Cedar Rapids Brewing Society

This seems like a pretty good deal if you need a new burner.

http://www.homebrewfinds.com/2015/10/re ... 18-76.html

Note that it may sound like a jet engine. There is a reason they call it a jet burner.

The banjo style burners are very quiet.

And I think that one can argue that the banjo style is more efficient.

The jet burners can overcome that somewhat by wrapping the pot and the top of the burner with foil...but the gas comes out with such velocity that the ignited gas blows up and bounces off the bottom of the kettle, and the hot gas is blows down and away from the kettle. The little square shield helps some (along with the foil wrap), but I would still bet the banjo is more effective.

I have a jet burner...and it is a little loud. My other burner is not a jet, but not a full banjo either...it works pretty well and is more quiet.

$18 is a good price, if it is sturdy.

I use a jet burner (but am about to switch to all electric). Got it cheap. Not that cheap, but close.

IT WORKS FINE.

Turn it up until it starts to go over the edge of the kettle, after that you waste heat.
When you get a boil started, turn it down to where it's almost shut off.

I think the claims of "it is inefficient" are from people who don't do those two things.

I suspect you can probably transfer more heat with a banjo because there is more flame over a bigger area. Noisy? A little, but I like that I can hear it running actually because I can walk short distances away from it during the boil...

But.. there are better choices, sure? I read how jets don't work and I shake my head.

Fred

Jets work, but I prefer a ring for more precise control and quiet since I run mine in the basement on natural gas. Started with a jet and would not run it without setting off the CO2 meter. Outdoors use whatever works and jets are fine.

And at $18 you will have trouble beating that price.