OK, Ihave to speak up here. I started brewing last February straight into all grain. I built a Kal clone but upsized to produce 21 gallons into the fermentors which are Brewhemoths. The secret to my success is the fact that i read as much about building starters to mash processes. When I brew with my wife, we put in a 6 hour day, which includes clean-up. For that knowledge I have to thank people on this forum for sharing their knowledge so I could learn to brew beer and do the process justice. As to starting with extract...naw, just read and absorb from all of the expirienced people here at HBT and there is no reason you can't start off all-grain. Besides, the house smell fantastic while brewing.