Gear guide
Best shiitake log kits: pre-inoculated logs and sawdust blocks
Picked from Amazon listings, not hands-on tests. How we pick
Shiitake mushroom log kits come in three forms, and the listings rarely make the difference clear. A pre-inoculated log is real hardwood, already drilled, filled and waxed: slow to start, but a log can fruit for 3 to 5 years, roughly a year per inch of diameter. A ready-to-fruit shiitake grow kit, which sellers often also call a log, is a sawdust block: it fruits within weeks and gives 2 to 4 flushes (a flush is one crop), each smaller, and then it is spent. The third form is a plug spawn kit for a log you cut and drill yourself, with a spawn run (the colonization period) of about a year. The reason for the difference is the food supply: a block is a few pounds of sawdust that the mycelium uses up quickly, while a log is dense wood that feeds it for years. This guide compares five shiitake listings by type, log size or block weight, and whether the log arrives inoculated. The details come from the listings, not from growing them.
Compare the picks
| Pick | Type | Size | Species | Arrives inoculated | Price | Link |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 2funguys Mr. Stumpy shiitake log, 8-11 in long | Pre-inoculated log | 8-11 in x 4-7 in diameter | Shiitake | Yes, dated metal plaque | - | Amazon |
 Myco Labs shiitake grow kit, 5.5 lb grow bag | Indoor grow bag kit | 5.5 lb | Shiitake | Yes, grow bag kit | - | Amazon |
 Oakland Mushroom Co. shiitake grow kit, oak block | Block, oak + wheat pellets | not stated | Shiitake | Yes, ready to grow | - | Amazon |
 Root Mushroom Farm shiitake grow kit, ready to fruit | Ready to fruit log kit | not stated | Shiitake | Yes, ready to fruit | - | Amazon |
 North Spore shiitake log inoculation kit, 100 plugs | - | - | Shiitake | - | - | Amazon |
Facts are taken from each Amazon listing. Prices are checked daily and shown with their date.
If you just want one
- Closest match for the job2funguys Mr. Stumpy shiitake log, 8-11 in longLogs are hand-cut and arrive inoculated with shiitake in visible drill holes that are covered in wax.
- Most for the money on paperMyco Labs shiitake grow kit, 5.5 lb grow bagWeight is stated: a 5.5 lb grow kit, the only block kit in this guide whose listing gives a weight.
- Most complete listingNorth Spore shiitake log inoculation kit, 100 plugsKit contains log sealing wax, 4 wax applicators, 100 ct plug spawn and an instruction guide.
The picks in detail
Pick 1 · 2funguys
2funguys Mr. Stumpy shiitake log, 8-11 in long
See price on AmazonA hand-cut log already inoculated with shiitake in drilled holes sealed with wax. About 8 to 11 inches long and 4 to 7 inches across, it is the one real wood log here and suits a buyer who wants no drilling.
What the listing offers
- Logs are hand-cut and arrive inoculated with shiitake in visible drill holes that are covered in wax.
- A metal plaque on the underside states the date of inoculation, so you know how long the log has been colonizing.
- Listing gives the size as approximately 8-11 in long by 4-7 in diameter and says the log can stand upright or lie flat.
Limits to know
- The listing does not name the wood species, the soaking routine or the time to the first shiitake.
- At 8 to 11 inches it is much shorter than the 3 to 4 foot logs used for outdoor shiitake, so it holds far less wood.
Pick 2 · Myco Labs
Myco Labs shiitake grow kit, 5.5 lb grow bag
See price on AmazonA 5.5 lb shiitake grow bag kit for indoor use, sold with a spray bottle and instructions. The listing says it produces three to four crops over four to five months.
What the listing offers
- Weight is stated: a 5.5 lb grow kit, the only block kit in this guide whose listing gives a weight.
- Listing says the kit produces three to four crops over a four to five month period.
- Includes detailed instructions with multiple growing options and a spray bottle, and is designed for indoor use.
Limits to know
- It is an indoor grow bag, not a wood log, so its life is the four to five months the listing gives, not years.
- The listing does not say what the block is made of or how to soak it between crops.
Pick 3 · Oakland Mushroom Company
Oakland Mushroom Co. shiitake grow kit, oak block
See price on AmazonA ready to grow shiitake block made of 50% hardwood oak pellets and 50% wheat pellets, with a humidity bag. The listing gives a harvest in 7 to 14 days depending on humidity and temperature.
What the listing offers
- Ingredients are stated: 50% hardwood oak pellets and 50% wheat pellets, described as all organic.
- A humidity bag is provided, and the listing gives harvest in 7 to 14 days depending on humidity and temperature.
- Grow guarantee: the seller offers a refund or replacement if no mushroom growth appears in over three weeks.
Limits to know
- The block weight is not stated in the listing, so it cannot be compared by size with the other kits.
- It is a pellet block, not a wood log, so it gives a few flushes and not years of harvests.
Pick 4 · Root Mushroom Farm
Root Mushroom Farm shiitake grow kit, ready to fruit
See price on AmazonA boxed shiitake grow kit built around one ready to fruit shiitake log, with a humidity tent, a spray bottle and instructions. It is meant to be started as soon as it arrives.
What the listing offers
- Kit contains one ready to fruit shiitake mushroom log, a humidity tent, a spray bottle and detailed instructions.
- Listing says no extra tools are needed and the kit is designed to be started as soon as it is received.
- Seller guarantees the first flush and asks buyers to message them if there is a problem.
Limits to know
- The listing does not state the weight or size of the log, or what it is made of.
- Short storage: the seller says it can wait in the refrigerator only for a few additional days.
Pick 5 · North Spore
North Spore shiitake log inoculation kit, 100 plugs
See price on AmazonThe do it yourself route: 100 shiitake plugs with log sealing wax, 4 wax applicators and an instruction guide. You cut and drill your own hardwood log, and the listing gives about 12 months for it to colonize.
What the listing offers
- Kit contains log sealing wax, 4 wax applicators, 100 ct plug spawn and an instruction guide.
- Listing names suitable wood, including oak, hard maple, beech, sweetgum and birch.
- Seller states the plug spawn can be refrigerated for up to 6 months before use.
Limits to know
- No log is included and none arrives inoculated: you need a freshly cut hardwood log and a drill.
- The listing says a log takes approximately 12 months to colonize, so the first shiitake are about a year away.
Read before you buy
- What wood do mushrooms grow on? Tree chart for lion's mane, shiitake and oysterTree-by-species chart for mushroom logs: lion's mane on beech and maple, shiitake on oak, oysters on poplar and willow, plus cherry, walnut and conifers.
- How to grow shiitake mushrooms on logs, from cutting to first harvestShiitake log growing in numbers: 4 to 6 inch oak logs, 30 to 50 holes 1 inch deep, about a year of spawn run, then a 12 to 24 hour soak to fruit.
- Growing mushrooms in the garden: how to build a wine cap bedBuild a wine cap bed in the garden: 3 to 5 in of hardwood chips, one 5 lb bag of spawn per 16 to 25 sq ft, 1 in of water a week, mushrooms in 2 to 10 months.
More gear for the logs and outdoor beds stage
Spawn Run chooses every product independently from what its Amazon listing states. We may earn a commission from the links above. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.