Buying guide
Best Auto Siphon for Wine Making (Mini, Regular and Large)
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Editor's Choice
Fermtech Regular Auto Siphon, 24 inch, with 8 ft of Tubing
The size that fits 3 to 6 gallon carboys and buckets, with enough tubing to reach from counter to floor. It comes apart for cleaning and has a tip that keeps sediment behind.
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For 1-gallon jugs
Fermtech Auto-Siphon Mini with 6 ft of Tubing
A 14 inch mini siphon that fits openings as small as 1 inch.
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Fastest transfers
Fermtech Fast Flow Large 27 inch Auto Siphon
A 1/2 inch siphon for big carboys; uses 7/16 inch tubing, bought separately.
The best auto siphon for wine making is the one sized to your fermenter. An auto siphon is a racking cane inside a plastic pump tube: one push and pull of the outer tube starts the flow, so you never suck on a hose and you never have to dip your hand into the wine. It is the tool you will use most, because every batch is racked off its sediment two or three times and then siphoned again into bottles.
Below we compare the Fermtech auto siphons that home winemakers buy most, in the three sizes that matter: mini for 1-gallon jugs, regular for 3 to 6 gallon carboys, and large for fast transfers. We also cover the deluxe kits with a bottling wand, the plain racking cane that the auto siphon replaced, and the tubing that fits each one. The picks come from the manufacturers' listings and how widely each one is bought. For the technique itself, see our guide on how to rack wine.
Auto Siphons Compared
All six are Fermtech models. The rows show what each listing says is included and what it is designed for.
| Auto siphon | Fermtech Regular 24" Editor's Choice | Fermtech Mini 14" | Fermtech Large 27" | Fermtech Regular Deluxe Kit | Fermtech Mini Deluxe Kit | Fermtech Bottling Mini 15" |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Product |  |  |  |  |  |  |
| Length | 24 in | 14 in | 27 in | Regular (24 in class) | 14 in | 15 in |
| Best vessel | 3 to 6 gal carboys and buckets | 1 gal jugs, openings from 1 in | 5 to 6 gal carboys | 3 to 6 gal carboys | 1 gal jugs | 1 gal jugs |
| Tubing included | ✅ 8 ft | ✅ 6 ft with clamp | ❌ Buy 7/16 in ID | ✅ With clamp | ✅ Food-grade hose | ✅ 3 ft |
| Bottling wand | ❌ No | ❌ No | ❌ No | ✅ 24 in filler | ✅ Yes | ❌ No |
| Extras | Comes apart to clean | Clamp | One-stroke start | 30 in brush, clamp | Clamp | 18 in brush |
| Buy | Check price | Check price | Check price | Check price | Check price | Check price |
Editor's Choice
Fermtech Regular 24"
- Length
- 24 in
- Best vessel
- 3 to 6 gal carboys and buckets
- Tubing included
- ✅ 8 ft
- Bottling wand
- ❌ No
- Extras
- Comes apart to clean
Fermtech Mini 14"
- Length
- 14 in
- Best vessel
- 1 gal jugs, openings from 1 in
- Tubing included
- ✅ 6 ft with clamp
- Bottling wand
- ❌ No
- Extras
- Clamp
Fermtech Large 27"
- Length
- 27 in
- Best vessel
- 5 to 6 gal carboys
- Tubing included
- ❌ Buy 7/16 in ID
- Bottling wand
- ❌ No
- Extras
- One-stroke start
Fermtech Regular Deluxe Kit
- Length
- Regular (24 in class)
- Best vessel
- 3 to 6 gal carboys
- Tubing included
- ✅ With clamp
- Bottling wand
- ✅ 24 in filler
- Extras
- 30 in brush, clamp
Fermtech Mini Deluxe Kit
- Length
- 14 in
- Best vessel
- 1 gal jugs
- Tubing included
- ✅ Food-grade hose
- Bottling wand
- ✅ Yes
- Extras
- Clamp
Fermtech Bottling Mini 15"
- Length
- 15 in
- Best vessel
- 1 gal jugs
- Tubing included
- ✅ 3 ft
- Bottling wand
- ❌ No
- Extras
- 18 in brush
Auto Siphon Reviews
Each review sticks to what the manufacturer lists and to the job each size does well. All of them start with one stroke of the outer tube.
Fermtech Regular Auto Siphon, 24 inch (Editor's Choice)
The regular Fermtech is the default auto siphon for home wine. The 24 inch cane reaches the bottom of a standard 5 or 6 gallon carboy and a 6.5 gallon bucket, and the listing includes 8 feet of clear 5/16 inch tubing, enough to run from a carboy on a counter to one on the floor. Fermtech says it is designed to minimize the pick-up of sediment, and the whole siphon disassembles for cleaning, which matters because wine residue left inside the pump tube is where spoilage starts.
If you make wine kits or 5 to 6 gallon batches of fruit wine, this is the one to buy first. Pair it with a spare length of tubing so a kinked or stained hose is never the reason you cannot rack.
Best for: 3 to 6 gallon carboys and buckets. Missing: a bottling wand and a tubing clamp.
Fermtech Auto-Siphon Mini, 14 inch (Best for 1-Gallon Jugs)
The mini is the siphon for small batches. Fermtech gives the length as 14 inches and says it fits openings as small as 1 inch (25 mm), which covers the necks of standard 1-gallon glass jugs. The listing includes 6 feet of food-safe tubing and a clamp to hold the hose on the rim of the receiving jug.
Most of the recipes on this site are written for 1 gallon, so this is the size most readers need, and it is also the one we add to the barer mead kits in our mead kit comparison. Measure your jug before ordering: a 14 inch cane is right for a 1-gallon jug but too short for a 3 gallon carboy.
Best for: 1-gallon jugs and small fruit wine or mead batches. Missing: a bottling wand.
Fermtech Fast Flow Large Auto Siphon, 27 inch, 1/2 inch
The large Fermtech has a 1/2 inch diameter cane, 27 inches long, which Fermtech says improves siphoning speed and is designed specifically for carboys. It moves a 6 gallon batch noticeably faster than the regular size, which helps when you rack several carboys in one session.
Two things to know. It uses 7/16 inch inside-diameter tubing, which is not included and does not fit the regular or mini siphon, so you will be buying a second hose size. And a faster flow is harder to control at the end of a racking, when the cane tip is close to the lees. For most home winemakers the regular size is the better first siphon; the large one earns its place once you make wine in quantity.
Best for: 6 gallon carboys and repeated transfers. Missing: tubing (7/16 inch ID) and a clamp.
Fermtech Regular Deluxe Siphoning Kit (Best Kit with Bottling Wand)
The deluxe kit wraps the regular auto siphon with the parts you otherwise buy one by one: a 24 inch wine bottling wand filler, a clamp, tubing and a 30 inch brush. The bottling wand is a rigid tube with a spring valve at the tip: it fills a bottle from the bottom up and stops when you lift it, which cuts splashing (and oxygen pick-up) on bottling day.
If you are buying your first siphon and plan to bottle within a few months, this kit is the better value of the two regular options. The brush is long enough to reach inside the siphon tube, which is the part most people skip cleaning.
Best for: first-time buyers making 3 to 6 gallon batches. Missing: nothing essential for racking and bottling.
Fermtech Mini 14 inch Deluxe Siphoning Kit
The small-batch version of the deluxe kit: the 14 inch mini auto siphon, a food-grade transfer hose and a bottle filler wand. The listing presents it as the kit for small batches of wine, beer or mead, and the filler wand is the same idea as on the regular kit, filling from the bottom of the bottle.
A 1-gallon batch makes about five standard bottles, so the wand is less of a time saver than on a 6 gallon batch, but it still makes filling cleaner and gives you a consistent fill level.
Best for: 1-gallon makers who want to bottle neatly. Missing: a cleaning brush.
Fermtech Bottling Auto Siphon, 15 inch, with Brush
A 15 inch mini auto siphon sold for 1-gallon jugs, with 3 feet of NSF 51 food-safe hose and an 18 inch brush. Fermtech says it is made in Canada. The shorter hose is the trade-off: 3 feet is fine for jug-to-jug racking on one counter, but tight if the receiving vessel sits on the floor.
Best for: a second siphon dedicated to bottling small batches. Missing: a longer hose and a clamp.
How to Choose an Auto Siphon
Three measurements decide it: the depth of your fermenter, the width of its neck and the tubing you already own.
Length: Match the Cane to the Vessel
The cane has to reach the bottom of the fermenter with the pump still above the neck. A 14 to 15 inch mini is right for 1-gallon jugs. A 24 inch regular reaches the bottom of 3, 5 and 6 gallon carboys and of a 6.5 gallon bucket. The 27 inch large siphon is for the tallest carboys. A siphon that is too short leaves wine behind; one that is too long for a jug is awkward and easy to tip.
Diameter: Speed Against Control
The regular and mini siphons are 5/16 inch class and use 5/16 inch inside-diameter tubing. The large one is 1/2 inch and uses 7/16 inch tubing. Wider means faster, which saves time on big batches, but a slower flow is easier to stop cleanly just above the sediment. If you only own one siphon, choose the regular.
Tubing: Clear, Food Grade, and Replaced Often
Clemson Cooperative Extension's Basics of Home Winemaking calls for clear, flexible food-grade tubing, so you can see that it is clean and watch the flow, and recommends racking canes or auto siphons for easier transfers. Vinyl tubing stains and stiffens over time; replacing it is cheaper than losing a batch to whatever is living in an old hose. Keep a spare 10 foot length in the right diameter.
Do You Need a Bottling Wand?
Not to rack, but yes to bottle. A wand fills each bottle from the bottom and shuts off when you lift it, so there is less foaming and a repeatable headspace under the cork. That is why the deluxe kits are worth the step up if you do not own one yet. Our guide on how to bottle and cork wine covers the filling and corking steps.
Auto Siphon vs Racking Cane
A racking cane is the older tool: a rigid tube with a bent top and a tip at the bottom, which you connect to tubing and start by filling the hose with water or by suction. An auto siphon is a racking cane inside a pump tube that starts the flow for you.
| Auto siphon | Racking cane | |
|---|---|---|
| Starting the flow | One pump of the outer tube | Prime the hose with water or start by suction |
| Hygiene | Nothing touches your mouth | Suction risks contamination |
| Durability | Plastic pump tube can crack if dropped | Stainless steel versions last for years |
| Cleaning | Comes apart; brush the inner cane | Simple tube, easy to brush |
| Cost | Low | Lower |
For most people the auto siphon wins on convenience and sanitation. A stainless steel racking cane is still worth owning as a backup or for hot liquids, and it never wears out.
Stainless Steel Racking Cane, 24 inch (Best Racking Cane)
A 24 inch stainless steel racking cane from BSG HandCraft, made in the United States according to the listing. It reaches the bottom of a 5 or 6 gallon carboy and will outlast any plastic cane. Start it by filling the attached hose with sanitized water, pinching the end, inserting the cane and releasing the hose into the receiving vessel below.
Best for: a durable backup to an auto siphon. Missing: tubing and a sediment tip.
Using an Auto Siphon Without Stirring the Sediment
- Sanitize everything that touches the wine: siphon, tubing, clamp and the receiving carboy. Pump sanitizer through the siphon so the inside of the cane is covered too.
- Raise the full vessel a day before, so the sediment you disturbed by moving it has time to settle again. The receiving vessel goes lower, on the floor or a chair.
- Lower the cane gently until the tip sits just above the sediment layer, and clamp the hose to the rim of the receiving vessel with the outlet near the bottom.
- Pump once or twice and let the flow run. Keep the outlet under the surface of the wine as it fills, to avoid splashing.
- Tilt and stop as the level drops: tilt the source vessel slightly, follow the wine down, and lift the cane out when it starts to pull cloudy wine.
When the batch is done, run hot water through the siphon, take it apart and brush the inner cane before it dries. A siphon that is put away wet with wine inside is the usual source of off flavors in the next batch.
Spare tubing
The one part that wears out. Keep a spare length that fits the regular or mini siphon.
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1Tubing for regular and mini
Fermtech Food Grade Vinyl Tubing, 5/16 inch ID, 10 ft
NSF 51 certified food-safe tubing, 5/16 inch inside and 7/16 inch outside diameter, made in Canada.
Wine is for adults of legal drinking age. Enjoy it responsibly.