Best cheap mash paddle??

[Dgonza9]

I melted a spoon last week. SWMBO is pissed, plus, not a good idea for the beer.

Can anyone suggest a good, fairly CHEAP mash paddle for purchase? Or a fairly easy way to make one? I'm pretty handy in the workshop, but very short on time these days.

Cheers

 

[McMalty]

I just use a giant stainless steel spoon. It's cheap and effective. you can prob get it at your LHBS. It does everything a mash paddle does, plus it's a spoon. You can spoon things with it, pretty great.

 

[aekdbbop]

I use a stainless spatula I got at the dollar store. Works.

 

[passedpawn]

Home Depot sells long wood paddles for crawfish brews. They work perfectly for a mash paddle, especially if you drill a bunch of 1" holes into it. I think it was only 4 or 5 dollars. I have one and it has worked great for about the last 10 batches (10g batches... lotsa grain).

Check this out: https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f36/mash-paddle-home-depot-199833/

 

[NickN72]

i use a grout mixer in my drill. does a great job mixing and breaking up dough balls with a lot less effort/time. I think i picked it up at Lowe's for under $10

 

[Scut_Monkey]

i use a grout mixer in my drill. does a great job mixing and breaking up dough balls with a lot less effort/time. I think i picked it up at Lowe's for under $10

Ditto. They even sell versions that are HDPE from what I remember. 30 seconds with it attached to a drill and maris otter dough balls are history.

 

[chapa]

I got a stainless spoon from a concession type store, there's one by me called CR Franks Popcorn. They sell popcorn machines and all kinds of vending products(I imagine a restaurant equipment store may have them also). It is kind of a wire mesh spoon. I love it. I think it was only like $13.

 

[Catt22]

I prefer the traditional mash paddle like this one:

http://www.northernbrewer.com/default/mash-paddle-doweled.html

IMO, spoons don't cut it at all for the mash. A long handled spoon should also be in ones arsenal, but they are a very poor substitute for a real mash rake.

 

[astropunk]

good? check.
fairly CHEAP? check.

$3.50

http://www.northernbrewer.com/brewing/brewing-equipment/stirring-straining/18-plastic-paddle.html

 

[Dgonza9]

Home Depot sells long wood paddles for crawfish brews. They work perfectly for a mash paddle, especially if you drill a bunch of 1" holes into it. I think it was only 4 or 5 dollars. I have one and it has worked great for about the last 10 batches (10g batches... lotsa grain).

Check this out: https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f36/mash-paddle-home-depot-199833/

All great ideas, guys, but this looks most promising for my needs.

Thanks. Cheers

 

[Golddiggie]

This is what I've been using...

Cheap, strong, and you can even get it in two other sizes (36" and 48")...

I might sand mine down to make it thinner next time I have access to a belt sander...

 

[passedpawn]

All great ideas, guys, but this looks most promising for my needs.

Thanks. Cheers

Look for one without knots. They weaken them considerably, and the lot I looked at had mucho knots. I did find a good one.

 

[boo boo]

I prefer the traditional mash paddle like this one:

http://www.northernbrewer.com/default/mash-paddle-doweled.html
.

Me too, I made my own.

 

[Dgonza9]

Me too, I made my own.

Why do prefer this kind? Strange, looks flimsy to me, though I'm sure it's solid. Do you glue the joints?

 

[ScubaSteve]

You can't beat THIS....Drill some holes in it if you're so inclined.....or make it shorter.

 

[boo boo]

Why do prefer this kind? Strange, looks flimsy to me, though I'm sure it's solid. Do you glue the joints?

I did glue the joints and it is quite strong.
I just prefer the look over the other designs, and it do work well breaking up any clumps of grain and flour balls I encounter in the mash.

 

[WAdamC]

I bought a 3' piece of maple scrap at home depot for $1.52. It took me about 30 minutes to draw a paddle shape on it, cut it out with a jigsaw, drill some holes with my kegerator holesaw, and sand it smooth. I left it unfinished, and I have used it every brew this past year (about 30 times + my friend borrows it when he brews). Just rinse it off, let it dry and it will last forever.

 

[wildwest450]

good? check.
fairly CHEAP? check.

$3.50

http://www.northernbrewer.com/brewing/brewing-equipment/stirring-straining/18-plastic-paddle.html

Yup, been using this one for the last 60+ batches, it's perfect. Unless you're doing 20+gallon batches, I don't understand the huge wooden boat paddles people use.


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[Dgonza9]

Yup, been using this one for the last 60+ batches, it's perfect. Unless you're doing 20+gallon batches, I don't understand the huge wooden boat paddles people use.


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I seem to resist the idea of a plastic paddle. Wood just seems more my style. I've been taught to think of plastic as "chemical laden" though I know that's an insane oversimplification.

 

[passedpawn]

Yup, been using this one for the last 60+ batches, it's perfect. Unless you're doing 20+gallon batches, I don't understand the huge wooden boat paddles people use.


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They are not huge. Same size as that one you are showing.

 

[724b]

How about this... http://www.homebrewfinds.com/2013/02/hands-on-24-stainless-mash-tun-whisk.html

 

[LuiInIdaho]

How about this... http://www.homebrewfinds.com/2013/02/hands-on-24-stainless-mash-tun-whisk.html

Plus one on the wire whisk. Dough balls are not a problem. I love my whisk.

 

[mccullpl]

I started with the plastic paddle shown earlier in the thread. It was ok. Then, I got one of the 24" whisks. WAY better!

 

[wilserbrewer]

I have a couple, but my favorite is a bamboo spoon wok stirrer, about 24" purchased at a dollar store type place, I also have a 36" wooden homemade paddle for larger batches.

 

[dog_gone]

I love my big 24".

Um, whisk...

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0...ASIN=B002AGX3BK&linkCode=as2&tag=hombrefin-20

 

[wilserbrewer]

Best cheap mash paddle?

How about free...5 gallon paint stirrer, 24" from Home Depot... works well for kettles, rectangular coolers, likely a little small for a keggle...cheers!

 

[amandabab]

I melted a spoon last week. SWMBO is pissed, plus, not a good idea for the beer.

Can anyone suggest a good, fairly CHEAP mash paddle for purchase? Or a fairly easy way to make one? I'm pretty handy in the workshop, but very short on time these days.

Cheers

A stick