Mix-stirs are also used on mead for the same reason. You get a large amount of foam after a day of fermentation when you de-gas. You also get a whirlpoo/splashing action that helps get the O2 from the air mixed in. This is a “direct acting stir plate”, same gas exchange happens as in the flasks on a stir plate. But faster.
The plastic blades don’t stand up to the hot wort, they’ll soften and wrap right around the shaft. Ask me how I know…
I did make some replacement blades from stainless steel but never used them. I built a hop strainer that’s so effective that I don’t need to whirlpool.
I used O2 with a stone for a while but my finished beers seemed to have a “washed out” character. Maybe I over oxygenated. Went to the mix stir and haven’t looked back. O2 in the air is free. Pragmatism wins again. 
I am the the same opinion.
I use venturi tube to aerate my wort.
I agree. I have O2 around and I never use it. I pump wort into the fermenter and I squeeze my tube to create turbulence. 
Be careful Bo! You could go blind doing that.
Maybe, but it’s so fun gettin’ there.
On my bigger beers I’ll use my inline oxygenator (a T with a stone held in by compression fitting) as I pump to the conical but for smaller beers I usually close the outlet valve to create turbulence.
so cool. Thanks for the link TM.
I’ve had really good results with the stainless wand and stone I got from Williams Brewing and the red disposable oxygen cannisters from Home Depot.
It sounds like mix-stirs do the job as well, but there’s a lot of pet hair floating around my house.
Ambient air is only 21% oxygen (78% nitrogen). Bottled oxygen and an airstone are way more efficient.
The missing 1% is… pet hair?
With the CO2 canisters, how long do you all let it run?
Thanks
I imagine it’s just a typo but you want o2 not co2. well you want co2 as well but that’s later ;D
Yeah, I mean how long to run th O2 can… :-[
I ususally run it for about a minute for a modest gravity ale and 2 minutes for a lager or a high gravity ale.
Thanks
True, but how much efficiency does a home brewer really need? Pumping oxygen instead of air saves 10 min, but it also costs more.
It’s also about how much oxygen you can dissolve. Wyeast did a study that showed whether you shake and splash for 40 secs, or aquarium pump and air stone for 5 min you can only get about 8ppm dissolved O2. 1 min of pure O2 through a sintered stone can deliver up to 26ppm O2. This may not be important for 1.040 session beers, but if you’re trying another 1.120 monster, it can surely have an impact on yeast health.
Don’t forget that there is also such a thing as too much oxygen. You can’t reach “too much” with air but you can with oxygen
[quote]The plastic blades don’t stand up to the hot wort, they’ll soften and wrap right around the shaft. Ask me how I know…
I did make some replacement blades from stainless steel but never used them. I built a hop strainer that’s so effective that I don’t need to whirlpool.
[/quote]
Pretty sure you aren’t supposed to aerate/oxygenate hot wort. I’m surprised no one else caught this comment earlier?!? Aerating/oxygenating is for cooled wort. Isn’t that where the (bad) term hot-side aeration comes from?
I’ve used the red O2 tanks for years. Recently acquired a cheap decommisioned small medical O2 tank. Holds way more than those disposible red ones. Yes, oxygenating costs more. But I figure the yeast want oxygen not just air. Not that good results can’t be had with aerating.