Kombucha Brewing Starter Kits Review–Good Deal or A Waste of Money?
Keep us brewing and blogging! We earn a small commission from purchases made through links on this site without increasing your cost. Thank you for your support.
Purchasing a Kombucha Brewing Kit is the fastest way we know of to start brewing kombucha at home. Many of the items that you need to start brewing kombucha are probably already in your own kitchen. For example, if you do any cooking at all, you probably have a large pot, a large stirring spoon, measuring cups, and perhaps a funnel.
So, the only items you likely don’t have on hand are a glass brewing jar of one gallon size or larger, a cloth cover for the brewing kombucha, a thermometer, and a SCOBY with starter tea. And that is where a kombucha brewing kit comes in.
Buying a kombucha essentials brewing kit will get you most or all of those necessary items in one purchase. And you can buy your kit online at Amazon.com and have it delivered to your door. What could be easier?
In a hurry? See our top picks…
CLICK on any image below to see Ratings and Reviews on Amazon
| Image | Title | Price | Prime | Buy |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Top
Top
Top | Kombucha Starter Kit (Deluxe with Heating Mat) SCOBY, Jar, PH Test Strips, Fermenting Ingredients and more | PrimeEligible | Buy Now | |
Top
Top
Top | The Kombucha Shop Kombucha Starter Kit - 1 Gallon Brewing Kit Includes Everything You Need To Brew Kombucha At Home | PrimeEligible | Buy Now | |
Top
Top
Top | Bucha Brewers Kombucha Starter Kit with Everything You Need to Brew Kombucha at Home. Kombucha Brewing Kit with SCOBY, Starter Tea, Organic Sugar, pH Strips, Thermometer Strip, Instructions, & More | PrimeEligible | Buy Now | |
Top
Top
Top | The Complete Kombucha Brewing Starter Kit | Fermentaholics USDA Certified Organic Kit (The Complete Kombucha Brewing Starter Kit) | PrimeEligible | Buy Now | |
Top
Top
Top | 1-Gallon Kombucha Brewing Starter Kit | USDA Organic Kombucha SCOBY- Pellicle With 1.5 Cups Starter Tea | Organic Sugar | Organic Tea Blend| Thermometer | pH Strips | Breathable Cover and Rubber Band | Prime | Buy Now |
Kombucha Brewing Kits Contain Different Items
However, we discovered that kombucha home brewing kits are not all created equal. In fact, brewing kits differ widely in the kombucha brewing equipment and supplies they contain.
Some kits have items you definitely don’t need, and some of them lack essential items. We took a careful look at a large selection of kombucha home brewing kits so that you can buy one that fits your needs and your budget.
For each of the kombucha brewing starter kits, we describe what is included and explain what additional items you will need to get started home brewing kombucha right away. We also give you the pros and cons of each kit.
Additional Items You Will Definitely Need
Before we start the review, however, you will need to understand that kombucha brewing is a continuous process. After you brew a batch in the fermentation jar, you transfer the brewed kombucha into bottles.
Then you add more sweetened tea into the fermentation jar and begin brewing another batch. So you will need bottles, of between 16 and 32 ounces, to store, flavor and refrigerate the brewed kombucha in. None of the kombucha brewing kits include any bottles.
You can use any strong glass bottles that have tight fitting lids. Your one gallon batch of kombucha will yield about 112 ounces, about 3-1/2 quarts (some of the brew will be left with the SCOBY to get the new brew started). So, if you are using 16 ounce bottles, you will need seven of them.
To learn all you need to know about how to go about finding the bottles you need,
click here >> Best Bottles for Flavoring and Storing Kombucha
.
Conclusion
Read the details of all our reviews of kombucha home brewing kits below to decide which one best fits you needs and your budget. After carefully reviewing every kit, we are able to make some recommendations.
Best Value
The deluxe kombucha brewing kit with heating mat from Kombucha Starter Kit By Kitchentoolz is a good kit for beginners. It mostly just lacks tea and sugar, items that might be better purchased at your local grocery store. We recommend organic tea and organic sugar. Learn why here.
Most Complete Kit
If you want to start brewing kombucha on the day that your brewing kit arrives, look no further than the The Kombucha Shop Kombucha Brewing Kit . This complete kit has everything you need and includes organic loose leaf tea and organic sugar.
Shop Our Amazon Store
1.
Kombucha Starter Kit by Miloo
Summary
This kit is more complete than most, so it is a good value. We prefer to brew kombucha with organic loose leaf tea and organic cane sugar which can easily be found in your favorite grocery store to replace the ones provided. You will be able start your kombucha home brewing adventure with this kit as soon as it arrives.
Kombucha Brewing Essentials Included
- 1 gallon glass brewing jar
- SCOBY plus 1 cup kombucha starter
- tea bags
- sugar
- cotton cloth brewing jar cover
- elastic band
- adhesive temperature strip
- pH strips
- funnel
- written instructions
- email support
Kombucha Brewing Essentials NOT Included
- bottles for flavoring and storing kombucha
Pros
- Amazon reviewers give it 5 stars
- Very complete kit
- Quality equipment
- 100% satisfaction guarantee
Cons
- organic loose leaf tea is preferred to included bag tea
- organic sugar is preferred to included sugar
- adhesive temperature strips, while better than nothing, are of dubious accuracy (learn more here)
Summary
This kombucha brewing kit is one of the most expensive of those reviewed and lacks basic brewing equipment. It does however contain high quality organic ingredients and promises a refund to dissatisfied customers. Purchasers also have access to an online support forum from Get Kombucha.
Kombucha Brewing Essentials Included
- SCOBY and kombucha starter liquid
- 4 ounces organic black and green leaf tea
- 2 cups organic cane sugar
- cotton drawstring bags for brewing loose tea
- cotton cover for brewing jar
- large rubber bands
- pH strips
- 1 pair plastic gloves
- online forum for support
- refund provided to dissatisfied customers
Kombucha Brewing Essentials NOT Included
- glass brewing jar
- funnel
- thermometer
- bottles for flavoring and storing kombucha
Pros
- Amazon reviewers give it 4.5 stars
- comes with a large SCOBY
- included organic loose leaf teas are superior to bag tea
- organic sugar included
- refund policy
Cons
- need to purchase additional equipment
- high price compared to other reviewed kits
Summary
This kombucha brewing kit is the highest priced of those reviewed. However, it is quite complete and does contain organic supplies, high quality equipment and more detailed instructions than most brewing kits.
Kombucha Brewing Essentials Included
- 1 gallon glass brewing jar
- kombucha SCOBY with starter
- organic loose leaf tea
- organic sugar
- marker to inscribe notes on brewing jar
- adhesive temperature strip
- pH strips
- pipette for sampling
- detailed instructions
Kombucha Brewing Essentials NOT Included
- funnel
- bottles for flavoring and storing kombucha
Pros
- Amazon reviewers give it 5 stars
- replacement SCOBY offered if first brew fails
- included loose leaf tea is superior to bag tea
Cons
- adhesive temperature strips, while better than nothing, are of dubious accuracy (learn more here)
Summary
This kit is a good value and contains most everything needed to start your first batch of kombucha, except for organic tea and organic sugar, which can be easily purchased at a grocery store.
Kombucha Brewing Essentials Included
- 1 gallon brewing jar
- organic SCOBY and starter
- breathable cotton brewing jar cover
- rubber band
- adhesive thermometer
- instructions
Kombucha Brewing Essentials NOT Included
- organic tea
- organic sugar
- funnel
- bottles for flavoring and storing kombucha
Pros
- Amazon reviewers give it 4 stars
- good value
Cons
- tea and sugar not included-need to be purchased separately
- adhesive temperature strips, while better than nothing, are of dubious accuracy (learn more here)
Summary
This brewing kit comes with online support and contains most everything that you need to begin brewing immediately. We recommend replacing the coffee filter brewing jar cover with a piece of cotton cloth. Although coffee filters will work fine, they need to be replaced often–cotton breathes better and can be used practically forever.
Kombucha Brewing Essentials Included
- 1 gallon glass brewing jar
- SCOBY and starter
- organic cane sugar
- black loose leaf tea blend
- cotton bag to brew loose tea
- coffee filters to cover brewing jar
- rubber band
- pH strips
- adhesive thermometer
- instructions
- online support
Kombucha Brewing Essentials NOT Included
- funnel
- bottles for flavoring and storing kombucha
Pros
- Amazon reviewers give it 4.5 stars
- organic sugar included
- included loose leaf tea is superior to bag tea
- good value
Cons
- cotton fabric brewing jar cover is preferable to coffee filters
- included tea is not organic
- adhesive temperature strips, while better than nothing, are of dubious accuracy (learn more here)
Summary
This kombucha brewing kit contains high quality organic ingredients and most everything that you need to start brewing kombucha at home. We recommend replacing the cheesecloth brewing jar cover with a piece of tightly woven cotton cloth. Cheesecloth is too porous to use as a cover for the brewing jar.
Kombucha Brewing Essentials Included
- 1 gallon glass brewing jar
- organic SCOBY with starter tea
- organic green and black loose leaf tea blend
- organic sugar
- cotton bag to brew loose leaf tea
- cheesecloth cover to cover brewing jar
- rubber band
- pH strips
- adhesive temperature strip
- pipette for sampling
Kombucha Brewing Essentials NOT Included
- bottles for flavoring and storing kombucha
Pros
- Amazon reviewers give it 3.5 stars
- included organic green and black tea is superior to bag tea
- organic sugar included
Cons
- cheesecloth cover can let in fruit flies
- adhesive temperature strips, while better than nothing, are of dubious accuracy (learn more here)
Summary
This is a well priced basic kit for someone getting started brewing kombucha at home. Although lacking a few minor items, the missing organic tea and organic sugar can be purchased at most grocery stores.
They also offer a deluxe kombucha brewing kit that includes a heating mat, something no other kit offers. The deluxe kit is a very good value. See it here.
Kombucha Brewing Essentials Included
- 1 gallon glass brewing jar
- SCOBY with starter tea
- cotton cover for brewing jar
- rubber band
- instruction
Kombucha Brewing Essentials NOT Included
- funnel
- bottles for flavoring and storing kombucha
- organic tea
- organic sugar
- thermometer
Pros
- Amazon reviewers give it 4.5 stars
- good value for the price
Cons
- basic kit lacking in some equipment and supplies
- tea and sugar will need to be purchased separately
Why Kombucha Brewing Temperature Matters
Temperature is one of the most important factors that have an affect on the brewing of kombucha. Knowing the temperature of your brew will help you to know when your kombucha is ready to bottle. It will also help you to troubleshoot brewing problems.
Many of the reviewed kits include an adhesive temperature strip. Although this is better than having no idea what the temperature of your brew is, an instant read thermometer is a much better choice. If you happen to have one, you are all set.
If you are just starting out brewing kombucha at home with one of the brewing kits, go ahead and start your brew, using the included temperature strip. It will at least get you in the ball park of the correct temperature.
Have you tried a kombucha brewing starter kit? What was your experience?
Improve your home kombucha brewing.
Achieve consistent, accurate results.
Achieve more delicious and consistent kombucha brewing results
Quickly record and track each and every ingredient and step used in your brew
A handy diary to keep beside you as you brew and bottle each batch of kombucha
Easily find and recreate your favorite fermentation two recipes
0 Comments