Kindly suggest a paddle or perhaps a long plastic spoon that would be preferred for a budding all-grain brewer. My MT is a 10 gallon Igloo, I’ll be doing 5 gallon and below batches for the foreseeable future. Thanks!
This is the SS one I have: 24 Stainless Spoon, Basic Equipment: Great Fermentations
I was just going to say this. I just have a 24" SS spoon. It’s easy to clean, sits in my long sanitizer tray, goes in the dishwasher, and I like having one piece of gear instead of two. I’ve never seen the advantage of having a separate plastic or wooden paddle when brewing at the scale we do.
Yeah, I bought a cool wooden mash paddle a long time ago from a guy who makes them. Except it was hard to use in my rectangular cooler. The SS spoon works much better.
I’ve got a hand carved maple paddle a friend made and it’s great. no problem with the cooler. It’s only for the mash though so I can see the value of an SS spoon in terms of multitasking. The paddle is a nod to the ‘coolness’ factor admittedly.
I have one of the long plastic spoons they sell at homebrew shops. I rarely use but that’s because I rarely brew batches that need something that big. Somewhere along the way I obtained a large SS slotted spoon for the kitchen that works extremely well in my smaller batches for both stirring the mash and the boil. When I do brew a five gallon batch that long spoon does a great job of scooping up the dry grain along the bottom edge of the cooler and making sure everything gets mixed up. I couldn’t see one of those big wooden paddles doing as good of a job in a small cooler. I’d probably feel differently if I brewed 15+ gallon batches though.
I have a large stainless paddle that collects dust. My “go to” is the long SS spoon.
I have the 24" spoon mentioned above and a wooden mash paddle. The advantage of the wooden paddle is it looks cool on my wall.

I have the 24" spoon mentioned above and a wooden mash paddle. The advantage of the wooden paddle is it looks cool on my wall.
Looks cool on my wall, too!
I have this type: Northern Brewer Home Brew Supplies
Unlike most of the responses on this thread I actually use it in my cooler. :) It breaks ups the clumps of grains quicker than my SS spoon. To each there own. I could get by without it but it useful to have around.
Paul
I want to update my answer. I have a 24" spoon and a wooden mash paddle. I use the wooden paddle for the mash tun. Before I got the paddle I used the spoon. They both work fine. I bought the wooden paddle because I wanted it, not, because I needed it. I really like seeing it hanging on the wall. It was worth the money just for that.
PS. I tell my kids it’s a spanking stick. But, they don’t believe me.
I am a stainless spoon guy. Huge and cheap at restaurant supply joint
Find a restaurant supply store near you; they’ll have tons of long SS spoons for short cash.

I have this type: Northern Brewer Home Brew Supplies
Unlike most of the responses on this thread I actually use it in my cooler. :) It breaks ups the clumps of grains quicker than my SS spoon. To each there own. I could get by without it but it useful to have around.
Paul
I have the same one and use it mashing in ten gallon batches. Works very well for me in modified kegs, but I can see how a spoon would work well in a shallower tun.

Find a restaurant supply store near you; they’ll have tons of long SS spoons for short cash.
Yes, I actually did this a couple of years ago. Since I already own one, I suppose the consensus is to keep using it!
I made a wooden mash paddle just to say I did it, but I don’t think it’s ever touched a mash. I have a 24" SS spoon (keep your eye on Homebrewfinds.com - stuff like this is listed there all the time) and a 24" (I think) SS whisk, which does wonders for breaking up dough balls.
36" wooden King Kooker from Academy (gift certificate). I like the wood and the length in the 10 gal Igloo…not designed for brewing but great in my system…
Another vote for the big SS spoon. I do all grain with Asimilar setup. No need to get fancy. Your just stirring. Beware doughballs.
I use a huge stainless wire wisk from a commercial resaurant supply store. When I’m doing really big batches, I use a homemade mixer in my cordless drill on low speed. Really like the wisk. I received a custom wood paddle for Christmas a few years back. I’ve never used it for anything brewing.
Funny, I made a wooden mash paddle and love it. It’s much stiffer than the big SS spoon I used to use which makes it easier to mix the mash.