Best Small-Scale Olive Oil Pressing Equipment (And What Actually Works)

Home Growing & Pressing
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Ok, so you’ve grown your olives… or maybe you’re just dreaming of that first little harvest - and now you’re wondering: “How do I actually press this stuff at home?”

Let’s break down what works, what doesn’t, and what to expect if you’re aiming to turn backyard olives into golden green magic.

First, A Quick Reality Check

Before we jump into gear, here’s something most folks don’t realize:
You can’t just crush olives and watch oil pour out like orange juice.

Olive oil extraction — even on a small scale — takes mechanical pressure, temperature control, and quick processing to preserve flavor and quality.
Done right? You’ll get something raw, fresh, and wild — a little rustic, but 100% real.

The Basic Steps (Simplified)

  1. Cleaning & Sorting – Remove leaves, twigs, and damaged fruit.
  2. Crushing (Milling) – Turn olives into a paste, including the pit.
  3. Malaxing (Mixing) – Slowly churn the paste to let oil droplets combine.
  4. Separation (Extraction) – Use a press or centrifuge to separate oil from solids and water.
  5. Filtering (Optional) – To remove fine particles.
  6. Bottling & Storing – Protect it from light, heat, and air.

Equipment That Actually Works

1. Manual or Motorized Crushers

For small batches (under 20kg), you can use:

  • Hand-crank fruit grinders (adapted with stainless parts)
  • Electric kitchen mills with modifications (e.g. Vitamix with tamper)

Note: Pits should stay in during crushing — they contribute antioxidants and flavor.

2. DIY Malaxers (The Hidden Hero)

Malaxing for 30–45 minutes helps oil droplets merge.
For small batches, people have used:

  • A slow cooker on warm (watch the temp — max 27°C / 80°F)
  • A modified stand mixer with a stainless bowl

This step is often skipped at home, but it’s crucial for real yield and taste.

3. Hydraulic Presses (The Classic)

These are widely used for small-batch pressing:

  • Manual or electric fruit presses (with pressing bags or mesh cloths)
  • Look for stainless steel components only — avoid aluminum

Recommended: 20L hydraulic wine presses adapted for olives
Also tested: OilPress.co kits and small-batch options from Italy or Greece

4. Centrifuge Separators (Optional, But Excellent)

If you want to take it further:

  • Small lab-scale centrifuges (expensive but precise)
  • Or let it settle naturally for 24–72 hours in a cool dark space

Most hobbyists use gravity sedimentation — it’s slower, but it works fine.

Realistic Yields

  • Expect 10–20% oil by weight depending on olive type and ripeness.
  • Early harvest = lower yield, higher antioxidants and flavor.
  • 10kg of olives might get you 1–2 liters of liquid gold.

Clean-Up Warning!

Pressing is messy, no sugarcoating it.

Olive paste sticks to everything, and rancid smells develop quickly if things aren’t washed thoroughly.

Use food-safe degreasers, hot water, and dry your gear completely before storing.

Final Tips

  • Press same-day or next-day after harvest for quality.
  • Keep paste temps below 27°C (80°F) to meet extra virgin standards.
  • Don’t stress perfection — even rustic oil made with care will blow store-bought stuff out of the water.

Share Your Setup!

Whether you’ve jerry-rigged a system from garage parts or imported a mini Italian press, we want to see it!
Post your pics, ask questions, and let’s help each other press better oil at home.

Your olives, your oil, your story.
Luca

Tags:
tag:home-pressing tag:diy-olive-oil tag:olive-oil-equipment tag:backyard-olive-oil tag:small-scale-pressing