Stainless Kettle too good to be true.

**mikeysab** · 12-15-2011, 03:42 AM

So now that I've gotten my hands on some heat sticks, I'm thinking of a partial overhaul of my system. I figured I'd get another big kettle to be used as eithr a boil kettle or a HLT. my first search for "stockpot" on CL brought me to an ad advertising this kettle:

15 Gallon Home Brew Kettle (1 Coupler), spikebrewing

They have some decent prices, but can't tell if the quality is there. My Aluminum BK is 6 mmm and I like that thickness. This one is 1 mm. Is there a difference in durability between 1 mm of stainless and 6 mm aluminum?

Anybody think these are decent stainless kettles for this price?

**bottlebomber** · 12-15-2011, 03:48 AM

Hell no. 1mm? That's like glorified tin foil.

**mikeysab** · 12-15-2011, 04:01 AM

That's what I thought at first, but a Blichman is only 1.2 mm

**bottlebomber** · 12-15-2011, 04:09 AM

Seriously? The side walls maybe, but not the bottom. The bottom of my SS kettle is probably 8mm. That's what I'd be concerned with

**mikeysab** · 12-15-2011, 04:17 AM

ok, I"m an idiot. It's not the blingman that's 1.2. I can't actually find the wall thickness of a blichman. but this kettle is 1.2 mm

Austin Homebrew Supply

and it's more than double the price.

The bottom thickness is what bothers me about it, but I"m looking at these for an electric setup. Ideally, I'd like to repurpose my 20g BK as a HLT, and use this pot as a BK, with an electric element. So I'm not really sure that the bottom thickness matters with a heat stick. But then again, I know nothing about electric brewing, so I could be totally wrong.

I like the thickness of my current BK, which is 6 mm, but then again, I'm running it on a propane burner where the bottom thickness matters. I guess another of my questions is whether bottom thickness matters with an electric setup

amc22 · 12-15-2011, 04:21 AM

The bottom thickness matters with propane burners because the flame is directly heating the bottom of the pot. Thicker bottom = less chance scorching the wort. With an electric element you don't have to worry about that.

**Lucky_Chicken** · 12-15-2011, 12:10 PM

I think that looks like a pretty decent deal if you want a pot instead of the standard converted keg... i like the converted keg, its kinda redneck and makes me feel more at home with all the other technical stuff going on lol

**Ajgeo** · 12-15-2011, 12:33 PM

I have one of these kettles. They are ok. I use it as a HLT. Be advised that they are not a 15 gallon kettle. I noticed it seemed smaller than my other 15 gallon kettle when I received it. I calculated the volume to be less than 13.5 gallons. Use the dimensions given on the website and you will get about 13.5 gallons. I alerted the seller earlier this week, but he hasn't changed the website. He is on this site, so maybe he will chime in. These kettles are also discussed here.

CanadianQuaffer · 12-15-2011, 02:47 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bottlebomber

Hell no. 1mm? That's like glorified tin foil.

You can't be serious...my 10 gallon stainless steel megapot has 1mm thick walls and it's tough as nails. Maybe you were referring to 1mm thick aluminum but 1mm thick SS is very rigid.

**OneHoppyGuy** · 12-15-2011, 04:16 PM

The kettles that MoreBeer, Mega Pot and we use are 1.2 mm (16 gauge).
The Blichmann's are 1 mm (18 gauge).