Cider press - which size

[jaquiss2005]

Tried making cider last year using a normal kitchen juicer which took forever. Looking at purchasing a cider press and not sure whether to go for a 6 or 12 litre one. Saw a 6 litre one and looks tiny!

Is it worth going for the larger one or will the 6 litre one do for starters. Initially likely to be making around 2 to 3 gallons depending on how many apples I can get hold of

 

[Dutto]

Tried making cider last year using a normal kitchen juicer which took forever. Looking at purchasing a cider press and not sure whether to go for a 6 or 12 litre one. Saw a 6 litre one and looks tiny!

Is it worth going for the larger one or will the 6 litre one do for starters. Initially likely to be making around 2 to 3 gallons depending on how many apples I can get hold of

I know nothing about Cider Presses so I will pass on the advice I got from a lady who sold me a microwave oven many years ago who said ...

"I know nothing about microwave ovens
but I do know that no-one has come back to buy a smaller one
yet dozens have come back and bought a bigger one!"​

Cider Presses could be similar to microwave ovens but I suppose it will ultimately depend on how many times you intend to use it, how many apples you have, how much time you have and how much money is available.

Hope this helps. :thumb:

 

[BassoonBrew]

Couldn't agree more with the above comment. Have a smaller press myself and after the 2nd or 3rd lot of apples you inevitably think "why didn't I get a bigger one?"

Vigo think that you can get 11kg of pulped apples in a 12 litre press, which at 2.5kg/l of juice* gives you just over 4 litres of juice with a following wind. Pulping (or scratting) the apples is key, you need to break them up (chopping only does half the job), though this site reckons you could freeze then pulp them with a wooden stick in a bucket.

* seems like a common estimate.

 

[IainM]

Snap. The six litre ones are tiny you'd be fed up before you've even got a gallon. I'm yet to buy, because I was waiting for a bargain priced largeish one on ebay, but I always get out bid. The smaller ones often go for pittance, probably because of what Dutto and BassoonBrew said, so if you'd ever want to sell it the 12L would have much better resale value too.

 

[jaquiss2005]

Thanks all - went for the 12 litre one and with apples I had managed to get around 7 litres. Currently sat in fermenting bucket with 1.5 crushed campden tablets

 

[ziggy12345]

Hi

This is my press I made.

https://scontent-lhr3-1.xx.fbcdn.ne...=783c74f63707306b7f98b25c19843b9e&oe=58862E1F

You want to try to aim for about 60-70lbs per square inch of pressure. I use 2 x 4 ton jacks from Halfords. The frame is 50mm x 130mm solid oak.

I havent tried it yet but will use it this season

Cheers

 

[goodolpete]

Hi
This is my press I made.
https://scontent-lhr3-1.xx.fbcdn.ne...=783c74f63707306b7f98b25c19843b9e&oe=58862E1F
You want to try to aim for about 60-70lbs per square inch of pressure. I use 2 x 4 ton jacks from Halfords. The frame is 50mm x 130mm solid oak.
I havent tried it yet but will use it this season
Cheers

Impressive bit of kit.
How do you use it? Where does the juice run off ?