My old system worked, but it was big, heavy, and slow. It involved hauling metal shelving out of the garage, firing up propane burners, and being subject to the elements. I made great beer on it, but brew day was a BIG deal, and I procrastinated my hobby. I hadn't brewed in almost 2 years. I looked at all the systems available in November of 2019. I considered my budget and my shrinking inclination to spend hours cleaning and disassembling/assembling complex machinery. For me, the BEM&B with pump fit my needs perfectly. I did NOT try out the other options. (I helped an acquaintance first use a Grainfather, which had a cracked seal. He has repaired it and is happy.) I'm not saying that you are an idiot if you get something else. I have brewed twice on it. The first brew was an extract/mini-mash batch, so I didn't get the benefit of recirculation. I was happy with brewing indoors on a windy gray day and everything worked fine. My second batch was an all-grain Two-Hearted Ale Clone. It took me about 5 1/2 hours from starting the strike water to pitching yeast, which is about what it used to take me on my old system. I could have shaved time if I had preset my strike water to be ready when I woke up, but I didn't want to commit. The process was great. The mash tube temp stayed steady. My mash was a bit compacted, so I had to throttle back the pump to keep it from running dry and the sparge was a bit slow. Next time I will add some rice hulls. It came in a bit under target gravity, but I eye-balled the volumes, and I wound up with more wort than expected. I blame my own sloppiness, not any inefficiency in the system. I am extremely pleased. It simplifies my brew day, and makes me MUCH more inclined to brew than when I had to wrestle with my 10 gallon outdoor behemoth. I appreciate increased safety, in that I'm not playing with propane or shifting 10 gallon pots of hot water around. I am infinitely more likely to keep my carboys full now that brewing is easy, indoors, and fun again. BEM&B does what it said it would do. I am sure that other systems do, as well, and by the time you are reading this there might be even more options. I cannot promise that this is the BEST system you can buy in 2020, but I can say that if you are contemplating getting this or any other similar system, do it. I'm a brewer again. Me, my family and friends are once again drinking great home-made beer.