Ordered a 10 gallon kettle (planned HLT) that arrived today from a reputable online retailer. Previous SS kettles I’ve owned were cheapo versions. Admittedly I’m a bit of a perfectionist but I’m concerned with the quality of this. There is a welding spot (seams) where I assume they welded the pot together first picture, but you can see in the closeup there is obvious scratching.
Secondly, you can see the inside of the kettle where it looks like the bottom was welded to the main part of the kettle. I did email the retailer and they said it’s all normal and part of the manufacturing process. They mentioned the marks are part of the grounding and polishing of the welds. FWIW, the kettle was ~$180.
Thoughts? Ask for a refund? Suck it up? Perhaps some of this will come off if I do an initial cleaning or soak?
Keep in mind these pictures are very close up and with a high pixels.
Can you feel the scratches as if they’re deep? Likely you will impart some minor scuffing yourself with a green scrub pad, but they shouldn’t be deep enough for water to collect and cause pitting.
Haven’t got that far yet. I’m guessing not, but I think I’m just more let down with the quality more than anything. Maybe this is normal for kettles that are welded like this.
The seem welds look pretty damn good honestly, but I don’t know about the scratches. $180 is about mid-range IMO. Maybe you can get them to rebate you a bit.
That’s too bad. Without seeing it personally, I can’t say how I would handle it. I hope they will make good for you. Either way, you have a platform here to communicate your full experience.
Well the retailer was quick to respond after my return request, free shipping back to them and a really nice professional response. Good on them! I MAY have gone all out and picked up a Blichmann G2 10 gallon ;D
Nice! I’ve been lusting after a Blichmann for a while. A bit pricey, but I appreciate all of the little things they have considered. Shielded site gauge, hanging handle on the lid, that new fancy ball valve, adjustable thermometer face, and press in dip tube. I’ve heard plenty of people talk smack and say they are over priced, but to me the little things matter. Also, all but the biggest sizes are made in the U.S. now. U.S. made is worth a premium in my opinion.
Glad to hear spike is taking care of you. I wonder if this was all just a fluke.
I do not understand why Blichmann has not moved to using welded fittings on their kettles now that Vollrath is manufacturing their stockpots. Vollrath owns Polar Ware, and Polar Ware has the in-house expertise to build kettles with custom-made welded fittings. Polar Ware’s Brew Pot (BP) line of kettles have sported welded fittings since they were first introduced over a decade ago.
Good question. While I don’t mind weldless fittings, there is something reassuring about good quality welds. Could it have something to do with there snap-in dip tube?
Whether custom or off-the-shelf, every kettle that I have owned has had welded fittings. Sanitary/stainless welders are not that difficult to find. All one has to do is ask around.
I use a 37-degree flare fitting and a flared stainless steel pickup tube that I manufactured on the inside of the 3.5-gallon batch size kettle that I built in the fall of 2013 (started out as a Vollrath Optio 6.75 gallon stockpot). My pickup tube only needs to be finger tight. The advantage of using a flared tube and a 37-degree flare fitting is that the hole in one’s false bottom does not need to be much large than the diameter of the pickup tube because the pickup tube goes on the fitting, not in the fitting. Blichmann uses a washer to cover an oval hole in their false bottom because the snap-in pickup tube requires travel.
My custom 6.75-gallon kettle
37-degree stainless flare fitting
Pickup tube installed
Pickup tube and custom Jaybird false bottom installed
