressive.
Other things worth mentioning about the Pro are that it keeps your beer chilled for 30 days, it's pretty quiet compared to other machines we've tested, it takes less time to chill the beer than previous models and its performance remains stable up to 38ºC.
- PerfectDraft Pro, £335 from Beerhawk – buy here
What's the difference between the PerfectDraft and PerfectDraft Pro?
Whilst the models look and work very similarly, the Pro certainly has a few upgrades. The beer cools faster (10 hours vs 12 hours from room temperature), the fans are quieter, and you can adjust the temperature of the beer and monitor the beer levels via an app.
The Pro also has Smart Pour technology which according to PerfectDraft means you'll get a "perfect pour every single time, with no excess foam".
Unsurprisingly all these upgrades come at a price, with the PerfectDraft Pro costing £110 more than the previous model, at £335.
Another difference is the size, with the Pro being a bit larger:
PerfectDraft – H: 37.6cm, W: 26cm, D: 34.6cm
PerfectDraft Pro – H: 44.5cm, W: 29.5cm, D: 40.1cm
To summarise, compared to the previous model, the Pro has:
- Larger footprint
- Faster cooling
- Variable temperature
- Quieter fans
- New app
- Smart Pour technology
- Higher price tag
PerfectDraft Pro Machine, £335 – buy here
PerfectDraft Machine, £225 – buy here
You can read our review of the PerfectDraft beer dispenser here.
How much is the PerfectDraft Pro?
The PerfectDraft Pro was launched at £385, although you can currently purchase it for £335 with a glassware bundle.
However, for just £10-15 more, you can get the machine, two glasses plus a keg of beer or cider:
- Budweiser bundle, £345.50 – buy here
- Orchard Pig Reveller Cider bundle, £349.50 – buy here
- Mikkeller Games of Thrones bundle, £350.90 – buy here
- Goose Island IPA bundle, £350.90 – buy here
Alternatively, the previous model of PerfectDraft machine is currently £225 with a glassware bundle, or £249.50 with the Mikkeller Game of Thrones bundle.
Beerhawk also has a great initiative where you'll receive £5 in beer tokens every time you return a keg. It's free to return them and the kegs are reused – it's a win-win for your wallet and the environment. Read more on the process here.
How much do PerfectDraft kegs cost?
The prices of the kegs start at £28.90 and go up to £42.90, and they include 6L (or 10.5 pints) of beer. On average, this works out at roughly £3.40 a pint, or £2.95 per pint if you return the keg for beer tokens.
If you want to save money on the price of your kegs, you can get 15% off by signing up for PerfectDraft's monthly keg subscription service Draft+. Read more about Draft+ here.
Where to buy the PerfectDraft Pro?
The PerfectDraft Pro is currently only available to purchase from Beerhawk's website.
Is there a new PerfectDraft machine coming out?
The PerfectDraft Pro is the latest model and was launched on 20th June 2022.
As far as we're aware, there are currently no plans for a new model.
PerfectDraft Pro Review: the verdict
- PerfectDraft Pro, £335 from Beerhawk – buy here
The PerfectDraft Pro is a quality machine that pours a delicious pint, and I'd highly recommend it to anyone who takes their beer drinking seriously.
It's easy to set up and clean, the app makes monitoring beer levels and temperature effortless, and the keg return initiative means you can save money on beer and help the environment simultaneously.
If you don't have the space, don't consider yourself a beer enthusiast, or are put off by the price I'd recommend going for a cheaper machine like The Sub, or one with a smaller footprint like Fizzics Draft Pour.
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