Homebrewing is a long process, so it’s very important to choose equipment that is efficient and will save you a lot of time. For a reliable wort chiller, we highly recommend the NY Brew Supply Wort Chiller.

Constructed from high-quality copper material, this wort chiller is built for maximum efficiency. Its simple design enables easy use and set up, which is great for homebrewing beginners. Simply connect the included vinyl tubing’s hose attachment to the copper tubing, and you’re ready to go.

This copper immersion wort chiller will cut down your brewing time a lot; we’re talking cooling wort from boiling temperature to about 70 degrees Fahrenheit in just a matter of 5-10 minutes— seriously, watch the needle of your thermometer move fast when you’re using this chiller to see what we mean.

We love that it’s priced reasonably, as well. For its price point, which is how much a copper tubing usually costs, you’ll be getting a good-quality immersion chiller and the unit’s included components. 

Speaking of which… 

This wort chiller comes with pretty much everything you will need for an effective wort cool-down process. Each one includes a 12 feet-long vinyl tubing, two hose clamps, and a garden hose fitting.

However, we still have some gripes… 

First of all, this unit didn’t come assembled, which might be a bummer to some, but we find that it’s easy to assemble. It also discolors after several uses and is quite hard to clean because of the way it’s designed. These are just minor issues, though, and it’s still a top-grade product. If you want to quicken the wort chilling process by about four times, our Editor’s Choice is definitely up to the task.

If you need an affordable plate chiller that doesn’t skimp on quality, the Ferroday 20-Plate Wort Chiller got you covered.  

This wort chiller is made from premium 304 stainless steel and 99.9% brazed metal materials, resulting in a very durable equipment. 

If you’re a first-time user of a plate wort chiller, you’ll love the little touches for easy operation, such as the labels and the in and out ports being on the same side to avoid confusion.

It is equipped with 1/2 NPT thread ports that are all in the same size, making it easy for you to connect them easily, and 20 plates, which allows faster cooling of your wort.

This wort cooler has a high-temperature resistance, with a working temperature range of between -321 to 392 degrees Fahrenheit and an adjustable flow rate for a more precise chilling process. It can also reduce oxidation and contamination during the heat exchange. 

Moreover…

Our Best Value awardee is very easy to clean too. After using it, all you have to do is use five gallons of cleaning solution, run it through the wort cooler, follow it with water, dry it, and you’re done.

But there’s a catch… 

This wort chiller doesn’t come with a pump, a tubing, and fittings. Still, it’s not a big deal for us as we didn’t expect it to include other components considering the price, anyway.

Now, if you prefer a stainless steel counterflow wort chiller, we got a great one for you. 

The Kegco Counterflow Chiller boasts a durable stainless steel construction that is resistant to corrosion as well as to wear and tear, and quite easy to clean. It’s built like a tank and feels very solid.

This wort chiller has an innovative design that is both time- and water-efficient. Compared to other wort chillers, this one chills your wort two times quicker. 

The way it works is that the chiller pumps the wort and cold water, with the wort passing through the inner tube while the cold water flows through the outer tube in the opposite direction. This results in rapid cooling of the wort in less than fifteen minutes while using less water. 

Furthermore…

Another great thing about this wort chiller is that, because you don’t have to immerse it into the boiling wort, it has more versatility and can be used in brew kettles of any size. Using this, there’s also almost no trub that gets transferred to the fermentation vessel after the process.

Even so… If there’s one thing we don’t exactly like about this wort chiller is how much it costs. It’s a very expensive wort chiller, for sure, but given its durability and performance, we’d still say that our Top Pick is worth investing in, especially if you often brew large batches.

If you see the name Blichmann in a brewing equipment product, expect top quality, as they have always been known for that. The Blichmann Therminator Beer Wort Chiller is certainly no exception.

It is made from 316 stainless steel that is brazed together with copper to dissipate heat and ensure leak-free wort cooling. This wort chiller has a compact design, making it easy to store and saves you a lot of space, not to mention that it makes cleaning up after a long brew day a breeze. 

Also… 

It may be smaller than a lot of wort chillers we’ve tried, but it works just as hard, or even harder, in cooling the wort rapidly. Using this wort chiller, our wort easily goes from boiling temperature to about 70 degrees Fahrenheit in less than ten minutes.

You can use it vertically or horizontally, depending on your preference and the amount of space that you have. Whatever position you use this in, there are indicators in the plate that say which side should be up, which we appreciate. 

One thing, though… 

Although gravity can be used to feed wort to the chiller, it would’ve been better if there was a pump included so that users had more options.

For a wort chiller with excellent quality and a professional feel to it, the Northern Brewer Stainless Steel Counterflow Wort Chiller is worth checking out. 

This stainless steel chiller is equipped with features that will make you feel like you’re brewing in a commercial brewery. It features solid construction that ensures longevity, an 18-inch contact area, 1/2 inch NPT wort fittings, and male garden hose threaded water fittings.

It employs a tube-within-a-tube design where the wort flows through the chiller in one direction while the cool water flows in the reverse direction. Its stainless steel threaded fittings are made for all connections— no need for any tubing clamp.

No need to agitate your wort either when using this chiller; it is designed in a way that ensures your wort is always in contact with the cold water for a more efficient wort chilling. In our experience, it takes this chiller around 10 minutes to cool a 20-liter wort down to yeast pitching temperature.

This wort chiller will cut down your brewing time a lot, not just because of its ability to chill wort quickly but also because it simultaneously transfers your wort straight to the fermentation vessel during the cool-down process. You can use gravity or a pump to feed your wort into the chiller, as it has a low flow restriction.

In addition to that… 

This wort chiller also includes a welded mounting bracket with two 5/16 inches holes so that you can easily mount the equipment anywhere you want.

But here’s the kicker… 

Both of the included garden hose connections are all male fittings, so you will definitely have to buy some female garden hose connections.

Homebrewers who brew large batches will surely love the E.C. Kraus-HOZQ8-1578 Immersion Wort Chiller. 

This copper wort chiller utilizes nine parallel coils, where the cooling water passes through, and a copper tubing with a length of 20 feet, which is capable of chilling wort up to 10 gallons. 

It comes with two 3 feet-long vinyl hoses and a brass garden hose fitting which you can attach to a faucet. However, you’ll have to go to your local hardware store to get a separate faucet adapter if you want to connect the hose to your kitchen faucet.

This immersion cooler rapidly chills your wort, bringing down wort temperature down to 60 degrees within 10 minutes, when using 50 degrees Fahrenheit tap water.

Something to keep in mind… 

This wort cooler is specifically designed for brewing large batches, so if you’re brewing a small batch, it’s better to get something else that can fit into your brew kettle.

On the other side of the coin, the Home Brew Stuff WC-25 Super Efficient 3/8″ x 25′ Copper Wort Chiller is great for brewing small batches. 

This wort chiller is manufactured from tough copper material that has excellent thermal conductivity and even offers some trace minerals for your wort that are vital for yeast growth and a successful fermentation.

With a 25-feet x 3/8-inch copper tubing, this wort chiller is made for brewing small batches of up to five gallons. 

Expect your wort to cool down to yeast-pitching temperature in no time, thanks to the copper tubing providing a great balance between flow rate and heat transfer. No more hours of wort chilling and wasted water. 

On top of that… 

Each unit also comes with a vinyl tubing, hose clamps, care and use instruction manuals, which complete brewing newbies will appreciate.    

One drawback we’ve experienced is that the connections have a tendency to leak water into your wort if you don’t tighten the provided hose clamps properly on the tubing, so make sure you do that before you start the cooling process. We’ve always done that, and we’ve never had any problem with leakage.

Overall…

Sturdy, affordable, easy to use, and cools wort incredibly fast, this wort chiller is a fantastic entry-level wort chiller for anyone just starting out with brewing.