Best Electric Brew Kettle for Homebrewing

  • Tom Green

*Bison Brew is reader-supported. When you buy through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission. Electric brew kettles are an excellent choice for smaller spaces and indoor brewing. There are no exhaust fumes aside from water vapor and that sweet smell of boiling hops!

Electric brew kettles can be used in a 2-or-3-vessel all grain system or with a single-vessel Brew in a Bag (BIAB) set-up. Instead of relying on propane, consider going electric. We really love electric brewing for its efficiency and ease of setup on brew day.

The main piece of equipment for electric brewing is the boil kettle.

There are a few great options on the market. We’ve gone over our top picks for boil kettles before, but now we’re specifically highlighting kettles suitable for electric brewing. That means you don’t need propane, a stovetop, or induction. Electric kettles are heated with an electric element that’s either immersed in the wort/water or concealed below the kettle’s bottom.

For any electric brewing, we highly recommend always plugging your kettle into a GFCI rated outlet. Safety first – electricity and liquids don’t mix, but with the right precaution, electric kettles are just as safe, if not safer, than gas burners.

What Is The Best Electric Brew Kettle?The best electric brew kettle is the Blichmann Boilermaker G2. Top-notch build-quality, made in America, fully stainless steel, and extremely powerful. It comes in a range of sizes and a host of features and options to meet your exact homebrewing needs. We love the Boilermaker G2 because it brings wort to a boil quickly, it’s easy to clean, and it looks and feels amazing.

If you’re looking for an entry-level or less expensive option, you can’t go wrong with the Digiboil Electric Kettle.

Blichmann Boilermaker G2 Electric Brew Kettle Our PickBlichmann continues to blur the boundary between homebrewing and professional brewing. You get a near-pro experience with their Boilermaker G2. It’s extremely sturdy, expertly designed, and boils fast and efficiently!

The electric version of the Boilermaker G2 is powered by Blichmann’s Boilcoil immersion heater.

It comes equipped with either NPT fittings for convenient disassembly and cleaning. You can also opt for that pro look with welded tri-clamp fittings.

The Boilermaker G2 comes in a range of sizes, from 7.5 gallons all the way up to 55 gallons. Material wise, it’s built like a tank with heavy gauge 304 stainless steel. They’re made in America and have a lifetime warranty!

In true Blichmann style, there are no shortage of options either. Choose from temperature gauges, sight glasses, and whirlpool arms. You’ll need a controller to control temperature. Blichmann sells their own brand called BrewCommander. You can also opt for another brand and save some money.

All in all, you get what you pay for with the Blichmann Boilermaker G2. It’s an amazing piece of equipment and the Boilcoil immersion heater will get your wort up to a boil super fast. It’s easy to clean, looks great, and will last you a lifetime.

Volume

7.5 gallon

10 gallon

10 gallon

15 gallon

20 gallon

30 gallon

55 gallon

Material

304 stainless steel 304 stainless steel

304 stainless steel

304 stainless steel

304 stainless steel

304 stainless steel

304 stainless steel

Power

120 Volt

17 Amp

2000 W

120 Volt

19 Amp

2250 W

240 Volt

16 Amp

3750 W

240 Volt

19 Amp

4500 W

240 Volt

21 Amp

5000 W

240 Volt

24 Amp

5750 W

240 Volt

48 Amp

1150 W

Dimensions

12.3″ diameter x 14.8″ high

13.9″ diameter x 16.4″ high

13.9″ diameter x 16.4″ high

16.0″ diameter x 18.25″ high

17.7″ diameter x 20.7″ high

19.7″ diameter x 23.6″ high

23.6″ diameter x 28.3″ high

Top Electric Brew Kettles SummaryThere are a few more very solid options for electric brew kettles. We’ll cover them all below.

Here’s our quick summary to help you with your decision:

Kettle

Verdict?

Pros

Cons

Blichmann Boilermaker G2 Electric Brew Kettle

Our pick

Amazing quality

Customizable options

Powerful, fast, and efficient

Expensive

Confusing to configure options

Digiboil Electric Kettle

Best budget electric brew kettle

Great value

Simple to use (plug and play)

Lower build quality

Gigawort Electric Boil Kettle

Best electric brew kettle for small batch and extract brewing

Great value

Nice looking design

120V works on normal outlets

Smaller batches only

SS Brewtech eKettle

Great electric brew kettle

Amazing design

Top quality

Need to use the SS Brewtech controller

BrewBuilt Electric Kettle

Best Blichmann alternative kettle

Great value

Lots of options

Can also use on gas burner

Average build quality

Digiboil Electric Kettle Best budget electric brew kettleFor an easy to use, easy to clean, and compact kettle, the Digiboil is an amazing product. Available in 2 sizes, either 35L (9.25 gallon) or 65L (17.1 gallon) volumes.

The smaller volume has a dual heating element control, with 1900 W and 500 W elements for a combined total of 2400 watts. The larger version has a triple heating element control with 2000 W, 1000 W, and 500 W elements for a total of 3500 watts.

The heating elements are concealed under the kettle for ease of cleaning. There’s a built-in digital temperature control that allows for accurate temperature selection. That’s a great feature for mashing BIAB. When it comes time to boil, full power can get it rolling extremely fast.

A stainless steel 1/2″ ball valve makes it easy to drain or attach a pump to move the liquid to another vessel.

Volume

35L / 9.25 gallon

65L / 17.1 gallon

Material

304 stainless steel

304 stainless steel

Power

220V /15A

2400 watts

Dual heating element control (1900W and 500W)

220V / 20A

3500 watts

Triple heating element control (2000W, 1000W, and 500W)

Dimensions

29″ H x 15″ W (including handles)

29″ H x 19.5″ W (including handles)

Gigawort Electric Boil Kettle Best electric kettle for small batch brewingNorthern Brewer’s Gigawort is a sleek, compact, and easy-to-use electric kettle for small batch brewing and extract batches. With a maximum volume of 4.4 gallons (16.6L), it isn’t large enough for 5-gallon brewing. But for small batches up to 4 gallons, you won’t find a better option.

The Gigawort uses a standard 120 volt outlet, letting you brew anywhere, anytime. Dual elements of 1600W for heating to boiling and 600W for maintaining boil allow for accurate temperature control. There is a digital temperature screen, making it easy to set and hold specific temperatures.

The concealed elements allow for an easy clean up. An integrated ball valve with a dip tube lets you transfer every last drop of wort without lifting the kettle.

Volume

4.4 gallons (16.6L)

Material

304 stainless steel

Power

120V

1600 W

Dimensions

19.75″ high x 10.75″ in diameter

SS Brewtech eKettle Great electric brew kettle optionLike Blichmann, SS Brewtech puts professional-grade equipment in the hands of homebrewers. Their eKettle is a high-quality electric kettle that gives brewers consistency batch after batch.

The eKettle comes in two sizes – a 10 and 20 gallon version. They both have a maximum power output of 5500 watts. In order to use the eKettle, you must connect to a SS Brewtech eController (sold separately). Doing so gives you a full range of precise temperature control due to the built-in PT100 thermo probe.

The eKettle comes equipped with a 1.5″ tri-clamp ball valve port with a trub dam and an optional 1.5″ tri-clamp accessory port (to attach a whirlpool arm).

The heating element is rated at 5500 watts and is removable which allows for easy cleaning. SS Brewtech designed a low watt density circular element that’s specifically sized to each kettle volume (10 or 20 gallon).

We really like the eKettle because it’s sturdy, easy to clean, and looks amazing. The major drawback is that a SS Brewtech brand controller is required. We’d recommend this kettle to fans of SS Brewtech, especially if you have other pieces of their equipment as part of your brewhouse.

Volume

10 gallon

20 gallon

Material

304 stainless steel

304 stainless steel

Power

240 VAC, 30 amp residential circuit

5500 watts

240 VAC, 30 amp residential circuit

5500 watts

Dimensions

13.8″ diameter x 16.5″ high

17.7″ diameter x 21.3″ high

BrewBuilt Electric Kettle Best Blichmann alternativeBrewBuilt offers a range of sizes in their electric kettle series. From 10 gallons all the way up to 50 gallons, there is definitely a kettle that will suit your homebrewing needs. These could even make a great pilot brewery kettle for pros!

With an all 304 stainless steel, thick-walled construction, these kettles are built to last. There’s also a two-piece, 304 stainless ball-valve for easy cleaning.

The ultra-low density “SlingBlade” heating elements have lots of power without the threat of wort scorching. The element has a 1.5″ tri-clamp connection into the side of the kettle. This can be removed and plugged with a gasket if you wanted to go direct fire (propane). Very handy for homebrewers who like to get outside to brew as well.

You need to supply a temperature control. Unlike the SS Brewtech eKettle, however, you’re free to select any controller you please.

BrewBuilt is a great electric brew kettle. Similar to the Blichmann in size and features. It might not be as highly precision-built, but it’s a fantastic option at a lower price point.

Volume

10 gallon

15 gallon

22 gallon

31 gallon

50 gallon

Material

304 stainless steel

304 stainless steel

304 stainless steel

304 stainless steel

304 stainless steel

Power

240 Volt

20 Amp breaker required

3750 W

240 Volt

20 Amp breaker required

4500 W

240 Volt

30 Amp breaker required

5000 W

240 Volt

30 Amp breaker required

5750 W

240 Volt

Requires 2 x 30 amp circuits

2 x 5750 W

Dimensions

13.75″ diameter x 16.54″ high

15.75″ diameter x 18.9″ high

17.72″ diameter x 21.26″ high

19.69″ diameter x 23.62″ high

23.6″ diameter x 28.3″ high

Final ThoughtsElectric kettles are a great choice for all levels of homebrewers. If you’re just starting out, the Digiboil is an excellent option. You can use it for extract batches, partial mash, and BIAB. It’s inexpensive and reliable.

For more advanced brewers, you can’t go wrong with the Blichmann. It’s a top-quality kettle that will last a lifetime.

The common thread among all of these kettles is stainless steel construction. That’s important for longevity, and it’s just easier to keep clean and sanitary. We also should remind you to always use a GFCI (rated outlet). Electricity and liquids don’t mix! Always be safe when brewing with electricity.

Latest ArticlesGet updated on the latest brewing techniques, recipes, and discounts on kick ass equipment with our monthly newsletter.

Email SubscribeWe’ll respect your privacy and only send you our best stuff. Promise.

Share:

Original Source Here

Leave a Comment