Jeff Flowers on January 14, 2014 0 Comments The only good thing about the NFL season coming to an end is the massive Championship party that inevitably finishes the season. It’s a time we can get together with our friends and family to root for your team, watch commercials, pick squares, drink beer and eat way too much food. When you really think about it, Sunday’s Big Game is a time-honored tradition. If you’re planning on throwing a party, there are a few items that you should buy that will make your party easier to plan and more enjoyable for all. The following six appliances will make your party easier to throw, so you can focus on what’s really important that day – the commercials. 1. Kegerator Football and beer go hand-in-hand. Especially since Budweiser always has one of the most-anticipated commercials during the Big Game. Sure, you can stock up your already-crowded fridge with cans or bottles of beer. But, what happens if you run low on cold ones, or you need space in your fridge for a side dish or dessert? Not to mention all the trash that will accumulate from so many empty beer cans and bottles. Be an MVP and have plenty of draft beer ready to go. A kegerator or draft beer dispenser is the perfect way to accomplish this. Pick a really good craft beer, set it to your desired temperature and let you guests fill up their cup whenever they want. There’s no better way to serve the freshest-tasting beer, without all the mess. 2. Beverage Fridge If a kegerator isn’t your thing, it would still be wise to have a fridge solely dedicated to the tasty beverages that keep your guests fueled through all four quarters. A beverage fridge is the perfect way to do this. You can keep a wide variety of beverages in there, including beer, soda, bottles of water or whatever else you like to drink. Alternatively, if your guests will be primarily drinking wine, perhaps a wine fridge is the best appliance for your Superbowl party. For easier accessibility, put your beverage fridge near the area where everyone will be hanging out in. this allows your guests to get another cold one, without missing a single snap or commercial. This also gives you more space in your regular fridge, as well as cuts down on how often it’s opened and closed, allowing you to keep your desserts and side dishes cold. 3. Portable Ice Maker Ice is essential to the success of every party. Whether you are trying to cool down your warm soda, keep your dip cool in room-temperature environments or ice down a cooler of beer, it’s inevitable that you will need some ice at some point in the day. Instead of buying giant bags of ice from your local convenience store, as well as trying to find a place in your freezer to keep it all frozen, you should just get a portable ice maker. They’re easy to unplug and move when needed. They produce more than enough ice for large parties, and most units will produce ice in just a few minutes. They’re also compact enough to store in inconspicuous spaces when they’re not in use. If your family uses a lot of ice, this is a must-have appliance to have around your home. This is especially true during your Championship party or other family gatherings. 4. Slow Cooker for Dips & Side Dishes When you think of a party for the Big Game, a slow-cooker may not be the first thing that comes to mind as a necessity. But, if you plan on cooking and serving a lot of hot dishes, this may just be the appliance you need to ensure that your food is prepared on time, as well as stays warm throughout the game. Personally, I always make queso for family get-togethers. A slow cooker is the best way for me to make sure it stays warm and fresh for hours. This is just one of the many dishes you could serve from a slow cooker. 5. 12-Volt Travel Cooler If you’re running low on space in your refrigerator or you just need another place to store items at a specific temperature, then you should consider a portable 12-volt cooler. They’re great for outdoor entertaining, camping, road-trips and large gatherings. No messy cleanup or constantly refilling it with ice in hopes it reaches the temperature you need. Simply plug it into your regular household electric outlet or use the adapter to plug it into your car’s cigarette lighter, set it to the temperature you want and fill it up with your food and beverages. It’s just that easy. 6. Frozen Drink Makers If you really want to steal the party, give your guests the option of beer, wine and frozen cocktails. The kegerator will surely make you the MVP, but taking this one step further with a frozen drink machine will all but guarantee your Football Party goes down in the Hall of Fame. Forget about blending your own frozen drinks in your typical blender that can barely crush the ice. The best way to make and serve them is with a frozen drink machine. Not only will these blend your cocktails more efficiently, many of these drink machines will allow you to dispense your drink with a spout built right in the front. Mess-free serving and easy cleanup. However, if you really want to steal the show, we would recommend the Tailgator Gas-Powered Blender (pictured to the right). That’s right, gas-powered. There is no better party blender out on the market. It’s powerful, it’s portable and it’s fun to show off to your friends. It’s also guaranteed to be more entertaining than the Halftime show. Update: Sadly, the Tailgator blender has been discontinued. If you’re not sure what to make, a good place to start is our list of favorite margarita recipes we’ve made in-house.
