Bottling day is the final hurdle before you get to finish your brew or take it out of the kegerator to share with friends. Choosing the right capper can be the difference between a smooth, satisfying afternoon and a frustrating experience with broken glass or leaky seals. At MoreBeer!, we carry a range of options to fit every budget and batch size.
1. Hand Cappers (Wing Cappers)
Often called "wing cappers" due to their two-handled design, these are the most popular choice for beginners and those with limited storage space.
Best For: Small batches (1–5 gallons), occasional brewers, and budget-conscious setups.
How They Work: You place the cap on the bottle, fit the capper over it, and push both handles down simultaneously.
Pros: Very affordable, portable, and easy to store in a kitchen drawer.
Cons: Requires two hands and a bit of physical coordination. They can struggle with "short-neck" bottles where the capper’s gripping plates can't find a firm ledge.
Popular MoreBeer! Pick: The Emily or Crimson wing cappers.
2. Bench Cappers
If you brew frequently or find hand-capping a chore, a bench capper is a significant upgrade. These units are designed to sit on a counter or be bolted directly to a workbench.
Best For: Regular brewers, bottling 5+ gallon batches, or anyone who wants a more ergonomic experience.
How They Work: You pull a single lever down with one hand while the other hand holds the bottle steady.
Pros: One-handed operation, highly stable, and adjustable for different bottle heights. They provide more downward force with less effort, ensuring a perfect seal every time.
Cons: Larger footprint than hand cappers and a higher initial cost.
Popular MoreBeer! Pick: The Colt Strong or the "built like a tank" Grifo Deluxe Bench Capper.
3. Ercole Pneumatic & Electric Cappers
For the serious enthusiast or small-scale commercial operation, the Ercole series represents the pinnacle of bottling efficiency.
Best For: High-volume bottling, microbreweries, or brewers with physical limitations that make manual capping difficult.
Ercole Pneumatic: Driven by an air compressor (requires ~125 psi). It uses a dual-button safety system—you must press both buttons at once to activate the piston, keeping your fingers safely away from the capping head.
Ercole Electric: The same professional power but plugs into a standard outlet—no noisy air compressor required.
Pros: Effortless, lightning-fast, and provides the most consistent seal possible.
Cons: Professional-grade pricing and requires a permanent spot in your brewery.
4. Understanding Cap Sizes: 26mm vs. 29mm
Not all bottles are created equal! Before you start capping, you need to know which "bell" (the metal cup that crimps the cap) your capper is using.
| Size | Standard For... | Notes |
| 26mm | Standard North American 12oz, 22oz (Bombers), and most longnecks. | This is the "default" size for almost all American homebrew supplies. |
| 29mm | European "Standard," 750ml Belgian bottles, and many sparkling wine bottles. | These bottles have a wider mouth. You will need a 29mm bell/capping head to seal these correctly. |
Shopping Tip: Many of our bench cappers, like the Grifo Deluxe, come with both 26mm and 29mm heads included. If you’re using a wing capper or a basic bench model, you may need to purchase a separate 29mm adapter.
Which one is right for you?
Brewing once or twice a year? Stick with a Hand Capper.
Brewing every month? Invest in a Bench Capper (Your wrists will thank you!).
Opening a small brewery? The Ercole Pneumatic or Electric is the way to go.
Still unsure? Check out the reviews on our product pages to see what fellow brewers are saying about each model!