10 Gallon Copper Alembic Still for Essential Oils, Hydrosols & Distilled Water

Yes. Copper alembic stills are legal to buy and own in all 50 U.S. states for distilling essential oils, hydrosols, distilled water, and botanical extracts — no permit is required for these uses. Distilling alcohol for consumption is separately regulated by federal law and requires its own permit regardless of which still you own. Most CopperHolic customers use their stills for aromatherapy, skincare, and pure water.

Four things. Essential oils — steam-distill lavender, rosemary, eucalyptus, peppermint and dozens of botanicals. Hydrosols and floral waters — rose water, lavender mist, chamomile water for skincare and natural fragrance. Botanical extracts and tinctures — concentrated herbal preparations. Pure distilled water — for CPAP machines, humidifiers, irons, and lab use. Copper is prized for all of these because it removes sulfur compounds for cleaner, purer results.

"Copper still" is the broad term for any still made of copper. An alembic still is a specific traditional design — a rounded copper pot, an onion-shaped head that collects vapour, and a coiled condenser that cools it back to liquid. Every CopperHolic still is a copper alembic still: the centuries-old alembic shape, hand-hammered from pure copper. The design has been trusted for around 1,200 years because copper conducts heat evenly and strips unwanted compounds from the distillate.

The 5 litre suits beginners and anyone making essential oils, hydrosols, and small floral-water batches — it's compact and the easiest to handle. The 5 gallon is our most popular size: the all-round choice for serious home distillers who want room to grow. The 10 gallon is built for large-batch production, botanical studios, and small commercial use. Not sure? Our copper still size guide compares all three side by side.

Every still is double-boxed and corner-protected before it leaves our U.S. warehouse. If anything arrives damaged — even a cosmetic dent — email us a photo within 48 hours of delivery and we'll ship a full replacement the same day at no cost to you. No return shipping required. We cover it.

Yes — this is the still we recommend most often to first-timers. It arrives fully assembled with a step-by-step starter guide, a cleaning rinse included, and recipe cards for lavender, rose, and peppermint. Most customers run their first successful hydrosol distillation within 48 hours of unboxing. If you get stuck, email us a photo of what you're seeing and we'll walk you through it personally.

Every CopperHolic still is 99.9% pure copper, hand-hammered from a single sheet — not cast, not plated. You can verify this three ways: (1) hold a magnet to the body, it will not stick; (2) scratch an inconspicuous spot — the color underneath is identical; (3) over months of use you'll see the signature copper patina develop, which only happens with real copper. Plated pieces expose brass or steel under the surface and fail the magnet test.

From doorstep to finished hydrosol: typically one afternoon. Unboxing and first rinse takes about 20 minutes. A complete hydrosol distillation run (lavender or rose water) takes 60–90 minutes once you're set up. Your first essential oil run takes longer because you need more botanical material — plan a weekend for that. The included guide walks you through both.