Allotment Gardening Advice Help Chat
Chatting => Equipment Shed => Topic started by: tony_park on August 28, 2014, 08:07
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Hi,
I wonder if anyone around Doncaster area has a fruit press my wife and I could try for an evening? We're thinking of making our own apple juice, and currently have a power juicer, but its incredibly slow.
If possible, we'd like to try a fruit press to see how they work, what sort of liquid is produced, and overall, how much time it saves in comparison.
Thanks
Tony
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It might be a good idea to go and introduce youself in the "Welcome" section, Tony :)
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Hi Aunt Sally,
sorry, new welcome message added :)
Thanks
Tony
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I've ordered a new 9l Vigo fruit press and crusher, hope to report back on how successful we are.
Hopefully its a lot quicker than the power juicer, since they reckon with organisation, you can press around 7l per hour, which is about 3x faster than the juicer....
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Tony, I'd be interested in how you get on. OH is thinking of making cider this year as we have inherited some apple trees, and I was looking at Vigo as well. They do seem a good make although pricey. Hopefully the cost will mean that they not only do a first rate job, but also last a lifetime!
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I have an alluminium stainless steel one from Ferrari.
Very easy to use, making grape wine. Placed on a slope to help drainage and crushed easily.
Apples are in freezer as no space for apple wine starting yet, but that is supposed to help crushing.
Don't know price as it was a pressie.
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Tony, I'd be interested in how you get on. OH is thinking of making cider this year as we have inherited some apple trees, and I was looking at Vigo as well. They do seem a good make although pricey. Hopefully the cost will mean that they not only do a first rate job, but also last a lifetime!
I'll let you know how I get on, its arriving today, so all being well, I can get started tonight.
Yep, agree about the price, and hopefully, as you say, it'll last a lifetime.
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Quick delivery if you only ordered this week?? Just wonder if that's the case as I have started to collect the windfall apples. No room in my freezers to store them. :lol: :lol:
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Quick delivery if you only ordered this week?? Just wonder if that's the case as I have started to collect the windfall apples. No room in my freezers to store them. :lol: :lol:
Yep, I only ordered it on Friday, so very quick turnaround. Unfortunately though, the price has now had the early bird discount removed... so its back to full price again now!
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Hi Ghost,
Tonight I've started using the fruit press...
Most of the problems I've had with the press was related to getting the press somewhere secure and stable. I tried a workbench out in the garage, but ended up using the picnic bench. It needed to have a baseplate attached which was then clamped to either the workbench or picnic bench.
In use, it doesn't appear to extract as much juice as our juicer did, but having said that, at least you don't end up with lots of particles suspended in the juice.
I think that using the press was probably twice the speed of me using the juicer, as for that, we pealed and cored the apples.
Not sure about the possibly of getting 7l per hour, unless you have assistance...
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Looking back on the Vigo website, looks like I may need to quarter my apples, before putting them in the pulpmaster, hopefully this then will produce a smaller chopped apple, allowing more juice...
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Tony, thanks for the update. The pulp master has had mixed reviews, let me know what you think, before we look at crushers too! The cost of the potential cider is getting ridiculous!! Still it will keep the OH out of my way for a while :D
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Yep, the pulpmaster would appear to be the weak link - but not sure the expense of £245 for the economy crusher is viable - may have to buy the crusher next year, or so, and plod on as we are for now!
It sure ain't cheap all this gear ::)
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Tony, thanks for the update. The pulp master has had mixed reviews, let me know what you think, before we look at crushers too! The cost of the potential cider is getting ridiculous!! Still it will keep the OH out of my way for a while :D
Hi,
so the other evening, managed to get cracking with the juicing. I think in about 1.5 buckets of apples, we managed to get 5l of juice made. Not sure whether thats a good amount, or not :-) Using the pulp master with smaller bits of apples seems to have helped somewhat.
The only part with the fruit press that concerns me, is that you really need to bolt it down to a fixed surface, that isn't going to anywhere.... as the amount of pressure you need to use, to get the press right down to the bottom of the screw, takes some doing. I think using our picnic bench may help, but then, thats outside, and if its windy (as it usually is), can't guarantee the juice actually going in the brewing bucket....
Hope that helps!
Tony
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Seems a lot of work, but guess the end result will be worth it if you are turning the juice to cider! I am surrounded by fermenting buckets and pressure barrels and siphons but no product as yet!
OH has decided to (probably knacker) use my juicer this year as we don't have that many apples at present......
Think his pressie list will include scratcher and press......
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For what it's worth, we have an Andrew James juicer, and we're getting about a litre from about five pounds of apples.
Also, Mrs Growster was stewing a load for the freezer yesterday, and I grabbed all the peelings and cores, and got quite a quite a bit more into the bargain!
It's very nice as a pommeau, with a little Calvados!
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A bit of a late reply I know, but this morning at the local boot fair I spotted what looked like an industrial strength juicer, picked it up for £20, when I got it home it turns out it is a champion 2000 juicer, which comes with a 10 year guarantee - looking online this seems to be 'THE' juicer to have, with people saying theirs are still going after 50 years. its a bit late for this years crop of apples for me, but next year.....
Grendel
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we used ours for elderberry wine,with more to come once kitchen sorted.
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OH used our juicer to do 30kg of apples and he got about 15 litres of juice. Not the best return, but it saved buying the scratter and press for this year. He did say that the juicer started smoking at one time, despite doing it in batches, but it seems to have survived. He didn't have to squeeze the pulp either as there wasn't much 'wet' in it.
He is happy, three demijohns of dry still cider to come, ready for drinking in January.
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When I was pressing apples I bought a small electric garden shredder and put the apples through that. Had to cut them into halves but it made pressing faster and more efficient.
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Hi Tony,
I've only just seen your post. I've done around 500 litres with my press and can offer my experiences if you think that would be any good? By now, you may already have cut your teeth.... if so, sorry.
I live down the road from you but can chat by phone (pm) if you think I can help in any way.