Mash paddle - plastic vs steel

[fobster]

So looking at going all-grain and looking at mash paddles. The plastic one says it's for stirring wort... I'm guessing boiling wort and not just for aerating wort, though at €2 I worry about its longevity but it's certainly cheaper than €25... I saw the steel paddle is cheaper on MyBeerandWine though the HBC 34l mash tun looks the business so with the shipping cost would be looking at ordering everything with them.

Any suggestions welcome! Thanks

https://www.thehomebrewcompany.ie/beer-paddle-plastic-16y-p-80.html

https://www.thehomebrewcompany.ie/stainless-steel-mash-paddle-p-2691.html

[delzep]

Steel paddle is more likely to scrape the inner walls of a mash tun

[Ozbrewer]

Depends really - how big is the malt bill? If you are stirring approx. 5kg of grain, then the plastic is fine. Used them for years, and I always had two or three of them as they were cheap - never snapped one then. Now that I double batch -10/11kg of grain, I snapped two plastic ones on my first brew and then went and bought a stainless one as you have listed. It's brilliant and I wouldnt be without it, but if you're mashing in a bag or esky, and only 5/6kg of grain, then plastic is all you need.

[Garry]

I found the plastic paddle too light for mixing the grain properly. It would bend when you stuck it into the bottom of the bed.

You can get a stainless slotted spoon at your local cheapshite shop like this.

For an extra tenner, get yourself a hurley and drill holes in it. It's strong and won't scratch the side of your mash tun.

[Pheeel]

I found a big whisk to be more effective and you can pick them up for not a lot

[fobster]

Sound job lads, there's a few slotted spoons, whisks etc lying around. I already use one for the extract boil. Sorted so!

[johnrm]

Some lads use paint stirrers on drills.

[Qs]

Some lads use paint stirrers on drills.

In the MLT? 

[Shanna]

Consider wood instead of plastic or steel.

http://www.nationalhomebrewclub.com/forum/index.php/topic,6281.0.html

Shanna

[rukkus]

I mashed in with one of those big stainless ones yesterday for the first time, it did the job really well.

[Garry]

Hurleys currently available in Aldi for €8.99.

[johnrm]

In the MLT? 

Yep.
https://youtu.be/8KJO7XHBK1g