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Homebrew equipment checklist

A homebrew equipment checklist by stage: boil, chill, ferment, measure, clean and package, with what kits include, what they leave out and upgrade paths.

Updated November 2026 · 7 min read

Brewing gear laid out on a table: pots, glass jug, funnel, hydrometer, tubing and malt
Photo: PierreSelim, CC BY 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
The short version
  • Every batch needs gear for six jobs: boil, chill, ferment, measure, clean and sanitize, and package.
  • Starter kits usually cover fermenting, sanitizing and bottling tools, but often not the kettle or the roughly 50 bottles a 5 gal batch fills.
  • Buy a kettle bigger than you need today; it is the piece most people replace first.
  • Temperature control and a hydrometer improve beer more than any shiny upgrade.
  • Use the budget builder to price your own list; we don’t publish prices because they change daily.

This homebrew equipment checklist lists everything a 5 gal (19 L) batch needs, grouped by the job each item does, so you can check a starter kit against it and see what is missing. It also marks what is essential on day one and what can wait.

The list follows the process in Palmer’s How to Brew and the contents of common starter kits from Northern Brewer, Brewer’s Best and Home Brew Ohio, as listed by the makers. For a 1 gal batch, scale the vessels down and skip the chiller; everything else stays the same.

The essential homebrew equipment checklist

Print this table or copy it into your notes. “Day one” items are needed for a first extract batch. “Soon” items fix the most common problems. “Later” items are upgrades.

5 gal extract batch: equipment by stage

StageItemWhenIn most starter kits?
BoilKettle, 5 gal (19 L) for partial boils, 8 gal (30 L)+ for full boilsDay one✗ Often not; some kits add one
BoilLong stainless spoon, kitchen timerDay one~ Spoon sometimes
BoilMesh steeping bagDay one✓ Usually with the recipe kit
ChillIce bath or immersion chillerDay one / soon✗ Chiller rarely included
Ferment6.5 gal bucket or 6 gal carboy, lid or stopper, airlockDay one✓ Yes
FermentStick-on or probe thermometerDay one~ Some kits
FermentTemperature controller and fridge or chamberSoon✗ No
MeasureHydrometer and test jarDay one~ Many kits; some leave it out
MeasureInstant-read thermometerDay one✗ Usually not
CleanUnscented cleaner (PBW, OneStep), brushesDay one~ A cleaner sample sometimes
SanitizeNo-rinse sanitizer such as Star San, spray bottleDay one~ Varies
TransferAuto-siphon, tubing, bottling bucket with spigotDay one✓ Usually
PackageBottle filler, capper, capsDay one✓ Usually
PackageAbout 50 × 12 oz bottles (or 26 × 22 oz)Day one✗ Usually not
PackagePriming sugar and a kitchen scaleDay one~ Sugar often in the recipe kit
RecordBrew log or notebookDay one✗ Free printable on this site

Source: Northern Brewer, Brewer’s Best and Home Brew Ohio kit listings; Palmer, How to Brew

~5012 oz bottles for a 5 gal batch (kits list this as “you still need”)Northern Brewer starter kit listing
1 fl ozStar San per 5 gal of water, per the maker’s directions (check the current label)EPA label, Reg. No. 65001-1
20 galWater one Campden tablet treats for chlorine or chloramineBYO: Water treatments

Starter kits: what they include and leave out

A starter kit is the fastest way to tick most of the list at once. The difference between kits is usually the kettle, the fermenter type (bucket, PET or glass) and whether bottles are included.

ProductBatch sizeTypeFermenterIncludesStill need
Northern Brewer Brew. Share. Enjoy. Starter Kit, Block Party Amber5 galExtract recipe kit + equipmentSiphonless fermenterBlock Party Amber recipe kit—
Northern Brewer Starter Kit with Kettle, Chinook IPA, 5 Gal5 galExtract recipe kit + equipment—Brew kettle, testing equipment, Chinook IPA recipe kit—
Brewer’s Best Deluxe Equipment Kit with Better Bottle, American Amber5 galEquipment + ingredient kitBetter Bottle PET carboyBoil kettle, American Amber ingredient kitBottles
Home Brew Ohio Essential 5 Gal Beer Equipment Kit5 galEquipment kit6.5 gal fermentorBottling bucket, auto-siphon, hydrometer, capper, thermometerBrew pot, recipe kit, bottles
Home Brew Ohio K6 Beer Equipment Kit with 6 Gal Glass Carboy5 galEquipment kit6 gal glass carboy—Recipe kit

Specs as listed by the maker or seller; check the listing before you buy.

If a kit leaves out the kettle, buy one that is bigger than the batch. A 5 gal pot works for extract partial boils, but an 8–10 gal pot handles full boils and later all-grain brew-in-a-bag without a second purchase.

Boil and chill

Stainless kettles with a ball valve make transfers easier and avoid lifting hot liquid. Aluminum works too, though it should be boiled with water first to build an oxide layer.

A copper immersion wort chiller coiled inside a pot in a kitchen sink with hoses attached
A kettle and an immersion chiller cover the hot side.Photo: geoffeg, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Flickr

Chilling an extract partial boil in an ice bath takes time but works. Full-volume boils need an immersion chiller connected to a faucet or garden hose. Copper conducts heat faster; stainless is easier to keep shiny.

Propane burners: outdoors onlyRun jet burners in open air, away from the house. CPSC says to keep fryer-style propane burners out of the garage, off the deck and away from the house; a garage, porch or carport with the door open is still not outdoors. Burning propane makes carbon monoxide. Leak-check fittings with soapy water and never leave a boil unattended.Source: CPSC holiday cooking safety

Ferment and control temperature

Buckets are cheap, wide and easy to clean. PET carboys and FermZilla-style fermenters let you see the beer and seal better. Glass doesn’t scratch, but it is heavy and dangerous when it breaks. Whatever you choose, leave about 20% headspace for foam.

A white plastic fermenting bucket with handle and an airlock in the lid
A bucket fermenter with airlock is the usual starting point.Photo: Odour lock, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Temperature control is the biggest upgrade most new brewers can make. A dual-stage controller plugged into a fridge (cooling) and a heat wrap (heating) holds the beer within a degree or two of the setting.

Glass carboys breakGlass carboys can break and cut. Use a good carboy handle and always support the bottom when you move a full one; a crate or carrier under the base helps on slippery floors. Never pour hot wort into cold glass. PET and stainless avoid the risk.Source: Craft Beer & Brewing: Homebrew safety

Measure

A triple-scale hydrometer tells you the original gravity, when fermentation is finished and the ABV. An instant-read thermometer checks steeping and pitching temperatures. A refractometer or digital hydrometer is a later upgrade.

A handheld refractometer and pipette in its foam-lined case
A refractometer kit, often the second measuring tool brewers buy.Photo: CEphoto, Uwe Aranas, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Read how to use a hydrometer before brew day so you know what the readings mean.

Clean and sanitize

Cleaners remove residue; sanitizers kill what is left on a clean surface. You need both. PBW and OneStep are cleaners; Star San and iodophor are sanitizers. Use each only at the dilution printed on its label.

Chemicals: label directions onlyUse sanitizers, cleaners, acids and salts only at the dilution and contact time on the label. Wear eye protection with acids and powders, add acid to water, keep them away from children and food prep. Star San is EPA-registered (Reg. No. 65001-1) as a no-rinse sanitizer at label dilution.Source: EPA Star San label

More detail in cleaning vs sanitizing.

Transfer and package

An auto-siphon moves beer without mouth-starting a siphon. A bottling bucket with a spigot and a spring-tip bottle filler make filling clean and fast. Wing cappers are cheap; bench cappers are easier on long bottling days and handle odd bottle shapes better.

Freshly filled swing-top bottles beside a glass fermenter on a counter
Filled bottles beside the fermenter.Photo: mbeldyk, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Flickr

Use standard, heavy pry-off bottles. Twist-off bottles often don’t seal well with a standard capper. Swing-tops work if the gaskets are in good condition.

Avoid bottle bombsBottle only after the gravity reads the same 2–3 days in a row, measure priming sugar with a calculator, use standard bottles only to about 3 volumes, store them in a closed box at room temperature and refrigerate once carbonated.Source: BYO carbonation priming chart

Brew-day checklist: lay this out before you start

Owning the gear is half the job; having it clean, sanitized and within reach is the other half. Run through this list the evening before and again on the morning of brew day.

  1. Recipe printed, ingredients checked against it, yeast date and storage checked.
  2. Kettle, spoon, steeping bag, timer and thermometer clean and on the counter.
  3. Fermenter, lid or stopper, airlock and gasket cleaned the day before and dry.
  4. Sanitizer mixed at the label dilution in a bucket, plus a spray bottle for small parts.
  5. Ice and a sink or tub ready for an ice bath, or the chiller connected and leak-checked with cold water.
  6. Top-up water chilled if you brew a partial boil (treated with Campden if your tap water uses chloramine).
  7. Hydrometer, test jar and a notepad or the printed brew log near the fermenter.
  8. Fermentation spot chosen and at temperature: away from sunlight, sheltered from big day-night swings.
  9. Heat-resistant gloves and a clear walkway between stove and sink; children and pets out of the brew area.
  10. For propane: burner set up outdoors on a level, non-combustible surface, hose leak-checked with soapy water, fire extinguisher nearby.

On bottling day, repeat the idea: bottles cleaned ahead, caps and bottling bucket sanitized, priming sugar weighed with the calculator, and a dry box ready to hold the filled bottles while they carbonate.

Upgrades, in the order most brewers buy them

  1. Temperature control: controller plus a fridge or chamber. Fixes most off-flavors.
  2. Wort chiller: faster, cleaner chilling for full boils.
  3. Bigger kettle: full boils and a path to all-grain.
  4. Kegging setup: no more washing 50 bottles. See how to keg homebrew.
  5. All-grain gear: brew bag or electric all-in-one. See how to brew all-grain.
  6. pH meter and water salts: fine-tuning for all-grain brewers.

Mistakes to avoid when buying equipment

  • Buying the smallest kettle. You will outgrow it on the first full boil.
  • Skipping the hydrometer. Without it, you can’t tell when it is safe to bottle.
  • Using scented dish soap or abrasive pads on plastic. Fragrance lingers and scratches hide bacteria.
  • Mixing up cleaner and sanitizer. A no-rinse cleaner does not sanitize.
  • Buying thin or twist-off bottles. They break or leak under pressure.
  • Spending on gadgets before temperature control. A steady fermentation temperature beats almost any other upgrade.

Who needs what

  • Apartment or gift for an adult 21+: a 1 gal kit plus a hydrometer and sanitizer.
  • First 5 gal batch: a starter kit with kettle, about 50 bottles, a thermometer and a hydrometer.
  • Second year: controller, chiller and a larger kettle, in that order.
  • Planning ahead: list each path in the budget builder and type in the prices you see today.
Homebrew startup budget builderPick your path (1 gal kit, 5 gal extract, 120V or 240V all-in-one) and packaging, then enter your own prices for each item.

Gear picks for this guide: best homebrew kits and best brewing sanitizers and cleaners.

VerdictCheck a kit against the six jobs (boil, chill, ferment, measure, clean, package) and fill the gaps. A large kettle, a hydrometer and temperature control are the three items that most improve the beer and the experience.
Homebrew startup budget builderAdd up what it costs to start homebrewing with your own prices: 1-gallon kit, 5-gallon extract or a 120V or…Printable brew-day log and recipe sheetFree brew-day log: record recipe, water and salts, mash, gravities, yeast, fermentation temperatures,…

Questions

What equipment do I need to start homebrewing?
A kettle, a fermenter with an airlock, a hydrometer, a cleaner and a no-rinse sanitizer, an auto-siphon, a bottling bucket, a bottle filler, a capper, caps and about 50 bottles for 5 gal. Most starter kits include everything except the kettle and bottles.
What size kettle do I need for 5 gallons?
A 5 gal kettle is enough for an extract partial boil of about 2.5–3 gal. For a full 5 gal boil or all-grain brew-in-a-bag, choose 8–10 gal (30–38 L).
Do I need a wort chiller?
Not for a 1 gal batch or a small partial boil, which you can chill in an ice bath. For full-volume boils, a chiller saves a lot of time and helps limit DMS.
How many bottles do I need for a 5 gallon batch?
About 50 standard 12 oz bottles, or about 26 bombers of 22 oz, after allowing for loss to the yeast sediment.
Can I reuse commercial beer bottles?
Yes, if they are pry-off bottles in good condition. Rinse them right after pouring, check for chips and cracks, clean and sanitize before filling. Avoid twist-off bottles.
Plastic or glass fermenter for beginners?
Plastic buckets and PET carboys are lighter and safer. Glass doesn’t scratch but is heavy and can break; if you use it, carry it by the base in a crate or carrier.

Sources

  1. John Palmer, How to Brew (equipment chapters)
  2. American Homebrewers Association: How to brew
  3. EPA: Star San label, Reg. No. 65001-1
  4. BYO: Water treatments
  5. BYO: Proper cleaning and sanitation
  6. Craft Beer & Brewing: Homebrew safety
  7. CPSC: Saxco carboy recall (laceration hazard)