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!
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.
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.
I returned to hobby last fall after being away from amateur brewing for the better part of eleven years. I just wish that I had held onto some of my old gear. While the cost of a lot of brewing gear has not increased significantly since I left the hobby, I cannot believe the prices that used soda kegs are fetching these days. I paid $10.00 each for the soda kegs that I purchased in 1993, and they were clean soda kegs with nice rubber, no dents, and no creases. Now, my local homebrew shop wants $60.00 each for soda kegs that look like they spent time in a war zone. At a minimum, these kegs will need a new set of o-rings. Most will probably need at least one new poppet to ensure leak-free operation.
I do not know about other AHA members, but, for me, the price delta between new and used was too small to justify the hassle of refurbishing used soda kegs, which is why I went with new AEB soda kegs this time around. I suspect that $75.00 will be the price point at which all, but the most house or student loan poor amateur brewers will choose to purchase new soda kegs.
At the LHBS, the owner had a beautiful prototype from China. Still in negotiation on features and price. I would buy new. The welds were the best I have seen from China, and the quality was top notch. Will just have to see how it works out.