Best plastic fv bins.

[Clint]

Hello all
While it's generally not considered vastly important that you have and airtight lid on your fv...for fretting newbies...we've all been there...and those that insist on bubbles through the blow off tube...what's the best sealing bucket you have found?
I have three I use in constant rotation with only one providing a decent lid seal. It's a Wilko...
I do like the bubbles so I may invest in a new one from MM on my next order...

 

[Rodcx500z]

I have a youngs a wilko cheapo and a wilko dearo all 3 show airlock bubbles

 

[Tanglefoot]

My old Boots fv must be at least 25 yrs old and is still completely airtight. It has a seal on the underside of rim on the top which has to snap down - means you need a good reason to want to take it off though so no quick sneaky looks to check on progress !

 

[Banbeer]

Hi Clint, I have two Youngs FV's and a Richies one that all lids fit really well on, they snap on and off, I've had them a few years now.

 

[terrym]

@Clint
Four strips of clingfilm straight off the roll* placed over the FV top rim in quadrants before you click the lid down will provide an effective seal. Always works for me. Doing it this way half way through the fermentation can transform a bubble rate from next to nothing back up to to a steady rate.
*As its straight off the roll and I apply it with clean hands I never bother sanitising. Dont see the point in making an easy job 10x more difficult

 

[Chippy_Tea]

I have a Richies FV and its 100% airtight (watertight) after 5 years of use, the main difference i noticed between this one and a cheaper one i have that isn't airtight (watertight) is the ridges round the edge of the lid, if you can pull the lid off easily don't buy it if you have to fight a bit like i have to do.

This is not my FV but it shows the ridges round the outer edge of the lid.

 

[Cyberjip]

Cannot fault theese, good price, work great, doesn't let light through,seal well and easy to add taps/thermowells

https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B00ECVX1NQ?ref=ppx_pop_mob_ap_share

 

[Hoppyland]

I've used these guys for years;
https://www.ampulla.co.uk/Shop-For-Plastic/Plastic-Buckets-With-Lids/c-25-170-113/If you're near Manchester you can pick up & save delivery charge

 

[Hew's Brews]

I have two buckets, both by Youngs. The shorter wider one has a stiff lid and seals very nicely with a snap. The taller one has a floppy lid and I have never had any bubbles from it. Not that I'm bothered, there is a brewery near me that has open fermenters and they never have problems.

To tell if the fermentation is happening I just keep an eye on the krausen.

 

[kelper]

I like Ritchies FVs; I have two sizes. 20L and 25. I bought the larger size as, although the standard size will take a 23L kit, it sometimes overflowed through the airlock when the krausen was excessive. The larger one will take over 30L. But now I use one inside the other and added an aquarium heater. I put a few small rocks in the bottom to lift the smaller FV and protect the heater. Even if the 20L overflows, the outer one will save the carpet.

The lids seal very well.

 

[Banbeer]

The taller one has a floppy lid and I have never had any bubbles from it

I've got one of those as well as my other 3 and I only use it to transport water for washing my caravan.

 

[Graz]

Personally don't really care if mine seal up or not as I don't use airlocks / blow off tubes and crack it open slightly anyway to let the gas escape.

Think I might need a bigger one as two brews I've done recently have tried to escape, the Festival Weiss which just had krausen escaping and now a Love Brewing Presidents Sierra Pale Ale that actually had some of the beer running out of the lid. The 1.054 SG and 20g of yeast probably doesn't help on the latter. Never really had a problem with it until these last two kits

 

[pms67]

Best plastic FV I ever had was a Brewferm version, not sure if there still around though

 

[Deadhead]

I use Youngs/Richies Wine Fermentation buckets. Wide neck is easy to clean and get a good seal with petroleum jelly. I do want to upgrade to shiny someday, but these are fine still after 6 years of brewing.

 

[Bernie]

Cleaning after fermentation is an important consideration. I remove and sterilise lid and tap and the wide opening at the top allows me to remove traces of yeast from the krausen. The big advantage of the Boots bucket was its simplicity.

 

[Bevvied]

Personally don't really care if mine seal up or not as I don't use airlocks / blow off tubes and crack it open slightly anyway to let the gas escape.

Think I might need a bigger one as two brews I've done recently have tried to escape, the Festival Weiss which just had krausen escaping and now a Love Brewing Presidents Sierra Pale Ale that actually had some of the beer running out of the lid. The 1.054 SG and 20g of yeast probably doesn't help on the latter. Never really had a problem with it until these last two kits

I've never really seen the obsession with airlocks bubbling either.
Not that I'd recommend it, but a pal brews his kit bitter in a kitchen bin, with a towel over the top held in place with a bungy cord.
When I saw it, I was gobsmacked, but he told me he's never had any problems.

 

[MickDundee]

My Spiedel fermenter is the best one I’ve had (apart from the tap being just the wrong size for a bottling wand). Worth the extra money in my opinion.

 

[samale]

My Spiedel fermenter is the best one I’ve had (apart from the tap being just the wrong size for a bottling wand). Worth the extra money in my opinion.

I will second that after having a bit of an issue with the tap. I followed advice and used a length of silicon tube to connect the bottling wand to the tap. These will last year's if cared for correctly

 

[foxy]

Not plastic but PET, versatile, cheap even with a pressure kit. Also watching the exothermic action of the yeast is better than the Telly.

 

[MickDundee]

Not plastic but PET, versatile, cheap even with a pressure kit. Also watching the exothermic action of the yeast is better than the Telly.

Well over £100 with a pressure kit aren’t they?