Recommend a bottle capper

I've tried the cheapo $15.00 cappers and they seem too flimsy to rely on. Can anyone recommend one that they particularly like?

Also, would a glass 1.5 L wine jug be able to take carbonation? (I'm thinking of skipping the capping process and putting my beer in those.)

Thanks!

I personally like the "Bench Capper". I screw it down to my work bench, so it stays in place. The long handle makes crimping the caps pretty easy.

I've never used the smaller two handle capper. It just looks more difficult to use.

Anyway, my 2 cents worth.

I've done dozens of cases worth with my red wing-handled type and not had any problems.

Likewise, I'm fine with my two-handed capper. I'm usually bottling in the kitchen, over the dishwasher, so having a portable capper is nice.

Bills Brew said:

I personally like the "Bench Capper". I screw it down to my work bench, so it stays in place. The long handle makes crimping the caps pretty easy.

I've never used the smaller two handle capper. It just looks more difficult to use.

Anyway, my 2 cents worth.

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Ditto!!
I screwed mine to a 12" X 30" laminated board so I can move it around to suit me and gives a clean smooth surface to put my bottles on after filling and just prior to capping. With a rubber mat under it there is no slipping or movement.

Definitely like the bench capper better. The two handed one wouldnt cap 22oz bottles most of the time.

troybinso said:

Definitely like the bench capper better. The two handed one wouldnt cap 22oz bottles most of the time.

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Wrong. I used mine on 22oz many, many times and never broke one.

Actually, I'm not wrong. I had a two handed red capper, and it didn't break the bottles, it just wouldn't get the cap on tight. The grabber would slip up the wider bottles and wouldnt get a good grip. It happened about half the time.

I have a 2 handled one, and a bench capper, and the bench one is much better. It will seal the lids real well on any kind of bottle. The 2 handle one wouldn't seal well on bottles with the small lip on the top like Heiniken(sp?) bottles.

Anyone want to buy a 2 handle capper in San Diego?

mew said:

Also, would a glass 1.5 L wine jug be able to take carbonation?

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Not a standard wine container. The glass is too thin.

Regards cappers I'm such a Luddite - my capper is a hammer on type that got picked up second hand years ago for next to nothing.

The plus points are it's been in use for years and neither it (or the hammer) have broken on me yet!

My red two-handed capper works fine on 12 oz and 16.9 oz bottles. I haven't tried 22 oz.

Thanks for all the replies! I appreciate it. Do you break a lot of bottles with the hammer-type? That kind seems a little dangerous, but I've never tried one.

I have both the wing and bench cappers and prefer the bench capper by far.

mew said:

Do you break a lot of bottles with the hammer-type? That kind seems a little dangerous, but I've never tried one.

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I've never broken a bottle (yet)! It's not an art of course but i'm used to the 'hammer noises' as the cap closes to take the seal.

My two winged red emily capper has worked every time. I must admit once in a while it leaves a cap loose but not often and I just check every cap every time which you should do anyway!!!

troybinso said:

Actually, I'm not wrong. I had a two handed red capper, and it didn't break the bottles, it just wouldn't get the cap on tight. The grabber would slip up the wider bottles and wouldnt get a good grip. It happened about half the time.

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Some of the cappers are adjustable...the metal inserts that grab the bottle are actually removable via a pair of pliars and can be turned around and re-inserted. This changes the "grabbing" diameter since some bottles have different size necks.

(I wrote this post about 2 hrs ago without hitting submit, so I'm not sure what's been said in the interim...)

I have an antique bench capper from my grandfather's days of brewing with his grandfather. Not sure of the age, but it still works. However, if I'm using bottles of different sizes I rely on my two handed capper. I used to have a red plastic one, but I busted one of the handles. After that my sister bought me the metal-framed one.

I **LOVE** this capper! I mean, it works so well I just want to make out with it and take it on a romantic vacation to the countryside so we can lie in bed together and whisper sweet nothings to one another. THAT'S how damn good it is.

Here's an extremely tiny pic of one that's similar:


And here's the link to buy one.

--Arch

Baron von BeeGee said:

Some of the cappers are adjustable...the metal inserts that grab the bottle are actually removable via a pair of pliars and can be turned around and re-inserted. This changes the "grabbing" diameter since some bottles have different size necks.

(I wrote this post about 2 hrs ago without hitting submit, so I'm not sure what's been said in the interim...)

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I concur...I also wrote up info on the same subject in another thread...

My cappers are over 13 years old and hae never broken a thing...

My two-handled red wing capper that was donated to me has worked without fail on all sizes of bottles. 12oz, 16.9oz, 22oz, 750ml. No probalo! The only time it has issues is with certain 12oz bottles (ahem, Samichlaus, I'm looking in your direction) that have weird tops with minimal grabbing lips. But even then, it still seals it perfectly---you just have to extend the wings all the way to their limit.

Evan! said:

My two-handled red wing capper that was donated to me has worked without fail on all sizes of bottles. 12oz, 16.9oz, 22oz, 750ml. No probalo! The only time it has issues is with certain 12oz bottles (ahem, Samichlaus, I'm looking in your direction) that have weird tops with minimal grabbing lips. But even then, it still seals it perfectly---you just have to extend the wings all the way to their limit.

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...or unscrew the "bell" a couple of times to reduce some of the space between the bell and neck grippers...