Reviews by our members

• 4

  2 out of 2 members found this review helpful

  irini_g85

  2022-10-18

  Verified purchase

  Effective although a bit tiring to assemble. Also, the instructions could be in Greek and clearly printed because now it was a bad photocopy with images that you couldn't understand.

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• 3

  20 out of 20 members found this review helpful

  IoannaArk

  2021-08-29

  Verified purchase

  This review is about the capacity: 18 lt

  I ordered and purchased the grape press from a physical store, at a slightly higher price. It is carefully packaged. You have to assemble it yourself. It's not difficult. The instructions included are informative, both for assembly and for proper use and storage. However, please note that they are written only in English. But it also has helpful images. For a Chinese product, it seems quite good. The wood (probably oak, I'm not sure) is untreated, the base is sturdy and heavy (probably made of cast iron), and the central rotating axis (I'm not sure if I'm saying it correctly) is sturdy and heavy. It includes a bag with small holes to filter the must better. However, a filtering bag is necessary because the gaps between the wood are not small enough to prevent the grape skins from passing through. I will try it in about a month to tell you about the results of its use. For now, the review only concerns the appearance of the product, in case you want to buy it, to have an idea from the image. I haven't washed it yet, I will do it when the days of use approach, with mild soap and water only. I don't know if the wood will take on color from the grapes yet, but that doesn't matter to me, as long as it is functional and doesn't break. I hope it will be efficient for the amateur use I want it for and finally make my life easier.

  22/11/2021
  After the initial comments from the first impression, and after using it 8 times now, I deduct one star. I should note that I use it to make grape must, not wine. Let's go through it: 1) The bag filters the must quite well, and then it doesn't need much straining during boiling (this surprised me pleasantly because the holes in the bag seem quite large, yet it does a very good job). 2) I manage to extract the must much faster than when I used kitchen utensils. 3) The cast iron base is quite sturdy (at least it lasted for me). Now, the negatives: 1) The pressure applied with the lever must be done slowly, meaning you should wait for it to release most of its juice and then continue pressing, otherwise it will start spitting grape skins from the holes of the bag, making a mess. I made a mess the first two times like this, then I realized what was causing it. 2) Due to it being manual, you won't be able to extract 100% of the must from the grapes, there will be a percentage left, no matter how much you press. With the system using a chestnut, you may be able to extract a higher percentage due to the greater force that can be applied to the grapes. However, don't overdo it when you see it starting to strain, I don't know how much the wood can handle. 3) The cast iron, as well as the iron components that make up the central axis and the lever system, lose their external coating-varnish in some areas after the first use, especially the iron components, and more so in the areas where pressure is applied. 4) When most of the must has been extracted from the press, it requires quite a bit of pressure to start getting more quantity. I, as a woman with enough strength, struggled with it. It will probably be easier for men. 5) The tool is good to be placed in a location where you don't fear scratching its surface from the cast iron base, as when you turn the lever, the base also turns when pressure is applied. I ended up damaging my wooden kitchen table a bit this way. One tip, I placed marble underneath and I can say it did a good job.
  6) The wood of the tool seems a bit fragile, in some areas, those used to press the lever, they developed some cracks. I hope the situation doesn't worsen.
  7) The semi-circular woods that go right above the bag could be more fitting, so that the grapes are not squeezed and come out from the side that is not covered by wood. As you press the must downwards while turning the lever, the uncovered surface is not pressed, resulting in the bag coming out on top and then making it difficult to remove the semi-circular woods, as well as preventing better pressure on the grapes. I don't know if you understand what I'm describing with what I'm saying. You need to find the best way to apply the woods in order to limit the problem. I found one, but I can't describe it.
  8) The bag could have a smaller notch, so that the grapes don't come out from the bottom when you put the first dose inside. You need to make sure to apply the notch well. Anyway, every time I put the first dose of crushed grapes inside, it released a few stems. Again, I don't know if you understood what I'm saying, if you see it you will understand. I hope I didn't forget to mention anything. Know that you will definitely need other woods to supplement and apply more pressure, I used the legs from pallets, they did a good job. Make sure, however, that whatever woods you use, they have the same height, in order to apply uniform pressure and prevent the woods from struggling. Also, wash the press and the components quickly after use and let them dry well. If the stems dry on top, it will be difficult to clean it later. After washing, I didn't apply anything to them. Maybe I will lubricate the iron components with a little oil to prevent rust. I'll see. For me, it gave me moderate impressions in the first year. Maybe for the price, it's a good tool, for amateur use only. However, I think it could have some better features in terms of product details.

  23/8/2023
  If your hands get tired and you have the necessary tools, you can make a special simple construction and replace the lever with a hydraulic bottle jack for much easier pressing of the must, so your hands won't get tired. With a quick search on Google images for DIY grape press, you will find examples. That's how I will do the job this year.

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• 5

  kptheodor

  2022-09-27

  Verified purchase

  This review is about the capacity: 30 lt

  It does its job as it should!

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• 5

  1 out of 1 members found this review helpful

  Giorgos_Skalistis

  2020-09-16

  Verified purchase

  This review is about the capacity: 30 lt

  Helpful suitable for amateur use at an affordable price

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• 4

  0 out of 1 members found this review helpful

  Stathis_Boukouras

  2019-05-22
  This review is about the capacity: 6 lt

  Very good, just small. I should have gotten the bigger one.

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• 5

  eugeniaver09

  2024-12-18

  Verified purchase

• 5

  giannis_papadopoulos9052

  2024-12-05

  Verified purchase