Need help deciding which 10+ gallon brew kettle to buy

[bjork24]

I have $100 to spend, but would like to spend less so I can use the remaining money on ingredients and/or other brewing necessities. I have Amazon Prime, so shipping is free, and I've narrowed the contestants down to three finalists:

1. 11 gallon stainless - I've heard good things about stainless, but I don't mind slumming it with aluminum either.

2. 10 gallon aluminum kettle - It's cheap, but doesn't come with a lid. After buying the appropriately sized lid, the total jumps up to $69

3. 42 quart kettle with steaming basket - I'd like to do BIAB, so the steaming basket might come in handy for lifting the grain in bag out of the wort.

Do any of you have experience with these kettles? I plan on installing a weldless ball valve on whichever kettle I end up with, so that's another thing I need to take into consideration. Are these the best buys currently available, or do you guys know of something better. Thanks so much for your opinions/help!

 

[chrismcdaniel3128]

i've used aluminum the entire time no problems, and i like cheap, as stated more ingredients do you have a propane burner

 

[Homebrewtastic]

I'd be wary of the one with a steam basket. Those are generally very very thin. That being said I use aluminum with no complaints.

 

[Naptown]

+1 on aluminum, but I'm getting ready to step up to 10 gallon boils in a keggle.

 

[bjork24]

i've used aluminum the entire time no problems, and i like cheap, as stated more ingredients do you have a propane burner

Yes, already have a burner. I've been using a 7.5 gallon turkey fryer set-up with my extract brews, but I'm ready to step up to partial mashes and then BIAB all-grain.

 

[mountainman13]

http://www.instawares.com

 

[rv9aguy]

I have #2 - got it with prime. Good quality and rivets don't leak. Drilled out nicely for weldless ports (make sure you deburr well.) It's cheap, even after buying lid (which I hardly ever use). I'm happy with it.

 

[helibrewer]

15 Gallons for ~$65

http://www.instawares.com/aluminum-sauce-pot-60.rii-roysapt60h.0.7.htm?Ts=0

 

[funkapottomous]

go to your LHBS and see if you can't score a keggle. My guy always has keggles that people have made for sale pretty cheap.