The tradition of home brewing has very ancient roots. For centuries, people have distilled mash through special devices to obtain spirits. However, since then, technical progress has advanced significantly and rather primitive moonshine stills have been replaced by much more technologically advanced modern distillers, which make it possible to obtain a product of higher quality than in the old days. Currently, a huge variety of models of moonshine stills are presented on the market. This causes problems on the topic of which distiller is better to choose, because each of them has its own advantages and disadvantages. People who do not have much experience in moonshine simply do not know what it is worth paying for and what they can save on. In this matter, you can focus on the TOP of the best moonshine still presented below.
- Distiller which company is better
- Best inexpensive moonshine stills
- 1. Pervach Elite-Aromat 20T
- 2. Selmash Rapid plant 20 liters
- 3. Alkovar KrepyshOk 20 liters
- 4. MAGARYCH Magarych TURBO 100
- 5. Helicon Kuban 20 l
- The best moonshine stills with a steamer
- 1. Finlandia Extra 30
- 2. Phoenix Locomotive 20 liters
- 3. Bogatyr GOST with a collapsible steam boiler 23
- The best moonshine stills combination of price and quality
- 1. Phoenix Elegant Extra 25 liters
- 2. Kind Heat Universal system J Module 20 liters
- 3. THERMOSPHERE Source Classic 20 liters
- 4. Plant Selmash Germany 15 liters
- Moonshine stills with a rectification column
- 1. Phoenix Sirius 30 liters
- 2. Wayne Wein-4 Pro 20 liters
- 3. Kind Heat Rectification column Mayak 20 liters
- 4. Merkel Merkel 20 liters
- What to look for when choosing
- Which distiller is better to buy
Distiller which company is better
Despite the large number of companies engaged in the production of distillers, today one can distinguish trademarks that differ significantly from others in the quality of their products. These include the following brands:
- "Phoenix" Is a popular moonshine company that has managed to outperform other companies in the Russian market. It is noteworthy that this company sells its products mainly through an online store. This popularity is due to its high reliability and a wide range of products.
- "Magarych" differs in that at a fairly low price it sells high-quality moonshine stills with an original design and ratification columns. True, according to user reviews, they have a shorter service life. However, this is compensated by the volumes that can be produced during this time.
- "Wein" a well-known German company that produces good and reliable moonshine stills, characterized by stringent filtration methods. This allows you to get a product of a sufficiently high quality. In addition, each model is versatile in its own way. In addition to the distiller itself, they can be equipped with dry steam tanks or rectification columns, or both at the same time. Peak capacity is around 7 liters per hour, which other manufacturers cannot achieve.
- "Good Heat" this domestic manufacturer specializes in the production of good and inexpensive distillers intended for use in wide consumer circles. Even the most budgetary products are distinguished by their quite solid and high-quality performance. Customer reviews indicate that even the most inexpensive device of this brand has good taste and aroma indicators.
- "Pervach" is a trademark for convenient and compact budget distillers. They are produced on the basis of the Ural Plant of Household Products and are distinguished by their low cost with rather good characteristics and quality of the product obtained.
Best inexpensive moonshine stills
All modern devices for distilling homemade moonshine are made of stainless steel, which perfectly withstands the loads created during operation and does not enter into chemical reactions. The standard construction of a home appliance consists of the following components:
- Tanks for distillation of liquid... In it, it heats up to the required temperature, as a result of which it evaporates. The thick walls of this container are excellent for maintaining the optimal temperature. Thus, the liquid heats up, but does not overheat.
- Serpentine. It is a thin curved tube. It is designed to circulate steam and turn it into a liquid. When steam enters the coil, it very quickly settles in the form of condensate. The drops formed in this way drain into a previously prepared container.
1. Pervach Elite-Aromat 20T
This unit is intended for home use. The volume of the distillation cube is 20 liters. The flow-through cooler is located vertically. The set includes a dry steam chamber that will cleanse ethyl vapors from fusel impurities and a bimetallic thermometer that allows you to control the temperature regime. A feature of this series of distillers is a removable lid that makes it easy to clean the alembic from the inside.
Recommended for novice moonshiners who do not yet know what exactly they need from such devices.
Advantages:
- removable cover;
- the presence of a thermometer;
- the presence of a greenhouse.
Disadvantages:
- rough appearance.
2. Selmash Rapid plant 20 liters
This model represents one of the best valve distillers. Its main distinctive features include compact size and low cost. Also, its design allows it to be upgraded over time to the desired level.
Advantages:
- high-quality manufacturing;
- compact size;
- the possibility of retrofitting.
Disadvantages:
- rather poor equipment.
3. Alkovar KrepyshOk 20 liters
This device allows you to get very high quality moonshine at home. Its productivity is up to 5 l / h. The set consists of a distillation cube, a coil and a drawer side. A bimetallic thermometer is available for temperature control. It can be considered one of the best in terms of price-quality ratio.
Advantages:
- coil diameter 10 mm, allowing to remove up to 4 kW of heat;
- economical water consumption;
- simple and reliable design.
Disadvantages:
- volume is not always enough.
4. MAGARYCH Magarych TURBO 100
This device is manufactured according to the original modular scheme and is equipped with standardized interchangeable elements. Even purchasing this high-quality device in the basic configuration, the buyer will be able to upgrade it later by connecting additional nodes that increase the capabilities and improve performance. It is one of the best moonshine stills with ten.
Advantages:
- modular design;
- ease of care;
- the possibility of expanding opportunities.
Disadvantages:
- cannot be used without access to electricity.
5. Helicon Kuban 20 l
It is a very simple apparatus for distilling moonshine. It is very easy to assemble and consists of only three elements: a distillation tank, a curved sidebar and a flow-through refrigerator. The presence of a silicone gasket between the flange and the cube ensures that there are no foreign odors in the room. All elements are made of high quality food grade stainless steel, which is not afraid of corrosion.
It will be an excellent choice for beginners who have not yet decided what they want from such equipment and do not know if it is worth it.
Advantages:
- wide connecting tubes;
- built-in electronic thermometer;
- universal distillation tank.
Disadvantages:
- impossible to upgrade.
The best moonshine stills with a steamer
When using a classic apparatus, it is very difficult to get high-quality moonshine at the output. The thing is that for this you need to get rid of heavy impurities, and devices for novice moonshiners do not have the required components. For these purposes, the so-called dry steam room is used.
It is a small volume container made of metal or glass. It is closed by a lid with two pipes, one short and one long, made in it. The long one leads to the distillation cube, and the short one leads to the steam line leading to the coil. In it, due to a decrease in temperature, high-boiling substances settle on the bottom and walls of the container, and alcohol vapors continue their way to the refrigerator. For the dry boiler to work properly, it must maintain a temperature not exceeding 83 ℃.
This way you can get a very good moonshine, especially if you add a bubbler. With their help, you can achieve from 60 to 80% purification from impurities. If you put lemon or orange peels, fragrant herbs or oak bark in a dry greenhouse, you can also use them as a flavoring agent. At the same time, the saturation of moonshine with pleasant smells is much more efficient than when they are placed in mash.
1. Finlandia Extra 30
Devices of this class have been on the market for five years and enjoy constant success among customers. At the same time, it does not become obsolete, because it is gradually improving. Now, after making certain improvements, she is experiencing a rebirth. Driving moonshine at home using it is a pleasure, because the process is very simple, because it happens almost automatically. Therefore, it can be characterized as the best moonshine still with a steamer in this review.
Advantages:
- the possibility of retrofitting;
- high-quality manufacturing;
- sufficient capacity of the distillation cube.
Disadvantages:
- the price may seem inhumane.
2. Phoenix Locomotive 20 liters
This appliance is a balanced solution for home use and preparation of medium to small volumes of finished product. With its help, you can get a distillate with a strength of up to 660, while spending a minimum of energy and time. The simple design of this unit will allow even a beginner to very quickly understand how to use it. The presence of two dry chambers opens up the possibility of double distillation at a time.
Advantages:
- built-in thermometer;
- two dry greenhouses;
- five-turn flow-through refrigerator;
- quality workmanship.
Disadvantages:
- it is impossible to prepare 90% alcohol.
3. Bogatyr GOST with a collapsible steam boiler 23
This device belongs to the category of the simplest devices equipped with a steam generator. It is made of stainless steel and has a capacity of up to 3 liters per hour. The wall thickness of the distillation still reaches 1.5 mm. Despite its simplicity, it is quite suitable for the production of very high quality moonshine.
Advantages:
- a collapsible steam bowl, which allows you to wash it efficiently after use;
- quality materials;
- robust construction.
Disadvantages:
- impossibility of modernization.
The best moonshine stills combination of price and quality
To obtain high-quality moonshine from home brew, you need a good moonshine still. To do this, it is placed in a distillation cube, where there is a gradual heating and evaporation of a whole complex of substances. The distillation process itself is to obtain a quality product that does not contain toxic impurities.
Already when heated to 70 ℃, the release of ethyl alcohol begins. Further heating must be stopped when the temperature exceeds 80 ℃, because then the evaporation of toxic elements will begin, even a small dose of which can have an extremely negative effect on the human body, up to and including death.
To prevent this, it is necessary to weed them out using additional elements of the system, for example, a dry greenhouse, or use the double distillation method.
1. Phoenix Elegant Extra 25 liters
This excellent distiller at an affordable price is equally well suited for beginners and experienced moonshiners. Its design is very easy to assemble and maintain. You can keep it clean using ordinary household non-abrasive chemicals. On average, it is capable of producing 2 to 2.5 liters per hour. The strength, depending on the raw materials used, can reach 85% ethyl alcohol.
Advantages:
- drawer side with built-in thermal sensor;
- jumper for installation of a dry boiler;
- five-turn refrigerator.
Disadvantages:
- impossibility of retrofitting.
2. Kind Heat Universal system J Module 20 liters
This system is the starting one from the entire J-Module family. It is distinguished by simplicity and high efficiency of work. It is the ideal solution for beginners in distillation who want a high quality product. In addition, it allows you to gradually increase production volumes.
Advantages:
- modular design;
- tubular refrigerator;
- the wall thickness of the distillation cube is 1.5 mm;
- quality materials and construction.
Disadvantages:
- it is impossible to get 90% alcohol in one distillation.
3. THERMOSPHERE Source Classic 20 liters
This apparatus is one of the least powerful and simplest. Its capacity is up to 1.5 liters per hour. The maximum can reach 2 liters per hour.
This device can be recommended only to the most undemanding users, for whom cost prevails over the quality of the final product.
Advantages:
- cost;
- the possibility of modernization;
- simplicity and reliability of the design.
Disadvantages;
- low productivity;
- the quality of the product could have been better.
4. Plant Selmash Germany 15 liters
This apparatus is a more advanced model with a steam boiler for better purification of ethanol vapors from fusel impurities. At the same time, the dry boiler has a collapsible design, which greatly facilitates its care. It is also designed in such a way that various ingredients can be placed in it to flavor the drink.
Advantages:
- drain cock;
- wide neck;
- the presence of a greenhouse;
- the possibility of leavening the mash directly in the distillation still.
Disadvantages:
- impossible to upgrade.
Moonshine stills with a rectification column
A distillation column is a special design, the purpose of which is to separate liquids by evaporating them when exposed to different temperatures. In home brewing, this helps to separate the ethyl alcohol from toxic impurities. The result is a very high quality alcohol.
If we compare the distillation process, most often used in home brewing and rectification, the latter is much more productive. There is also a difference in the strength of the resulting drink. With the help of rectification, alcohol can be obtained with a strength of up to 90 degrees, while distillation can achieve a strength of 40 to 60 degrees. There is also a difference in taste. It lies in the fact that the first method most often retains the aroma and taste of the original product. This phenomenon is not observed during rectification.
1. Phoenix Sirius 30 liters
This model is a versatile and convenient column-type apparatus for home use.Due to its design, this distiller allows you to get a drink of a sufficiently high purity. The compact size of the unit allows you to easily store and use it at home. Thanks to the clamp connections, it can be quickly assembled and disassembled, as well as retrofitted with various additional components.
Advantages:
- productivity up to 2.5 liters per hour;
- thermometer;
- quality materials.
Disadvantages:
- considerable cost.
2. Wayne Wein-4 Pro 20 liters
This moonshine still is designed to produce strong drinks by rectification. The mash column included in the kit allows you to obtain the strength of the final product up to 96%. Supplied as a collapsible kit, so it can be used in seven different modes. The distillation cube has a design that allows it to be used for brewing beer wort.
Advantages:
- high quality of the product;
- rich equipment;
- availability of a drain valve.
Disadvantages:
- undemocratic value.
3. Kind Heat Rectification column Mayak 20 liters
This rectification column allows you to easily obtain a product with a strength of 96%. In this case, alcohol is obtained without foreign odors and aftertaste. The lid is equipped with clamp connections, allowing you to quickly change the superstructure, depending on the needs of the owner. The built-in heating element allows you not to be tied to the presence of other heating devices.
Advantages:
- high quality of the final product;
- clamp connections;
- thermometer at the top of the column.
Disadvantages:
- rather high height.
4. Merkel Merkel 20 liters
This equipment is located between conventional distillation units and high efficiency fractionation columns. It costs less than the latter, but is capable of producing a drink with a strength of up to 90%. The apparatus can operate in simple and fractional distillation modes. It also allows aromatization of the mash to obtain a more refined taste of the resulting drink.
Advantages:
- bottom made of ferromagnetic material;
- column diameter 60 mm;
- the presence of a regular Panchenkov nozzle.
Disadvantages:
- impossible to modify.
What to look for when choosing
If the question arose as to which device is better to choose for the home, then first of all it is necessary to determine how much moonshine is needed and what kind of raw materials will be used. If you want to get a quality product, regardless of the raw materials used, then you should use rectifiers. In the case of using high-quality raw materials to obtain a drink with special taste, distillation devices are more suitable.
If all this has already been decided, then it remains only to decide on the parameters that matter in the production of moonshine. These include the following:
- Equipment. The more additional elements are included, the more possibilities it provides.
- The length of the coil, the material from which it is made and its construction. The longer the coil, the better. It is also best if it is made of stainless steel.
- Cube volume. You need to select depending on how much you plan to receive the finished product at a time.
- The possibility of retrofitting the device with additional elements, if you want more from it.
Which distiller is better to buy
In the question of which distiller is better, you should not be frivolous, because the purchase is made for more than one year. And the purity of the product obtained and the safety of those who will use it depend on the quality of the purchased equipment. The choice of the best moonshine still for the home is recommended based on personal needs and conditions in which the process will take place. If you are not sure of the correctness of the choice, then for the starting point you can use the TOP of the devices indicated in this article.
There are a lot of models. Mix all device categories in one article. They have completely different potential and a different circle of consumers. If you dare to write such works, mention at least a few devices. Of the full-fledged rectification columns, only a lighthouse, although luxstahl7 and schnapser xo3 are available on the market