The Stainless Steel Mix-Stir

This works very well for aerating wort and much easier than injecting oxygen. My only complaint is the price as stated by other reviewers. It is able to fit in a 5 gallon glass carboy. I simply tightened down the nut a bit and it goes in fine. Although I personally didn't do it, metal can easily scratch glass so don't force it. Don't believe that only diamond can, that's just plain ridiculous. Have some sense and don't gouge metal into a glass carboy.

(Posted on 4/9/12)

I previously purchased the plastic version of this product and it broke on the first use. The entire shaft is metal and will not break on this. Spend the extra money to upgrade!

(Posted on 3/28/12)

Every home brewer needs one of these. It works well however for a rod and 2 plastic fins 30$ is quite expensive. Could be made for about 10$ in supplies from any hardware store.

(Posted on 3/9/12)

I use the mix-stir to aerate my wort before pitching yeast, and it does an excellent job. It fits perfectly into both my 5 and six gallon glass carboys, a little tight, but fits without scratching anything. If you are using the replacement blades with the carboy cleaner, don't tighten the locking nut all the way down, just tighten it until it is flush with the end of the screw. It will then fit perfectly. This doesn't come with the bung that the carboy cleaner comes with, so I use the one from the cleaner with this. I love this tool because I get to use my drill on brew day, and I don't have to shake my carboy around any more.

P.S. for easy cleaning and sanitizing, look in the gardening section of your favorite home supply store, and pick up a 30-36" window box liner. Perfectly sized for soaking things like this, racking canes, auto siphons, tubing and anything else that is long and thin.

(Posted on 3/7/12)

Although it was working well, be careful to not bump up against the inside of glass carboy. I had the 6 gal glass one that I bought from Midwest. The pointy edges of the mixer broke the bottom of the carboy and I watched in horror as 6 gallons of liquid poured out all over my basement floor. The glass is not as thick as it looks. Cost me over a 100 bucks losing the kit and carboy.

(Posted on 12/16/11)

I've used once and it works very well.

(Posted on 9/26/11)

Works great in a 6gal glass carboy to aerate but I just started using it inside the immersion wort chiller to create the whirlpool effect while chilling in the kettle. I just cooled 5.5gal from 212 to 69 in 10 minutes using just hose water through the IC and this swirling the wort around it. A little pricy but it works great and I recommend it.

(Posted on 6/21/11)

Love it! Sanitizing is a little awkward unless you have something to dunk it in. This does fit into the 6 gallon carboy with, you just need to position the blades down and give it a good shove.

In response to Lysis, it is impossible to scratch glass with plastic or metal. Only diamond can scratch glass.

(Posted on 3/2/11)

it is a great tool, I used in plastic buckets fermenters as well as in glass carboys and it works GREAT! with your drill (varaible speed) you can control the amount of vortex you generate and therefore the amount of airation in the wort. Great fermentations after using this tool, big difference that you can see with your eyes...

(Posted on 1/31/11)

If you already own the Original Carboy Cleaner, just spend the $3.50 for replacement blades for this agitator and use the stainless steel rod that comes with the Carboy Cleaner!! Then you'll have two great pieces of equipment basically for the price of one! Carboy cleaner and agitator for under 30 bucks-

(Posted on 1/25/11)