first time buying corker, some advice please

I've never bottled in wine bottles before but will start soon. My friends are saving me some.

I've looked at austin home brew online and they have several varieties of corks:
8 x 1 3/4 First Quality Corks 01210 $4.50
9 x 1 1/2 First Quality Corks 01212 $4.80
9 x 1 3/4 First Quality Corks 01214 $5.10
Altec Corks (Winery Grade) 01234 $10.99
Synthetic Corks (Nomacorc) 01216 $8.00
Synthetic Tasting Corks (each)

and corkers:

Product Name+ Model Price
Easy Double Lever Corker 01196 $25.99
Italian Champagne Floor Corker 01211 $134.99
Portuguese Double Lever Corker 01197 $16.99
Portuguese Floor Corker 01199 $64.99

I'd really like some advice on corker as well as cork sizes etc.

Thanks

I can tell you that the floor corkers are very nice to use and are completely hassle free. I have the Italian Stallion and it kicks A.

I have corked only once. I will not use the double lever again.

Go ahead and invest in a floor model. My double lever either puts the corks too far in or not far enough. It has been adjusted but is slips on the bottle neck. Not to mention I pinched the h#LL out of my neck trying to hold it down while corking....

planenut said:

I have corked only once. I will not use the double lever again. ...Go ahead and invest in a floor model.

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I agree.

I first used one of those double lever corkers and found it difficult to use as it easily slipped off the bottle - among other issues. I replaced it with a Portuguese floor corker in 2002 and wished I had bought the floor model first.

The only problem I ever had with it was that the cork depth setting device (a knurled nut) kept moving. I corrected that problem with a little lok-tite...

go on craigslist and put up a wanted add for a strong cork soaker

Thanks for the advice, guys,

TooManycolors, what is a cork soaker?

Those who've used both, which is better, the Portuguese Floor Corker or the Italian Champagne Floor Corker.

Also, which corks for meads to be aged for many years? How long of corks should I get? Tell me all you've learned about corks.

Thanks again

I think he's making a funny!
Which reminds me:
There were two factories in New York City. One of them made maternity frocks for expectant mothers, so they were called the "Mothers Frockers".

The factory across the street made corks for wine bottles. They had to soak the corks before they could put them into the bottles, so they were called the "Cork Soakers".

One day a Cork Soaker didn't soak a cork long enough and it flew out of one of the bottles and hit one of the Mother Frockers in the eye.

That made all the Mother Frockers mad at the Cork Soakers, so they went outside and had the biggest Mother-Frocking Cork-Soaking fight you ever saw...

Poobah58 said:

Mother-Frocking Cork-Soaking fight you ever saw...

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I didn't see that coming lol

I use a double-lever and didn't have any problems with it. That said, if I had room I would definitely get a floor corker just because they're easier to use. So, if you're on a budget don't sweat getting a double-lever but if you have the money to go a step up, then go for the floor model.

I love the Portuguese floor corker (the actual product and the euphemism). No experience with any other model, but I don't think I'll ever buy another.

I've used the double lever kind and it worked well, but I've never used a floor corker, I don't do wine/mead enough to justify the expense of a floor corker, I just borrow my friends double lever one.

I have a bench corker, it is like the floor corker, but mounted to a workbench, works very well, no bending over to cork bottles, you will need a #9 size cork, they will give you the best seal, the 1.5 inch should be fine, good luck with your purchase.