SCOBY, duo or complete kit: which one should you buy?
In short
If you love tea and do not mind waiting about a week, choose the kombucha SCOBY. If you want a fruity drink ready the next day as well, take the kombucha and water kefir duo. If you want to try everything, or you are buying a present, the complete kit gathers kombucha, water kefir and milk kefir. Every Natural Probio culture arrives alive, with its own guide and the same guarantee.
Whatever you choose, the essentials stay the same: a live culture, a clear guide, exclusive recipes, a team that answers and a lifetime guarantee on activity. So the only real question is what you, and the people you live with, would like to drink.
What are the options?
You love tea and deeper flavours
Kombucha SCOBY
A tangy, sparkling tea-based drink that you flavour to suit the season.
- Ready in a good week
- Sent with its starter liquid
- Guide and recipes included
You want variety in the fridge
Kombucha and water kefir duo
Kombucha once a week, water kefir every day: two different sparkling drinks, one order.
- SCOBY and water kefir grains 30 g
- Two guides included
You want to try it all, or it is a present
Complete kit
Kombucha, water kefir and milk kefir: the three cultures of the range together.
- Three drinks, three guides
- The best-value formula
You want fruit and speed
Water kefir grains
A fruity, homemade lemonade-style drink, ready the next day.
- 30 g for about a litre a day, 60 g for two
- Guide and recipes included
You love creamy breakfasts
Milk kefir grains
Creamy, gently tangy milk kefir for breakfast, smoothies and cooking.
- 10 g for about half a litre a day, 20 g for a litre
- Guide included
How do they compare at a glance?
| Product | The taste | Ready in | Ideal for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kombucha SCOBY | Sparkling tea, tangy, deep | A good week | Tea lovers, aperitifs, food |
| Kombucha and water kefir duo | Two sparkling drinks | 1 day and 1 week | Variety, couples, hosts |
| Complete kit | All three | 1 day to 1 week | Trying everything, gifts |
| Water kefir grains | Fruity, bright, fizzy | The next day | Fast results, fruit lovers |
| Milk kefir grains | Creamy, gently tangy | The next day | Breakfast, cooking |
Kombucha or water kefir?
Both are homemade and sparkling, but they belong to different families. Kombucha starts from sweet tea and takes about a week to develop its rounded, tart character. Water kefir starts from sugared water with a little fruit and is ready the next day, tasting more like a light, fruity lemonade. If you are torn, the duo settles the matter. Our kombucha vs water kefir page compares them in detail.
What if you are not the patient type?
Then the week of waiting for kombucha may feel long the first time. Two solutions: add water kefir with the duo, so something is ready the next day while the kombucha does its thing; or simply start your SCOBY on a Sunday and forget about it until the following weekend. Most people find the wait becomes part of the pleasure, a bit like waiting for a good loaf to prove.
How many people are you brewing for?
One SCOBY gives you a generous jar of kombucha each round, which suits a couple or a small household. Larger families and keen hosts often prefer the duo, because the daily water kefir keeps the fridge topped up between kombucha jars. If everyone at home likes something different, the complete kit gives each person their drink.
Does homemade make sense if you already buy kombucha?
If you buy bottles regularly, very much so: you keep the drink you like, choose your own flavours and spend next to nothing per jar once the SCOBY is going. We compare the two honestly in homemade vs shop-bought kombucha. And if you mostly drink iced tea in summer, have a look at kombucha vs homemade iced tea.
Questions about choosing
Which is easiest for a total beginner?
All of them come with a guide written for beginners. Water kefir gives the fastest result; the SCOBY simply asks for a week of patience. Our beginner's guide tells you what to expect.
Can I add a culture later?
Of course. Many customers start with the SCOBY and come back for water kefir, or the reverse.
Which makes the best present?
The duo and the complete kit are the most popular gifts, because they offer variety and look generous.
Still deciding? Take the duo
Kombucha for its depth, water kefir for its speed: two homemade sparkling drinks, two guides, one parcel.
- Kombucha SCOBY and water kefir grains 30 g
- Live cultures from time-honoured methods
- A team that answers your questions
- Satisfied or your money back
Lifetime guarantee on your culture's activityDelivery across the UK, with trackingMoney-back guaranteeSCOBY from time-honoured methods, unique and resilient