Best Kombucha Starter Kit (DIY Edition)

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Do it yourself written on a piece of paper

Ideally, the best kombucha starter kit is one you put together yourself, which you can typically do on the cheap if you know the right supplies. 

Kombucha has been one of my favorite non-alcoholic beverages to enjoy. I love that it’s fermented, giving my gut some additional probiotics and antioxidants, so it was no surprise that I’d want to learn to brew it myself; plus, I didn’t like paying $3-5 dollars per bottle at the store. 

Pre-made starter kits typically come with basic equipment and limited ingredients but can be a good starting point for many who don’t have time to piece together their gear. 

I started with this kit initially gifted to me from my Amazon wish list, and it is a very well-put-together kit. Still, I ultimately wanted to brew more than one batch at a time, so I needed more equipment and ingredients, so I sought to make my own.  

How Do You Make Your Own Kombucha Starter Kit?

Below you will find everything needed to get started brewing kombucha tea. I will break it down with what I consider to be required essential equipment and ingredients; then, I will list optional/advanced options that will take your brewing to the next level. 

Essential Kombucha Equipment and Ingredients (What You Need)

  • One-gallon Glass Jar
    • These come in a two-pack, and I like these because they come with cloth coverings and rubber bands which you will need to protect your SCOBY from nasties and insects. 
  • Funnels
    • I like these for a higher quality option, but these plastic ones will most certainly get the job done. 
  • Swing Top Glass Bottles
    • These affordable bottles are great to get started. 
  • Mesh Strainer
    • This will come in handy to strain out the fruit and other leftover gunk, so you have a lovely clean kombucha pour after the second fermentation.
  • Black Tea
    • For basic kombucha brewing, you will need black tea, and this affordable non-organic option will give you more than enough to keep you brewing for months. As a step up, I highly recommend this organic black tea. 
  • Cane Sugar
    • It’s your preference but stick with regular or organic cane sugars only. I prefer Kirkland organic, but I have a Costco membership, so if you do, grab one there. 
  • Unflavored Kombucha
    • Make your SCOBY using a bottle of unflavored kombucha. You can buy a bottle online or get it at your local healthy grocery store. 

Optional Equipment and Ingredients (What’s Nice To Have)

While certainly not needed to brew kombucha, many of these items make brewing more manageable and accurate and help you bring your game to the next level. 

  • Electric Kettle
    • This electric kettle will heat 7 cups of water in a few minutes. Alternatively, this basic tea kettle will get the job done. 
  • Instant Read Thermometer
    • I list this as optional, but this is very handy. You can use a stick on thermometer strip, but ideally, you should use both, and here is why. Use the thermometer to accurately check your temps before adding your SCOBY, so you don’t kill it with hot temps. Use the strips to monitor the average temperature of your fermentations. 
  • Heat Mat
    • I love using these to keep my kombucha fermentations at a consistent temperature, and on their own, they will usually support the temperature about 10 degrees above ambient room temperature.
  • PH Test Strips
    • Contrary to what most say, PH isn’t an accurate measure of when your kombucha is ready to bottle (your mouth is). It is a measure of acidity, but if you like to geek out over stuff like this, learn more about it here.
  • Blender
    • I use an older model to puree fruits and other goodies for the second fermentation. I purchased it for affordability, but there are different models if you want additional features.
  • Electric Citrus Juicer
    • Fresh juice is always better; this can juice 32 ounces at a time when doing bigger batches. Alternatively, this OG hand juicer will also get the job done cheaply. 

You can have a ton more, and when you start this hobby, it might be hard to refrain from buying it all! Make sure to at least get the stuff from the ‘What You Need’ section, and remember, have fun!

Cheers!