All Things The Same - SS Pot vs SS Keg for Electric Kettle?

[jrc]

Except for the cost-savings aspect, is there any reason that it is better to convert a keg into an electric kettle over a similarly-sized SS stock pot? I have cut a keg in the past, and am considering buying another for $50 to turn into another electric kettle - however, part of me wants to just shell out an extra hundred bucks to get the Update Intl 20 gallon SS at Instawares. Seems like I might appreciate the extra room in doing larger batches, and to be honest, the cost difference really doesn't matter to me if a pot is quantifiably better.

So, in sum, beyond the price difference (and obvious space difference), does anyone have thoughts on whether there is anything about pots vs kegs that inherently makes one a better electric brew kettle?

 

[wyzazz]

Pots are easier to install fittings in to, you don't have to worry about the curvature at the bottom. However, if you can find a rubber/plastic coated keg then you've got built in insulation. If money was no object, then I'd use a SS pot instead of my keggle in a hot minute!

 

[arturo7]

Assuming a keg is of smaller diameter than a 20g pot, you will get less boil off with the keg.

 

[keithd]

Kegs tend to be narrower/taller, and for a given quantity of wort, you will have better submersion of the element.

This can be offset if you can mount the element lower in a stock pot, as you can only mount the element in a keg at the lowest flat spot. I think I have about 1.5-2 gallons or so underneath my element in a keg.

The major downside to a keg is that it's really best for 8-12 gallon batches. Any bigger or smaller and you're better off with a differently sized pot like the 20 gallon you were looking at.

 

[buzzkill]

I have a keggle,but would trade it for a pot that was shorter. this would make my gravity set up shorter. and pots are lighter than a keggle.