Need a corker.

[wine_fan]

Does it matter which one I purchase? Will they all work on most bottles? I want to spend less than 30 dollars.

 

[WVMountaineerJack]

Presque Isle wine has a floor corker on sale, if you limit yourself to 30$ you are not going to get a good one, it has plastic jaws but unless you are doing a lot of bottles should do well. WVMJ

Does it matter which one I purchase? Will they all work on most bottles? I want to spend less than 30 dollars.

 

[dralarms]

Well for 5 bucks you can get the "slap" corker as I call it, put the cork in, set it on the bottle and slap the crap out of it. I keep one as backup to my corker just in case my floor corker doesn't seat one properly.

 

[jamesngalveston]

under 30.....plastic hand plunger typ, i think is about 12.99
are the two handle type right at 30.00
thats about it, unless you can find a used floor corker.

 

[cpfan]

Does it matter which one I purchase? Will they all work on most bottles? I want to spend less than 30 dollars.

Yes. Yes. No.

Yes, it matters. Floor corkers work better/more easily/whatever than other corkers.

Most bottles? Guess it depends where you are getting your bottles. Won't work on Mateus bottles (need a smaller cork, #6?). Work on screw cap bottles, but definitely not recommended. Work fine on most cork finish bottles.

Floor corkers are best. Handle #9 corks just fine. Tough to get for under $50, never mind $30. Some people do OK with a hand corker (double lever usually, I think), but works best with #8 corks, as many people have trouble getting a hand corker to compress a #9 sufficiently.

BTW, #9 corks are better than #8s for longer term storage.

Steve

 

[vacuumpumpman]

for a hand corker I would recommend the GILDA SINGLE LEVER CORKER
Its is approx 30 dollars and lasts for a long time - but you do have to have pretty good hand strength to use it.

I would save up my money and buy a floor corker is this is something you enjoy as a hobby.

 

[wineforfun]

This is what I cork all my bottles with. #9 1 3/4" corks. $9.99

 

[GaDawg]

I think the best you can get for under $30 is a Portugese Double Lever Corker.

 

[jamesngalveston]

cpfan....are you talking the ceramic are stoneware mateus bottles...

 

[bchilders]

I think the best you can get for under $30 is a Portugese Double Lever Corker.

I have used this for several cases of bottles and it works great. I recently bought a floor model and love it. The double lever model is worth a try especially if you have limited floor space.

 

[cpfan]

cpfan....are you talking the ceramic are stoneware mateus bottles...

Couldn't find a picture quickly at what I thought was a 'reliable' site. However, it looks like modern Mateus bottles are the same shape but have a different top.

I haven't actually seen a Mateus bottle in a long time (probably over 6 years). But when I ran a Ferment on Premises (up to Sept 2007), a couple of customers brought in Mateus bottles, and they had a very narrow neck.

Stoneware bottles...wasn't that Black Tower?

Steve

 

[richmke]

I bought a used double lever off Craigslist for $20. Like others have said, it works fine with #8 corks - sort of. I could not get the cork to fully seat. Not a problem since the first few batches are for me.

I then bought an Italian Floor Corker with the capper attachment (I also do beer) for $75 off Craisglist. Definitely worth the upgrade. The Italian works fine with natural corks, but may have problems with synthetic corks. High grade natural corks are expensive, and have a slight risk of TCA (2,4,6-trichloroanisole). Synthetic corks do not have that problem. If you are not going to age your wine for years, then cheaper mid grade corks are fine and not long enough (I hope) to develop a TCA problem. For synthetic corks, I hear the scoring problem (slow leak) can be addressed by sinking the cork below the top of the bottle, and filling that area with wax.

I have since found a Swiss Rapid 12 floor corker off CL. I read it is better with the synthetic corks, but I have not had the opportunity to use it yet.

Question is: Do I sell my Italian, or keep it for beer?

 

[reefman]

Swiss rapid 12 is a very expensive corker....almost $900

 

[Enologo]

I started out using the double handle corker and thought it was fine until I got the floor corker. I wouldn't go back.

 

[wine_fan]

I just ordered a Portuguese double lever corker. I appreciate all the input. I don't see myself doing enough wine making/bottling to justify the cost of a floor corker.

 

[Dugger]

If you have a local wine supply store that rents out floor corkers, check with them to see when they replace their corkers. The usually sell off the old rentals for half price or so. This can be a good source for a good used corker around $30.
Edit - just saw your last post, so disregard my post.

 

[jamesngalveston]

wine fan...I see you joined last month.....have you completed and bottle a batch of wine yet.......if not....wait till you get ready to buy.
i am pretty sure once you taste what your making, you will want a floor corker..

 

[LoveTheWine]

I got the Portuguese floor corker for $20 off of craigslist.
Also have the double lever one but don't use it anymore.

 

[petey]

I just ordered a Portuguese double lever corker. I appreciate all the input. I don't see myself doing enough wine making/bottling to justify the cost of a floor corker.

The double handle corker works fine. I've used mine for over a year, but its time (now) to upgrade. I've got demijohns that'll be ready to bottle in a few months, and I won't even try corking that many bottles without a floor corker

 

[Arne]

This is what I cork all my bottles with. #9 1 3/4" corks. $9.99

LOL, D.J.
But before you tell too many folks to use that one, you mite want to tell them that little rock in your arms in your avaitor is solid concrete. Mite make a bit of a difference for us guys that need a vac. pump to get 5 gal. of wine off the floor to the workbench. BTW, I have one of those and will give it to you if I remember to bring it along next time I see you. It has been sitting in the drawer since I went to a floor corker. Arne.