Thinking of going to a simpler brew system from my current 3 "pot" system.

[Bobby_M]

if you add a induction heater on a temperature controller you basically turn a kettle with biab into a aio

the biab is def simpler cheaper and less stuff involved but the temp control mash makes a diff imo

I'm a broken record, but..... "BIAB" does not describe anything about a system other than the fact that the mash is contained within a bag or a basket (take your pick if BIAB is strictly a name for a bag system if you want to). The main property is that the mash is performed inside the boil kettle and the grain is removed from the wort which remains in the boil kettle. That's it.

It does not describe:
1. how the kettle is initially heated.
2. how the mash temperature is maintained.
3. how the mash temperature is raised.
4. whether the mash liquor is static, stirred, or recirculated.
5. how the bag/basket is lifted and/or suspended in the draining position.

A BIAB system can be direct fired on a flame. It can be heated with induction or immersion style elements. It can be recirculated. It can be stirred. Sky's the limit.

An "All in One" is basically a marketing term for a fully packaged system with electric heat, grain basket, controller (and sometimes chiller and/or pump). One could make a system from DIY or commercially available components but we're less likely to call it an AIO, though it functions similarly and sometimes at higher performance.

 

[odie]

well...I just bought one...Vevor...used from a guy getting out of the hobby. Didn't need it, might use it once...

but was a single benjamin...just a hundred buck...I was really there just to buy a 3 gal corny. but figured why not for the price?

will report back if it even works...LOL

 

[Beekeeper]

I may go with the Clawhammer Supply AIO. I read too many reviews stating poor quality under the Vevor/Amazon listings.

 

[odie]

well...here are some pictures from inside the Vevor...can anyone compare this to the more expensive ones? The pump was much more robust than I expected. My homemade system has a tiny pump running on a cell phone charger.

 

[johnsonpvb17]

There are a number of high quality and well tested AIO systems available as mentioned in this thread. As a new brewer that bought one to get into the hobby, I'd spend the money for the quality and ease of use, and save any regrets for "process experiments".

 

[redrocker652002]

I was able to purchase a used Grainfather from a member of this board and could not be happier so far. It came with some nice add ons like a insulation jacket and rolled edge plates. I do agree the Grainfather used is a bit pricey, but if you browse Facebook marketplace, craigslist or any other third party selling site you might find one on the cheap. I also liked the Anvil and was going to pull the trigger on one of those, but the Grainfather came up so the Accountant (wife) said go for it. LOL

 

[Broken Crow]

well...here are some pictures from inside the Vevor...can anyone compare this to the more expensive ones? The pump was much more robust than I expected. My homemade system has a tiny pump running on a cell phone charger.

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Thanks for those great pics! You've helped me confirm a few things about this unit which, as it turns up every now and again at a great price, has tempted me a few times.
Here's a pic of that same pump in different clothes:

..and here's the thermistor https://www.ontariobeerkegs.com/robo-35l-circuit-breaker-175c.html sold as a brewzilla replacement, that another user on here a couple years back, used as a replacement in his Grainfather.
Most AIOs seem to use the same base OEM parts and I've long thought this Vevor is basically something of an OEM digiboil/Brewzilla 3 or pretty close.
This old thread might not be the best to resurrect though.. it got heavily edited early on because a newbie that might have been an AI poluting it with convoluted praise. Thankfully, @fluketamer has a few threads that have shown us all that this is a very capable no-frills AIO that won't break the bank: https://www.homebrewtalk.com/search/9903537/?q=vevor+aio&c[users]=fluketamer&o=relevance
Keep us updated...maybe start a new thread when you try it out.

 

[Snuffy]

I'm sure it's possible to brew good beer with whatever system you choose. I brewed good beer with the basic Mash and Boil unit that cost me $200 on a black Friday deal. To get my numbers, I stirred mash until I started developing one arm more than the other like a tennis player. I manually recirculated wort from bottom to top with a pyrex measuring cup. It required constant attention for the whole mash and boil process. Stepped mashes were a PitA. Mash temps ranged up and down by as much as 5 degrees F.

I bought my GF used for $500 from another HBT user in my area, which was about half of what they sold for at the time. It had a leaky silicone connector where the pump attaches to the pipe. I ordered a set and replaced it and it was ready to go. Besides quality of components, the thing that makes it stand out is the software and controller integration. Do any of these other systems control the steps of the mash and boil using a recipe design that gets linked to the control unit via bluetooth? That software control of the process is the sauce with GF. There are a lot of boilers with a controller on them. Building a recipe on the website or with the app on the iPad and then using the apps recommendations for water conditioning based on style and my local water profile, then mash/sparge volumes based on grain volume and boil duration to set up the mash and then have it prompt you for every step of the process is magic. I wander away and simply check it every once in a while to be sure it's still adjusted for pump flow. Pop in when it alarms for the next step. Toss in hops and hit OK on the iPad. I'm spoiled now and would not want to brew any other way.

My GF is not perfect. And it took some extra expense to get right. It really needs handles to move it around and the design of the original plates with the silicone edge gasket is nuts, but now that it's dialed in, I'm totally satisfied with it and would consider buying another if they improve it enough.

I've said all this before, but I guess my point is that the cheaper systems are fine for a while, but if you stick with brewing long term, they will probably be a stepping stone to something else. If you know you will be brewing long term, the cheap system money may be better spent on something with a better design. My M&B is now a sparge water heater and occasional extract brew unit. I bought a pump for it but have never used it for all-grain again.