which equipment kit should i get?

i am interested in getting into homebrewing and was wondering which kit i should get the one with the carboy or the two buckets setup. can you guys give me pros and cons of each so i can make a better disicion (sp?).
thanks
Pat

I prefer the glass carboys over the plastic buckets, but both make beer! As long as you treat the plastic bucket with care and don't scratch it, you still make beer! Scratches can lead to bacteria build up and possible infections. What is the price difference between the kits? Welcome to HBT.

Personally I would start with the buckets (Because they are cheaper) If you find that you want to keep the hobby, then you can buy carboys and use the buckets for storage, sanitizer, bottling, all kinds of things that you need good buckets for.

I got the plastic kit with the carboy secondary from midwest. my first batch is now in the secondary. I found a 6gal carboy on criags list for $10. I waited 5 weeks checking out CL everyday, then the day after I ordered a kit 3 popped up on CL in the next week. I guess thats the way it goes.

My kit came with a glass carboy and a plastic bucket. I soon made an additional purchase of another bucket (for bottling). You'll probably get about 10 different answers from everyone on this thread. There are pros and cons to each:

Glass carboy:
Pros:
- You can watch your yeasties to their thing
- Scratch resistant
- Makes clearer beer (from what I've been told)

Cons:
- THEY CAN BREAK
- Kinda hard to clean
- Heavier than my ex-wife

Plastic bucket:
Pros:
- Easy to clean
- Lightweight
- Blocks more light than glass
- They don't (usually) break

Cons:
- They scratch easily (providing a wonderful home for bacteria)
- Can't watch your beer "grow"

This is just my opinion, but I'm still a noob myself. I'm sure someone with more expertise can offer more advice, but it's my 2 cents.

I started off with glass carboys and think it is well worth the investment. One of my favorite parts of making beer is being able to watch it all happen--which is not possible with plastic buckets. I'm like a kid waking up on Christmas morning the day after brewday as I run down to see if my beer has started to ferment yet. However, if your are not 100% sold on the hobby, it might make sense to start off with the plastic buckets.

I'm a Noobie, but here is what I did.

Years ago I got a wine kit. One buckett and one Glass Carboy, siphon tube, themomiter, Hydrometer etc etc.

I got an additonal buckett and that's it! I only use my Carboy for 2ndary's as there is less Krousen at that stage to cause a mess, I find the Buckets hold a nice 5.5 gal batch and room for Krousen without much need for blowoff tube if fermentation is kept in the range of 61-65 deg (room temp)- 67-70 Wort temp. Alows me to have 2 or 3 in the pipeline at any given time.

To be honest the important things are the Thermomiters, Hydrometer and Boil capability. A 12-15 $ buckett is easy to add later so minimum #'s to start is ok but don't leave out the essentials!

One Bucket
One Thermomiter
One Hydrometer and Glass to float it in
one Siphon and tubing with Clamp to cut flow or hold fluid in the rig to pre-set siphon so you don't "Mouth" start it!
One Boil Kettle (suggest 34-40 Qt)
One Banjo Burner or such as to facilitate the 6.5 gal boil.
Wort Chiller (IC)
Large Stir Spoon or beer paddle
Wine/Beer theif
Air lock and appropirate bung.
Sanitizer

You are good to start! (I don't think I forgot anything).... Ooops you need a Brew ingrediant kit! I suggest getting one that sounds like what you might drink and enjoy, $30-32 at a LHBS.

Then Brew and have fun!

If you have some of this it is helpfull but not required.
additionally I use a 3 gal pot to steep grains in and pre heat water put in a Cooler outfitted with Copper spigot so as to have enough 180 deg water to start it all with and not have to wait for the water to get hot.
Filtered water supply (home filter and Charcoal filter on faucet)

then you have to decide to bottle or keg...

It's not hard even with the minimum stuff to make beer

i can get my hands on a plastic 6 liter (one of the big ones.) water cooler bottle would that be good for a secondary or do i need to get a glass carboy. im still trying to get a feeling of what i can get and use.
thanks
Patrick

I prefer using plastic, but I would have to recommend glass to a new home brewer. You can see what's going on inside the glass, you can experience the blow-offs a lot better, and you won't be tempted to open the bucket to look inside prematurely if you are using glass. There are some kits out there that include the better bottles, which give you the convenience of plastic with the look and functionality of glass.

No glass here, too heavy and too dangerous for me. Read on about people who have been injured from glass shards...no thanks. How the hell would you clean up a wort tidal wave anyway post breakage?