[flbrewer]

Kindly suggest a paddle or perhaps a long plastic spoon that would be preferred for a budding all-grain brewer. My MT is a 10 gallon Igloo, I'll be doing 5 gallon and below batches for the foreseeable future. Thanks!

[HoosierBrew]

This is the SS one I have:    http://shop.greatfermentations.com/product/stainless-steel-spoon-21-inch/basic-winemaking-equipment

[dcb]

This is the SS one I have:    http://shop.greatfermentations.com/product/stainless-steel-spoon-21-inch/basic-winemaking-equipment

I was just going to say this. I just have a 24" SS spoon.  It's easy to clean, sits in my long sanitizer tray, goes in the dishwasher, and I like having one piece of gear instead of two.   I've never seen the advantage of having  a separate plastic or wooden paddle when brewing at the scale we do. 

[HoosierBrew]

This is the SS one I have:    http://shop.greatfermentations.com/product/stainless-steel-spoon-21-inch/basic-winemaking-equipment

I was just going to say this. I just have a 24" SS spoon.  It's easy to clean, sits in my long sanitizer tray, goes in the dishwasher, and I like having one piece of gear instead of two.   I've never seen the advantage of having  a separate plastic or wooden paddle when brewing at the scale we do. 

Yeah, I bought a cool wooden mash paddle a long time ago from a guy who makes them. Except it was hard to use in my rectangular cooler. The SS spoon works much better.   

[morticaixavier]

I've got a hand carved maple paddle a friend made and it's great. no problem with the cooler. It's only for the mash though so I can see the value of an SS spoon in terms of multitasking. The paddle is a nod to the 'coolness' factor admittedly. 

[reverseapachemaster]

I have one of the long plastic spoons they sell at homebrew shops. I rarely use but that's because I rarely brew batches that need something that big. Somewhere along the way I obtained a large SS slotted spoon for the kitchen that works extremely well in my smaller batches for both stirring the mash and the boil. When I do brew a five gallon batch that long spoon does a great job of scooping up the dry grain along the bottom edge of the cooler and making sure everything gets mixed up. I couldn't see one of those big wooden paddles doing as good of a job in a small cooler. I'd probably feel differently if I brewed 15+ gallon batches though.

[JT]

I have a large stainless paddle that collects dust.  My "go to" is the long SS spoon.

[tommymorris]

I have the 24" spoon mentioned above and a wooden mash paddle. The advantage of the wooden paddle is it looks cool on my wall.

[HoosierBrew]

I have the 24" spoon mentioned above and a wooden mash paddle. The advantage of the wooden paddle is it looks cool on my wall.

Looks cool on my wall, too!

[Slowbrew]

I have this type: http://www.northernbrewer.com/shop/mash-paddle-doweled.html

Unlike most of the responses on this thread I actually use it in my cooler.    It breaks ups the clumps of grains quicker than my SS spoon.  To each there own.  I could get by without it but it useful to have around.

Paul

[tommymorris]

I want to update my answer. I have a 24" spoon and a wooden mash paddle. I use the wooden paddle for the mash tun. Before I got the paddle I used the spoon. They both work fine. I bought the wooden paddle because I wanted it, not, because I needed it. I really like seeing it hanging on the wall. It was worth the money just for that.

PS. I tell my kids it's a spanking stick. But, they don't believe me.

[klickitat jim]

I am a stainless spoon guy. Huge and cheap at restaurant supply joint

[leejoreilly]

Find a restaurant supply store near you; they'll have tons of long SS spoons for short cash.

[jeffy]

I have this type: http://www.northernbrewer.com/shop/mash-paddle-doweled.html

Unlike most of the responses on this thread I actually use it in my cooler.    It breaks ups the clumps of grains quicker than my SS spoon.  To each there own.  I could get by without it but it useful to have around.

Paul

I have the same one and use it mashing in ten gallon batches.  Works very well for me in modified kegs, but I can see how a spoon would work well in a shallower tun.

[flbrewer]

Find a restaurant supply store near you; they'll have tons of long SS spoons for short cash.

Yes, I actually did this a couple of years ago. Since I already own one, I suppose the consensus is to keep using it!