I have a plate cooler by Blichman and I would never give it up. The process is simple — use a muslin bag for hop additions. It’s that simple. In the winter, when the cold water temperature is around 60-65°, I can cool 5.5 gallons of boiling wort down to 65° in about a minute and a half into the fermenter. Care is taken to protect the plate cooler up front (muslin bag, back flush, circulate PBW, etc.) and for me, it’s the most economical way of chilling wort.