Product review (4 stars): Awesome First Kegerator!
NOTE: I've updated this post in March of 2013, after a year of ownership.  My basic feelings of the kegerator are still the same--but I just wanted to update some of the information provided in this review.  In summary, I did end up replacing the regulator with a higher-quality one.

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This is an excellent kegerator. We purchased it as a Christmas gift for my dad, and we are currently on our second half-barrel of  lager!  I was a bit skeptical of this based on previous reviews, but as many reviews state, Nostalgia had changed some parts and old issues are no longer present with this model.

LOOKS
We all think it's a good looking unit. Nostalgia offers the same unit but with a stainless steel door. I decided against the stainless steel model because we currently have stainless steel appliances and they show smudges and fingerprints easily. We keep the kegerator in our garage so the black is more appropriate. This unit also features a rounded front door, so the keg partially hangs out when the door is open. Most other kegerators have a flat door, which makes the whole unit looks larger. It is also not the highest quality appliance you will find, as the internals of this unit seem to be a bit plasticky, especially next to a nice, expensive refrigerator. But if you temper your expectations, you will be very happy with it.

ASSEMBLY
The instructions are a bit frustrating. Each section doesn't seem to be in proper order. Also, there are plenty of extra little parts that come with it. I still don't know where they all go, but it's good to have them I guess. My best advice to get it up and running as soon as possible:

* first have a keg ready to go (call a local beer store, and have them order and hold a keg of your favorite beer until you're ready for it--it may take a few days for them to get the keg if it is not in stock).

* Unbox the unit and put the casters on (not too tightly or they will be difficult to spin).

* Plug it in and turn the thermostat to the coldest setting.

* Get your Co2 tank filled up.  I took mine to a paintball place, but you can also try a welding or outdoor sport shop. If you're still stuck, call a hardware store for some suggestions. Also, the beer store you're getting your keg from may swap Co2 tanks.

Take your time with assembly and read the instructions carefully. It may be a bit frustrating at times with all the different sized washers and parts, but keep at it and you will work through it just fine.  At first, I used nylon tape on the fittings, but later found that there is no point to this, as the various washers in place are there to stop leaks, rendering the nylon tape unnecessary--but there is no harm in doing so.  I had a tough time getting the tower on with the rubber washer (the instructions didn't say to put it on but it is in the parts bag, and the tower doesn't fit right without it). I recommend putting some dish soap on both sides of the washer, put it in place, stand on the left side (when you're facing the unit) and hold the unit in place with your knee while you push down hard and turn the tower clockwise until it locks. It may take a few tries and some effort but it eventually fits snug and will help keep cold air in.

REGULATOR
Past complaints have been about the regulator. The old regulator was a single gauge--this newer one is a dual gauge. After a few months of usage, I decided to replace the regulator due to it allowing the keg to become over-pressurized despite my low-psi setting.  The Co2 pressure SHOULD remain constant throughout the life of your Co2--if you are constantly fighting the pressure, get rid of the regulator and buy a new one.  Over-pressurizing your keg will waste Co2 and end up costing you more money and frustration anyway.  After some research, regulators from Micromatic seem to be held in high regard, so I went ahead and purchased one from their website (dual-guage, premium, part #642).  If you do purchase a new regulator, remember to get a new gas line and barbed tip so you can connect it to the keg coupler--Micromatic sells all of this.  I've had zero issues since changing the regulator.  Also, the regulator I purchased was a bit larger than the stock one, so it may be a tight fit depending on your keg and Co2 tank sizes.

Remember that when you have a new keg, the keg is already pressurized somewhat, so you will need very little Co2 pressure through the first few pours until the keg pressure is relieved, or alternatively relieve the pressure using the pressure relief valve on the tap. After that, you will have slower pours, which is your cue to turn up the pressure. Don't turn it up too high or else you will get foamy pours. There is a relief valve on the regulator to reset the pressure which is helpful during adjusting. There is another relief valve on the keg tap as well, which can also help troublesome pours. This kegerator comes with a 5lb Co2 tank, but it was quickly swapped out for a larger tank.  It may be a good idea down the road to get a 10lb tank and keep the included smaller tank as a spare.

Another note: always remember to use a nylon washer between your Co2 tank and the regulator.  Failing to use a nylon washer will result in a leak.  If you swap your tank at a beer store, they will likely give you a washer.  The Micromatic regulator I've described above has a permanent washer in place.

THERMOSTAT
Some reviewers wrote about modifying the thermostat by removing the cover on the thermostat and adjusting the little screw. I would recommend taking a wait and see approach to determine whether you need to do this--you don't want to adjust it too much and unnecessarily freeze up your beer (most beer freezes around 28-29 degrees).  I ended up waiting 24 hours before I gave the adjustment screw a clockwise turn, waited a few hours, then checked again (my keg was hovering around 40 degrees, I was shooting for about 36). After the adjustment, the temp has been steady around 36.

THERMOSTAT ADJUSTMENT
Here is how to get to the adjustment screw: first, unplug the unit, then on the back of the unit, turn the temperature dial to the max setting, then pull the knob off.  Now, remove the two screws that hold the thermostat housing to the side of the kegerator.  Then remove the two screws to take the thermostat off of the housing.  Then on the thermostat, there is a small phillips screw above the temperature adjustment dial.  Turn it once clockwise to go colder, counter-clockwise to go warmer (just one turn was all I needed).  Put everything back together, plug the unit back in, then wait a couple of hours before you check the temperature and make another adjustment as necessary.

After a year of ownership, the kegerator has remained cool and reliable.

CLEANING
An important topic that I did not previously cover in my original review.  Make sure you buy a nice kegerator cleaning kit (I recommend this one:&nbsp;<a data-hook="product-link-linked" class="a-link-normal" href="/Beer-Line-Cleaning-Kit/dp/B001LWQ7GW/ref=cm_cr_arp_d_rvw_txt?ie=UTF8">Beer Line Cleaning Kit</a>).  You will want to keep the beer lines clean, otherwise, bacteria from the beer line can creep back into the beer, causing the beer to go bad.  I recommend cleaning the lines after every keg change--it's a simple process of disconnecting the lines and running a cleaning solution through the lines, as well as disconnecting the tap and cleaning some of the little parts.  There are also little parts for attaching to the tap to cover the tap opening when not in use for extended periods of time--they can be easily found on Amazon.

I have not had any shipping/packaging issues that other reviewers spoke of. I also have not had any reason to contact Nostalgia customer support.

NOTES: Some issues people commonly have, especially when they are new to kegs, are that the beer either comes out too slow (which basically means you're out of Co2 or don't have enough pressure), or the beer comes out too fast (meaning too much Co2 is in the keg), resulting in a foamy mess.  Firstly, your regulator has two gauges--one, (the left side) gauge, shows the pressure coming from your Co2 tank, and the other (the top gauge), shows the pressure you are delivering to the keg.  Typically, the left-side Co2 tank gauge reads anywhere from 500 to 1000 bar psi (which will vary on the tank temperature), and it is perfectly normal for the tank to read in this range when it has enough Co2.  When your tank begins to run out, it will quickly hit zero.  And when you're setting up a new keg, the pressure may fluctuate a bit as the system normalizes, so while the correct pressure may be set once you first hook up a fresh keg, checking back an hour or two later, you may notice it needs readjusting.  This is normal.

Now, in the event that you over-pressurize your keg, it means you have way too much Co2 in there, and as a result, your beer will come out very fast and very foamy. Some reviewers blame this on the kegerator, but really it is their own fault. The simple solution is this: close the valve on your Co2 tank as well as close the switch on your regulator. Then, find the relief pin on your keg tap (you have two relief pins--one on the regulator, one on the keg tap). Pull this pin hard (helpful if you use a pair of pliers) and it will slowly release the pressure in your keg. It may take a minute or two, but the pressure will slowly die down. When the pressure is relieved, start pouring beer until the pour is too slow (it may even take a few pitchers more of foamy beer, but it will get there--be patient). Finally, when the pour is too slow, open your Co2 tank valve, then turn on the regulator switch to the open position as well, and finally slowly adjust your Co2 on the regulator until you get a nice pour.  It may take a while and readjusting in an hour or two, but be patient!

Finally, when your keg is kicked, close off the valve on your Co2 tank as well as the switch on the regulator to avoid losing any Co2.

Overall, I think you will be very happy with this unit. It's one of the cheapest ones you'll find on the internet, so as long as you take your time setting it up and do your research on this unit to find out its quirks, you will be happily pouring fresh, draft beer in no time!

Cheers!