Electric brew kettle... Best choice???

[Whammybar]

Hi,

I'm trying to decide weather to get an electric brew kettle... But haven't got very far.

Are the current burco and buffalo urns sutitable or do they need modifications?

Are the plastic peco's any good?

Are the stainless steel pre made kettle worth the extra money?

Any input would be great

Thanks

 

[Wilfy]

I got one of these (without the sight glass) for my birthday, very happy with it.

 

[IainM]

I got the 33L peco with the HBC BIAB starting kit and I'm very happy with it over the 9 months and 13 brews I've been doing AG. The element has scorched a couple of times and needed a good scrub, and I now have the hop strainer and a cheap home-made hop sock, which has stopped the blocking issue I had with the first couple of brews. Other than that, it has been great. Comes to mash temp quickly enough, only drops a degree during the mash if I insulate it well with blankets/duvet, and it holds a good rolling boil, so it does everything I ask of it. I can't comment on the steel ones, and although they do look very good I'm in no hurry to upgrade.

 

[big yogi]

looking for one myself, i found this one are they any good?

http://www.nisbets.co.uk/Buffalo-Manual-Fill-Water-Boiler-40Ltr/GL349/ProductDetail.raction

 

[AlanManley]

I have a 25ltr (holds almost 30 though) Peco from the Homebrew shop Hawley.

I use a hop sock like Ian M. Never had any issues at all. When I got it I was new and only had done 2 brews. I was hesitant to spend more than I did.

Now I'd love to have a shiny one and will be upgrading in the summer for sure.

It really comes down to how much spare change you have and if you brew often enough to warrant it I guess.

Sent from my SM-G935F using Tapatalk

 

[big yogi]

I also have a peco, I was looking for another boiler so i can sparge

 

[aamcle]

Buffalo boilers suffer with poor elements, mine gave up after a brew or two so I fitted a low watt density (just means long so stuff doesn't burn on) element and I'm very happy with it.
It's a good size for a 23 litre brew, the buffalo boiler elements were so bad that Nisbits discontinued them but the good news is you may be able to get a bust one cheap and fit an element.


aamcle

 

[yeastinfection]

peco here for me too,, i do love shiney,,, but it does the same job and does it well enough too,as others have said, it boils down to how many pennys you want to spend.
they all boil!!

 

[klaus]

I got one of these (without the sight glass) for my birthday, very happy with it.

How do you control the temperature with this one?

 

[yeastinfection]

turn it on,,,,boil... turn it off,,,not boil?
:)

 

[pms67]

I bought a Burco boiler for £71, thermostatic amd shiny! Rolling boil no problem, only had to change tap,a fiver from Screwfix, only done three biab and one partial but very happy 👍

 

[big yogi]

I bought a Burco boiler for �£71, thermostatic amd shiny 👍

where did you buy it from?

 

[Wilfy]

How do you control the temperature with this one?

I only use it for the boil so no control needed. I am busy looking into temp control for my peco for sparge water.

 

[pms67]

where did you buy it from?

Aircon centre

 

[big yogi]

Thanks mate, I'll have a look

 

[pms67]

Thanks mate, I'll have a look

Free delivery,but I haven't tested it yet I'm sure it only hold 30l filled right to the brim,probably more like 25-26 l but just make a stronger wort then dilute (says the biab expert with 3 brews under his belt :lol:)

 

[big yogi]

i normally make 21 to 22 ltrs, so i can bottle a few once i fill my corny.
i will probs go for the 40 ltr, thanks for the advice anyway

 

[jceg316]

I started with a peco, was great, did the job for brews up to 23L. The tap it comes with is an on/off tap which is fine for batch sparging but I like to fly sparge, so I replaced it with a SS ball valve. It lasted about 6 months or so of heavy use before it leaked. The plastic had warped from the weight of the metal tap.

I got the 56 litre kettle which was screen shot by Klaus. IT took a while to set up - it arrives with the holes pre drilled and a load of parts you need to put in yourself - I was plugging leaks for a while. I've had it over a year now, doesn't leak, and really like it. Needs a filter though. I use a bendy copper pipe with holes drilled in inside a hop filter. This way it filters and I get minimal loss.

To control it I use my peco controller. Alternatively you might be able to use an STC controller, inkbird, or something like that. I had to drill a hole for the thermowell. As someone who isn't great at DIY, it wasn't easy drilling through stainless steel, but had to drill a hole for the q-max cutter.