Best mixing & blending equipment according to redditors

If I were to start over and buy new equipment, one of those all-in-one systems would be very attractive. My only concern with them is I don't have a high voltage outlet and I wouldn't want to deal with an under powered system.

For a traditional system I'd do something like this:

• $ 55 Hot Liquor Tank
  
• $105 Mash Tun
  
• $240 Kettle
  
• $100 Burner
  
• $200 Fermenter
  
• $250 Ferm Chamber
  
• $ 35 Temp Controller
  
  Total $985
  
  Bonus Upgrades:
  
  
• $ 25 Dolly
  
• $120 Water Filter
  
• $110 Grain Mill
  
• $ 15 Flask
  
• $ 30 Stir Plate
  
• $ 20 Yeast Ranch
  
• $490 Kegerator
  
• $ 95 Keg
  
  Total $905
  
  And you'll want various fittings and hoses and more kegs and a stir paddle.

I believe it's this one: https://www.amazon.com/LabGenius-Mini-Vortex-Mixer/dp/B01CLLBZ6S?th=1

​

I had heard about vortex mixers for test tubes, and asked my doctor in law if she could find some cheaper than what I was seeing. Just unwrapped this from her, and I swear, I wasn't fishing for gifts!

Homebrew Materials:

Vacuum Pump Oil

Vacuum Tubing

1/4" Barb x 1/4" NPT Male Hose Fitting

1/4" Male x 1/4" Female NPT Extension Hose

Vacuum Pump

Filters

Spatulas

Magnetic Stir Bar

Digital Hotplate with Magnetic Stirrer

Nitrile Gloves (Better than Latex)

Empty Capsules (Buy Separated unless you hate your life)

Capsule Machine (If you value your sanity, buy more than a 100... I hated my life doing this)

Mohr Pipets

Pipette 10ml

Mortar and Pestle (If you're doing orals, get this... Otherwise, you're playing Russian Roulette with your doses and liver)

Funnel (For pouring into small places)

Alconox (For clean your shit)

Temperature Gun (How hot is my shit?)

Graduated Cylinder (If you measure with beakers, you're a fucking idiot... And you should consider Volumetric Flasks)

Beaker Set

1 Liter Beaker (Because brewing en'masse is better)

Scale (I have a 2kg one, too)

Calibration Weight Set

Calibration Weight 100g (Because you need two for the scale linked)

Vacuum Regulator (Unless you want to filter 9001 times due to broken shit)

Oil (Any USP grade, filtered or unfitlered)

BB

BA

Butyl Stoppers

Flip Top Seals

Crimper

Vials (Unsealed)

Autoclave (Cheaper than an oven, why are you using an oven?!)

Weight Boats (Buy a million of these. They're cheap and useful)

Did I miss something? Probably. Yes.

Definitely a little more expensive, but I highly recommend people try out a vortex mixer. They were originally made for lab work to easily and quietly mix liquids, you just push what ever you want on to the rubber top and it vibrates. I know several tattoo artists and laquerists who use them, and I ended up buying one for my paints. Absolutely amazing.

For my stir bar i just used one of the magnets from a cheaper version of this magnet construction set where the bar is actually a solid magnet coated in plastic but if it's for food you are probably better off using a legit stir bar for sanitary reasons.
The spacing of the magnets is important so make sure you test it before permanently affixing the magnets.
Also for safety's sake, stir the shake with a metal spoon to catch the bar before drinking. While I'm sure one magnet will pass right through you, if you happened upon another magnet, they could come together and perforate your intestines. I personally try to avoid all types of intestinal perforation but that's just me.

This is the one I got.

It's smells like Ms. Gardeners science class, but works just fine.

This Corning Hot Plate is what i use almost every day. I got it with the thermo probe so i can accurately set temps of the mix. I would recommend getting a hot plate and stirrer that has a thermo probe so you can set the temp you want to mix at and consistently do so every time.


Edit: Fixed Link

OP here. I have an old vine zin (and a few others) that I started fermenting last year. After primary, I’ve degassed, put it through malo, racked to clean carboy, degassed again, hit it with sulfites, and let it age. 10-11months later I still have a noticeable bit of carbonization left in the wine. I’m oaking it now, and hoping to bottle right before thanksgiving. Any ideas how I can kill off this carbonization? I’m at the point now where I’m agitating the carboy every other night, and occasionally hitting it with a vac-u-vin. Has anyone ever tried magnetic agitation? Looking for any recommendations that will help make this wine less lively when served. Thanks!

magnetic stirrer

I use one of the magnetic stir mixer. Been working out for me. Similar to this one, Magnetic stirrer magnetic mixer with stir bar 3000 rpm Max Stirring Capacity: 3000ml https://www.amazon.com/dp/B072K24X5P/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_5.aRBbH4XBBHX

>[E]very chem lab should have a good number of 150-250 mL glass beakers on hand.

1. After looking up the differences (incl. price) between regular glass and borosilicate glass, when would borosilicate be mandatory?
   
   >Some large size glass test tubes will come in handy, and those are relatively cheap.
   
   
2. What would be considered "large size?"
   
   >Depending on what type of reactions you want to do, you may find it good to have petri dishes handy, either glass or plastic (they'd be good for crystallization experiments, certainly).
   
   
3. How many, and of what size, would be good for starting?
   
   >You should definitely have a few pipettes, either the cheap plastic 3 mL kind, or if you can afford it, nicer glass droppers (Pasteur pipettes are fun to use, albeit fragile and hard to clean).
   
   
4. Are the glass pipettes for strong acids, basis, or organic solvents? Are there any other benefits to glass pipettes?
   
   >You will definitely need a graduated cylinder, maybe a few, in different sizes, glass or plastic (definitely glass if you're planning on working with any strong acids or bases, or using organic solvents).
   
   
5. What sizes should I be looking for? I'm guessing polypropelyne is the preferred plastic type since that has the most available on Amazon. Is this Set of 7 Polypropylene Cylinders sufficient? What size glass cylinder would be the most common for home experiments with strong acids, bases, or organic solvents?
   
   >You will find a scale, accurate to at least a tenth of a gram, to be an invaluable tool.
   
   
6. Could you please recommend a specific scale, or at least a type? I'd like to spend as little as possible without getting a piece of junk. Is there anything available for under $100?
   
   >Some litmus or pH paper will be useful.
   
   
7. Most of these seem to be range limited. I found what appears to be a full range paper or a set of papers that provide full range. Would you recommend either of these?
   
   >Oh, and a thermometer, of course!
   
   
8. I thought this one was simple until I looked it up. What exactly am I looking for here? Infrared Thermometers seem like a good idea because they don't physically contact the sample, but I'd like some guidance with regard to a trusted brand.
   
   >If you want to dispense precise quantities of any liquid, a 25 mL burette will be your best friend, though it's certainly not necessary.
   
   8.a) This one seems relatively straightforward. Finally!
   
   >a volumetric flask, for making precise stock solutions.
   
   
9. Size? I've tentatively added a 100ml and 500ml to my list. Is Karter Scientific considered good quality?
   
   >A few Erlenmeyer flasks, for mixing things.
   
   
10. This set of Erlenmeyer flasks seems like a good place to start. Which sizes do you find yourself needing most often?
    
    >A volumetric pipette, for making equal aliquots.
    
    
11. Wow, these things appear to be quite expensive. What types of home experiments would it be difficult to do without a volumetric pipette? This one will probably wait until the need arises.
    
    >Oh, and if you just want your lab to be that much more mad sciencey, you could have a distillation flask and a few condensation tubes bubbling in the background. If you want to make a significant investment, you could get a magnetic stirring platform, maybe one with good heating powers. Also great for whisking up an egg, or keeping some batter moving while you make pancakes. Pricey, though.
    
    
12. I'll probably stay away from the distillation flasks and condensation tubes until I stumble upon an experiment that requires them, but the magnetic stirring platform looks like a much cooler way to make coffee in the morning. Is this stirrer from Hanna Instruments any good?
    
    
    Thanks a ton for putting together that list!
    
    EDIT: Formatting

In the kitchen I use a magnetic mixer (https://www.amazon.com/Magnetic-stirrer-magnetic-Stirring-Capacity/dp/B072K24X5P/) but if I'm traveling or at work I use a 250ml bottle and shake it up a lot with the cap on.

My preference for drinks is Chocolate Almond Milk with some brown sugar. Takes the awful taste away.

Stir bars I got off of Amazon, both of these worked for me with the magnets I had.

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B002VBW5HC

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B002VBW5FY

Fan: http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B003819S8S

Potentiometer: http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0002KRE1Q

LM317: http://www.amazon.com/LM317T-Variable-Voltage-Regulator-TO-220/dp/B0002ZPYQ8

Switch: http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B001TQHA8Y

Now, some of this can add up in the shipping, if you don't have prime, etc. I have heard that you can get most of the electronics at places like radio shack, etc. I order most of my electronics from Digi-Key, Mouser is also good.

If you want to solve this get an old sonicare toothbrush or electric reciprocating razor. High frequency vibrations will actually allow the powder to settle quite a bit.

Fancy folk can also use something like this for doing lots... vibrating table

To make sure you don’t have powder spill out you can either use a projectile (depending on neck tension) or wooden dowel as a “plug” for the case.

They would be awesome in a kitchen, especially since they are often also integrated with hotplates!

I got one at the local university's surplus auction, but it is a little too gnarly to be used in my kitchen... You can also get them from Amazon, although the price is predictably high. However, there are two there under $140, including this one.

$30 amazon

That flat hotplate is not ideal for a RBF (Round Bottom Flask.) To use it more effectively, you might try getting a pot the size of the burner, or a bit larger, and filling it with sand. The sand gets hot and heats the flask relatively evenly around the bottom.
When your finances permit, look for a good heating mantle, preferably with stirring. Something like this: https://www.amazon.ca/Heating-Magnetic-HMS1000ml-Temperature-100-240V/dp/B07Z5KTW6P/ref=sr_1_27?keywords=heating+mantle&qid=1574245664&s=industrial&sr=1-27
Of course, then you will need stir bars, if you want to stir your reaction while heating. (You usually want this.) https://www.amazon.ca/Magnetic-Stirrer-Mixer-Diameter-Length/dp/B07461T2PR/ref=sr_1_1?keywords=stir+bar+olive&qid=1574245874&s=industrial&sr=1-1

And it would be good to use a jack to be able to raise the mantle to the flask, so you can lower it when you want to remove heat, and not have to move the glassware. Handling hot glassware is not a great thing to do for a variety of reasons.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01CLLBZ6S/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o03_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

This is the one I have. Yeah it's pricey but it mixes ANY paint I throw at it in less than 5 seconds with no effort on my part. It has sped up my ability to paint and it has increased the quality of the paint itself by mixing so thoroughly. It's 100% worth it.

https://youtu.be/dRkXaa8ttM8

Check out this video by chilli chump. Basically, he makes a mash by blending the cayenne with some salt and ferments it for 3 weeks. Using mason jars with airlocks. Some people use a salt brine but he doesnt. Then after it's fermented he adds equal parts vinegar and blends it using a Magnetic Stirrer with stir bar for three more weeks to emulsify the sauce. https://www.amazon.com/dp/B072K24X5P/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_hx0LDb25B73YH

Don't think he adds Xanthan gum but a lot of people do. He made his own stir plate by attaching magnets to a computer fan. He linked a video on how he make that.

Since you're looking at Amazon reviews when considering your purchase, I found this guy for a decent price with 4.5 stars on Amazon. I do not currently own a stir plate, but when I worked at a nanobrewery (only making one-barrel batches), we used one. It definitely made things more efficient.

Best of luck in your brewing adventures!

A vortex mixer

https://www.amazon.com/LabGenius-MI0101001-Mini-Vortex-Mixer-Clear/dp/B01CLLBZ6S/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1500555327&sr=8-1&keywords=vortex+mixer+mini

I got a flask and a stir plate off amazon for under 60 bucks. This is the stir plate I got and works well with either 1L or 2L at the slow speeds used for a yeast starter. https://www.amazon.com/dp/B072K24X5P/ref=cm_sw_r_sms_awdb_t1_CzfSAbA9NTVQ0

Northern Brewer is having a sale on their stir plate. Personally, I own this one. I love it and use it all the time when making starters.

It sure is. I have three stir bar types; two 1" and one 2". Funny thing is one of the short ones works and the other doesn't. The one with the band in the middle is the one you want BTW.

I got this off of amazon. Here is the link

Apera Instruments AI2801 801 Powerful Magnetic Lab Stirrer/Stir Plate, Speed Range: 0-2300 RPM, Max Stirring Capacity: 3000ml https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01F34Y7VK/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_BrmkDbFG8RE6S

This was from DL:

You guys convinced me to home brew. Especially after I just did some math on what my latest $2k purchase would get me.

Putting together the list, will be refining as I learn more.

• [Autoclave](http://www.amazon.com/Prestige-Classic-Electric-Autoclave- Sterilizer/dp/B002AR0NUI/ref=pd_sim_sbs_hpc_2?ie=UTF8&refRID=0E5AJ7PQ2CHM1083QMPT) -- $899
  
• 2 x Autoclave Gasket -- $120
  
• Hormone powder
  
• Filtered Cottonseed USP Oil 4 Liter -- $255
  
• Benzyl Benzoate USP 1 Liter -- $60.75
  
• Benzyl Alcohol USP 1 Liter -- $45
  
• 3ml TERUMO Luer Lock Syringe w/o Needle (Qty. 50) -- $8
  
• 1 x 10ml EXEL Luer Lock Syringe w/o Needle (Qty. 50) -- $15.25
  
• 5 x B-D 25g x 1.5' (Qty. 10) -- $11
  
• 5 x B-D Needles 18g 1.5 (Qty 10) -- $11
  
• Alcohol prep pads/wipes
  
• Accurate scale to hundredths place
  
• Calibration weight
  
• 2 x Corning Pyrex 3 Piece Glass Graduated Low Form Griffin Beaker Set, 50ml, 100ml, 250ml -- $29.90
  
• 4 x PYREX Griffin Low Form 400mL Beaker Graduated Ea -- $34
  
• 4 x Beaker - PYREX GLASS 10ml -- $22.72
  
• 2 x SEOH Class A Volumetric Flask Borosilicate Glass 250ML -- $29.90
  
• 2 x Beaker Filters -- 150ml Nalgene MF75 Bottle Top Filter - 33mm neck (Qty. 12) -- $145
  
• Vacuum Pump -- 1.5 CFM Portable -- $275
  
• Melting Point Checker
  
• Sterile .20um syringe filter (For Tren) -- $162.88
  
• Crimper
  
• Vials
  
• Caps
  
• Glass stir rod
  
• Agar plates
  
• Latex gloves
  
• Alconox Detergent Cleaning Concentrate 4 lb. Container -- $30.30
  
• Scilogex 86143101 Model MS-H280-Pro BlueSpin LED Circular-Top Digital Magnetic Hotplate Stirrer with Ceramic Coated Plate, 100/240V -- $200
  
• 2 x Bel-Art Scienceware 371100138 PTFE Octagon Spinbar Magnetic Stirrer Bar, with Integral Pivot Ring, White, 1" Length, 3/8" Diameter -- $13
  
• 3 x jugs isopropyl alcohol
  
• Propolyene Gylcol 300
  
• Lockable Medical Storage Box -- $44.50
  
• Horizontal Laminar Flow Hood 48" x 24" -- $1,900
  
  
  Which Bottle Top Filter?
  ---------------------------------
  
• Millipore Hydrophilic PVDF Stericup-GV Bottletop Filter Unit, Radio-Sterilized, 0.22µm Pore Size -- $225
  
  Or
  
  
• 2 x Beaker Filters -- 150ml Nalgene MF75 Bottle Top Filter - 33mm neck (Qty. 12) -- $145
  
  
  Which Pipettor?
  ---------------------------------
  
• VWR Ergonomic High-Performance Pipettor -- $267.02
  
  or
  
  
• BRAND seripettor* pro Bottletop Dispenser - 1-10 mL -- #296.30
  
  Money is not an object. I'm not the type to do things cheaply or in a half-assed way. Lets set up the dream home brew lab now. I'll post pictures.
  
  What to buy?
  
  

You'll need something thin and flat to serve as a spatula. Wooden coffee stirrers are going to be the easiest to acquire (grab a handful the next time you're at a coffee shop) but they're not great. I use a lab spatula like this because it's non-reactive, non-porous, and has an effective lifespan of forever.

Don't pack the whole cavity with putty all at once; at best it will take forever to cure all the way through, and at worst it will soften the plastic around it. Fill it in in layers, allowing it to cure each time, and then when it's almost full put in an excess so you can sand and shape the surface to what you need. It's an exercise in patience, which is why it's not a great technique for large cavities; the cost in time and putty is prohibitive.

I would rather use something like this with one of these - yeah, I'd rock it laboratory style.

No, I mean they say if you want to send the distillate for another round of testing to let it sit for 2 hours at 70c. That way it’s melted all the way and has time to homogenize. You only need to do it like that maybe the first time if it’s fully solid again, after that you can just reheat it. I was just saying that letting it sit even for hours won’t ruin it, they say to do that. Doesn’t say it here but in the other sheets I have it does https://www.fightbackcbd.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/04/FEB1.jpg

It won’t go clumpy again, just get the hot plate stirrer, that’s how you do it.
https://www.amazon.com/YaeCCC-Magnetic-Stirrer-Hotplate-Heating/dp/B073FLH5R9/ref=mp_s_a_1_8?keywords=magnetic+hotplate&qid=1554143593&s=gateway&sr=8-8

Once the distillate is heated to liquid, mix it by weight into your room temp MCT in a beaker. Put it back on the hot plate. It doesn’t have to heat to 70 again, takes like 10minutes max to mix it. Magnetic stirrers mix from the inside out, the bar spins in the beaker and makes a whirlpool. You’ll know when it’s good, usually once the beaker is heated to like 45 50 it’s already mixed up. You don’t want the MCT to sit there and get super hot, it won’t ruin it but it might make it taste crappy. I meant the 2 hours was if you were going to pour say 5g of distillate to send for testing on it’s own. It needs to be heated and mixed. Really it is already assuming you are using the materials fairly recent from manufacture. If it’s like say around for months it gets really solid and separation/crystals. Before that it just turns opaque and sludgy solid. If you are just using like 100grams in a mason jar just swirl it around when it’s melted, it’s not gonna be an issue.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B072K24X5P/ref=mp_s_a_1_4?ie=UTF8&qid=1522170713&sr=8-4&pi=AC_SX236_SY340_FMwebp_QL65&keywords=magnetic+stirrer&dpPl=1&dpID=519kNn%2BnsbL&ref=plSrch

https://www.amazon.com/Magnetic-stirrer-magnetic-Stirring-Capacity/dp/B072K24X5P/ref=mp_s_a_1_3?crid=3HRCHDJ7MIVEY&keywords=magnetic+stirrer&qid=1550973819&s=gateway&sprefix=magnetic+stir&sr=8-3

This is the one I use. With a mag stirrer you shouldn’t need any heat at all. Especially for standard concentrations. It’s flat out amazing. Takes all the work out of it. No sitting there stirring with a glass rod for a half hour. Just set it and walk away. Come back a half hour later and you have freshly made gear all in perfect solution.

Here you go!

LabGenius HS120598DS Mini Vortex Mixer Advanced, Grey/Blue https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07F195B58/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_UmfzCbC60Z8AC

Get a stand mixer?

Otherwise you'd need a magnetic stirrer like this

https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B01F34Y7VK/ref=mp_s_a_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1505174197&sr=8-3&pi=AC_SX236_SY340_FMwebp_QL65&keywords=magnetic+stirrer&dpPl=1&dpID=41SwyGAs5%2BL&ref=plSrch

I just started using kegs and it has made everything easier. I built a keezer recently, bottling everything became massive chore, and carbonating is easier. https://photos.app.goo.gl/JKegtXLcNKLTACaw8

And as far as SNA, I never do that, I've tried it and never really tasted a difference and it's a hassel. I bought a cheap stir plate and start my yeast a day before and that seemed to make much more of a difference. This is the one I got and don't worry about buying a stir bar if you get it, the stir plate comes with one. Magnetic Stirrer Magnetic Mixer with stir bar (No Heating) Max Stirring Capacity: 3000ml https://smile.amazon.com/dp/B072K24X5P/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_h2x4CbYEJT43Z.

If you get kegs try to buy used ones, I bought all mine used, they really don't fo bad you just have to change seals from time to time or the posts.

Non-mobile: http://www.amazon.com/dp/B003IKNJIO

^That's ^why ^I'm ^here, ^I ^don't ^judge ^you. ^PM ^/u/xl0 ^if ^I'm ^causing ^any ^trouble. ^WUT?

amazon

My friend, let me introduce you to the Vortex Mixer. As Coyotebd said, it does the job super well, no matter what paint you are using. It is seconds and its mixed. Personally for me, Vallejo has been the hardest for me to mix up, some times the colors separate a little and its hard to get them all mixed up again. The mixer took care of that in seconds. Get one if all you have is dropper bottles, but it works well with GW also, but make sure the lid is nice and tight.

This kind will, but I've never used that brand before. I've seen them in the shop and they look kind of flimsy. I just use buckets the whole way through. If I'm going to age for like 6 months I'll transfer to a carboy, but buckets are so much easier for degassing and adding fruit/spices/oak cubes that I can't imagine using a carboy for primary.

As others have said. Stirring the wort vigorously over the coil helps immensely as does having a really good coil. There are equations and math for heat transfer that are above my pay grade, but stirring helps a ton.

I got sick of hitting my IC with my spoon and I could never really get it going enough to really make a difference. On a whim I picked up a wine aerator and used it. The plastic melted the paddles, but it was the fastest I've ever cooled my wort (the low temp ground water helped too). I bought some high temp plastic and made paddles out of it with a dremel and now I don't worry about it. I use a small cordless drill to run the aerator and it's so fast.

It's like this one:

https://www.amazon.com/The-Vintage-Shop-Mix-Stir-Stirring/dp/B00EKKOEOE

I replaced the plastic paddles with handmade versions of this plastic:

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0013HM04S/

(It wasn't $17 when I bought it).

​

I haven't used an all metal one, but if I were to go back and do it, I might give it a try since it wouldn't require modifications:

https://www.norcalbrewingsolutions.com/store/Brewing_Paddle_Ultimate_Whirlpool_Paddle.html Or this one

https://brewhaequipment.com/products/mash-mixer

Or just a regular "paint mixer" at Home Depot or similar home & garden center in your area.

The key here is that the aerator fits well within the coils. Plastic might be better here because it won't damage your IC if you're off by a bit. I usually set my drill to the low gear and go full tilt. When it gets below 100 ºF or so I usually turn on gear 2 and stir fast enough to see the bottom of my 10 gallon pot (5 gallon batch typically).

This really makes a difference in the cooling rate, but I admit that I haven't measured it out. You can watch the temp drop fast on my kettle with this, whereas before it was quite a bit slower. Plus, when my wort goes into my fermentor it's usually well-aerated. I typically add my yeast in the kettle and give that a big stir too. Works great. Highly recommend trying something like this.

I used this stir bar, the main reason it gets thrown is due to the vortex hitting it, but my speed control isn't the most accurate either

If you are wanting to make large batches of juice I would consider a magnetic lab mixer. Like u/jackholexxxx said though watch what your vg/pg mix is because the mixer may not be powerful enough to mix the amounts you want. I have found with mine that 360ml is ideal but I also haven't tried larger mixing bars then what came with it.

A cheap $25 dollar stir plate. Being able to reliably get 3x the pitch rate from a set and forget device is worth it to me. It pays for itself in 2-3 brews!


Amazon link for those who might be interested: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B072K24X5P

I bought this one in Jan this year and works fine: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01F34Y7VK/

Sure. As has been typical for everything I've built for brewing, I went through several iterations starting with an idea very cool and complex, but ending with something super simple. In the end all I have is a 9V charger with the end cut off and connected to a pc fan, with magnets glued on it, inside a cigar box. The combination of voltage and fan speed works out just right. I tried setting up a pulse width modulation circuit, then just a potentiometer and none of it worked as well as the final simple setup. Which is quite embarrassing with my EE degree.

Anyway, I do have a few pieces of advice. Glue the magnets onto a washer or piece of something first, spaced out to match your stir bar, then glue that whole thing to the top of the fan. Otherwise, the magnets want to move on the fan and are hard to glue down. Get more magnets than you think you'll need. I used this stirbar and these magnets. I bought the cigar box from a cigar store for $2. Everything else I had sitting around.


Search DIY stir plate on google and you can find tons of how-to's.

I bought a cheap one from Amazon. This one.

I got a $37 magnetic stirrer from amazon. I'm fairly happy woth it so far. http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B003IKNJIO

Edit: I see now the one I got for 37 was probably on clearance for some reason

This one. But I can't justify the cost right now. The other one I was considering is this unheated one. It's a lot cheaper, but I have a feeling that I would regret it when I buy the other one anyway. And with high VG mixes, I'm not sure if the stir bar can mix it cold well enough (or if it's that effective to continuously stir when cold).

I'm still very green in all of this, hence my reluctance to plunk down cash on something like this at the moment. Right now I use a Thermos filled with hot water and I shake that every 30 minutes or so.

EDIT: I literally feel like this guy right now!

Ever tried one of these cross ones?

Found a nice mini magnetic stirrer on amazon for ~$85. Would be a super nice convenience but I'll continue to live without cause I'm a cheap SoB.

I should mention that I'm old school despite being new though too. No ultra sonic or even a frother. I just give em a good shake and let them cure over time (sometimes I'll do a hot water bath but have been even too lazy to do that lately). Then again, that's what happens when your closet looks like this (ready to vape juices) and if you ever want more flavors. Yes my caps are off at the moment, happens once a week for a day.

Magnetic stirrer thingy would last longer and make less noise. :)

Edit: One of these

Amazon has pretty cheap stir plates that would probably cost less than a fan/magnet/speed control/box combo. https://www.amazon.com/dp/B072K24X5P/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_6ieJDbQC99WWZ

Oops, try this. They snuck one w/o the stirrer in the list and I didn't notice. Sorry.

One of these. Although I only paid $75 for mine.

https://www.amazon.com/YaeCCC-Magnetic-Stirrer-Hotplate-Heating/dp/B073FLH5R9/ref=sr_1_5?keywords=magnetic+stirrer+temperature&qid=1567365578&s=gateway&sr=8-5

I use a microspatula.

Here is the one OP has, or very close to it for $79.

Edit: This might help too.

The brand i have doesnt carry it anymore i check the amazon page. But just type in magnetic stirrir and it should show up. There is also one that can heat it up while stirring, but it ost more.

Edit:HYCC MX-3K Laboratory Magnetic Stirrer, 4.8" Diameter Aluminium Panel, 3000 RPM, Max Stirring Capacity: 3000ml, Stirring Type https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07GN65TYC/ref=cm_sw_r_other_apa_i_AjHLDb00CXHYN

Measure ur pg and powder and dump them together into a beaker and leave it spinning

Here you go

I picked this one up about 6 months ago.
https://www.amazon.com/Magnetic-Stir-Plate-by-SocalHomeBrew/dp/B008F0CTBA/ref=sr_1_9?ie=UTF8&qid=1519916566&sr=8-9&keywords=stir+plate
Works great. I would be curious to know if the "get what you pay for" reviews are from user error and not product quality. I routinely make 4l starters with this and I never have to go above half speed to get a good whirlpool. Its all about matching speed with the correct size stir bar. A larger bar in a larger volume at a slower speed seems to work better than a small bar at high speed.

This already exists. Unless you're an engineer who doesn't need to ask the question, I doubt you could manage to make something like this without a lot of trouble.

Have a look at http://www.amazon.com/Magnetic-Stirrer-with-Hot-Plate/dp/B0026KHYFQ

There are many similar products.

I've been debating getting just a magnetic stirrer like this one

http://www.amazon.com/Hanna-Instruments-Magnetic-Mini-Stirrer-Speedsafe/dp/B002OSX2Q0/ref=lp_318023011_1_4?s=industrial&ie=UTF8&qid=1451487697&sr=1-4#customerReviews

Using chocolate almond milk and a magnetic stirrer
It makes the Kratom sooooo creamy and not chalky. Mixes perfectly. So much better than water or anything else.