I’ve looked back to see if anyone had posted a question similar to mine but
didn’t see one. I’m a fledgling wine maker. I will very quickly need to
bottle my first wine and I’m checking out the different corkers. I was told
by one person not to waste time buying the twin lever corker because it was
too frustrating to operate and was instead told to buy a floor-mounted
corker. I have been looking at several and wanted some opinions. I was
looking at the Portuguese Floor Corker but also see several others to choose
from. I don’t want to spend an arm and a leg but I also don’t want to buy
something that’s also going to be worthless and frustrating to use. I’d
appreciate opinions on this corker and any other floor corkers you may be
using. So you know my situation, my largest batch of wine is 5 gallon. I
won’t be bottling more than that in one session. Thanks a million!



Jeff

Semi-uninformed opinion:

I have a Portuguese. I never bothered with the hand or lever corkers
because I have heard so much negativity towards them by wine-making
enthusiasts. I've not heard a bad word said about the floor standing
corker and it hasn't given me any hassle yet.

My philosophy was that by the time I had spent £15 to try a couple of
cheap corkers and got tired sore hands and spilled wine, I'd only have
to spend £40 on a Portuguese after that. For the price of a good
night out I know I'll look forward to bottling days and shouldn't have
to buy another corker for many a good year.

Jim

On Sep 23, 5:02 pm, "J Scott" > wrote:
> I've looked back to see if anyone had posted a question similar to mine but
> didn't see one. I'm a fledgling wine maker. I will very quickly need to
> bottle my first wine and I'm checking out the different corkers. I was told
> by one person not to waste time buying the twin lever corker because it was
> too frustrating to operate and was instead told to buy a floor-mounted
> corker. I have been looking at several and wanted some opinions. I was
> looking at the Portuguese Floor Corker but also see several others to choose
> from. I don't want to spend an arm and a leg but I also don't want to buy
> something that's also going to be worthless and frustrating to use. I'd
> appreciate opinions on this corker and any other floor corkers you may be
> using. So you know my situation, my largest batch of wine is 5 gallon. I
> won't be bottling more than that in one session. Thanks a million!
>
> Jeff

On Sep 23, 9:02 am, "J Scott" > wrote:
> I've looked back to see if anyone had posted a question similar to mine but
> didn't see one. I'm a fledgling wine maker. I will very quickly need to
> bottle my first wine and I'm checking out the different corkers. I was told
> by one person not to waste time buying the twin lever corker because it was
> too frustrating to operate and was instead told to buy a floor-mounted
> corker. I have been looking at several and wanted some opinions. I was
> looking at the Portuguese Floor Corker but also see several others to choose
> from. I don't want to spend an arm and a leg but I also don't want to buy
> something that's also going to be worthless and frustrating to use. I'd
> appreciate opinions on this corker and any other floor corkers you may be
> using. So you know my situation, my largest batch of wine is 5 gallon. I
> won't be bottling more than that in one session. Thanks a million!
>
> Jeff

Hi Jeff-

I've used the plastic jaw'd floor corker (Portuguese) and the brass
jaw'd corker (Italian). Both do the job. Both are made of non-
stainless metal so will rust. Both are easy to use and are a hundred
times better than the hand corker (after doing 250 bottles in a
session, trust me).

Both will set you back about 100$, give or take.

My wife bought me the Italian for two reasons: 1 it can insert
champagne corks (and as it turns out, we're using plastic so it didn't
matter) and 2) it had an optional metal beer capper that can put
various crown caps on. I think that was an extra couple of bucks, but
it's been worth it since she still likes to bottle beer.

If you want to use 'synthetic' corks (foam cored center etc) then you
will want the plastic jaw'd one. I modified my brass one with some
400/600/1000/1200 grit papers and sanded a new 'channel' that got rid
of the slitting action the jaws made when they'd close and a soft
synthetic cork was inserted.

Bad news about floor corkers- it's tough to keep them from rusting.

The paint on the inside is only so good and the parts will rub. A
couple of dollups of food-safe grease will help delay the inevitable,
and I'm told the plastic jawed corkers don't rust as easily since the
plastic itself wears out before the metal, but that's just conjecture-
I have no direct experience comparing rust levels. Sometimes the
corks get discoloured from the rust on the brass jaw- but I fix that
with some wipedowns prior to bottling.

Either way you go it's an investment. I found I had to mount the
other corker to a board to keep it from bouncing around. Mine didn't
need that. I wish mine had a longer lever arm,or was slightly higher
so I don't have tobend so much, but none of these impact their
performance.

So... I'd tell you to spend the money and get a great corker. Who
knows, you may suddenly find yourself wanting to make 15 gallon
batches of Riesling- and 75 bottles at a time definitely requires a
floor corker (or great muscles).

Good luck-

If all you're bottling is 5 gallons at a whack, IOW 25 bottles, check
out ebay for a Sanbri.

I use an old punch type Sanbri for ~ 30 - 40 gallons. Have a lever
style I lone out. Either works just fine. IIRC they went for about
$15 each shipped.

Steve
Oregon






On Sun, 23 Sep 2007 10:13:50 -0700, jim > wrote:

>Semi-uninformed opinion:
>
>I have a Portuguese. I never bothered with the hand or lever corkers
>because I have heard so much negativity towards them by wine-making
>enthusiasts. I've not heard a bad word said about the floor standing
>corker and it hasn't given me any hassle yet.
>
>My philosophy was that by the time I had spent £15 to try a couple of
>cheap corkers and got tired sore hands and spilled wine, I'd only have
>to spend £40 on a Portuguese after that. For the price of a good
>night out I know I'll look forward to bottling days and shouldn't have
>to buy another corker for many a good year.
>
>Jim
>
>On Sep 23, 5:02 pm, "J Scott" > wrote:
>> I've looked back to see if anyone had posted a question similar to mine but
>> didn't see one. I'm a fledgling wine maker. I will very quickly need to
>> bottle my first wine and I'm checking out the different corkers. I was told
>> by one person not to waste time buying the twin lever corker because it was
>> too frustrating to operate and was instead told to buy a floor-mounted
>> corker. I have been looking at several and wanted some opinions. I was
>> looking at the Portuguese Floor Corker but also see several others to choose
>> from. I don't want to spend an arm and a leg but I also don't want to buy
>> something that's also going to be worthless and frustrating to use. I'd
>> appreciate opinions on this corker and any other floor corkers you may be
>> using. So you know my situation, my largest batch of wine is 5 gallon. I
>> won't be bottling more than that in one session. Thanks a million!
>>
>> Jeff
>

If someone gives you or lends you a lever corker, use it! Meanwhile, save
up for the floor model; even on small batches, you'll welcome the purchase.
Floor corkers are just that much better... We made do with a lever job for 6
years @ 20+ cases per year The cost was a major sticking point towards the
purchase, but since I made the leap ( w/ a tax refund) I'm glad I did. Just
MHO... regards


"J Scott" > wrote in message
...
> I've looked back to see if anyone had posted a question similar to mine
> but didn't see one. I'm a fledgling wine maker. I will very quickly need
> to bottle my first wine and I'm checking out the different corkers. I was
> told by one person not to waste time buying the twin lever corker because
> it was too frustrating to operate and was instead told to buy a
> floor-mounted corker. I have been looking at several and wanted some
> opinions. I was looking at the Portuguese Floor Corker but also see
> several others to choose from. I don't want to spend an arm and a leg but
> I also don't want to buy something that's also going to be worthless and
> frustrating to use. I'd appreciate opinions on this corker and any other
> floor corkers you may be using. So you know my situation, my largest
> batch of wine is 5 gallon. I won't be bottling more than that in one
> session. Thanks a million!
>
>
>
> Jeff
>

On Sep 23, 5:44 pm, "bobdrob" > wrote:
> If someone gives you or lends you a lever corker, use it! Meanwhile, save
> up for the floor model; even on small batches, you'll welcome the purchase.
> Floor corkers are just that much better... We made do with a lever job for 6
> years @ 20+ cases per year The cost was a major sticking point towards the
> purchase, but since I made the leap ( w/ a tax refund) I'm glad I did. Just
> MHO... regards
>
> "J Scott" > wrote in message
>
> ...
>
>
>
> > I've looked back to see if anyone had posted a question similar to mine
> > but didn't see one. I'm a fledgling wine maker. I will very quickly need
> > to bottle my first wine and I'm checking out the different corkers. I was
> > told by one person not to waste time buying the twin lever corker because
> > it was too frustrating to operate and was instead told to buy a
> > floor-mounted corker. I have been looking at several and wanted some
> > opinions. I was looking at the Portuguese Floor Corker but also see
> > several others to choose from. I don't want to spend an arm and a leg but
> > I also don't want to buy something that's also going to be worthless and
> > frustrating to use. I'd appreciate opinions on this corker and any other
> > floor corkers you may be using. So you know my situation, my largest
> > batch of wine is 5 gallon. I won't be bottling more than that in one
> > session. Thanks a million!
>
> > Jeff- Hide quoted text -
>
> - Show quoted text -

For the money and versatility the Portuguese is the best way to go.
You can usually find them new for around $60 is the US and Canada.
The Ferrari Gilda is the only hand corker that is worth anything, the
only problem is it's better if you have 3 arms to use it and most of
us have only 2. Seriously, that one works on natural corks too
and is half the price. It will never compress a synthetic and that is
a drawback.


Joe

On Sep 23, 9:02 am, "J Scott" > wrote:
> I've looked back to see if anyone had posted a question similar to mine but
> didn't see one. I'm a fledgling wine maker. I will very quickly need to
> bottle my first wine and I'm checking out the different corkers. I was told
> by one person not to waste time buying the twin lever corker because it was
> too frustrating to operate and was instead told to buy a floor-mounted
> corker. I have been looking at several and wanted some opinions. I was
> looking at the Portuguese Floor Corker but also see several others to choose
> from. I don't want to spend an arm and a leg but I also don't want to buy
> something that's also going to be worthless and frustrating to use. I'd
> appreciate opinions on this corker and any other floor corkers you may be
> using. So you know my situation, my largest batch of wine is 5 gallon. I
> won't be bottling more than that in one session. Thanks a million!
>
> Jeff

personal opinion, portugese is where its at. Adjustable, reliable, low-
tech, easy to use, requires no strength and little force. I have
bottled with my son. He is four. Nuff said!