Looks like a decent value scratter

[Jon Roberts]

Has anyone used one of these? Other than a smaller motor than it's more expensive better known rivals, it looks alright and not much more expensive than the top of the range manual scratters. Too good to be true?

https://www.selections.com/garden-products/home-brew/apple-scratters-cider-presses/electric-fruit-crusher-apple-scratter-pomace-machine.html

[abo41.p...@gmail.com]

Jon, I have the stainless steel version of this and it works fine. Mine is branded as an Apex FS15LA and was purchased about 4 years ago off ebay when i progressed from a fencepost and bucket. It came from Germany for £215 delivered with a 10% off ebay coupon that popped up. Some chancer is currently selling the same machine for just under £1500 on ebay when i looked this morning!! Its probably not as powerful as others as you say. You have to start the machine running before tipping your apples in and will need to cut larger apples in half and keep a stick handy as the apples do stick in the shute just above the blade now and again. It has two seals to stop apple juice getting to the motor and you need to fully take apart to clean after use (4 13mm bolts).
I have used it to make 20-60 gallons each year as well as taking it to use for freinds and found it ok. It does just stop occassionally, which means you have to take apart, remove the uncut apples in the shute and start again - might be a thermal cut out to let it cool down? You need to feed the apples in gradually rather than filling the shute. A normal large flexi tub fits nicely under the outlet to colect the pulp which is a perfect consistency and presses well. Like you i looked at the manual scratters but am glad i chose this option, its so easy and quick. If you can find one the stainless version seems the best option, no paint to worry about.
Hope this helps, Andrew

[Jon Roberts]

Thanks for the detailed feedback. That's really useful. I've actually found a shop soiled one with a minor dent on top. I reckon I might be able to get it for 150. Fingers crossed.

[knivetoncider]

Jon - This is the model we started with - lasted 2 seasons so about 4 tonne of fruit
We found it very easy to block up.We were dismantling it so often I swapped the dome nuts for wing nuts to speed up the process. The paint peeled from the edges of the chute very quickly and had to paint it with varnish mid season.We had the hopper powder coated after the first season. As Andrew says - the stainless version would not have these problems. At the start of the second season I had to replace the on/off/stop switch as the magnetic latch was not holding. Towards the end of the second season it just started tripping out the electric about a second after it was switched on. I assume this was due to juice had got past the seals and into the motor even though we were meticulous in cleaning and greasing. For season three we bought a Spiedel.

Kev

[Jon Roberts]

Ah crap. Probably means the paint on a 'pre-dented'model won't be worth a season. Thanks for feedback.

[jitd...@aol.com]

looks like the one Vigo do at £525, but with a stainless steel hopper. I bought one from Vigo about 3 years ago - no problems so far, but it does clog up if you try and tip apples in too fast. Bit of a bugger to clean up afterwards, but that goes for all cleaning up I suppose. The main problem is that it comes with a warning about not getting the damned thing wet so you can't just take a hose to it when you have finished grinding. Also it doesn't crush the fruit but minces it into little chips so perhaps the resulting juice extraction might not be that of a more expensive crusher - or a bucket and fence-post.
JD

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[John Were]

We got a Speidel mill via Vigo 7 years ago. It's a good bit of kit but
I'd echo JD's comment below about clogging if you go too fast with the
apples which can then blow a fuse. Easy enough to rectify though generally.

I do stick a hose down ours at the end of every session. I do this with
it running and it doesn't seem to have caused any issues so far. If you
leave it running for a bit after washing it ends up pretty clean and
dry. This is in no way a recommendation etc. etc.

This year my plan is to try to sharpen the blades when I get round to
breaking everything down and putting it away...

John

[jitd...@aol.com]

One issue I would mention with the mincer is that it came with very poor maintenance instructions ….. such as where the fuse is …. how you maintain the seals to prevent juice penetrating into the electrics (which are directly below the cutters), …..removing the spindle, …… first IAs on stoppages etc.
JD

[Casper Farrell]

I have this too (red version) and agree with the other comments, it does tend to jam up after about an hour of continual usage. Unfortunately it had been dropped by the courier company from Germany and bent the top rim of the chute which flaked off the paint - so every season needs a touch up to keep it sealed from the acidic juice.

We'll be upgrading next season though as the chute is too narrow and hand feeding apples rather than tipping a half bucket load in is a bit time consuming.

[Max Nowell ( Steilhead Cider)]

We have the Vigo one as well.  It's been very good, I reckon, and it's done four or five seasons now, although I'd echo the comments regarding possible blockages and the poor instructions.  Also, until recently the choice of spares was hopeless.  I take no notice of the warning re getting it wet, and it seems ok.

The only problem has been the shaft seal rotting away, and at the time spare seals weren't available, (they are now).  I bodged mine with a bead of silicone around the spindle and a short piece of 18mm braided hose pushed down onto it (a good tight fit) and it's worked perfectly.  That was maybe 35 tonnes of apples ago!

[Tom Bugs]

I got one of those ones - well, ordered the cheaper painted one, but they sent a stainless one.

Unfortunately the motor had come loose & they had to send a replacement part - so kind of balanced out.
I paid £250 in 2016 from Selections too.

I'd suggest stainless over painted.

Used it for 2 seasons and it was generally good - well, echoing the blockages which would occur in the chute (so wouldn't jam the motor). I stout & not too long piece of wood would be a good implement for declogging - just not long enough to actually reach the blades.

I'd have liked a Spiedel or such, but couldn't afford that sort of outlay.