I had the Ice Barrel Chiller for over a year and I’d recommend it to anyone. I live in Austin TX where the summers are consistently in the 90s and I was able to keep the water temp around 48 degrees by preference. During the cooler mornings it could drop even lower but in the evenings the water would get to the low 50s. Eventually I made my own barrel wrap (after discussing it on YouTube) to hold the water temp lower and it worked extremely well. Consistent 48 all day long and I could even get it to hold at 45 or 42, but my wife and son don’t enjoy it that cold. I see Penguin has their own barrel wrap and I’m tempted to try it after my own version wears out.
Also, right before a year of ownership my unit started to short before the chiller engaged. It literally took an email and a ONE WEEK to get the unit FedEx’d, fixed, and returned. The service was amazing and I know this would not have happened if I bought one of those other chillers not made in the USA. The penguin might be a little bit more expensive than some of the alternatives, but at least it will never become a boat anchor or dead weight. Buy with confidence and thank you for keeping my unit working in top notch shape!