[AlexInLincs]

Ideal for jams or pasteurising.  Bought for £170 from Ascott (http://www.ascott-dairy.co.uk/acatalog/Kochstar-Digital-Cauldron-27-litre-with-Heating-element-DP319.html)

Price: £120

Tel: 07971223020

[SallyintNorth]

Hi Alex

I may be interested in this.  I am wanting something to make it easier for me to make cheese in small (3-5L) quantities.

Ascott no longer seem to be selling them, and as far as I can see neither is anyone else, so I have some questions.

What is the minimum volume it will handle?  (Currently I make cheeses 5L max at a time)
What is the maximum time for which it will hold a temperature (I presume on the timer?)
What is the minimum temperature it can hold?  (Some of my cheese recipes call for 21 or 25 deg c, and several for 29 C.)
Do you have any pictures of it?
How easy is it to clean?  (A picture may answer this one) 
What is the internal surface made of and would it be scratched if I cut my curds in it?
How long have you had it?
How / where would I get parts / service / repairs, do you know?

Thanks
Sally

[AlexInLincs]

Hi Sally

This product is still available at Ascott (http://www.ascott-dairy.co.uk/acatalog/Milk_Pasteurisers.html) - Kochstar-Digital-Cauldron-27-litre-with-Heating-element-DP319

In answer to your questions

What is the minimum volume it will handle?  (Currently I make cheeses 5L max at a time)
I've done 5L of Goat Milk in it fine

What is the maximum time for which it will hold a temperature (I presume on the timer?)
2 hours

What is the minimum temperature it can hold?  (Some of my cheese recipes call for 21 or 25 deg c, and several for 29 C.)
30 deg c

Do you have any pictures of it?
I've attached pic from Ascott site

How easy is it to clean?  (A picture may answer this one)
I've cleaned it with a sponge and soapy water in the past, it is fairly straight forward, just like a big pan!
 
What is the internal surface made of and would it be scratched if I cut my curds in it?
Enamel. It would depends what you cut them with.

How long have you had it?
I've had it about 12 months but only used it twice as I drank the goat milk raw and the kids wouldn't drink it. It's just been sitting in a cupboard so thought I would sell it now that I have sold the goats!

How / where would I get parts / service / repairs, do you know?
It is a German one and I think there are a list of suppliers etc on their website (http://www.kochstar.de/)

[Anke]

Sally - I have one of these (from Germany though I have to add), and it is a REALLY useful piece of kit to have! I would however use a normal cooking pot for the milk/curds inside the cauldron, and just use water as the heating medium. That way you can take the curds out to cut outside - it would be quite difficult to move it about with lots of liquid in. Also so much easier to clean that way.

Other uses:
1) bottling fruit/veg (tomatoes, french beans etc etc)
2) melting honey (rapeseed honey) and/or wax
3) canning meat (or rather cooking/sealing it into screw top jars)

[SallyintNorth]

Thanks both - Alex for the replies and links and Anke for the personal experience.

Having now found Ascott's Milk Pasteurisers page (thanks Alex) I see there is a little brother version without the digital thermometer and without the timer.  I could be wrong but it looks as though that would do the lower temperatures too.  That would do me just fine and since it is cheaper than your second-hand digital one, Alex, I think I will just get that one!

Thanks again both - and I hope someone comes along that wants the digital-with-built-in-timer version, Alex.