Filter advice - small filter press or vacuum filter?

[Willen]

I generally reheat, cone filter with liners and bottle in 5 gallon/20L batches, and repeat that 10 times a season (maybe more this year the way things are going). Package in glass, so clarity is important.

I am sick of the mess, and bottleneck the gravity filtering though the cones causes. I was pretty set on a 5” Maple Guys filter press, and then saw 4Walls vacuum filter on here. I can convert my CDL cone filter/filler to. Vacuum filter pretty easily.

For 50-100 gallons per year, what do you think is the right choice? Any difference in clarity (DE in the press vs just filtering in the vacuum filter?)

Thanks for your input.

[craigwade2005]

I can't comment on the clarity of the vacuum filter, however we made around 35 gallons last year and swapped to a small 5" sheets filter press. I would never go back to any other method now.
Like you, we bottle around 2/3 of our product in glass so having no impurities is very important.
We reheat in an 8 gallon brew pot with a valve at the bottom. Bring to a boil, adjust final density if needed and then run the syrup & DE directly through the press and into our steam bottler. It enters the bottler right between 180 and 190 degrees so very little adjustment is needed to bottle.
At the end, we get what we can for syrup out and then roll the press over to the evaporator and run hot sap from the preheater through until it runs clear to avoid losing any sugar to the press gods.
I think I spent around $900 on the press, a spare diaphragm, an extra pack of 100 papers and delivery. It will do up to 8 gallons or more if the syrup is clean without breaking down the press. You can also remove plates if you're doing smaller batches.

[ronintank]

I am right about the same as craig wade. About 40 gallons a year and a sheets 5" press with hand pump. Its a great press and makes canning the syrup soooooooo much easier and crystal clear.

[DRoseum]

I have used both and strongly prefer the filter press. Make around 30 gallons per year give or take a handful. I have the smoky lake 7 inch all stainless short frame hand pump press with the shortener. I filter after each boil, and depending on batch size, use either 1, 2 or 3 frames in it.

[Pdiamond]

I have the same press As you D. Roseum. It works so nice for the small batches with that little plate in place.

[maple flats]

I started using flat filters but then got a filter press, I got a Lapierre 7" short bank with brass gear pump, later expanding it to a 5 bank. A few years later I started using an air powered diaphragm pump, far better.
I never used a vacuum powered filter. How ever until a few years ago, I had never heard of them. Based on what I've seen on You tube, I think I'd get a vacuum filter for any operation from a small to a medium size operation (maybe around 800-1000 taps) but for larger size I think I'd still go with an air powered diaphragm pump filter press.
It appears both give perfectly clear syrup if used properly.

[heus]

I've had both in different configurations and I would go with a filter press over a vacuum filter any day of the week. Even with less than 25 gallons a year.