Which one of these cappers are best?

[polishdude20]

My local store has both of these cappers for the same price. One looks to be all metal and more sturdy. Does anyone have experience with any of these? I'm not sure which is best.

https://www.shopbarleys.com/product/1505/emily-bottle-capper
or

https://www.shopbarleys.com/product/3251/crimson-capper

 

[passedpawn]

Emily for sure. Those plastic ones are krap.

+1 for the avatar. I've watched that movie an embarrassing number of times.

 

[BruceH]

The top one. I've had a version of the bottom one break on me and cause a cut hand.

I have one that's identical to the Emily you linked. Bought mine off of ebay as an Italian capper iirc. Just a different name imo.

 

[bracconiere]

i third the metal....when i'd occasionally bottle from a keg and cap the bottles, my plastic one broke.....

 

[polishdude20]

Seems pretty unanimous. Metal one wins. Thanks guys!

 

[bracconiere]

Seems pretty unanimous. Metal one wins. Thanks guys!

but it's still early in the day! we could still get this thread up to #100

 

[Saunassa]

I use one of those Ferrari bench cappers but since I am 55 miles from closest lhbs and crap does happen I have the metal one as a backup.

 

[Teufelhunde]

I have one of the plastic ones that I use....it came with a homebrew kit I bought, and it works just fine. That being said, If I were to buy one or the other of the ones you are looking at, I would buy metal.....because......metal.....

YMMV

Lon

 

[Steveruch]

I've been brewing and using the crimson for over 20 years with no issue.

 

[gaviga]

My local store has both of these cappers for the same price. One looks to be all metal and more sturdy. Does anyone have experience with any of these? I'm not sure which is best.

https://www.shopbarleys.com/product/1505/emily-bottle-capper
or

https://www.shopbarleys.com/product/3251/crimson-capper

I have both. The metal one is best. I had a plastic one before and it snapped one day while bottling a RIS. My second plastic one is only used when I have a friend helping.

 

[khannon]

I'd go with the metal one as well. If you have the option of a bench capper though, go with that, it might be a few extra bucks, but the hassle you will save is worth it. Something like https://www.amazon.com/Ferrari-Super-Agata-Bench-Capper/ but maybe from you LHBS..

 

[gaviga]

I'd go with the metal one as well. If you have the option of a bench capper though, go with that, it might be a few extra bucks, but the hassle you will save is worth it. Something like https://www.amazon.com/Ferrari-Super-Agata-Bench-Capper/ but maybe from you LHBS..

I also have a bench capper but for some reason the bottle caps stick in it after being pressed onto the bottle about half the time. Doesn't happen with the metal hand capper. Does this happen to anyone else?

 

[SFC Rudy]

Spend the extra dollars and get a bench capper Bench Capper It'll change your life when bottling.

 

[wallyLOZ]

Got to agree with @SFC Rudy, get a bench capper. The wing capper won't always seal bottles with a shorter lip on them (see photo). The bench capper eliminates that problem. Link to the one that I have: Colt Strong High Pressure Bench Bottle Capper | MoreBeer

Good luck. Let us know which you decide to buy.

 

[khannon]

or check out this Pneumatic Bottle Capper - Just...because. thread if you want to build your own..

 

[rburrelli]

or check out this Pneumatic Bottle Capper - Just...because. thread if you want to build your own..

That is one badass capper!

 

[kadozen]

I have both and use the metal one more often

 

[PberBob]

I have two winged cappers and a loaned ancient bench capper. All work. I thought I had an issue with the winged capper and got a replacement. Later I discovered that I had some euro 1.3 cl bottles that were very slightly smaller in diameter and would cause the capper to go cock-eyed. What ever capper you go with, make sure you have a friend with a spare that you can get in the middle of a bottling day.

 

[Romex2121]

I to started using a bench type capper and about every 4th/5th cap will stick , I don’t see anything that would cause this other than maybe caps that are not the same size or a rough spot inside the capper bell , I’ve also thought about taking the capper bell and maybe polishing the inside with Some fine grit wet sanding To see if that would help...

 

[CodeSection]

I to started using a bench type capper and about every 4th/5th cap will stick , I don’t see anything that would cause this other than maybe caps that are not the same size or a rough spot inside the capper bell , I’ve also thought about taking the capper bell and maybe polishing the inside with Some fine grit wet sanding To see if that would help...

Are you applying a thin film of vegetable oil or Canola Oil to the inside of the capper bell before you start capping?

 

[Romex2121]

Never even crossed my mind about the oil ,

 

[CodeSection]

Never even crossed my mind about the oil ,

Those were the instructions I received when I bought my Deluxe Bench Bottle Capper from MB. I add a film of Canola Oil to the capper bell with my finger roughly every 50 bottles capped.

I would highly recommend you do NOT try to polish the capper bell.

https://www.morebeer.com/products/deluxe-bench-bottle-capper.html

 

[hout17]

I've had my red crimson capper going on eight years with no issues. I saw that same metal one in another site (Williams Brewing) that showed pictures of the bottle cap after it has been crimped. That capper looks like it stamps a circle on top of each cap FYI.

I prefer my red crimson capper.

 

[Ayzala]

I have 2 of the plastic ones going on 9 years, I've never had one break. Though I mostly bottle in swing tops and only do a dozen in 12 oz caps for give aways.

 

[jwa120]

I have both of those cappers. The plastic one had trouble with bottles that had a large lip. It worked well until it broke. The metal one, as hout17 mentioned, does leave a round indent on the cap. The metal capper I have also won't fit bottles with a thick neck. My metal capper may be slighly different the one pictured, the one I have has plastic incerts where the capper meets the neck of the bottle, wich makes it unable to handle bottles with a thick neck. Nothing beats a bench capper. If I could only have one of the above that you mentioned, I would go for the metal one, it's more robust.

 

[beerlife]

I've had my red crimson capper going on eight years with no issues. I saw that same metal one in another site (Williams Brewing) that showed pictures of the bottle cap after it has been crimped. That capper looks like it stamps a circle on top of each cap FYI.

I prefer my red crimson capper.

I have the exact same imprint on some of my bottles, but with my crimson capper. it is caused by the shape of the capper bell itself which grabs onto the crown of the caps.. I took some medium grid sandpaper and just did some quick sanding inside it. Now it no longer grabs onto the sides and the spring release no longer causes that imprint.

 

[passedpawn]

Yes, the metal-handled one will make those indents. I don't mind them at all, but others might. Here's some bottles I capped a week ago