Fruit & Cider Presses

A good press is the difference between a decent cider and a great one: more juice extracted, cleaner pressing, and less wastage than crushing and straining by hand. Our apple and fruit presses are made by Vigo Presses, the Devon-based specialists with over 40 years of apple pressing experience. Whether you're pressing a few kilos of garden apples or a full seasonal harvest, there's a press to suit.

New to pressing? Read our step-by-step guide: How to Use an Apple Press.

Choosing a Press

• Small batches: the 4.5 Litre Worktop Fruit Press is compact, stainless steel and easy to store, and the Vigo 6 Litre Hobby Press holds around 5.5kg of crushed fruit for 2–3 litres of juice per pressing — ideal first presses.
• Family harvests: the Vigo 12 Litre Hobby Press holds around 11kg of crushed fruit, for up to 4.5–6 litres per pressing.
• Frequent, heavy use: the Vigo 12 Litre Stainless Steel Spindle Press and the cast iron Vigo 12 Litre Cross Beam Press, whose crossbeam swings aside for easy filling and emptying, are built for years of pressing seasons.
• All-in-one starter kits: our Cider Making Kits bundle a press with a Pulpmaster crusher, demijohns, airlocks and a cider-making book — everything needed in one order.

What Else Do You Need?

A crusher or scratter is essential: whole apples press very poorly, so they need crushing into pomace first. You'll also need a demijohn or fermentation vessel, a cider yeast and a hydrometer if you're making cider. Prefer not to source your own fruit? Browse our cider kit buyer's guide.

Frequently Asked Questions

How much juice does a fruit press yield?

It depends on the fruit and how finely it's crushed. As a guide, Vigo quotes around 2–3 litres per pressing from the 6 litre hobby press and up to 4.5–6 litres per pressing from the 12 litre presses.

Do I need to crush fruit before pressing?

Yes, for apples and most firm fruit. Whole or roughly chopped apples press very poorly — crushing first breaks down the cell structure and dramatically improves juice yield.

Can I use a fruit press for grapes and other fruit?

Yes. These presses work for pears, grapes (once the skins are broken) and soft fruit such as raspberries and elderberries, as well as apples.