I recently bought an immersion pre-chiller while on sale. Today was my first time to use it and I have to say that I wasn't impressed.
Before I got the pre-chiller, I had purchased a submersible pump that I simply stuck in a bucket of ice water and attached to my immersion chiller. The outflow simply returns to the same bucket so I am not wasting water.
After trying both, I am inclined to believe that the submersible pump is the better solution. It actually does a better job of cooling the wort while the pre-chiller just melts ice and wastes water. The pump was actually cheaper than the pre-chiller, even at the sale price.
So if anyone out there is pondering an immersion pre-chiller, you have my two cents. Mine may be up for sale soon!
Before I got the pre-chiller, I had purchased a submersible pump that I simply stuck in a bucket of ice water and attached to my immersion chiller. The outflow simply returns to the same bucket so I am not wasting water.
After trying both, I am inclined to believe that the submersible pump is the better solution. It actually does a better job of cooling the wort while the pre-chiller just melts ice and wastes water. The pump was actually cheaper than the pre-chiller, even at the sale price.
So if anyone out there is pondering an immersion pre-chiller, you have my two cents. Mine may be up for sale soon!