In our 2017 Gear Guide issue (April/May), our editors tested and reviewed a variety of brew kettles. Here are the results.
Anvil 20-Gallon
A simple, well-made, ergonomically sound kettle built for budget-conscious brewers (above, far left)
Test lab notes
Anvil has already used the best word to describe their kettles, “rugged.” Cousin to the Blichmann kettles, they bring the quality of Blichmann Engineering without all of the bells and whistles (or price). We put this kettle through our standard testing regime (handle strength/comfort test, heat disbursement, kettle fall, hops pickup, and of course our favorite, brew enjoyment), and it was among our top rated kettles in every test. During our final test, brew enjoyment, we found ourselves wanting two things: 1) Welded components—we like the aesthetic and the permanence and durability of a good weld. 2) A couple more bells and whistles (or at least the ability to order them on checkout): sight glass, whirlpool valve, HERMS valves (for HLT). The kettle does offer very legible, nicely etched volume markings on its brushed steel finish, which is easy to clean and offers a beautiful aesthetic. At the end of the day, if you’re on the hunt for a durable kettle at a fair price, Anvil will not disappoint.