Pot Still vs. Reflux Still: Which Design Fits What You Want to Make

Every still asks copper and heat the same question. A pot still and a reflux still just ask it in different ways. Before you look at a single price, decide what you want at the spout. Do you want the full character of what's in the pot, or something lean, clean, and neutral? Answer that and you'll narrow your options faster than any spec sheet can.

This page is built like a buyer's list. First a plain comparison of the two designs, then the copper stills we track, sorted by size, budget, heat source, and use. At the bottom you can sign up for sale alerts.

Pot Still vs. Reflux Still in Plain Terms

The pot still: character carries through

The pot still is the old way of doing it. You heat a pot, the vapor rises and travels through a line, and a worm cools it back to liquid. Because the vapor's trip is short, a lot of what made the wash taste like itself comes along with it. That's why people choose pot designs when flavor matters. They're also simple to run, simple to clean, and easy to understand just by looking at them. Add a thumper and the vapor bubbles through a second vessel before it reaches the worm, which works like an extra pass inside a single run.

The reflux still: purity through repetition

A reflux still puts a column on top of the pot. Vapor climbs, cools, falls back, and climbs again, over and over, before anything reaches the condenser. Each cycle strips out more of what isn't ethanol. The result is higher-proof, more neutral output. The tradeoff is more parts, more tuning, and less of the original wash in the glass.

The quick verdict

• Pot still: for flavor, tradition, and a setup you can read at a glance.
• Reflux still: for neutral, high-purity output, if you like fine-tuning a column.
• Water or essential oils: a simple pot-style path is easy to run and easy to clean.

Whichever design you pick, you're the one running the experiment. You control the heat. You watch the vapor turn back into liquid. You make the cuts, separating heads, hearts, and tails by smell, taste, and patience. Copper does its quiet chemistry along the way. A little alchemist, a little scientist, every run.

Where the Stills on This List Fit

Most of the copper stills we track follow the pot layout. Many have a thumper and worm named right in the listing, which is the classic setup for flavor-forward runs. If you're set on a reflux column, call the family shop in New Hampshire at 603-997-6786 and talk it through before you buy.

Stills by Size

Small batch: 2 to 6 gallons

• 3 Gallon Copper Moonshine Still - no thumper - Flash Sale, from $229
• 2 Gallon You-Build EZ KIT Advanced Model with EZ Seal Cap and 3 inch Thumper Port, from $379
• 6 Gallon Complete Copper Moonshine Still with Thumper and Worm, from $699
• 6 Gallon Advanced Model 110V Electric Moonshine Liquor Still - Complete, from $999
• Patented 6 Gallon FlameFlow™ Technology Copper Moonshine Still, from $1199

Mid-size: 10 to 20 gallons

• 15 Gallon You-Build EZ KIT Advanced Model with EZ Seal Cap and 4 inch Thumper Port, from $629
• 10 Gallon Complete Copper Moonshine Still Distiller, from $899
• 20 Gallon Complete Copper Moonshine Still - Craft Distillation Unit, from $899
• 15 Gallon Copper Moonshine Still - Advanced Model with EZ Seal Cap and 4 inch Thumper Port, from $1049
• 20 Gallon 220V Electric Advanced Model with EZ Seal Cap and 4 inch Thumper Port, from $1199
• 10 Gallon Advanced Model 220V Electric Copper Moonshine Still, from $1249
• 15 Gallon Advanced Model 220V Electric Copper Moonshine Still, from $1299
• Patented Brilliant 10 Gallon FlameFlow™ Technology Copper Moonshine Still, from $1499

Large: 25 to 30 gallons

• 30 Gallon EZ KIT Advanced Model with EZ Seal Cap and 4 inch Thumper Port, from $699
• 25 Gallon Advanced Model Pure Copper Distiller, from $1100
• 30 Gallon Advanced Model Copper Moonshine Still - Complete, from $1200
• Patented 30 Gallon Flame Flow™ Moonshine Still - Complete, from $2999

Big capacity: 50 to 100 gallons

• 60 Gallon EZ KIT You Solder Copper Moonshine Kit, from $1200
• 100 Gallon EZ KIT You Solder Copper Moonshine Kit, from $1699
• 50 Gallon Advanced Model Complete Copper Distiller with 10 Gallon Thumper 10 Gallon Worm, from $1900

Stills by Budget

• Under $500: the 3 Gallon Flash Sale still (from $229), the Durable Craft Distillation Unit (from $329), and the 2 Gallon EZ KIT (from $379).
• $500 to $1,000: the 15 and 30 Gallon EZ KITs (from $629 and $699), the 6 Gallon Complete with Thumper and Worm (from $699), the 10 and 20 Gallon Complete stills (both from $899), and the 6 Gallon 110V Electric (from $999).
• $1,000 to $2,000: the Advanced Model complete units from 15 to 50 gallons, the 220V electrics, the 6 and 10 gallon FlameFlow™ stills, and the 60 and 100 Gallon EZ KITs.
• Over $2,000: the Massive Craft Distillation Unit (from $2699) and the Patented 30 Gallon Flame Flow™ (from $2999).

A note on EZ KITs: you do the soldering yourself. That's how the prices stay lower, and many builders like knowing every joint on their still.

Stills by Heat Source

Flame

• Propane Burner for 6 Gallon to 30 Gallon Sized Copper Distillers, from $129
• The FlameFlow™ line in 6, 10, and 30 gallon sizes

Electric

• 110V: 6 Gallon Advanced Model Electric, from $999
• 220V: 10, 15, and 20 gallon Advanced Model electrics, from $1199
• Add-on: 110v and 220v Electric Heating Element with Controller, from $349

Check the outlet you actually have before you choose a voltage. Electric heat makes temperature control steady and repeatable, which helps a lot when you're learning to make clean cuts.

Stills by Use

• First still, learning the craft: the 6 Gallon Complete with Thumper and Worm is a small, classic pot-and-thumper layout.
• Flavor-forward spirits, permitted distillers only: thumper models like the 15 Gallon Advanced Model or the 30 Gallon Advanced Model.
• Water and essential oils: small, simple units like the Durable Craft Distillation Unit or the 3 Gallon still.
• Fuel alcohol, with a permit: high-capacity options like the 50 Gallon Advanced Model or the 100 Gallon EZ KIT.
• Builders and tinkerers: any EZ KIT, from 2 to 100 gallons.

A Word on the Law

Owning a still is legal in the US, but distilling alcohol requires federal TTB permits. Fuel alcohol needs a permit too. Always follow federal, state, and local law.

Get Sale Alerts

Prices on this list change, and flash sales like the 3 gallon deal don't last. Sign up for The Distillers List sale alerts to hear when a still you're watching drops in price. Pick your size, your heat source, and your use, and let the deal come to you.