Recommended Products

 

Here are some products that we think can be useful when preparing, storing and using milk kefir or water kefir. Happy Kefiring!

Good for Milk Kefir and Water Kefir

 
Stainless Steel Strainer Set
A nice set of stainless steel strainers. Because these are stainless steel they are fine to use with your grains. Set of three so you have may options. (Strainers are great for holding your cheesecloth when you pour the milk kefir to make cheese, then you don’t need to worry about having 2 extra hands!)
Plastic/Nylon Strainer Set
If you prefer to stay away from metal altogether, here is a set of nylon and plastic strainers. Some people have found cheaper plastic strainers at dollar stores and there is even a small set of them available off of Walmart’s website that you can get for around $2 with their free ship to store option.
64 ounce Mason Jars
Nice, big half gallon mason jars. These are the wide mouth variety, so they are easily cleaned and poured into. Clear so you can peek in on your kefir while it’s at work and it comes in a pack of six so you have a couple extra on hand for when your grains need more room (everyone who has had a growing creature like kefir grains knows you can never have enough extra jars!). If you live within driving distance of an Ace Hardware, you can order 6, 64 ounce mason jars for around $13, using free ship to store pickup.
Plastic Caps for Mason Jars
Extra caps for your wide mouth or regular mouth mason jars. These are BPA free, plastic (great replacement for those metal canning lids since we like to keep our grains as metal free as possible!) and come in 8 packs. The lids are part of the add-on program which means in order to purchase them, you will need to spend $35. Alternatively, stores like Walmart and Target also carry these sort of plastic caps (Mainstays brand at Walmart and Ball brand at Target) at near the same prices but you will need to check your store’s availability.
1 Gallon Glass Jar
Big, one gallon, glass jar complete with a plastic lid. This is great for when you are doing large batches of water kefir or milk kefir. It has a nice open mouth that provides easy access to your grains and to cleaning the vessel. A must have when your grains begin to outgrow their home! Alternatively, you can sometimes find large gallon jars with pickles in them. They usually have a metal lid and are of course, filled with pickles, but those jars can be a great alternative if you are on a budget.
2 Litre Swing Top Jar
If you aren’t a fan of the screw top or mason type jars, you might like this style of canning jar instead. A little more expensive than the other jars but this jar makes a tight seal to keep air out and fizz in. (It works great for either kefir since neither of them need air to work.) At two litres (just under 8.5 cups) it is a good size for both milk kefir and water kefir.
 

Better for Milk Kefir

 
Blender
A good blender for making smoothies. As an added bonus, you screw regular mouth mason jars onto this blender for a quick, blend and drink out of the jar smoothie. There is an updated version of the blender, however we are not certain that it can accept mason jars (which is a really fun feature!). The same model is available at Bed Bath and Beyond for $39, however, the finish on it is plastic painted chrome instead.
Stick Blender
A good stick blender with extra attachments for various other jobs. Works great for blending smoothies. Very useful if you don’t have/want a full sized blender. It easily blends protein powder into smoothies without clumping that you can get with less powerful hand blenders. Since the blending attachment comes off, it can store in a smaller space. There is another version of this stick blender that is not stainless steel and comes in around $30-$35, no attachments and plastic outer shell (even the chrome one is just painted plastic).
 

Better for Water Kefir

 
16 oz Swing Top Bottles
These 16 ounce swing top bottles are perfect for trapping the fizz in your water kefir. This type of bottle is a must have for those who want a fizzy soda experience and because it is meant for brewing in, this bottles are strong, so you can worry less about possible explosions in the middle of the night.
32 oz Swing Top Bottles
The same type of bottles as the 16 ounce swing top but in a larger capacity. These 32 ounce bottles mean you can make larger sodas and clean fewer bottles. Nice and clear so you can see the finished water kefir at work. You can also find these sorts of bottles in some stores complete with a beverage (usually beer, sometimes soda pop) inside if you look around.
Heating Mat
This heating mat can sit under your fermenting jar and keep your water kefir warm when it is cold out. Water kefir likes to be around 70°-80° Fahrenheit, so this heating mat is just perfect.

Organic Coconut Sugar
Some people have noticed their grains like a pinch or two of coconut sugar once in a while, so here is some available through Amazon. If you happen to live near a Trader Joe’s they also sell coconut sugar for right around $4 per pound, instead.
Organic Cane Sugar
This is a must have for your grains. Whether you choose to add other mineral rich sugars like sucanat/rapadura or coconut sugar, you will still want a load of this on hand to feed the grains regularly. If you live near a Target or Walmart you can buy Florida Crystals brand of organic cane sugar for around $4-$5 per 3 pounds but if you don’t, here is your friendly Amazon option!
Organic Blackstrap Molasses
This type of molasses has the most mineral content which means it is great for your water kefir grains. As an added bonus, the caps can be reused on GTs Kombucha bottles (just in case you are saving those and repurposing them for Kombucha or water kefir). If you are lucky, you might be able to find the 16 oz variety at a local discount supermarket for around $4 per 16 ounces but this one is a sure bet and it comes to you.
Pink Himalayan Salt
This is another way to go to add minerals in with your grains. Just a pinch will do and if your grains are in need of minerals they will thank you. The 5 pound bag is cheaper than any either the 2 pound or 1 pound bags. That way you have extra to sprinkle on everything else (or you just won’t need to buy salt for your grains every again!) You may be able to find this salt cheaper at a health food store with bulk bins (around $3 per pound) but if you don’t live close enough to one to justify a trip, this is a good price too.
 
Concentrace Mineral Supplement
If you use distilled or reverse osmosis water for your water kefir, you will want to add minerals back into the water otherwise your grains can suffer. This is a good quality mineral supplement that you can use to add minerals. Use about ½ teaspoon per 1 gallon of water. One 8 ounce bottle will remineralize 47 gallons of water.
Jar Thermometer
Stick this thermometer right on the side of your water kefir jar to keep an eye on its temp. Water kefir likes to ferment around 70°-80° Fahreneheit, so with this thermometer you can tell at a glance if you are in the right range or if you are too cool/hot. A good investment for those who like to keep a close eye on their water kefir babies.