VEVOR stills

[Grappa-Gringo]

Has anyone bought from this company? Results? Not a bad deal on the website.... thoughts?

[greggn]

Has anyone bought from this company? Results? Not a bad deal on the website.... thoughts?

You've been a member since 2012 ... but haven't seen the deluge of comments about these stills ?

To summarize them: walk away and save your money

[Grappa-Gringo]

Greggn--- yup...been around for 10 years...never saw that particular one on the site.... seen lots that were from China, but not that one. I wasn't going to buy it, I'm happy with my beer kegs.... A buddy bought one and he thinks it does the trick...Glad to hear that it's not all what's it's cracked up to be.... appreciate the opinion. gg

[Yummyrum]

A vevor is a vevor , no matter who resells them .
viewtopic.php?f=15&t=87049#p7710030
Kogan was selling them in Aussie . Still the same POS

[disturbinglymellow]

I own the 9.6 gallon version that comes with a 'thumper' and the same size worm that is pictured here. I did add an electric element to mine with an SCR controller. After cleaning and sac run, I have run another 3 charges through it.

Is it worth what I spent on it? Yes and no.
I say yes, because I now have a 9.6 gallon pot with element for heating mash water. I did gain some valuable hands on experience in running a still and observing the process as well as in building my controller. I also got a submersible pump for cooling that works surprisingly well.
I say no because while the pump works well, the worm (condenser) that comes with this is very undersized. You could work with this if you are patient, but I am not. The "thumper" that came with mine is nothing more than a slobber box but is advertised as a thumper. There is no column. You could achieve the same, if not better results with a thrift store pot, some copper tubing and a bucket.

In hindsight I really wish I had waited a bit longer and saved the extra money to get/build something modular as well as balanced. I do plan to modify my Vevor pot to receive a column and build a proper condenser, but that will be some time down the road.

In the end, if you choose to go this route, I do feel there is experience to be gained from it, but you need to level set your expectations. This is like the down hill derby car of stills, don't expect F-1 performance. IMHO, the best you can hope for is basic bicycle performance from this as it is out of the box.

[Saltbush Bill]

To a Newbie they might look wonderful and seem a good buy.
In reality they are a piece of shit, I don't know a single experienced Distiller who would consider buying one if they saw one in the flesh.

[Shadowride69]

Hey now my wife bought me one I modified it and use it fine

[disturbinglymellow]

Hey now my wife bought me one I modified it and use it fine

That was kind of the point I was trying to make. There are 'good' points to the Vevor still, but out of the box they will not work the way one would expect if they have spent much time researching at all. Hell, you can distill in a 5gal plastic bucket if you have the time and patience, doesn't mean you SHOULD.

[Chauncey]

You can make a new condenser fairly easily that'll work way better than that tiny guy. 5 gallon bucket worm is a quick easy one

[bcook608]

The small one I'm using was basically the same as that one. The small diameter riser sucks and the flake stand will almost never be level. I chopped mine off and replaced it with a liebig and now it's only OK. I had a 26 gal kegger (2 kegs welded into one tall boiler) but that has gone into storage until my living situation changes and I can still in a larger area.

Useable with modification, but the cost of modification is the same if not more than sourcing your own parts and building your own small still.

[Saltbush Bill]

Useable with modification, but the cost of modification is the same if not more than sourcing your own parts and building your own small still.

Good post , never owned one but have tried to help a fella run one once.....what an experience that was .......figured that at the time .....building your own from ready available parts would be about the same cost and work 100% better.

[bcook608]

Useable with modification, but the cost of modification is the same if not more than sourcing your own parts and building your own small still.

Good post , never owned one but have tried to help a fella run one once.....what an experience that was .......figured that at the time .....building your own from ready available parts would be about the same cost and work 100% better.

Yeah, I'm not sure about in Oz, but over here, it was at least worth keeping the pot but only barely. I fear that I'm going to have to reinforce the lid when I redo the head to accept 2" couplings.

[Bren]

I'm using the 5gal pot with the tiny worm.
It distills but I've not been able to make good stuff it all has chemical taste at the end.
I know it's not all the equipment I am responsible for most of the dodgy stuff but even as a very new guy I can see it needs to be better. All that being said it is still experience in brewing.
I'm now looking to start and make my own still so that should be interesting.

[still_stirrin]

I'm using the 5gal pot with the tiny worm.
It distills but I've not been able to make good stuff it all has chemical taste at the end.

You don’t expect a “one and done” run to be good, do you?

Try the double distillation method (strip + spirit run protocol). That should help you make better cuts.
ss

[Renhoekk]

If you're at the stage where you're trying to figure out if distilling is for you, then it can be a cheap way to find out.
With a bit of knowledge, those basic stockpot stills will produce stuff that your buddies will be happy to sit around and drink on a Saturday night.

If you're at the stage where you want to get serious, don't even think about getting that.

[Stump Lake]

If you're at the stage where you're trying to figure out if distilling is for you, then it can be a cheap way to find out.
With a bit of knowledge, those basic stockpot stills will produce stuff that your buddies will be happy to sit around and drink on a Saturday night.

If you're at the stage where you want to get serious, don't even think about getting that.

I agree with this statement. I'm at this stage now. I'm running a Vevor 3 pot still. If I had tried to design my perfect still with my preconceived ideas about distilling it would have been a disaster. I have my UJSSM#4 fermenting right now. I read this forum ever day.

You can read and read, and think you understand. I think you only really learn from actually doing it. Especially when you do things wrong.

The Vevor let me get my get started for only $92.00. My perfect still is somewhere in the future.

[Bushman]

If you're at the stage where you're trying to figure out if distilling is for you, then it can be a cheap way to find out.
With a bit of knowledge, those basic stockpot stills will produce stuff that your buddies will be happy to sit around and drink on a Saturday night.

If you're at the stage where you want to get serious, don't even think about getting that.

I agree with this statement. I'm at this stage now. I'm running a Vevor 3 pot still. If I had tried to design my perfect still with my preconceived ideas about distilling it would have been a disaster. I have my UJSSM#4 fermenting right now. I read this forum ever day.

You can read and read, and think you understand. I think you only really learn from actually doing it. Especially when you do things wrong.

The Vevor let me get my get started for only $92.00. My perfect still is somewhere in the future.

Not sure I agree with the first part about it being a disaster to build asl a lot of members have had great success with information on this forum but your second part is true in that at some time you have to just dive in to truly learn.

[cmac62]

I used TC/SS tubing and a used keg to make both a pot and 2x36" CCVM and it didn't cost much more than that. So I'd go that route if you can. I'm also thinking about getting a airstill for gin and other infusions.

[Stump Lake]

Thanks, I'm looking for a keg now. I hope to be going that route eventually. In the mean time my little Vevor is teaching me the basics of distilling, making cuts and blending.

[redz242]

Garbage but good for 2-4 months of learning save for some copper sheets, keg, or boiler cause theirs is shut the whole stupid set up

[Bren]

Ill be looking for some kegs i think so itll do while im building .y own.
Got a mountain of reading to do on the buildong side though

[redz242]

Ben that would be smart they don’t last long

[squigglefunk]

I wouldn't recommend that one but IMO this one is not bad

I've been using it for a while now, it is holding up just fine. I did end up making my own riser/column and leibig condenser for it, but it worked OK as is. The stainless seems to be 304, no rust or corrosion issues, the bottom is thick and heats evenly. I'm sure there's many other options, cheaper, better, etc. All I can say is it does work.

It does not comply with the "no silicone" rule so you will have to deal with that as you see fit.

[JAMAWG]

I wouldn't recommend that one but IMO this one is not bad

I've been using it for a while now, it is holding up just fine. I did end up making my own riser/column and leibig condenser for it, but it worked OK as is. The stainless seems to be 304, no rust or corrosion issues, the bottom is thick and heats evenly. I'm sure there's many other options, cheaper, better, etc. All I can say is it does work.

It does not comply with the "no silicone" rule so you will have to deal with that as you see fit.

I got the same one and have been getting a lot of decent results from it. I just wish I could get it in all copper. Have you tried the "ceramic balls"? They seemed sketchy. I have been putting copper mesh in the top instead. Their 3 pot stills look like crap. But this guy is great for a complete newbie.

[squigglefunk]

throw those balls in the trash lol

yes I put copper mesh in the bottom of the football where the triclamp ferrule is. I put nothing in the top of the football and its my "onion" lol ... you can def pack more copper in there, I have done so, whether it increases reflux or purifies better I cant say, right now I am using one scrubbie in the neck and thats it and no weird smells coming out.

the welds are all excellent, they dont rust, the spot welds on the clamps are holding up, the stainless steel itself def seems 304 grade, no tarnish issues at all...

I agree this set up while maybe flawed in some ways really is worlds better than those three pot stills!

[Dancing4dan]

I wouldn't recommend that one but IMO this one is not bad

I've been using it for a while now, it is holding up just fine. I did end up making my own riser/column and leibig condenser for it, but it worked OK as is. The stainless seems to be 304, no rust or corrosion issues, the bottom is thick and heats evenly. I'm sure there's many other options, cheaper, better, etc. All I can say is it does work.

It does not comply with the "no silicone" rule so you will have to deal with that as you see fit.

I would be tempted to put a ferrule on the top of that football and relocate the condenser to the top.

[squigglefunk]

I would be tempted to put a ferrule on the top of that football and relocate the condenser to the top.

for sure one would fit there nicely and I have thought the same thing... in fact I have added a copper union to the fitting that is on the top so I can attach my liebig and have run it that way...

[JAMAWG]

I would be tempted to put a ferrule on the top of that football and relocate the condenser to the top.

for sure one would fit there nicely and I have thought the same thing... in fact I have added a copper union to the fitting that is on the top so I can attach my liebig and have run it that way...

That is a great idea. I will have to try that. Just got my Xmas present. A digiboil with an alcoengine pot still. A stripping run way overpowers that still. Working on a way to attach the "football" and condenser to the lid of the alcoengine. Want to use that for stripping, and gin/infusion runs. And the pot for spirit. I have a smallish kitchen and live in a condo. The compact design of the football and attached condenser is great for me. Wish someone made it out of copper! If you are working in tight spaces the football and condenser are worth it on their own.

[squigglefunk]

Wish someone made it out of copper! If you are working in tight spaces the football and condenser are worth it on their own.

when I purchased mine the ad listing stated that the coils within the condenser were copper tubing, hence how I got it discounted after complaining to the seller.

I will say that the last stripping run I did with the all stainless steel pathway only using one roll of copper mesh in the bottom neck of the football ended up not being enough copper as the tails had way more funk than the stripping run done the night before on the all copper riser and liebig. I previously used to stuff the whole football with copper mesh and never had this issue then.

[cantolina]

I wouldn't recommend that one but IMO this one is not bad

I've been using it for a while now, it is holding up just fine. I did end up making my own riser/column and leibig condenser for it, but it worked OK as is. The stainless seems to be 304, no rust or corrosion issues, the bottom is thick and heats evenly. I'm sure there's many other options, cheaper, better, etc. All I can say is it does work.

It does not comply with the "no silicone" rule so you will have to deal with that as you see fit.

Newbie Here. Bought this exact model, just to see if this is for me. Have a nice sugar wash fermenting for rum right now. First shot out.

I'm curious about 2 things you said:

Column modification? I haven't done the math, but the column seems short to me. Was looking at extensions.

No silicone rule? I'm aware you're referring to the gaskets. Care to elaborate on substitutions?

I'm sure I'll find this stuff eventually by searching, but I was web browsing the subject, and joined the forum just because this particular post caught my attention..

Thanks!

Chuck