Beyond the ingredients, homebrewing needs a bit of kit: something to boil in, something to sanitise with, and a clean way to move beer around. The good news is that a handful of the right items covers most of it, and the single most important is sanitiser, because infection ruins more homebrew than anything else.
I have picked the homebrew equipment worth buying, starting with the sanitiser every brewer needs, and set out how to choose. Every pick links to its page on the shop, and the boxes show the current price.
The best homebrew equipment, ranked
| Rank | Pick | Type | Best for | Price |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Five Star Star San, 16oz | No-rinse sanitiser | The one thing every brewer needs | $19.98 |
| 2 | GasOne 10-Gallon Stainless Brew Kettle | Stainless brew kettle | Boiling the wort | $107.99 |
| 3 | GasOne High-Pressure Propane Burner | Propane burner | A strong outdoor boil | $29.99 |
| 4 | 5/16 inch Auto Siphon with Tubing | Auto siphon | Clean transfers, no mess | $19.99 |
| 5 | Home Brew Ohio Plastic Fermentation Kit | Plastic fermentation kit | A first fermenter setup | $40.10 |
The top picks at a glance
Swipe through the shortlist, then read the full write-up on any pick below.
What the top homebrew equipment cost
Homebrew equipment ranges from a cheap bottle of sanitiser to a stainless kettle. Here is what the shortlist costs so you can budget a setup.
The takeaway: the cheap essentials, sanitiser and a siphon, matter as much as the big-ticket kettle. Buy the essentials first, then add the kettle and burner as you scale up.
How to choose homebrew equipment
Three things decide what to buy first. Get the priorities right and the beer follows.
- Sanitiser first. Infection ruins more batches than any other mistake, so a good no-rinse sanitiser is the single most important buy. Everything that touches the cooled beer must be sanitised.
- A pot big enough to boil. A dedicated brew kettle lets you boil a full batch without boil-overs. Bigger and stainless is better, and a pre-drilled kettle makes adding a valve easy later.
- A clean way to move beer. An auto siphon transfers beer off the sediment without a mess or oxidation. It is cheap and makes bottling day far easier.
- Heat source. A kitchen hob struggles with a full boil, so a propane burner gets you a strong, rolling boil outdoors. Worth it once you move to bigger batches.
If you buy one thing for homebrewing, buy sanitiser. A clean process beats fancy kit every time, and infection ruins more batches than bad recipes ever will.
Dan Smullen, Beer Is My Life
Best Overall: Five Star Star San Sanitiser
Star San is the sanitiser nearly every homebrewer swears by, and it is the most important thing you will buy. It is a no-rinse acid sanitiser that works fast, a tiny amount makes gallons, and it protects every batch from the infection that ruins homebrew. If you buy one piece of kit, make it this. The highest-rated item here.
- No-rinse, works in seconds
- A little makes gallons
- Protects every batch from infection
- The homebrew standard
- Measure it, do not overdose
- Foam is normal and harmless
Best Brew Kettle: GasOne 10-Gallon Stainless Kettle
A proper brew kettle lets you boil a full batch without boil-overs, and this 10-gallon GasOne is stainless and pre-drilled for adding a valve or thermometer later. It is the pick for anyone moving to full 5-gallon boils, with room to spare so the wort does not climb over the sides.
- 10 gallons, room for a full boil
- Durable stainless build
- Pre-drilled for a valve or thermometer
- Room to avoid boil-overs
- Needs a strong heat source
- A bigger up-front spend
Best Burner: GasOne High-Pressure Propane Burner
A kitchen hob struggles to bring 5 gallons to a rolling boil, and this propane burner solves it outdoors. It pairs naturally with the kettle for a strong, controllable boil, so it is the pick once you move beyond small stovetop batches. Sturdy, powerful and popular with homebrewers.
- Strong, rolling boil outdoors
- Pairs with a full-size kettle
- Sturdy and controllable
- Frees up the kitchen
- Outdoor use only
- Needs a propane tank
Best Auto Siphon: 5/16 inch Auto Siphon with Tubing
An auto siphon is the cheap tool that makes transferring and bottling clean and easy: one pump starts the flow, and it draws beer off the sediment without a mouthful of yeast or a splash of oxidation. This one comes with 8 feet of tubing, so it is ready to use. Every brewer should own one.
- Starts a clean siphon in one pump
- Leaves sediment behind
- Comes with tubing, ready to use
- Cheap and essential
- Rinse and sanitise before use
- Plastic, handle with a little care
Best Fermentation Kit: Home Brew Ohio Plastic Kit
This kit bundles the fermenting vessel and the bits you need to get a batch fermenting, a sensible buy for a first proper setup beyond an all-in-one starter. It is the pick if you want a dedicated fermenter without sourcing every part separately. A practical foundation to build on.
- Fermenter and essentials together
- A sensible first proper setup
- Cheaper than buying parts separately
- Room to add kit later
- Plastic scratches, replace over time
- You will add a kettle and siphon
Other homebrew equipment worth a look
A couple more useful bits:
- Fermtech Bottling Auto Siphon with Brush a bottling auto siphon that comes with a cleaning brush.
- 2 PACK Bottling Bucket Plastic Spigot replacement bottling-bucket spigots, since the tap is what usually fails.
Which piece of homebrew equipment should you buy?
Start with sanitiser, Star San is the one non-negotiable, and an auto siphon for clean transfers. Add a fermentation kit for your first proper setup, then a stainless kettle and a propane burner when you move to full 5-gallon boils. Buy the cheap essentials first; they matter as much as the big kit.
Browse the full range on the homebrew equipment page, or see the parent beer starter kits section for more.
Homebrew equipment FAQs
What equipment do I need to start homebrewing?
At a minimum: a fermenter, an airlock, a pot to boil in, a no-rinse sanitiser, a siphon for transferring, and bottles with priming sugar. Many of these come bundled in a starter kit, and sanitiser is the most important of the lot.
Why is sanitiser so important in brewing?
Because infection from wild yeast and bacteria ruins more homebrew than any other mistake. Anything that touches the cooled wort or beer must be sanitised. A no-rinse sanitiser like Star San makes this quick and reliable.
What size brew kettle do I need?
For full 5-gallon batches, a kettle of at least 8 to 10 gallons gives room to boil without boil-overs. Smaller pots work for partial boils and extract batches, but bigger is better once you scale up.
Do I need a propane burner to brew beer?
Not for small extract or partial boils, which a kitchen hob can handle. For a full 5-gallon rolling boil, a propane burner outdoors is far more effective and keeps the mess and steam out of the kitchen.
