If you bottle with caps, get a bench capper. Seriously.

[jtmwhyte]

That is all. Cut my bottling time in half with no hassle.

 

[sweetcell]

i've never used a wing capper, but a bench capper is indeed the shizznit. the missus helps me bottle, and she insisted on manning (?) the bench capper. says it's the best part of the job. as for me, i'm just grateful for the help

 

[HappyDrunk]

Only done a few batches myself, but I just don't get the issue anyone could have with a wing capper. I would guess it takes me around 3 or 4 minutes and minimal effort to cap 50 bottles. Just my two cents.

 

[Revvy]

It's really a matter of what works comfortably with YOUR bottling process. A bench capper is no better than a wing capper. It's whatever works in your system. I have one but I never use it because with the way I've dialed in my process, as chronicled in my thread, a bench capper actually slows me down...I've tried, but a wing capper allows me to go to the bottle rather than bring the bottle to the capper, and with my system that's what works for me......

I can't stress this enough...figure out what makes the job easier for YOU. Don't go by what folks say.... bottling is a pain but if you tailor the process to suit you, whether it's with a bench or wing capper, then the job becomes easier....But it really is about figuring out what works for you.

 

[boo boo]

Exactly.
When I bottle, I use a bench capper and find it more universal than a wing capper. Some bottles are difficult to bottle with a wing capper.

 

[Revvy]

Some bottles are difficult to bottle with a wing capper.

I've never found any that were difficut to bottle with my wing.

 

[NordeastBrewer77]

I can't stress this enough...figure out what makes the job easier for YOU. Don't go by what folks say.... bottling is a pain but if you tailor the process to suit you, whether it's with a bench or wing capper, then the job becomes easier....But it really is about figuring out what works for you.

i couldn't agree more. i use a wing capper, and because of my bottling process a bench capper would surely slow me down. just because something works for one brewer, doesn't mean it's the be all and end all of the process, i wouldn't switch to a bench capper because it wouldn't work for my process. i've met one bottle my bat wing wouldn't cap, Wychwood bottles, which i've seen others cap just fine with a wing capper, everything else caps just fine.

 

[scottedk]

I just have SWMBO fill the bottles and I wing-cap them right away. Goes plenty fast.

 

[Stix]

I have both and like the wing capper. Simple and fast.

 

[kpr121]

Wing capper for me too.... line the bottles up in a single line after filling (12 at a time) on the table, lay caps on, and then rip through them with the red-wing without having to touch the bottles until all 12 are done. Then box them up, and repeat. Easy-peezy.

 

[atom]

I've never found any that were difficut to bottle with my wing.

my wing capper doesn't seem to work with these:

bench capper does. overall, i prefer the wing.

 

[boo boo]

I've never found any that were difficut to bottle with my wing.

I have found that some tall neck bottles like Corona for example, that are difficult.

 

[thughes]

my wing capper doesn't seem to work with these:

bench capper does. overall, i prefer the wing.

You have to flip the metal plates around to accommodate those 750ml bottles. Simple.

 

[atom]

You have to flip the metal plates around to accommodate those 750ml bottles. Simple.

thanks...i never messed with it. i don't have many of those type anyway. apparently the bruery uses oversized caps... neither of my cappers work with those (and normal sized caps).

 

[thughes]

thanks...i never messed with it. i don't have many of those type anyway. apparently the bruery uses oversized caps... neither of my cappers work with those (and normal sized caps).

Gotcha. The "American" champagne 750's that use a standard size cap just require that you flip the plates in the capper. (I bottle my Apfelwein in them.)

 

[bleme]

Now you guys have gone and made me nervous. I'm going to have to give all my caps a tug when I get home!

 

[Nated2755]

I broke my plastic red wing capper after about 5 bottles of my first batch. Let me tell you it's no fun trying to cap bottles with the bell and a hammer. Bought a bench capper after that and haven't looked back since.

 

[Hoosier-Brewer]

I keg some and bottle some, never had an issue with my wing capper. I'm sure in my process the wing capper is faster and more efficient.

 

[LandoLincoln]

It's really a matter of what works comfortably with YOUR bottling process. A bench capper is no better than a wing capper.

Let's have a race. Wing capper vs. bench capper. I know which one I'd put my money on.

 

[nbolmer]

I used to use a wing capper, but as my batches got larger, I found it was quicker to use a bench capper due to one-handed operation. One hand fills and places a cap on the bottle, while the other hand caps it on, then removes it. Repeat.

 

[HopHeadGrady]

I have since moved to a 2 tap kegerator, but bottling isn't that big of a pita for me. I mean kegs certainly come with their hassles too. Especially if you roll the dice on used ones. Last night I nearly broke my arms off trying to get the out nozzle off a refurbished keg. Thank god I had an extra poppet. Someone had aped it on reallllly good. I have never used a wing capper. I just bought an acient all metal capper from a local used site. Its beefy.

 

[tom_gamer]

my wing capper doesn't seem to work with these:

bench capper does. overall, i prefer the wing.

I just bottle on of those and capped it with a wing capper, PIA but I got it done and it held up.

I don't own a bench capper but they seem to make like easier.

 

[MuchoGusto]

I had (as in past tense) a red wing capper. After 3 test bottles I said #%$@# and %$#@^. You can have my wife before you take my bench capper and that's no joke.

 

[malevolent]

wing capper is easy enough...

 

[bleme]

You can have my wife before you take my bench capper and that's no joke.

Can she cook?

 

[thughes]

Can she cook?

More importantly: Can she operate a wing-capper?

 

[microbusbrewery]

I've never found any that were difficut to bottle with my wing.

How about these?

 

[SittingDuck]

my wing capper doesn't seem to work with these:

bench capper does. overall, i prefer the wing.

I recap DFH bombers with my wing capper all the time. Never had an issue.

 

[thughes]

How about these?

View attachment 51845

Touche! I have 2 cases of those but no bench capper.

 

[E-Mursed]

Hey Revvy

I'll take that bench capper off your hands and free up some space in your loft. Shoot me a price to pick it up locally.