Homebrewers - Whats in the fermenter?

[jhedrick83]

Looking for a bit of advice here. I've been wanting to get into home brewing for a couple of years and I'm hoping start of next year I'll start to have some time to dive in. My question is what level of starter kit should I go with? A simple Mr. Beer, your basic 5 gal. Starter kit or a step up with a 2 stages of fermenting carboys? Do I need a wort chiller or am I good without to start? If it matters I usually drink (and would most likely be making) Porters, Stouts, Irish Reds and the occasional IPA. Any thoughts or suggestions are welcome.