Best Moonshine Still for Beginners (2023) – Top 5 Compared
Making your own moonshine can be quite tricky—especially if it’s your first time doing it.
For beginners, it can even be challenging to find the best moonshine kits to start with, given the wide range of products out there.
What are the best moonshine kits for beginners? In general, the best moonshine kits (or stills) for those just starting out are ready-made, durable, easy-to-clean, and made of copper.
Coming up, I’ll go over in detail what you should look for in a moonshine kit as a beginner, as well as some practical advice on choosing your first kit. Finally, I’ll show you five of the best moonshine kits out there today so you can get a head-start on your shining!
Top 5 Moonshine Stills for Beginners Compared
The following table shows our top picks with the estimated price range and our final rating. There is also a link placed on each option so it will be easier for you to find the product (Amazon links).
The following table is ranked from the most affordable product first to the most premium choice at the bottom.
As we are talking about beginners equipment here, all the units are in the low-end budget.
| Name | Price Range | Homebrew Rating |
| 1. Seeutek Alcohol Still 3 Gal 12 L Water Alcohol Distiller Spirits Kit w/Circulating Pump, Copper Tube & Dual Display Thermometer, Home Brew Wine Making Kit Oil Boiler Stainless Steel for DIY Whisky | $82.13 | 4/5 |
| 2. No products found. | No products found. | 4/5 |
| 3. ECO-WORTHY Wine Still 5 Gallon Alcohol Distiller Stainless Steel Home Brew Wine Making Kit for DIY Whiskey, Brandy, Distilled Water, Hydrolates with Thumper Keg | 4,5/5 | |
| 4. VEVOR Alcohol Still, Stainless Steel Alcohol Distiller with Copper Tube & Build-in Thermometer & Water Pump, Double Thumper Keg Home Brewing Kit, for DIY Whiskey Wine Brandy (9.6Gal) | 4,75/5 | |
| 5. No products found. | No products found. | 4,5/5 |
My #1 Pick
- Sufficient Capacity: Alcohol still machine owns 8 us gal real capacity, able to distill 30 liters of raw material by heating to...
- Speedy Cooling- This Water Distiller Adopts Open-Type Cooling Method, Copper Coils With Rapid Thermal Conductivity Assures Promising...
- Convenient Usage- Precise Thermometer With Double Display Of Celsius And Fahrenheit On The Lid For Easy Monitoring Of Wine Temperature...
Last update on 2024-07-27 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API
Now, we are going to talk about some factors you should consider before choosing your own kit.
You can also skip it and jump to the products review at the end of the post.
Salud!
Two Things You Should Know Before Buying a Moonshine Still as a Beginner
Before going out and buying the first kit that catches your attention, I urge you to press the pause button.
Making your own moonshine at home can be a rewarding experience, but it’s by no means easy. For this reason, make sure you pay attention to the following when making your purchase:
Material Matters
While there are particular advantages to both stainless steel stills and their copper counterparts, copper is generally recommended for those starting out. It’s also true that copper units are typically more expensive.
While copper may be more difficult to clean, it’s a better heat conductor and therefore makes a better finished product.
Because stainless steel kits can often leave residuals in the final spirit (especially if you’re new to the process), consider going for copper if you can afford it.
In our list you will see that we haven’t placed any copper unit, as we think that you should stick to a low budget when getting your first unit.
If you want to go for higher quality options -including copper-, check this one out: Best Moonshine Kits – Top 7 Compared
The Best Stills Aren’t Always the Best for You
Don’t get me wrong—the top stills are the best for a reason.
That doesn’t mean, however, that you need a top-of-the-line product out of the gate, even if you can afford it. Here’s why: the best stills are usually the most complex, requiring extensive set up and technical know-how that you likely won’t have at the beginning.
For this reason, it’s best to go with a moonshine kit that doesn’t require too much effort on your end.
How to Choose the Best Moonshine Still for a Beginner
With this in mind, what should you look at when looking for your first moonshine kit?
There are three specific guidelines I urge you to consider in order to make a purchase that’s both objectively good and good relative to your level.
Ease of Use
This goes back to what I said before.
Because this will be your first time trying to make moonshine at home, you want a still that’s easy to use.
Stills that are too big or come with too many parts or components can be unwieldy, and improper setup can lead to safety concerns and a product that’s not fit for consumption.
As such, make sure to go with the easy (but good!) options when you’re just starting out.
Quality of Product
Of course, you don’t have to sacrifice quality completely.
There are several beginner options that can create quite a fine spirit (as we’ll see later in this guide).
When taking into account the quality of a beginner moonshine kit, consider brand name (proven options such as VEVOR and Seeutek tend to be good), the material used for construction (stainless steel or copper), and taste/smell (you can generally get a good idea of these from product reviews).
The best stills are those that are rust-resistant, easy to clean, and simple enough even for total beginners to use.
Cost
Finally, you’ll want to find one that fits your budget but that isn’t overly cheap.
Items that are too cheap may not be durable over the long term (or produce a good product ever). At the same time, you could easily wind up spending too much based on your needs without a little bit of research.
Make sure to review the options below to get a sense for how much you should pay on your first moonshine kit.
That’s it for the basics—now let’s look at some of best moonshine kits for beginners.
Each kit offers its own particular benefits and comes with its own specs, so I encourage you to look at them each to see if you can find the one that best suits your needs:
List of 5 Best Moonshine Still for Beginners
#1 ON A BUDGET
Price Range: $
Homebrew Rating: 4/5
Designed for beginners, this three-gallon option from Seeutek is a popular option for more experienced moonshiners, as well.
The device pulls its strength from its easy-to-clean red copper and stainless-steel design, built-in thermometer, and wide range of usage options. Use the Seeutek three-gallon moonshine still for beginning alcohol distillation, and keep it around for more advanced hydro distillation and steam distillation once you’re past the newbie stage.
Because the still has many diverse uses, it can be a good long-term option (and thus offers a good ROI).
Just as important, the still is designed to reduce harmful methanol production, resulting in high purity drinks that are easier to make safely.
The still works through a variety of heating methods, including a kitchen gas stove, electric ceramic heater, induction cooker, and even firewood.
It’s worth noting, however, that because the worm box is located directly over the still, the device can overheat in short order if left unattended. It’s also best to perform an initial cleaning run on the device to wipe out any potential impurities, as well as perform a leak check.
At a low-mid price, the Seeutek three gallon still offers a cheaper way to get your foot in the moonshining door.
PROS
– Easy-to-clean
– Good ROI
– Accepts different heating sources
CONS
– Can overheat if left unattended
Read also: Best propane burners for home stilling
- 🍸 Professional Alcohol Still -- Home copper still, suitable for beginners or professional, easy to use. The alcohol kit adopts an...
- 🍸 Alcohol Still -- All parts of the distillery kit are made of food-grade materials, lead-free, high temperature resistance, acid...
- 🍸 Built-in Thermometer -- The distiller kit contains a metal thermometer, which displays degrees Celsius and Fahrenheit, so you can...
Last update on 2024-07-27 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API
#2 COMPACT UNIT FOR ADVANCED BEGINNERS
Price Range: $$
Homebrew Rating: 4/5
Designed for home use, this five-gallon option from Goetland is constructed of both stainless steel and red copper.
A simple design makes the product good for stove use in particular, and further elements of the device, such as the Fahrenheit- and Celsius-reading thermometer, increase the kit’s accuracy.
This Goetland still is good for beginners for a few reasons.
For starters, it’s not unwieldy in size. Furthermore, the product is made largely from 304 stainless steel, facilitating easier cleanup.
Red copper pipes help the device heat up and cool properly, with fewer residual elements leftover in the final product.
Still, you’ll want to keep in mind that this moonshine kit does not come with a water pump—or instructions.
Though the lack of moving parts on the device make setup easy, even for some beginners, for those who haven’t been around alcohol distillation much, this lack of instruction can be a little daunting.
As with other stills, it’s recommended to clean this moonshine kit before use, with Goetland noting that potential impurities leftover from the manufacturing process may wind up in the final product otherwise.
Overall, this mid-low-priced option is perhaps best for more advanced beginners, though it makes up for this by being a good long-term product.
PROS
– Simple design
– Easy to use
CONS
– Lack of instructions
No products found.
#3 GOOD VALUE FOR MONEY
Price Range: $$
Homebrew Rating: 4,5/5
This eco-friendly product is good for a range of beginning distillation techniques, including the distillation of both wine and water (with the former being its chief function).
The product is made out of stainless steel, with some copper elements included to boost its conductivity. Like some others on this list, the ECO-WORTHY option comes with very few pieces, making setup easier on beginning distillers:
- Boiler Barrel
- Thumper Keg
- Condenser Keg
- Thermometer
- Manual
- Assorted Accessories
Despite its simplicity, the product is able to produce quality alcohol for both beginners and more advanced distillers.
This moonshine kit is compatible with a variety of heating methods, including both gas and electric ceramic stoves, coal stoves, and firewood. Interestingly, the product even includes a fermentation tank for higher quality distillations.
This ECO-WORTHY moonshine kit comes with silicone seals to help keep the product from leaking.
Before using the product, it’s best to ensure that all the leaks are functional.
What’s more, it’s recommended that you tighten the fittings each time you use it, and you may have to end up replacing your washers before too long.
Despite these limitations, the product is overall a great option for beginners, both a result of its good-quality finished product and its compact design.
PROS
– Easy-to-clean
– Includes fermentation tank
– Accepts different heating sources
CONS
– Fittings must be tighten every use
Last update on 2024-07-27 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API
#4 MY FAVORITE
Price Range: $$
Homebrew Rating: 4,5/5
For those seeking a larger option, this 9.6-gallon VEVOR moonshine still may be a better option.
Able to boil and distill up to 38 liters of alcohol at a time, the device is designed for those with higher moonshine production needs.
This moonshine kit comes with upgraded technology that enables quicker cooling of the finished product.
Though the product is largely made of easy-to-clean stainless steel, it relies on copper coils for both heating and cooling, with an open-type cooling system that helps speed up the distillation process.
The 9.6-gallon VEVOR Moonshine Still works through a variety of heating methods, including both gas and ceramic stoves. It also features a convenient thermometer that provides both Fahrenheit and Celsius readings for easier distillation.
The device offers the ability to distill multiple types of alcohol, including fruit wines and brandies.
The still does have its share of drawbacks, though, most noticeably its absence of a real thumper keg.
You’ll likely need to do a bit of copper tubing to really make this piece functional. The thumper keg seal, as well, does not fit perfectly and may need to be replaced.
Still, with easy use, good quality, and a relatively low price, this still is a good option for beginners looking for a potential long-term moonshine kit from a respected brand.
PROS
– Higher capacity
– Quick cooling
– Good quality of materials
CONS
– Absence of real thumper keg
- Sufficient Capacity: Alcohol still machine owns 8 us gal real capacity, able to distill 30 liters of raw material by heating to...
- Speedy Cooling- This Water Distiller Adopts Open-Type Cooling Method, Copper Coils With Rapid Thermal Conductivity Assures Promising...
- Convenient Usage- Precise Thermometer With Double Display Of Celsius And Fahrenheit On The Lid For Easy Monitoring Of Wine Temperature...
Last update on 2024-07-27 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API
#5 PREMIUM UNIT FOR BEGINNERS
Price Range: $$$
Homebrew Rating: 4,75/5
Able to hold up to 50L of liquid, this VEVOR option is the biggest one on the list—and also one of the most versatile.
From alcohol to essential oils, this distiller is used widely by both beginners and more advanced distillers to create their desired product. This 304 stainless steel product comes with two different thermometers for more accurate distillation.
So accurate and convenient is this product that it’s used both in household and commercial settings—something that can’t be said for every option presented here.
The VEVOR 50L Water Alcohol Distiller also comes with more advanced cooling that helps individuals improve the purity of their finished products.
Importantly, both fire and electric heating can be used to heat this large moonshine kit.
A multi-function exhaust check valve for the steamer further increases the utility and quality of this moonshine kit.
Despite the positives of this product, the VEVOR option does not come with an instruction manual—at least not one in English. For this reason, setup can be tricky for those who are complete beginners, even given the small number of pieces involved.
Still, once this step has been complete, this pricier option offers distillers a wide variety of distillation methods.
PROS
– Capacity
– Professional use
– Advanced cooling
CONS
– Tricky set up with no instructions
No products found.
Conclusion
Distilling alcohol is a complex (and risky) endeavor, meaning you’ll need all the help you can get if you’re just starting out. The best way to get this help is to use a quality moonshine kit.
In this guide, I went over exactly what I think you should look for in a moonshine kit, as well as five of the best moonshine kits for beginners.
My pick was basically based on my needs -fair price, complete kit and decent quality-, that’s why I think the unit from No products found. was the best option for me. As I always say, this is a matter of knowing what your needs are, and buying the best option accordingly.
Not sure which moonshine kit you should start with? Be sure to review the options in this guide!
