Brewzilla vs grainfather

[SaskBrewer306]

If they were the same price, which would you choose and why? Black friday sales are the equalizer!!

 

[fluketamer]

Brewzilla gen 3 is around 300$ and grainfather I think around 400.
where have you seen them similar in price. I’m about to pull the trigger on an aio and am also trying to decide.

vevor is about 250

nutrachef similar

I think nutrachef gets 4.5 stars on Amazon out of 170 reviews.

these are all the 110 v versions

its hard to search because there’s a million brewzilla threads on here some very long and detailed.
im prolly going to get a vevor.
i think it has all the same functions as the brewzilla 3 and comes with a hop spider and is about 50$ cheaper . Still the gen 3 for 300$ seems like a great deal.

 

[SaskBrewer306]

Brewzilla gen 3 is around 300$ and grainfather I think around 400.
where have you seen them similar in price. I’m about to pull the trigger on an aio and am also trying to decide.

vevor is about 250

nutrachef similar

I think nutrachef gets 4.5 stars on Amazon out of 170 reviews.

these are all the 110 v versions

its hard to search because there’s a million brewzilla threads on here some very long and detailed.
im prolly going to get a vevor.
i think it has all the same functions as the brewzilla 3 and comes with a hop spider and is about 50$ cheaper . Still the gen 3 for 300$ seems like a great deal.

I'm in Canada so the prices are very different. Brewzilla is 700, Grainfather is 1300. If they were the same price, im wondering what most would choose.

 

[user 341102]

Kegland also makes the digiboil (which is what I use). It's basically a brewzilla, but without programmable temp control and no recirculation pump. I'm happy with the quality, so I'm confident in brewzilla. No experience with grainfather.

Ultimately, I believe in investing in cold-side equipment more than hot side, but sometimes I wish I had programmable temps and a pump.

 

[fluketamer]

I’m a stovetop brewer so either db. Or brew z. Would be a huge step up for me. I considered db. With mash upgrade. as i think the only difference is programming and pump. Which I guess is not needed if I’m already getting good efficiency on the stove. I like the idea of circulating the pump while aroma hopping.
also the db with mash upgrade (or similar electric tall kettle with mash pipe etc. ) Was only like 50$ less than the vevor.


getting back to the topic

i found this
https://www.brewersfriend.com/forum/threads/grainfather-vs-brewzilla.14396/
and even more on target is this thread:
https://www.homebrewtalk.com/threads/grainfather-vs-anvil-foundry-vs-brewzilla-vs.701341/
and if you type "brewzilla vs grainfather" into google three vids come up specifically for bz vs gf

obk in canada has the bz 4 on sale for 549 Canadian which sounds great even in usd / lol

you have a lot of research to do.

cheers

 

[Broken Crow]

I’m a stovetop brewer so either db. Or brew z. Would be a huge step up for me. I considered db. With mash upgrade. as i think the only difference is programming and pump. Which I guess is not needed if I’m already getting good efficiency on the stove. I like the idea of circulating the pump while aroma hopping.
also the db with mash upgrade (or similar electric tall kettle with mash pipe etc. ) Was only like 50$ less than the vevor.


getting back to the topic

i found this
https://www.brewersfriend.com/forum/threads/grainfather-vs-brewzilla.14396/
and even more on target is this thread:
https://www.homebrewtalk.com/threads/grainfather-vs-anvil-foundry-vs-brewzilla-vs.701341/
and if you type "brewzilla vs grainfather" into google three vids come up specifically for bz vs gf

obk in canada has the bz 4 on sale for 549 Canadian which sounds great even in usd / lol

you have a lot of research to do.

cheers

At OBK, it's actually even cheaper at the moment...even tempting me;
https://www.ontariobeerkegs.com/brewzilla-35l-gen4-220-240v.htmlEDIT: That's the 220V version...if I ever bought one I would definitely get a 220V one for the shorter times to heat.

 

[Dr P]

Have Brewzilla 65L, 220v, love it. Either unit is probably something you would enjoy and crank out very consistent results. Gen 3, which I have, is a ridiculous value with BF discounts.

 

[Whisky River]

I have both the Brewzilla and the Grainfather and for me there is no comparison I think the GF is way better but it may not be better in ways that matter to you.
My first AIO was a used GF which worked well and never had any problems. I was really intrigued by the marketing for the BZ Gen 4 and got one as soon as they came out thinking I had upgraded. What I found was that using the BZ was nothing but problems and the unit itself felt cheep and flimsy. Needless to say it’s been collecting dust ever since I got it and I’m still using the GF all the time. I keep telling myself I’ll give the BZ a try again one day when I have time to deal with all the problems but I never do because I just know the GF will work smoothly.
Are there specific areas you want to compare?

 

[SaskBrewer306]

At OBK, it's actually even cheaper at the moment...even tempting me;
https://www.ontariobeerkegs.com/brewzilla-35l-gen4-220-240v.htmlEDIT: That's the 220V version...if I ever bought one I would definitely get a 220V one for the shorter times to heat.

I watched a review on YouTube where they did a side by side, there was only a 30min time difference overall between 110 and 220v... not sure that's worth the flexibility kf moving it..

 

[fluketamer]

wow thats really great thanks. i was worried about the boil time for the 110 but was thinking with the programming i could save time bringing water to strike temp and perhaps with these all in ones its possible to not have to hover over the kettle with stirring and mash temps . etc . i was hoping i could kind of set it and forget it and maybe get something else done while mashing etc that i normally cant do because i am getting sparge water ready or juggling pots and colanders or holding a bag over a kettle etc.
thanks for the comparison link.

 

[Dr P]

I have never brewed on a GF, so I would value the opinion Whiskey River! Forgot to mention we have the 35L Version of the Brewzilla, 110V, and it is slower and does not boil as vigorously as the 220V, so my opinion of 110 vs 220 is founded on experience. But, you can work ahead and pre-heat water to save time. The cost of me running the 220V outlet was not insignificant, and did it myself as I have sub panel that I can kill power to and not be in the main breaker box. Regardless, think you are the right path vs what I have seen with propane the variability you get in temperature and controlling it.

 

[SaskBrewer306]

I have never brewed on a GF, so I would value the opinion Whiskey River! Forgot to mention we have the 35L Version of the Brewzilla, 110V, and it is slower and does not boil as vigorously as the 220V, so my opinion of 110 vs 220 is founded on experience. But, you can work ahead and pre-heat water to save time. The cost of me running the 220V outlet was not insignificant, and did it myself as I have sub panel that I can kill power to and not be in the main breaker box. Regardless, think you are the right path vs what I have seen with propane the variability you get in temperature and controlling it.

I would be using a dryer outlet in my laundry or a garage outlet if I went that route. Thanks for the feedback.

 

[Chuckbergman]

Brewzilla gen 3 is around 300$ and grainfather I think around 400.
where have you seen them similar in price. I’m about to pull the trigger on an aio and am also trying to decide.

vevor is about 250

nutrachef similar

I think nutrachef gets 4.5 stars on Amazon out of 170 reviews.

these are all the 110 v versions

its hard to search because there’s a million brewzilla threads on here some very long and detailed.
im prolly going to get a vevor.
i think it has all the same functions as the brewzilla 3 and comes with a hop spider and is about 50$ cheaper . Still the gen 3 for 300$ seems like a great deal.

Did you end up going with the Vevor?

I'm currently researching AIO systems and cost is a huge factor. I'm leaning toward the Vevor as well, but still researching. Any input appreciated.

 

[fluketamer]

your the second person who asked me that today. lol as i said to the member who messaged me i was going to wait til i brewed ten batches to come out of the closet but now i feel im being outed. just kidding . lol

yeah i got the vevor.

i love it.

its not made in usa but i dont think any of them are.

i stole it off ebay for less than 250 with tax shipping etc.

it makes brew day a charm . i think it lacks delayed start like the others which is HUGE but i get by that by heating hte night before and throwing a blanket over it . its good in morning when i want to dough in.

i wrap it in reflectex it definately gets it up to boil quicker and derfiantely keeps the temp more stable thereby decreasing the number of cycles that the element has to make. which i figure will prolong the life.

i got a longer silicon tubing so you can attach one pice to the spigot when draining to fermenter. and another longer piece on the end of the recirc pump.

to do this:

the piece supplied is way to short. it casue the return to pump straight down onto the grian bed casuing a channel in the bed which may reduce efficiency. this seems to spread the wort out over the grain bed better imo.

5) the best upgrade i did was the sight glass. its impossible to see the level when sparging without it.

my first brew i hit my numbers spot on and had 75 percent efficiecny and was stoked.

2nd was 6 points over with 82 percent efficiency which seemed too high.

my last several i have been missing by about 4 poitns to low and its cause i am over sparging.

it takes a few brews to dial in the right amounts of water. the dead space is very big for an aio. about 7 liters.

i know it doesnt make beer any better than stove top. but its so much easier to set and forget and do other things while brewing. if you are going to stir the boil use teflon spoon ss will srcatch the bottom. for the mash pipe i use a 2 ft wisk which works great to break dough balls.

dont over mill your grains this machine doesnt like flour. in the manual it actually says to shake the grains before dough in which i think they mean remove the flour. i dont do that. i do use 2 ounces of rice hulls per brew tho.

the bottom. doesnt get scorched but after each brew a thin film of dried hard caked on flour gets stuck tot he bottom. very thin. dont scratch it off. let it dry then 100 percent vinegar will dissovle it and you can wipe it away with little effort.


it holds temps very well. it makes crystaal clear wort.

the one issue is that it is a little harder to clean then a kttle and muslin bag. but so much less work when brewing


it is basically a klarstein mundschecnk dmn30
its also VERY similar to brewmonk. guten hop devil ace beer torrent etc.





https://www.thehomebrewforum.co.uk/threads/klarstein-mundschenk.101138/

i wouldnt use the pump higher then mashout temps. it says not to in manual and i feel the pump and the element will be the first thing to go on these.

i figure if it goes ten brews without fail () its a decent piece of equipment

very very happy with mine