What Size Copper Still Do I Need? The Complete Sizing Guide

Choosing the right size copper still is the single most important decision you'll make before you start distilling. Too small and you'll be running batch after batch to get a useful yield. Too large and you're heating 10 gallons of water to produce a few drops of essential oil. This guide cuts through the confusion with a clear, use-case-driven framework for every type of home distiller.

The three sizes CopperHolic offers — 5L, 5-gallon, and 10-gallon — cover the full spectrum from first-time hobbyist to serious home producer. Each has a distinct sweet spot based on what you're making, how often you're running the still, and how much space and budget you're working with.

Below you'll find a complete breakdown of each size, real yield numbers for essential oils and hydrosols, a quick-reference comparison table, and a decision framework to help you choose with confidence.

The 5-Liter Copper Still: Best for Beginners and High-Value Oils

The 5L copper alembic is the entry point — compact enough to run on a standard kitchen stovetop, affordable enough to start without a major commitment, and capable enough to produce real, usable quantities of essential oil and hydrosol.

What it produces per run:

• Lavender: 3–8ml essential oil + 2–3L hydrosol
• Peppermint: 5–12ml essential oil + 2–3L hydrosol
• Rose petals: 0.5–2ml essential oil + 2–3L rose water
• Eucalyptus: 4–10ml essential oil + 2–3L hydrosol

Best for: First-time distillers, high-value oils where plant material is expensive or scarce (rose, helichrysum, chamomile), apartment or small-kitchen setups, and anyone who wants to learn the process before scaling up.

Limitations: Yields are small — if you want to produce enough lavender oil to sell or gift regularly, you'll be running multiple batches per week. Not ideal for bulk hydrosol production.

The 5-Gallon Copper Still: The Best All-Round Choice for Home Distillers

The 5-gallon (approximately 19L) copper alembic is the most popular size CopperHolic sells, and for good reason. It hits the sweet spot between meaningful output and manageable operation — one person can set it up, run it, and clean it without assistance.

What it produces per run:

• Lavender: 30–70ml essential oil + 10–14L hydrosol
• Peppermint: 50–100ml essential oil + 10–14L hydrosol
• Rosemary: 25–55ml essential oil + 9–12L hydrosol
• Eucalyptus: 60–120ml essential oil + 8–12L hydrosol

Best for: Serious home hobbyists, small-batch essential oil sellers, farmers market vendors, herbalists, and anyone who wants to produce enough to use, gift, and sell from a single run.

Why it's our top recommendation: A single lavender run produces 30–70ml of essential oil — enough to fill 3–7 retail bottles — plus 10+ liters of hydrosol. The economics work. The still is manageable. And it grows with you as your skills develop.

The 10-Gallon Copper Still: For High-Volume Home Production

The 10-gallon (approximately 38L) copper alembic is for distillers who have outgrown the 5-gallon and need serious output. It requires more space, a dedicated heat source (propane burner recommended), and more plant material per run — but the yield per hour of effort is significantly better.

What it produces per run:

• Lavender: 70–150ml essential oil + 20–30L hydrosol
• Peppermint: 100–200ml essential oil + 20–30L hydrosol
• Rosemary: 60–120ml essential oil + 18–25L hydrosol
• Eucalyptus: 130–250ml essential oil + 16–24L hydrosol

Best for: Established home producers selling at farmers markets or online, herb farmers processing their own harvest, and distillers running multiple plant varieties regularly.

Considerations: You'll need 6–8kg of fresh plant material per run, a propane burner or large electric heat source, and adequate ventilation. This is not a stovetop still.

Quick-Reference Size Comparison Table

Still Size	Plant Input / Run	Essential Oil Yield	Hydrosol Yield	Best Use Case
5L	300–700g fresh herbs	3–12ml	2–3L	Beginners, rare/expensive botanicals
5-Gallon	2–4kg fresh herbs	30–120ml	10–14L	Home production, small-batch selling
10-Gallon	6–8kg fresh herbs	70–250ml	20–30L	High-volume home production, herb farms

How to Choose: A Simple Decision Framework

Answer these three questions to find your size:

1. What are you making? If you're focused on high-value, low-yield oils (rose, chamomile, helichrysum), start with the 5L. For lavender, peppermint, rosemary, or eucalyptus at useful quantities, go 5-gallon minimum.
2. How often will you run it? If you plan to distill once a week or more, the 5-gallon or 10-gallon pays off quickly. If you're distilling occasionally for personal use, the 5L is sufficient.
3. Do you have a garden or farm source? If you're growing your own botanicals and harvesting in bulk, the 10-gallon lets you process a full harvest in fewer runs. If you're buying plant material, the 5-gallon keeps input costs manageable.

What About Running Costs?

Beyond the still itself, factor in plant material, water, and energy. A 5-gallon run uses roughly 14–16L of water and takes 2–3 hours on a propane burner or electric heat source. At current propane prices, fuel cost per run is under $2. Plant material is the main variable — growing your own lavender or peppermint makes each run essentially free beyond labor.

Hydrosol adds significant value to every run. Lavender hydrosol retails for $8–15 per 200ml bottle. A single 5-gallon lavender run produces 10–14L of hydrosol — that's 50–70 retail bottles worth $400–$1,000 at market prices, from one afternoon of distillation.

Find Your Size at CopperHolic

CopperHolic offers hand-crafted copper alembic stills from compact home-use sizes up to serious production models — all built to traditional standards with food-grade tin solder, proper copper gauge, and water-cooled condensers. Every still ships free within the US and arrives in 2–3 days.

Browse All CopperHolic Copper Stills by Size

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I upgrade from a 5L to a 5-gallon later?

Yes — many distillers start with the 5L to learn the process, then add a 5-gallon once they're confident. The skills transfer directly; only the scale changes.

Is the 5-gallon still too big for a first-time buyer?

Not at all. If you have outdoor space or a garage, the 5-gallon is manageable from day one. The main adjustment is sourcing enough plant material — plan for 2–4kg of fresh herbs per run.

What heat source do I need for each size?

The 5L works on a standard electric or gas stovetop. The 5-gallon works on a stovetop but runs better on a propane burner. The 10-gallon requires a propane burner or dedicated electric element rated for the load.

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