Is smooth stir bar really quieter?

[BantamBrewing]

I know, first world problems, right? But I've got the standard stir bar, with the little raised lip in the middle like this:

It rattles on for 24-36 hours during the starter and sort of drives me insane while I'm near it, like a tap dancing cricket on acid. I found smooth stir bars without the raised area (and they're advertised as "WHISPERZ") - they look like this:

Are they really quieter? And I assume they do just as good a job?

Thanks.

 

[shanecb]

I hope someone says yes, because the rattling drives me crazy. Though, for the last starter I did, I got it positioned just right so it was completely quiet for the whole two days.

 

[Rockn_M]

I have no real world experience but I would think they would be a little quieter since they don't have any edges bouncing on glass. You'll probably still have a little noise since it's spinning on glass.

 

[clarkpadgett]

I have used both. I used one with the ridge in the middle to mix a lye solution for making soap. After I was done, I threw it in the trash because I hated listening to it.

 

[HausBrauerei_Harvey]

i have some of both and the smooth one is quieter.

 

[BantamBrewing]

Thanks for the input folks, I have just ordered 2 off eBay.

 

[Sourz4life]

I have only ever used the smooth one and I have no sound at all so I'd say if the other one makes noise then yes its quieter.

 

[kh54s10]

I had short smooth one and it was quiet. Too quiet. It easily got thrown. I put a rubber O-ring on it and it rattled a lot but it would not get thrown as easily. I bought another smooth one a little longer and it works well.

 

[HLSheppard]

I did a 2 liter starter for my last batch and the stir bar was totally silent. The problem is - I can't figure out what I did differently!!

 

[thenugsmoustache]

Don't know if they are quieter. I have octagonal stir bars and they rattled constantly. To quiet them I cut 2 little pieces of tubing and put one on each end. Now they are silent.

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[jcav]

Yes sir, the smooth one is definitely quieter I promise! I have both types. I NEVER use the one with the raised lip in the middle after trying both types out first in plain water in the flask. It made such a racket when I tested it that I just always use the smooth one when I make starters!

John

 

[HLSheppard]

I just did a comparison as well. Smooth one is basically silent. I don't think I can go back now!

 

[Brew_G]

Mine with the raised center is virtually silent, but it took a little tweaking of the magnets on my stir plate to get it to that point.

 

[Hoppy2bmerry]

Flat= much less sound. The only reason I know is I dumped my flat bar into the fermentor and got a replacement @ the LHBS that happens to have the ridge. I will easily remember to fish it out when the brew is ready to bottle.

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[pocketmon]

Mine with the raised center is virtually silent, but it took a little tweaking of the magnets on my stir plate to get it to that point.

I had been using the center-ridged one for a while. If it is at the right spot, it is very quiet. However, starting from someday, I couldn't find that spot anymore.
Then I switched to the smooth one. It is quiet, but not as quiet as the center-ridged one in sweet spot. It's quiet enough though.
I talked with my friends, and one of them told me that sometimes the magnet inside might break when dropped and caused uneven attraction, which results in continuous hitting the glass. I was happy to learn that, but if the smooth one is doing good, then I am good.

 

[CJ-3]

i had one with the center ridge that was too loud so I took a sharp knife and carved the ridge off. Much more quiet now.

 

[Brew_G]

I had been using the center-ridged one for a while. If it is at the right spot, it is very quiet. However, starting from someday, I couldn't find that spot anymore.

Then I switched to the smooth one. It is quiet, but not as quiet as the center-ridged one in sweet spot. It's quiet enough though.

I talked with my friends, and one of them told me that sometimes the magnet inside might break when dropped and caused uneven attraction, which results in continuous hitting the glass. I was happy to learn that, but if the smooth one is doing good, then I am good.

Interesting. I had a bar that one day started getting thrown for no apparent reason. I wonder if it got dropped at some point and caused the uneven spinning.

I agree that a ridged stir bar can be very quiet. Mine makes no sound - I only hear the swirling starter. It doesn't really matter though, since I make my starters in the laundry room and it can make all the sound it wants back there!

 

[jddevinn]

As long as I "perfectly" center on the stir plate I get no sound at all.

 

[cannman]

The only way I have ever gotten a quiet stir plate is to place gaskets on each end of the bar...