[Koregoth]

I am having a hard time picking a kettle I have no gear and a few gift cards to northern brew so I am thinking of getting a nice kettle from them or a starter kit from them and pot from lows. Is starting off with a cheap kettle that I can repurpose for all grains better or a nice kettle worth the 200 I would put down for it this is the one that looks like the best bang for my buck
https://www.northernbrewer.com/products/edelmetall-bru-kettle

[klickitat jim]

I'd spend my money on a way to control fermentation temp before a nifty kettle.

[James K]

I bought a 8gal kettle on amazon for $120  I still use it.  It has a bazooka filter on it which was good to help strain hop matter for me in the beginning. And you can always biab so you don’t need a false bottom. Deside on how big of batches you want to make. An 8 gallon pot is good for 5 gal because you will boil off about 1.5 gal during your boil.

I would spend my gift card on something else. Like temp control ^^ or wort chiller, carboys, a mash tun (which you can build), etc.

[Richard]

I agree with Jim. Also, if you are going to spend a lot of money on a kettle, make sure you won't be itching to replace it within a year. I started with a small stovetop kettle for partial mash and extract brews and quickly wanted to upgrade. It was less than $50, but it is now sitting unused. I eventually purchased a 10 gallon kettle on sale for $49 and added an electric element myself. I saved hundreds of dollars and have been using that happily for a couple of years. Think carefully before dropping a lot of bucks on equipment and make sure that what you buy today will work for you next year.

[hopfenundmalz]

I agree with Jim. Also, if you are going to spend a lot of money on a kettle, make sure you won't be itching to replace it within a year. I started with a small stovetop kettle for partial mash and extract brews and quickly wanted to upgrade. It was less than $50, but it is now sitting unused. I eventually purchased a 10 gallon kettle on sale for $49 and added an electric element myself. I saved hundreds of dollars and have been using that happily for a couple of years. Think carefully before dropping a lot of bucks on equipment and make sure that what you buy today will work for you next year.

Control that fermentation. Second vote for Jim.

When you do buy a kettle, make sure it has the size and all the options you want now and down the road.

Buy once, cry once!

[Koregoth]

I am not trying to justify getting a fancy kettle just wanted advice from people who got the equipment. As far as cooling the beer I have a few ideas i am going to look into. So getting a starter kit is the best way to go. Does a ball valve make a big difference in the kettle or can you wait and just siphon

[James K]

I am not trying to justify getting a fancy kettle just wanted advice from people who got the equipment. As far as cooling the beer I have a few ideas i am going to look into. So getting a starter kit is the best way to go. Does a ball valve make a big difference in the kettle or can you wait and just siphon

The ball valve would make it easier to transfer wort. Just get some silicone tubing to put on the end of the ball valve. I would not go with that eldemetall kettle, something much cheaper would do just fine.
I found a keg a while ago, added a ball valve, added a thermometer, cost me about $50 and can hold 15.5gal.

[Koregoth]

Is that whay you brew in ?

[James K]

Is that whay you brew in ?

No I brew in the 8 gallon pot I got on amazon, it also has a ball valve. I’ve had that pot for about 4 years. But my brewing has evolved (buy once, cry once). I used to brew extract and the 8 gal pot worked for me, now I brew all grain and use that keg for my hot liquor tank and the 8 gal pot for the boil. Before I made the shift to all grain I would use the 8 gallon pot to fill my mash tun, and add water back into the kettle (8gal) after mashing, now I don’t have to.  I use gravity and plenty of hot water to sparge and collect enough mash to boil for 5gal.

I would say the kettle is the least of your worries when it come to brewing, focus your time and energy on equipment you will really need and value.

Heck, 12 years ago I bought a pot a Walmart and just siphoned my material. I got the biggest pot I could find. 

[hopfenundmalz]

If you look on various online buy/sell lists such as Craigslist, you can find brewing equipment for cheap.

[goose]

Vote #3 for control that fermentation first.

If you are going to buy a kettle though, I would try to steer away from any aluminum ones.  I am a bit leery of the acidity of the wort attacking the aluminum and pitting it.  Try to go with stainless steel.  Look on Craig's List, Ebay, and the equipment section of this forum and you also might find something that is relatively inexpensive.

[BrewBama]

If you look on various online buy/sell lists such as Craigslist, you can find brewing equipment for cheap.

...  Look on Craig's List, Ebay, and the equipment section of this forum and you also might find something that is relatively inexpensive.

+1 for EBay, C-list, and the various Homebrew forums. Most have a classified section where you can get gently used equipment for very reasonable prices.


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[Richard]

Also, if  you are going to use a ball valve I would strongly recommend a valve that can be fully disassembled for cleaning. Every time I take mine apart for cleaning I am surprised at how much stuff has managed to survive all the flushing and rinsing and stay in the hidden regions off to the side of the ball, around the handle, etc.

[Koregoth]

So if any one is still following this thread I am looking into these 2 pots
https://www.webstaurantstore.com/vigor-40-qt-heavy-duty-stainless-steel-aluminum-clad-stock-pot-with-cover/473SSPOT40.html?utm_source=Google&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign=GoogleShopping&gclid=CjwKCAjw4avaBRBPEiwA_ZetYtSBYp6QaMZvaHAsqJ087l_i8L_K5YD0R6zmNVqvO_P9tZgyO7YDphoC6tcQAvD_BwE
 https://www.northernbrewer.com/collections/megapot-1-2/products/megapot-1-2-kettle-10-gal
I am leaning to the cheaper one and putting in a ballvalve

[ynotbrusum]

Go for it - you can brew ales and use a laundry tub with coll water and ice bottle swapping for temp control, if you have a basement.  At least for now...Cheers!