What's the difference? I see these kits and some have glass carboys, and others have these fermenting buckets. I know conceptually they are both the same in their purpose, but is one better than the other? I can see that a glass carboy has the advantage of you being able to visually "see" when your beer is ready to be bottled, but other than that is there anything that makes one better than the other?

One theory behind carboys is less surface area for oxidation. Glass is unlikely to hold onto smells/flavors and easier to sanitize. Buckets are easier to clean, easier to store, and easier to lift. Glass breaks easier. Plastic can let air in over time. There's a lot of points in favor of each.

I use glass carboys. I feel I can get them cleaner and that they hold up better (no scratches ect...) This is totally just a personal preference though. I also like being able to see my fermentation.
Many people think that a Better Bottle is the best of both worlds. It looks like a carboy but is plastic.

Jacy covered a lot of the benefits of both, but one of the drabacks to glass that she didn't mention is that you need to cover them with something during fermentation so that your beer doesn't get skunked.

Yeah, just based on previous topics that I have read based around what you all have said, and what I have read online I have gathered a lot of the same. I could see the advantage to glass, being obviously that you can see through it; hence being able to know exactly when your fermentation is done. What about price? I saw that kit that was posted that was everything basically for like 65 bucks, with the 2 buckets. Is there a significant difference in cost?

What about these "Better Bottles?" They look like water jugs.

Personally I would go with the better bottles I love mine

The biggest reason I go not use glass is because I go want to go to hospital to get 50 stitches in my hand and arm. I am not over exaggerating this is pretty common, those glass bottles get very slippery when you are using PBW or starsan and can easily slip and they shatter you in sharp glass

The oxygen permeability is not an issue with 90% of fermentations as long as it is less than 3 months in the fermenter it will not be an issue

Scratching of the inside of the better bottles is not an issue, just get some pbw and you will never need to scrub them at all a soak and a few shakes and it will be clean just make sure you use enough pbw

In a perfect brewing world I would go with glass. BUT, I went
with 4 bucket fermenters partly because they were cheaper,
partly because I read the horror stories of brewers getting
cut up and or just losing beer and mostly because I have kids
around.

In a perfect world I would be using morebeers heated and cooled stainless conicals :-)

Or just camping out on Dogfish Heads property

put me down for a blichmann temp controlled SS conical... in my ideal world.

i use better bottles for now. love them. lower in cost than glass carboys, and they'r every scratch resistant... since you're just letting them soak clean, not scrubbing. and, they don;t let oxygen permeate, like plastic buckets can.

They sure do, but they're sure not.

Both Chunk and I had water bottles we tried to use as fermentors (thinking the same thing) crack on us. Mine while a batch was fermenting, his while it was soaking with oxiclean (I think).

So, um...I would stay away from water bottles. Better bottles are a different plastic and are be fine.

oooo...I see. I am in the process of using your comments on this thread to convince the wife of the new "hardware" that I need, aside from having the MrB kit. keep the "reasons needed" coming!

Plastic needs to be swapped out periodically... buckets, hoses, etc. Even with the best of care, they will eventually scratch or nick. Those small places become harder to clean/sanitize. But, with good care, they can last quite some time and are still cheaper over the long haul.

I do like glass... flasks, carboy, bottles, and the beer glasses in the kitchen cabinet. They've treated me well over the years