Cheap Stainless Conical Fermentor

I got the 7.3 gallon version on eBay for under $270. They have a 14 gallon version for $400 plus shipping. I bought some spare parts which drove my price up to almost $300.

Stout Tanks and Kettles – Conical Fermenters

Here’s what I found when my fermentor arrived:
( Pictures here. )
1. Big "Made in China" sticker. This explains the price. Doesn’t quite match up with the vendor being in Portland Oregon, and describing how he makes them. Oh, well.
2. One of the valves is kinda sticky, the action on the other one is fine.
3. The valves are both 3/4 inch, but the side port is more like 3/8 before it gets to the sanitary fitting. I guess this lets them keep the price down bu stocking fewer parts?
4. One big gasket on the lid and another big gasket on the mashtun is overkill, and you have to stretch them out to install them each time you brew. I’ll use just one and the other will become a spare part.
5. The stainless steel is pretty good, especially in the tank and lid. I tested with a small rare earth magnet and it only sticks on the tri-clamps, the valve posts, and the tube for sanitary fitting on the very bottom. And it doesn’t stick hard anywhere.
6. Only one hose barb, and no sanitary cover for the second line. Keeps their initial price down, but I ordered another clamp and barb.
7. No good way to install a blowoff tube, except stuffing a big piece of tubing down the ’cork hole’ normally used for the fermentation lock, the same as I would do with a carboy.
8. There is no racking arm, but you would find one in fermentors selling for more than double this price.

Still seems to be a screamin good price.