Wort chilling options?

I have almost completed purchasing my all grain brewing equipment but I’m stuck deciding on a wort chiller.

I have a 60 Qt pot and plan on starting with 5 Gallon batches eventually moving to 10 gallon batches.

Ideally I’m looking to spend around $50 but if there are superior options I don’t mind spending the extra money.

From what I have seen these are my options:

Immersion Wort Chiller
Shirron Wort Plate chiller
Counterflow wort chiller
Therminator

What is the my best option for the money?

Hi Ryman. I think the most common (and the one I use) is an immersion chiller. Its advantage is that its easy to make (if you want to make your own) and relatively inexpensive. In my experience, it gets the job done with minimal fuss.

Some folks use an entire brewing system where they are pumping wort through their system. For that kind of setup, one of the other options where you are pumping your wort through the chiller makes a lot of sense. I think both plate and counterflow chillers also have the potential of cooling your wort faster than an immersion chiller.

For a basic setup, I recommend an immersion chiller for getting the job done easily and without any hassle.

my 50' x 1/2" IC works fantastically for 5 and 10 gal batches. Takes about 6 and 9 minutes, respectively, to hit pitching temps. It cost me $38 for the pipe at Menards, then ~$10 for fittings.