Anyone used Hearts Homebrew's Handy Masher?

[elbajista]

I'm looking to purchase a starter kit from Heart's Homebrew, which happens to be my closest LHBS. They have an option to add a special Handy Masher to the kit for only $20.

Here's a link: http://www.heartshomebrew.com/home_brew_beer.cgi?cart_id=526743.30604*Ve8PU7&p_id=9003&xm=on&ppinc=dave2full

A partial mash brewers dream! Mash; maintain temperature and sparge all in one easy to use piece of equipment. Holds up to 7 pounds of grain! Cooler with build-in slotted strainer and spigot. Includes extra screen.

Does it look like it's worth the money for a beginner's partial mash system?

 

[DUCCCC]

That doesn't look like a bad deal, but you can parital mash in a simple pot on your stovetop using a paint strainer bag from your local paint store. If you need to be able to partial mash up to 7 lbs, you might as well go all grain and get a 5 or 10 gallon cooler. Check out Flyguy's cheap MLT setup here and go for it. That said, I don't believe this is a ripoff.

The wiki here on HBT has plans for a small MLT that could easily be converted to a larger cooler when the time comes.

 

[Beerrific]

http://homebrewtalk.com/showthread.php?t=54458

 

[mew]

There have been several disapproving Hearts Homebrew threads.

 

[malkore]

For $20 you can buy a 5gallon cooler and the parts needed to make it a MLT.

and then you won't out grow it in 6 months when you go to AG brewing. you can do about 12lbs of grain in a 5gallon cooler, which will get you beers up to 1.060 before it gets tricky.

 

[J.B.W]

I have had one of those for a couple of years, and it has worked well. In fact, I just used it last Saturday to brew my latest batch. The most I have mashed with it is 5lbs of grain and 1.25 quarts of water/lb of grain which fills it to the top. You could probably fit more with a thicker mash. I usually averaged 60-65% efficiency from it with grain purchased/crushed from Heart's. My last batch with it hit 75% because I recently purchased a Barley Crusher and milled my own grain(a much better crush).

With that said, See the above posts regarding the customer service from Hearts and alternatives on making your own MTL. I was a customer at hearts for years. I now shop over in South Daytona at Homebrew Emporium(small shop, but more pleasant), or I order online from NB.