I love my 30 year old Squeezo. There are no plastic parts which is a plus for me. I rigged up a guard to keep juice from spattering over the tray under the auger. I sometimes have drips where the handle connects to the auger. A dish cloth tied around this part eliminate the drip. No big deal. I don't set up the Squeezo if I'm doing small batches of anything as I also have a Chinois [sp]. The cone thingy. I think the Squeezo has a new name, maybe Villaware. I don't think the new ones are made as well as the original as I don't see them advertised anymore.

Squeezo, Villaware, Victorio, Back To Basics, Roma, Prago Trade, Weston, and the rest, are ALL similar to each other. The earlier ones have two big wing nuts on the conical sieves that are used to hold them onto the body of the machine. These earlier versions also had little to no spatter shields, or a shaft seal for preventing liquids from leaking out at the crank end. The newer versions like Villaware and Roma are better designed, and feature twist on sieves, with a single small thumbscrew, a shaft seal, and a plastic extender for the waste to come out further from the sieve. The only plastic parts on these is the augers and spatter shield. This is needed on the auger to they don't damage or wear out the sieves if something very hard gets pushed through. My current one doesn't leak out the shaft end, and you may have yours assembled incorrectly. There is also a rubber ring seal where the sieves attach to the body. The spatter shield wraps around the sieves. I use a knife to scrape off the buildup on the sieves every once in a while. With the motor unit attached, I have never seen even a single drop of liquid leak out the cranking end of the shaft. With the motor attached, its just resting in the keyed hole in the shaft. I must say that my unit has been the most used tool in canning compared to a BWB.

I had a very old Victorio, with no spatter shield, wing nut sieves, and a continually leaking shaft. Needless to say it was not used as much, and I eventually sold it for just $5. I also have all the optional sieves and the shorter grape auger spiral. Its a really great device to get all the juices out of red raspberries. Totally seedless. For tomatoes, the only need is to cut the big ones so they fit into the hopper. No cooking, blanching, or any other prepping needs to be done to tomatoes. Once you collect the waste out the end, run it through a second time to squeeze out more goodness. Mine has an electric motor attachment too. Its just a few minutes between a bushel of tomatoes and a big pot of sauce.

Not to pat myself on the back, but I must have posted hundreds of messages in many threads on this forum. Type in the search word 'Villaware', and you will soon see all of these posts.

Here is a link that might be useful: Food strainer

Ken,
I know you love your Villaware and I'm sure I read every one of your posts on the subject. You sold an old Victorio for $5. because it leaked at the shaft and you tell me I my have mine put together incorrectly. Maybe you had yours put together incorrectly. I have used mine for over 30 years. I think I know how to put it together. Hope you know, I'm just pulling your leg.

Yea Ken, I did wade through a bunch of posts on the strainers. And have looked at a bunch on the net ... maybe its info overload.

From what you are saying there are only two types - twist on screen and double wingnut screen style. From what I see on the net, both styles are available new. Other than that they are the same unit, just being marketed under a different brand?

Also saw a reference on a web page (can't find it now) to the aluminum bases and tin plate cast iron base, any preference? Also Stainless and plated screens ... I'm sure the Stainless would be preferable?

From what you are saying, it makes no sense to buy a new Mfg Squeezo for over $150. But better off with a Villaware/Roma for $50 (+ additional screens).

The one I had (and returned) a couple years back was a Universal brand. Like I said, it leaked profusly, had o-rings, had the plastic over the screen, but don't recall it having the plastic sleeve on the discharge of the screen(made it very hard to get the bowls positioned correctly.

Thanks for the info,
Ed

Only because these come under so many different names, it is a daunting task to decide which would work the best. With my very old Victorio, the shaft had no seal, and slides in and out while cranking tomatoes through. I used to have to place a wad of paper towels on the floor under it to catch the drips. All the units I used had cast aluminium housings with stainless screens and red plastic augers. The Villware (actually ROMA) I use now, has a little bit shorter shaft and the small clear O ring that is set in a groove on the shaft, with an E ring clip holding the shaft from moving in or out. That little O ring has not leaked yet. I do like the twist on screens as those wing nuts need to be snugged dwon equally on both sides, or the sieves will not seat properly in the housing. Yes, mine had a 4 inch long clear plastic cone that snaps onto the open end of the sieve, and a bowl fits under it very nicely. Because the output trough is quite low in height, I place a big flat pan under it like a 9x13 cake pan or larger to catch the pulp and juice. The link below shows several 'brands' and several prices. As seen, most also show that clear cone on the output end. The one I have is the model 200 (as most were referred to that same number). I also have the motor unit in that photo, that slides on the strainer. Mine has no screw to hold the crank on, as it just simply slides into a keyed hole in the shaft. The descriptions also mention that the screens are not compatible with the older Vitantonio- Victorio machine (thats with wing nuts). The more expensive unit ($129) at the top of the page has the stainless steel body, while the others are cast almuminium. The middle choice has the suction cup attachment method. The third choice is the exact same one I have, with the motor (added later). I also have all the optional screens. Before getting the one I use now, I had bought a Back To Basics model, that had a similar wing nut and leaky shaft as compared to the older Victorio (and probably the older Squeezo). I bought my ROMA from Johnnys' seeds which now features the 'Sauce Master' machine, with yet ANOTHER style of screens, but they still carry the ROMA screens too.. Good luck, in your choice.. Recommend the one in the Kasba House web site (model 200), which is the best of all worlds. If you use it and find its not to your liking, or is not featuring a good seal on the shaft, or what have you, it can probably be returned.

http://www.johnnyseeds.com/catalog/search.aspx?scommand=search&search=strainer

Here is a link that might be useful: Food strainer comparisons

Ken,
You're right about there not being very much room under the trough to fit the collection bowl. My 4 quart stainless mixing bowl fits perfectly. It is a very old set of bowls with very wide bottoms. The newer ones are wide on top and narrow on the bottom. So, they are much taller. My Squeezo has the wing nuts, which I like because I can crank it backwards if something gets stopped up. I never put raw tomatoes through mine though.

I can crank both ways on mine too and the sieves, even though they twist on are held in place by a small thumbscrew that prevents them from turning in either direction. I have never bothered with any prepping of tomatoes, unless I want to make a thicker sauce. There, I will slice the tomatoes in halves and dig out the liquid and seeds before stuffing into the hopper. That extra liquid that isn't pushed through helps to get a thicker sauce with less cooking down needed. I don't find any problem with them even when pushing a lot through the machine. With the motor, it doesn't labor much either, and even that has a reverse. I have these stainless steel pans about 2 1/2 inche high and 10 x15 or so and they fit under the shute. One time when was doing a lot more, I attached the strainer to a pullout cutting board on my counter and set a big pot in a chair below the machine. It pushed through a bushel of tomatoes on about 5 minutes and filled that 16 quart pot in no time. As far as I know, there is nothing mentioned in the docs about cooking or prepping tomatoes before running them through. I can see cooking when its things like squash or very hard items.

How come you dont run them though raw? If they are too big to fit in the opening, I just cut them in halves or quarters. I do the same with red raspberries, no prepping.

Ken and Shirley -

Thanks you both for the info and for trying to help me understand the different strainers. Your help has been much appreciated.

Ken, it sounds like you have a pretty nice & well equiped kitchen. Canning and meat/sausage making have been my life. So, if you ever decide to expand and need info on a semi trailer sized smokehouse, or a strainer/mill that will handle 60gpm of puree ... let me know. ;-)

Ken,
I cook the tomatoes first because that is the way my Mother taught me. I will surely try it your way this fall when the tomatoes are ready.
I planted 20 asparagus plants, followed the directions on the package and made the trench about 8 inch wide. The directions said how deep but not how wide. So I guessed at it. The roots were awfully long so I just arranged them in the trench over lapping the roots. Should I sprinkle 10-10-10 on top of the row now or side dress when I see growth? This weather has been amazing here.

With so many things I can and preserve, I do have quite a lot of gadgets. Most are necessary if I want to do things on a large scale. Just likeI just don't make a single loaf or bread, but instead make more than enough for a loaf. Or pasta dough for a 100 perogies.

Side dress when you see growth on the 'gus plants. I found that adding ferts when planting 'gus has a tendency to weaken them and they may not grow well. The plants have to be spaced apart about 2 feet all around, mine are about 18 to 22 inches apart and are not crowded yet. As mentioned the oldest plants crowns are almost a foot around. I mentioned teh metod of planting 'gus in another thread. Mom used to cook the tomatoes maybe because she used a Foley strainer. The kind that looks like a sauce pan with a crank on top. I find these are hard to use with firm tomatoes, so I don't use one anymore. Not sure what kinds of tomatoes you grow, but when I grow most, they are super romas or a few of the other very large, long meaty types. The Oxheart I grew last year was quite mild, but had very little seeds and liquid inside, so they were well suited for a thicker sauce. I like mixing tomato types and if I find specifc varieties that are good, I save seeds. Last summer I saved seeds from some really sweet and tasty grape style tomatoes. Every single seed sprouted a plant so far. This year, as to tomatoes, that will be just 12 of these plants.

Here is a link that might be useful: Source for many plum type toms