gadgets Small batch bottle filling solution.

K8bit

K8bit

As I've been scaling up production I've also been gradually losing my mind bottling one at a time with a ladle and funnel. :scared:  I truly love every step of small batch sauce making, except the funnel part.  I'm too small fry to justify a fancy expensive pneumatic filler, but was considering it just to avoid manual filling.   
 
So in case anyone else is in the same boat i was in, I just want to share this simple kitchen gadget I picked up to fill bottles. I LOVE THIS THING. It's been a major time and sanity saver, way tidier than using a standard funnel and makes it much easier maintain hot fill temperature. 
 
Anyone use something like this for small batch filling?  Or have an even better, more ingenious solution?  
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https://www.amazon.ca/gp/product/B01BTR44IQ/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o02_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1
 
 
 
 
 
I tend to bottle about 30-60 at a time. I honestly love the process. For me the concentration needed is a stress relief. I use a funnel and a pitcher. The pitcher holds about 50 oz or so so I only need to fill it every ten bottles. How much does this contraption actually hold?
 
peppersproutfarm said:
I tend to bottle about 30-60 at a time. I honestly love the process. For me the concentration needed is a stress relief. I use a funnel and a pitcher. The pitcher holds about 50 oz or so so I only need to fill it every ten bottles. How much does this contraption actually hold?
Click to expand...
Glad I'm not the only one who finds concentrating on the process stress relieving!  I also had a pretty crappy funnel TBH.   I had looked around for a metal pitcher as an alternative, but then came across this thing. If you totally fill the pitcher, do you find it hard to wrangle the first few accurately into the funnel?
 
This one can do up to 6 bottles per hopper really quickly, so the sauce is still roughly 190f by bottle #6  and I'm not dribbling sauce out of the bottom of my crappy funnel anymore, or dealing with the airlock that sometimes happens with thicker sauces. It only takes 1 hand to operate, so I can stir the pot while filling bottles if needed. I should also mention I am always fighting my true nature as a spill monster, so I need all the help I can get.  I am sure others have the grace and dexterity to accomplish the task using normal tools without trouble.  :lol:     
 
Think of things like a coffee urn or syrup warmer. Some might need a bit of further accessories, but you can load it up with a couple gallons of sauce and keep it hot while dispensing.

When doing just a couple gallons, i just deal with the funnel. More than that, it helps to have other stuff.

A lot of folks use the HandyFiller.


Welcome, k8bit!

Have Fun!
Salsalady
 
Looks like a cool toy! For me, I use a jug and funnel. I find that the mess and slowdown of the process comes from moving the funnel from bottle to bottle. That's where you get sauce on the bottom of the funnel which makes it lock up and not flow. So I bought a 12 pack of mini funnels so I can do 12 bottles at a time without moving the funnel. Then a quick rinse and starsan and I'm good to go for the next lot (if there is one - it's rare that a batch is more than 12 bottles.
 
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