# Tomato Squeezer???



## TRellis (Sep 16, 2013)

My tomato harvest ended about three weeks ago and they are all tucked away neatly in their pressure canned jars. The problem is that it was quite a bit of work and time skinning and de-seeding the tomatoes before further processing into paste/sauce. I had a pretty decent harvest of tomatoes and since my intent is to plant more tomato plants for next year, I should have more tomatoes to deal with, come next year.

So I started looking at tomato squeezers. Supposedly, the chunked tomatoes are simply dropped into the hopper, you turn the crank and out of one end of the squeezer the skins and seeds exit and from another part of the squeezer the pulp and juice exits into a waiting bowl. I have never used one nor have I ever personally seen one used. I have watched a few youtube videos on the subject and it is intriguing. 

So I was wondering what types of squeezers others on the forum may be using. I am solely interested in manual squeezers (I am not that lazy and the exercise would not hurt either). 

From what I have read and seen many of these squeezers also have available attachments for doing the same with fruits and berries. That would be nice.

Does anyone here have any experience with these? Can anyone offer any suggestions/reviews of manual tomato squeezers?

Thanks in advance.

TRellis


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## Guest (Dec 2, 2014)

I am watching this thread...


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## kkbinco (Jun 11, 2010)

I use a Victorio that I'm happy with. It comes with a screen good for Tomato & Apple. An optional kit adds Berry, Pumpkin and Salsa screens plus a grape auger. Motor available too.

Your table top needs to be between 3/4" to a smidge under 2" thick, with at least 1-1/2" overhang for the clamp to work.


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## arnie (Apr 26, 2012)

I have a victoro strainer and a squezzo they are about the same and work great the tomato sause comes down the shute and the peels ,seeds, n stems out the end east cranking and clean up ;whats not to love . with a short time in a sr=team bath apples go through just as well for great smoth apple sause for apple butter, peach butter, how about making baby food : there are more screen to use with grapes, pumpkin this is a "GREAT " invention that WILL get used in your canning / cooking kitchen , check ebay for a deal on one like most good gadgets that don't wear out fast theres usally many used one on sale .


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## arnie (Apr 26, 2012)

did we mention very little waste


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## wife89 (Jun 29, 2011)

I use the veggie strainer attachment for my Kitchen Aid, I love it, but I am looking for something that can handle more.


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## doingitmyself (Jul 30, 2013)

I run literally bushels of Roma's through my Victoro (older model with hand crank and stainless screens) every season, no problems. Lots of salsa, and juice to settle into paste. All my fruit goes through it as well with the small berry screen. Highly recommended!! :thumb:


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## randy in central missouri (May 12, 2002)

I like the name, squeezers. these are a must if you do lots of tomatoes.


the vitoro is cheaper, more plastic parts, but the plastic parts are parts that really don't have to be metal. the working parts are metal. it also has a plastic shield that goes around the cone and that prevents squirts everywhere. 

the queezo is all metal, more expensive, will last forever. pretty tough machine. 

i have used both. i like the queezo, because i can hook it up to my drill and don't have to hand crank it.


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## fixitguy (Nov 2, 2010)

We have one of these, It works well. http://www.amazon.com/Norpro-1951-Original-Sauce-Master/dp/B0000DDVMQ


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## Marilyn (Aug 2, 2006)

I've used a Victorio for 30 some years, same one, no worn out parts. I do steam my tomatoes a little before putting them through the "squeezer", but then put the skins and seeds through a second time - they are nearly *dry* when finished!

If you invest in one, I think you'll love it. It also makes applesauce go SO much faster since you don't have to peel or seed the apples first. It sure beats the old funnel and/or the Foley mill that I had when I first started preserving our apples and tomatoes.


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## Jhn56 (Oct 11, 2011)

I have the squeezo. Mom passed it off to me when she stopped canning years ago. Offered it to each of my sisters first, they both declined! Now they ask to "borrow" it &#128512;

It has 3 different stainless steel screens. Pumpkin being the biggest, mid size hole screen, I use mainly for maters, and a fine screen for berries. The fine screen makes awesome seedless raspberry pulp for jamming


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## Jhn56 (Oct 11, 2011)

Im not lazy either, but when you need to crank out 300 quarts of maters, this bad boy will get the job done!


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## TRellis (Sep 16, 2013)

I really like the fact that the Squeezo and Omcan that I scoped out are both all-metal, but am not sure that I want to part with $200+ for one or the other. 

The Victorio looks nice and definitely costs much less. I am just a little hesitant because of the plastic and am wondering if it is all that sturdy.




Marilyn said:


> I've used a Victorio for 30 some years, same one, no worn out parts. If you invest in one, I think you'll love it.


Would your 30 year old Victorio be an all-metal model or does it have the plastic bits?


I am pretty sure that the Omcan is out of the running since I cannot, for the life of me, find any additional screens for doing berries and such. Not sure that they exist and I do think that I would like to have those.

If I could spend less than $100 on a tomato squeezer (Victorio) I would not feel so bad about spending $200 on a new Chop Rite #22 manual meat grinder.


Decisions..... Decisions......

TRellis


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## TRellis (Sep 16, 2013)

Jhn56 said:


> Im not lazy either, but when you need to crank out *300 quarts of maters*, this bad boy will get the job done!
> 
> .... two 100 foot rows of asparagus....




I have been meaning to ask you...

How big is your garden???? Because I do not think that you and I are both gardening at the same level. LOL


And I have actually found a site where I can purchase a brand new Victorio with the additional screens and a motor for $115.

Does that sound like a good deal? Has anyone ever dealt with "Mending Shed" before?


TRellis


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## Jhn56 (Oct 11, 2011)

Tom, the Squeezo could be had for cheaper...just gotta keep a sharp eye out. Someone here @ HT advertised one on the barter board some time ago. I personally wouldn't hesitate buying one used, if I needed one. The one I've got has been used hard just about every year since Mom bought it back in 86' for $59.95 from Garden way. 

I haven't needed any, but all parts are still available. In fact, the design hasn't changed a bit from those being manufactured today http://www.squeezostrainer.com/product_detail_31826.aspx?gclid=CMiJz6jWqMICFbBm7Aod4zUAsA

ETA: I missed your last reply while typing mine. The garden is just small enough to keep the canning shelves and 4 freezers full .


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## BlackFeather (Jun 17, 2014)

https://www.lehmans.com/p-3102-the-foley-food-mill-2-quart.aspx?show=all

I have used one of these for years, they work well. When that broke I am using..

https://www.lehmans.com/p-876-roma-food-mill.aspx

I think I like the foley just a touch better, but the roma works fine, I feed the seeds and skin through a second time just to be sure and get out as much pulp as I can.


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## sniper69 (Sep 23, 2007)

I have a squeezo strainer deluxe (the one with 3 different screens) that I found on craigslist back in 2012 for $45. It was used, but still looked to be in great shape so I figured why not (and it was a lot less than buying a new one with all the screens. 

I also have a cone type strainer that I only use if doing a small batch (my parents got it for me at a sale for $2, so no complaints on price). It looks similar to the one in the picture (not my picture,  ).


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## Marilyn (Aug 2, 2006)

TRellis: the body of the unit (the part that clamps onto your counter*, etc.) is metal, as are the screens. The hopper, pusher, screw, and diverter are plastic. The screw especially reminds me of nylon as opposed to plastic, but cannot be sure. All I know is that it has served me very well, and I expect it to continue.

* I bring my picnic table bench into the kitchen, place a small cutting board under the area where I am going to attach the Victorio to increase thickness and attach the strainer. Then I bring up a kitchen chair to the end of the bench, almost ergonomic


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## TRellis (Sep 16, 2013)

Thanks to everyone for their insight and input. I looked really hard at both the Victorio and the Squeezo and I am just not too crazy about having plastic parts. So I decided on a Squeezo. In fact I ordered it today. A brand new (at least new to me), used Squeezo III. It is supposed to be in really good shape and the seller thinks that it was a floor/demo model as it shows no wear and tear (is that not what they all say???). I will see for myself in a couple of days. And, it comes with all three screens (bonus!!!). 

I usually stay away from buying used items since I have no real idea as to how the item was really, previously treated. If I ever buy something used it is almost always something that I can touch and scrutinize in person before making a decision. So I hope that I did a good thing by purchasing a used one, sight unseen, and have not made a mistake.

I also saved about $100 from buying a really brand new one, so when it arrives and I find it in good shape I will start the search in earnest for a Chop Rite #22 meat grinder.

Thanks to all for the advice and help!!!

TRellis


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## Osiris (Jun 9, 2010)

The Victorio, Squeezo and the Norpro are all basically the same models. Can't interchange parts, but i think they all work equally well. I've got a victorio and I got screens for it from Norpro. Go figure.


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## 7thswan (Nov 18, 2008)

For many years I used an Oster. It is a mixer with all kinds of attachments. Dh bought me a Kitchen aid , used that for 2 years,but it just dosen't do it. So back to the Oster. I do have a "origional" all metal Squeezo in the origional box, never used for just in case TSHTF.(Sept.1981, $56.90 includes all screens ,S&H)
One thing that will make your work easer-freeze your tomatoes first,then thaw and process. I freeze as I harvest then process later when it's cold outside. Harvest season is much easer on me, there is alot of other things that need canned right away.


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## TRellis (Sep 16, 2013)

I was really surprised when the postman pulled up today and pulled not only a small box (comfrey roots) out of his vehicle for me, but also a fairly large box. I was not expecting the Squeezo until Monday at the earliest.

But it has arrived!!! And it is cherry!!! 











Not a single sign of wear from usage. Pretty much clean as a whistle. Two of the screens are still in their original packaging. :thumb:

The only things that make it not "unused" are a small dent or two on the hopper and a little bit of surface rust on the threads of the auger and the threads on the retaining bolts of the one screen. Easily taken care of.

The one thing that I am a little concerned about is that there is what seems to be a little bit of surface rust on the inside of the one screen and in the small perforations on the screen. Does anyone have a solution that does not involve a Dremel tool? 

It did not come with an instruction booklet (which I can probably find on line), but I would like to know from someone that has used one for a lengthy period of time exactly how they go about cleaning and storing their Squeezo. I have some ideas, but I would like to hear from experience.

The food plunger is obviously not the original one. This one is triangle-shaped. It probably came from a triangle-shaped strainer/sieve. It just gives me an excuse to make myself a custom food plunger.




7thswan said:


> I do have a "origional" all metal Squeezo in the origional box, never used for just in case TSHTF.(Sept.1981, *$56.90 *includes all screens ,S&H)


Now, that is the price I would have liked to have paid for this, but I am not complaining too loudly.



> One thing that will make your work easer-freeze your tomatoes first,then thaw and process. I freeze as I harvest then process later when it's cold outside.


In all of the time that I have been canning (actually on four or five years) it never entered my little pea-sized brain to freeze the tomatoes I picked today and then add them to what I pick in a week or two so that I can actually do a large batch once instead of three or four smaller batches. :facepalm:

Thank you for that little tidbit of information.


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## 7thswan (Nov 18, 2008)

The best I can suggest for cleaning. Fine steel wool with WD-40. This is what I have cleaned many vintage motorcycles with, works very well. Then wash well.


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## Marilyn (Aug 2, 2006)

I get a small amount of what I assume is rust on the Victorio screen, also. It is rust-colored, but feels smooth. Once I noticed it, I gave it a thin coat of olive oil whenever I was ready to pack it up for the season.

*7thswan*: Count me as another grateful canner. I would freeze the odd few tomatoes that would not fit into a canner load, but never thought about freezing them all first. What a great idea!


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## Bellyman (Jul 6, 2013)

We got a Victorio. Love it! Yes, there is some plastic. Doesn't seem to be a problem, though. 

We didn't think there would be any issue with acids like tomato juice reacting with any of the metal parts as they seem to be stainless steel. And there is no issue with the plastic parts. 

Honestly, I wouldn't really want the motor. I like being able to go rather slowly and vary the speed according to what's in there. I'm not sure the motor option is nearly as flexible. To me, turning the thing is not hard at all. I'm not even sure it would actually qualify as "exersize". 

Just my opinion.


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