Charlottesville Area Masters of Real Ale

I'm thinking I'll finally break down and get an Immersion Chiller.  Anyone have advice on what to look for when buying one?

I already know I'm looking for one that includes connectors to the garden hose, since I brew outside on most occasions.

What are the advantages of copper vs. stainless steel?

Copper should have better heat transfer, but SS should be easier to clean and such.

Mine is copper; when I get around to getting a pot large enough for a full boil (soon I hope) I will get a longer one (still copper) and use my current one as a pre-chiller.

Go copper. JJ is right.  The heat exchange rate is better.  Cleaning is easy regardless...if you do it right.  This means put your chiller into a bucket of water right after removing it from wort.  Then it's a simple rinse to clean.  Just don't let it sit and let the wort dry up and cake on there.  Secondly, I'd advise making your own.  It's a fairly easy do-it-yourself project, and copper tubing is pretty cheap right now at Lowe's. Copper prices fluctuate, but right now the prices seem to be pretty low.  You'll pay about twice as much if you buy a chiller already made.  Just my 2 cents.

I agree with Spidey - make your own. It's really not at all difficult as long as you know how to use a wrench and/or pliers. I've built two, one with direct hose connections and the other was with quick disconnects. Can can sweat the fittings, but you really don't have to. Both of mine use a lot of copper tube...probably more than necessary. More does not always mean better as this can restrict the natural convection flow...as I've found out. Besides, if you get any leaks, there's always epoxy putty that you can pack the offending joint with.

I'd be more than happy to show you how I built mine and even bring them in next meeting if you want.

Don't be intimidated by building your own...it's really quite easy.