C02 - Rent or Buy

[Raillz]

What's everyone's preference, buy a C02 tank or rent from somewhere like BOC or Elgas?

 

[tavas]

Buy a bottle from My Kegs on Legs or similar and get them filled at your LHBS. BOC won't touch anyone else's bottle and the yearly rent will be pricey.

 

[MHB]

Buy!
I have a MKOL 4.5kg bottle that I got when they first started, over 15 years ago, obviously it hasn't accumulated over $1500 in rent in that time, could still be sold for half of the new price, so I figure I'm a long way ahead.
I would happily recommend one of MKOL's bottles over anything else on the market, the build quality is the highest, the aluminium bottle makes for the most convenient weight.
Lots of sizes to choose from but I like the 4.5kg, short enough to go anywhere most kegs will go, wide enough to be stable even with a double reg hanging off the side, carry handle... right answer for me.
Mark

 

[Bonenose]

I rent through BOC, I think it is, about $70 or something per year for 6.5kg with free refill. Think it's about $65 for a refill at local home brew shops, so no brainer for me.

 

[Outback]

My LHBS is about 3/12 hours away, OK, there is a Country Brewer one closer, but they won't fill my bottles stamped Keg King but with a Kegland sticker on them. My local BOC agent is 1/2 hour drive away, as Bonenose said, 6.5 Kg bottle for $70 rent per year with a free refill. Courses for horses I guess.

 

[Neil Buttriss]

It would be advisable to think ahead I reckon, not many home brewers would go through a 6.5kg bottle a year unless they had a leak, so say you got the refill every 2 years over a 5 year period you have paid $350 for your gas and got maybe 2 refills,

 

[Outback]

Good advice Neil, Ya gotta do the sums. In my case I use just over one 6.5 kg cylinder per year. Unless I get a leak, so it works well for me. As I said, nags for tracks.

 

[Bonenose]

I think the cheapest bottle I could get at the time was about $250 which really made the decision for me. As it turns out I use close to a bottle per year anyway and you can always cancel if you get a better deal.