- The best immersion chiller fits inside your kettle below the wort line, connects to your hose or faucet, and has enough tubing for your batch and water temperature.
- 25 ft of 3/8-inch copper (NY Brew Supply, Northern Brewer Copperhead, HomeBrewStuff) is the standard for 5-gallon batches.
- For speed, JaDeD's Hydra runs three 25-ft coils in parallel; its maker claims 5 gallons from boiling to 68°F in 3 minutes.
- Stainless (Anvil, NY Brew Supply 50 ft, LD Carlson, Silver Serpent) chills more slowly per foot than copper but resists acidic cleaners.
The best immersion chiller is a coil you drop into the kettle for the last minutes of the boil; tap water runs through it and carries the heat away. It needs no pump, nothing hidden inside to clean, and it works with any kettle it fits. We compared ten immersion chillers from seven brands using the tubing length, diameter, coil size, material and fittings each listing gives, and we mark chill-time figures as maker claims.
Comparing chiller types? Our wort chiller roundup covers counterflow and plate chillers too, and our plate chiller picks go deeper on single-pass chilling.
Our picks
JaDeD Brewing Hydra Triple-Coil Copper Immersion Chiller
JaDeD Brewing
- Volume
- 3 × 25 ft × 3/8 in. OD coils; 12 × 20 in.
- Material
- Copper, made in USA
- Type
- Immersion chiller
The Hydra runs three 25-foot sections of 3/8-inch OD copper in parallel in a low, wide concentric coil. JaDeD claims 5 gallons from boiling to 68°F (20°C) in 3 minutes with 18 gallons of 58°F (14°C) tap water, and 140°F (60°C) in 45 seconds. It is made in the USA with lead-free solder and solid brass 3/4-inch hose fittings.
Best for: Fast chilling in wide kettles, including shallow 5-gallon wort in a big pot
Skip if: Your kettle is under about 12 inches across
- Three parallel coils, 75 ft total
- Low-profile coil suits shallow wort
- Made in USA
- Listing dimensions disagree: 12 × 20 in. in specs, 12 in. × 4.5 in. coil in bullets
- Needs a wide kettle
JaDeD Brewing 50 ft x 3/8 in. Copper Immersion Chiller
JaDeD Brewing
- Volume
- 50 ft × 3/8 in. OD; 9.75 × 20 in.
- Material
- Copper, lead-free solder
- Type
- Immersion chiller
JaDeD's 50-foot chiller is 3/8-inch OD copper with a 9 3/4-inch coil diameter and a 9-inch coil height, lead-free solder and solid brass 3/4-inch male and swivel female garden hose fittings. JaDeD notes you only rinse and dry the outside.
Best for: 5–10 gallon batches and warm summer tap water
Skip if: You brew 1–2 gallon batches
- 50 ft of copper
- Brass swivel hose fittings
- Made in USA
- Taller coil needs deeper wort
- Heavier than 25 ft coils
NY Brew Supply Copper Immersion Wort Chiller, 3/8 in. x 25 ft
NY Brew Supply
- Volume
- 3/8 in. × 25 ft, 9 1/4 in. coil, 16 in. tall
- Material
- Copper
- Type
- Immersion chiller
NY Brew Supply's 25-foot, 3/8-inch copper chiller has a 9 1/4-inch coil diameter, a 16-inch overall height, 12 feet of vinyl tubing and a brass hose adapter: the classic first chiller for 5-gallon batches.
Best for: A first chiller for 5–8 gallon kettles
Skip if: Your groundwater runs warm in summer
- Standard 9 1/4 in. coil
- Tubing and brass adapter
- Simple to clean
- 25 ft is slower in hot weather
- Vinyl tubing can stiffen over time
Northern Brewer Copperhead Copper Immersion Chiller, 25 ft
Northern Brewer
- Volume
- 3/8 in. × 25 ft
- Material
- Copper
- Type
- Immersion chiller
Northern Brewer's Copperhead is 25 feet of 3/8-inch copper with drop-angle connections that keep any drip outside the kettle, a standard garden hose connection and tubing, barbed fittings and hose clamps fully assembled.
Best for: Brewers worried about hose drips into the wort
Skip if: You want brass threaded fittings instead of barbs and clamps
- Drop-angle connections
- Fully assembled
- Laundry sink or garden hose
- Coil dimensions not listed
- Barbed fittings use clamps
HomeBrewStuff 25 ft Copper Immersion Chiller, Deluxe
HomeBrewStuff
- Volume
- 3/8 in. × 25 ft, 9 1/4 in. coil, 17 in. tall
- Batch size
- 5 gal
- Material
- Copper
HomeBrewStuff's Deluxe 25-foot copper chiller (9 1/4 × 17 inches, 3/8-inch OD) comes with two 12-foot hoses, brazed garden hose fittings (female swivel inlet, male outlet) and a faucet adapter. HomeBrewStuff claims copper has up to 28 times the thermal conductivity of stainless.
Best for: Kitchen or laundry-sink chilling
Skip if: You only chill outdoors from a hose bib
- Faucet adapter included
- Two 12 ft hoses
- Brazed fittings
- 25 ft length
- Copper tarnishes without cleaning
Craft A Brew Clover Copper Immersion Chiller, 5 Gal
Craft A Brew
- Volume
- 12.5 ft coil
- Batch size
- 5 gal
- Material
- Copper, made in USA
Craft A Brew's Clover chiller has 12.5 feet of made-in-USA copper in a clover shape, two vinyl leads, a hose adapter and stainless worm clamps. The maker says to submerge it in boiling wort for the last few minutes to sanitize it.
Best for: Stovetop pots and small batches
Skip if: You chill full 5-gallon boils in summer
- Compact
- Made in USA
- Pre-assembled
- Only 12.5 ft
- Coil size not listed
Anvil Stainless Immersion Chiller with Hose and Fittings
Anvil Brewing Equipment
- Volume
- 3/8 in. × 28 ft coil
- Material
- Stainless steel
- Type
- Immersion chiller
Anvil's stainless chiller is a 3/8-inch × 28-foot coil with 10 feet of tubing, fittings and clamps. It suits Anvil Foundry systems and standard kettles, and stainless tolerates acidic cleaners.
Best for: Electric all-in-one systems and stainless-only setups
Skip if: You want the fastest chill per foot
- 28 ft stainless
- Tubing and clamps included
- Fits Foundry systems
- Slower than copper per foot
- Coil diameter not listed
NY Brew Supply Stainless Immersion Wort Chiller, 3/8 in. x 50 ft
NY Brew Supply
- Volume
- 3/8 in. × 50 ft, 24 in. tall
- Material
- Stainless steel
- Type
- Immersion chiller
NY Brew Supply's 50-foot stainless chiller has a 9 3/4-inch coil diameter, an 8 1/2-inch coil height, a 24-inch overall height and brass garden hose fittings. Twice the length of a 25-foot coil helps make up for stainless transferring heat more slowly.
Best for: Stainless fans with 8–15 gallon kettles
Skip if: Your kettle lid won't close over a 24 in. tall chiller
- 50 ft stainless
- Brass hose fittings
- Tall inlet keeps fittings above the kettle
- Tall overall height
- Heavier coil
Northern Brewer Silver Serpent Stainless Immersion Chiller
Northern Brewer
- Volume
- Garden hose connection
- Material
- Stainless steel
- Type
- Immersion chiller
Northern Brewer's Silver Serpent is the stainless sibling of the Copperhead, with barbed fittings, drop-angle connections that keep leaks outside the kettle, a garden hose connection, and tubing and clamps assembled. Its length is not listed on this listing.
Best for: Brewers who want stainless and leak-safe routing
Skip if: You need the tubing length before buying
- Stainless
- Drop-angle connections
- Fully assembled
- Length not listed
- Barbed fittings with clamps
Stainless Immersion Wort Chiller, 25 ft
LD Carlson
- Volume
- 25 ft, 9 in. coil, 16 in. tall
- Material
- Stainless steel
- Type
- Immersion chiller
LD Carlson's stainless chiller is 25 feet with a 9-inch coil and a 16-inch height, a garden hose fitting and vinyl tubing. It is a plain, durable coil for 5-gallon kettles.
Best for: A basic stainless chiller for 5-gallon batches
Skip if: You want faster chilling than 25 ft of stainless gives
- Stainless
- Standard 9 in. coil
- Hose fitting included
- 25 ft stainless is slowest of the group
- Tubing diameter not listed
Immersion chillers compared by length, coil and fittings
Listed specs
| Chiller | Material | Length | Coil dia × height | Overall height | Water fittings |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| JaDeD Hydra | Copper | 3 × 25 ft, 3/8 in. OD | 12 in. × 4.5 in. (bullets) | 20 in. (specs) | Brass 3/4 in. GH |
| JaDeD 50 ft | Copper | 50 ft, 3/8 in. OD | 9 3/4 × 9 in. | 20 in. (specs) | Brass male + swivel female |
| NY Brew Supply 25 ft | Copper | 25 ft, 3/8 in. | 9 1/4 in. | 16 in. | Brass adapter, 12 ft vinyl |
| Northern Brewer Copperhead | Copper | 25 ft, 3/8 in. | Not listed | Not listed | GH, drop-angle barbs |
| HomeBrewStuff Deluxe | Copper | 25 ft, 3/8 in. OD | 9 1/4 in. | 17 in. | Brazed GH, faucet adapter |
| Craft A Brew Clover | Copper | 12.5 ft | Not listed | Not listed | Hose adapter, worm clamps |
| Anvil stainless | Stainless | 28 ft, 3/8 in. | Not listed | Not listed | 10 ft tubing, clamps |
| NY Brew Supply 50 ft stainless | Stainless | 50 ft, 3/8 in. | 9 3/4 × 8 1/2 in. | 24 in. | Brass GH |
| Northern Brewer Silver Serpent | Stainless | Not listed | Not listed | Not listed | GH, drop-angle barbs |
| LD Carlson stainless | Stainless | 25 ft | 9 in. | 16 in. | GH, vinyl tubing |
Source: Product listings, November 2026 (GH = garden hose)
Tubing length (feet)
Silver Serpent length not listed
Copper or stainless immersion chiller?
Copper moves heat much faster than stainless; HomeBrewStuff puts it at up to 28 times the thermal conductivity. That's why a 25-foot copper coil is the standard for 5 gallons while stainless chillers often come in 28–50 foot lengths. Stainless wins on durability and on tolerance of acidic cleaners and sanitizers, and it stays shiny. Copper darkens with use; a brewing cleaner per the label restores it, and the boil sanitizes either one.
Water temperature sets the floor. A chiller can't take wort below the temperature of the water running through it, and in summer, tap water in many US regions runs warm. If yours does, chill to about 90°F (32°C) with tap water, then switch to a pre-chiller in ice water or recirculate ice water with a small pump.
How to use an immersion chiller
- Connect and test before brew day
Hook up the hose or faucet adapter and run water to check for leaks at every fitting.
- Sanitize in the boil
Set the clean chiller in the kettle for the last 10–15 minutes of the boil so the wort sanitizes it.
- Start the water slowly
Open the tap gently at first; the outflow will be near boiling. Route it to a drain or bucket, not across a walkway.
- Stir the wort
Gently moving the chiller or stirring with a sanitized spoon speeds chilling a lot.
- Stop at pitching temperature
Check with a thermometer and chill to the yeast's range before transferring.
Immersion chiller mistakes to avoid
- Buying a coil wider than the kettle. Measure your kettle's inside diameter; 9–10 inch coils fit most 8-gallon kettles.
- Letting hose water drip into the wort. Drop-angle or outward-routed connections prevent it.
- Running water before the chiller is in the kettle. Cold coils dropped into boiling wort can splash.
- Wasting the warm outflow. Collect it for cleaning gear.
- Storing it wet. Dry the coil before storage to avoid spots and odors.
Which immersion chiller should you buy?
- First chiller for 5 gallons: NY Brew Supply 25 ft copper.
- Leak-safe connections: Northern Brewer Copperhead (copper) or Silver Serpent (stainless).
- Chilling at a kitchen sink: HomeBrewStuff Deluxe.
- Small pots: Craft A Brew Clover.
- Summer water or bigger batches: JaDeD 50 ft copper.
- Fastest possible: JaDeD Hydra, in a wide kettle.
- Stainless: Anvil 28 ft for all-in-ones, NY Brew Supply 50 ft for big kettles, LD Carlson 25 ft for a simple coil.
An immersion chiller pairs with any kettle it fits; check our brew kettles for notched lids. Outdoor brewers on a propane burner can run the chiller straight from a garden hose.
A 25-foot copper chiller from NY Brew Supply, Northern Brewer or HomeBrewStuff is the best immersion chiller for most 5-gallon brewers. Step up to JaDeD's 50-foot coil for bigger batches or warm summer water, or the Hydra if speed matters most and your kettle is wide. Choose Anvil or NY Brew Supply 50 ft stainless for an all-stainless setup.
Before you buy, read how to brew beer at home (extract, step by step) and brew-day safety: propane, CO2, glass and chemicals. For a closer look, see Immersion vs plate vs counterflow chillers.
We compared material, tubing length and diameter, coil dimensions, overall height and fittings from current listings, recorded chill-time and conductivity figures as maker claims, and flagged where a listing disagrees with itself (Hydra dimensions). Process guidance follows Palmer's How to Brew and the AHA. We did not brew with these chillers, and we don't show scores, star ratings or prices.