Lidl electric fruit preserver and jam maker

[Lawrence]

Saw this online today for £50 and wondered if it was any good?
It has a variable temperature from 30 to 100.
I am not sure it would make good jam, but could it make good Beer?
I put a link so you could look at the (badly made) video

http://www.lidl.co.uk/cps/rde/xchg/lidl ... _32214.htm

I would appreciate comments, as Lidl is a fair way from me and I would only be going for this.

 

[graysalchemy]

Oh they are back in again.

The has been a few threads on this over the last few years.

I want one for boiling down first runnings. :thumb:

 

[oldbloke]

There was a long thread (maybe here, maybe on Jim's) about this last time they had them in (or the time before...)
The thermostat on some was poorly calibrated but could be tweaked - details in thread.
I got one, had to do the tweak, and somehow it managed to trip the kitchen ring breaker twice, when switching it off (weird)
I've only actually used mine once, as I rarely do a 5gallon brew. Worked well enough.

So, they're basically OK, especially at the price, AND...
I heard a rumour the current version has different electr(on)ics for the temp control (hopefully better?)

 

[Baz Chaz]

Dieseljockey had one and he replaced the tap, I would suggest he's the man to ask if they're any good :thumb:

viewtopic.php?f=13&t=9150&hilit=lidl+lidl+boiler

 

[TheMumbler]

I use one of the older ones for my HLT. It is OK, some people have had trouble with the thermostat cut out for use as boilers but I think you could bypass this on the version I have at least.

The taps are rubbish

I replaced mine with a 15mm ball valve (following the advice linked to above) but you need to widen the hole a little and it is very easy to chip the enamel doing this.

 

[Swift Pint]

what about as a mash tun? reckon they would hold temperature well?

Plus am I right in thinking that the element is in a sunk portion of the bottom, so would be easy to put a false bottom over to stop any scorching of the grain? Might be an ideal BIAB vessel. :hmm:

 

[graysalchemy]

I have just bought one mainly for caramelizing first runnings and other things :whistle: :whistle:

Also got a vacum sealer for £19.99 as well for resealing hops

 

[TheMumbler]

what about as a mash tun? reckon they would hold temperature well?

Plus am I right in thinking that the element is in a sunk portion of the bottom, so would be easy to put a false bottom over to stop any scorching of the grain? Might be an ideal BIAB vessel. :hmm:

They come with a little thing to keep the jars off the bottom so it might work for that, so long as they do a boil in this incarnation.

 

[Cedaronics]

I have just bought one mainly for caramelizing first runnings and other things :whistle: :whistle:

Also got a vacum sealer for £19.99 as well for resealing hops

I swear that I just bought one of those today as well! Using mine for sous vide.

 

[Dieseljockey]

Check before you go to the shop, they sell out quick. I've had one now for 2 years and so far no problems. Change the tap as they are ****.

 

[graysalchemy]

Check before you go to the shop, they sell out quick. I've had one now for 2 years and so far no problems. Change the tap as they are ****.

Yes they only had three when i went this afternoon. I wasn't going to go as it was a half hour dash in school time traffic but i got one as i didn't think they would have one tomorrow.

 

[Dieseljockey]

I have just bought one mainly for caramelizing first runnings and other things :whistle: :whistle:

Also got a vacum sealer for £19.99 as well for resealing hops

We got hold of one of these when they had them last year but we can't get any of the film now...bugger... :evil:

 

[graysalchemy]

have you not seen any on fleebay I'm sure I have seen some its used a lot now in cookery.

Here you go clicky

 

[Cedaronics]

@ DJ - have you still got the manual?

In the back is an order form for more of the film.

 

[Dieseljockey]

@ DJ - have you still got the manual?

In the back is an order form for more of the film.

Yup..got the book...lost the form, got some from Lakeland but to thick wont seal correct.

Here you go clicky

: Grays....will get on to that one. :clap: :clap:

 

[graysalchemy]

Diesel that was just a random choice not necessarily a recommendation but there are loads on there :thumb:

 

[Baz Chaz]

Brilliant thread ....

THBF @ it's best :thumb:

 

[lovelldr]

Hmmmm, wondering whether this would be any good as a use for extract brewing?

Missus moaning at me that she don't want me brewing in the house as it smells too much. Current way of getting round this ... do it whilst she's not there :lol: :thumb:. But, since I store FV and do most of brewing in the garage, wondered whether this would be any good for doing an extract brew in the garage?! Maybe this would be a good way to get in to biab brewing also?!

Thoughts/ideas on this please :) I guess might just be that the temp will not be hot enough for the boil?! But even if it's not 100% hot enough (e.g. if boiling temp of wort was 110'c and it only "boiled" it at 100'c), would that work ok for most efforts?!

 

[Gill]

I've just bought one of these - it's years since we did any proper brewing and I'm looking forward to it.

Will this boiler be okay to use 'as is' or will it need to be adapted? Clearly, the tap is thought to be suspect. Are there any threads on this forum which might help us to use it?

 

[TRXnMe]

I'm another one wondering if this is a cheap way to get into brew in a bag AG brewing?

Im lucky enough to have 2 Lidls near me so I'll wander over to them in the morning :)