Capping Bottles - Whats the best option for a capper?

[Nztayls]

I have been using PET and swing top bottles since starting up brewing a year ago. I am now wanting to move to glass bottles and crown caps. I will probably use old stubbies (Moa, Monteiths, Stokes) etc so that I don't have to crack open a 500ml overtime I want a beer,...and there is just something about drinking out of glass.

After a bit of advice over bottle cappers. I have seen big bench top ones, and smaller hand-held versions. Any recommendations from anyone who bottles?

[Grant R Baker]

I have been using a twin lever capper.  It was okay at first but after capping about 200+ bottle it has become a bit wobbly, maybe the capping bell needs replacing.

I'll probably end up replacing the whole capper with a bench capper... I don't think a hammer capper is a great idea for the thin glass 500ml bottles.

[Hamish Jones]

go for a bench capper, as the twin lever ones get a bit tired they can cause the neck on the bottle to break off, which is a right pain as no one likes throwing away good beers, the bench capper is heaps easier and quicker and less damaging to bottles

[David R]

I was going to make a similar topic as my red plastic twin-lever one is getting a bit wobbly too, sounds like a bench capper is the way to go. Time to tidy up the garage and get a decent bench/brewing 'kitchen' set up!! :P

[andrew henshaw]

bench cappers are great, screw them down to a hunk of wood like a chopping board and you can move them around but have a a stable base. I used a twin lever caper for many years with no problems, great for various bottles but prone to breaking necks off particular bottles, such as Stella and Macs, havent tried on Moa but Monteiths/stoke/tuatara and most others and crate bottles all good. Also requires a bit more force that a bench capper

I've used two types of bench capper quite a bit, a SuperAutomatica and a SuperAgata, both do the job well, and I wouldnt go back to a twin lever.

the superautomatica has a button that you have to press to alter bottling height, whereas the superagata you raise the handle fully upright and the capping head is spring loaded. I found the superagata faster and easier to adjust across a range of bottles.

both have magnetic bells, sweet.

I had trouble with the bell of my superagata coming off, it has a plastic thread that got flogged out whereas the superautomatica is metal, but nothing that gorilla grip didnt fix easily.

the action of the superagata is smoother and easier, my 3 year old daughter can use it

my pick is the super agata, but you may not be able to get them here, I got mine from the states. The Superautomatica is a good capper and available in NZ.

I regularly cap between 60 and 160 bottles in a session, so the cappers get a good work out.