Buyers usually start by asking which hydraulic oil press is biggest or cheapest. The right order is the other way round: the material decides hot or cold pressing, the process decides the model family, and the seed you need to press each day decides how many presses. This guide goes through those steps with the figures we use when we quote.
Step 1: The material decides hot or cold pressing
Roasted seeds such as sesame, peanut and sunflower are hot pressed: the heat from roasting or steaming helps release the oil, and buyers in most markets expect the roasted flavor. Nuts and premium seeds such as walnut, almond and hazelnut are cold pressed after crushing. Some seeds, like rapeseed, flax and soybean, can go either way depending on the oil you sell.
| Material | Oil content | Usual process | Equipment before the press |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sesame | 42–52% | Hot | Roaster only; pressed in the 300 mm barrel, no pre-pressing |
| Peanut kernel | 42–52% | Hot | Pre-press machine, flat-bottom roaster |
| Sunflower kernel | About 43% | Hot | Pre-press machine, flat-bottom roaster |
| Rapeseed | About 42% | Hot or cold | Drum roaster, pre-press, steamer (hot) |
| Flaxseed | About 45% | Hot or cold | Roaster and grinding-mixing unit (hot); crusher (cold) |
| Walnut kernel | About 62% | Cold | High-speed crusher |
| Almond | About 53% | Cold | Pre-press machine or crusher |
| Desiccated coconut | About 62% | Cold | Mixer |
| Camellia (tea) seed | 15–35% | Hot | Drum roaster, crusher, steamer |
| Soybean | About 19% | Hot or cold | Pre-press and steamer (hot); crusher (cold) |
Step 2: The process decides the model family
| Model | Press force | Typical use |
|---|---|---|
| 300 | About 300 t | Hot press; sesame in the 300 mm barrel |
| 325 | About 325 t | Hot press; our most-sold model |
| 355 | About 370 t | Cold press |
| 400 | About 410 t | Cold press |
| 426 | About 500 t | Cold press, hard kernels |
| 480 / 500 | About 600 / 630 t | Cold press, highest cake pressure |
Hot pressing needs press force, but not the highest press force: the 300 and 325 handle roasted seed, and the 325 is the model we sell most. Cold pressing has no heat to help, so it needs higher pressure on the cake, which is what the 355–500 series adds. Paying for a 500-series press to hot-press peanuts buys pressure you will not use. See the 300/325 hot-press models and the 355–500 cold-press selection guide.
For a shop pressing sesame in front of customers, a Korean-type small press is often enough. See the KHOP 10, 15 and 20 kg models.
Step 3: Size by the seed you press each day
Press force is not capacity. Most models hold the same load per barrel, so daily output depends on how many loads you run, and that depends on the process.
| Hot press (300 / 325) | Cold press (355–500) | |
|---|---|---|
| Material | Roasted or steamed seed | Clean, crushed seed or kernels |
| Load per barrel (390 mm) | 60–80 kg; up to about 100 kg after pre-pressing | 60–80 kg |
| Pressing time | About 30–40 min | About 2 h |
| Loads in an 8-hour shift | About 10 (roughly 1.3 per hour) | About 4 |
To size a project, divide the seed you need to press each day by what one press handles in your working hours. For example, 3 t of peanut kernels a day, hot pressed: one press handles about 700 kg in an 8-hour shift, so plan for four to five presses on one shift, or two to three on two shifts. Several presses can share one roaster and one filter, so the second and third presses cost far less than the first.
A dual-barrel press loads one barrel while the other presses. It raises output per press without adding a second machine; see single vs dual barrel. The full table by model and material is in the capacity chart.
Step 4: Choose the equipment around the press
| Process | Before the press | After the press |
|---|---|---|
| Hot press (peanut, sunflower) | Sheller and cleaner, pre-press machine, roaster | Paper-leaf or plate filter, tanks |
| Hot press (sesame) | Cleaning, roaster | Paper-leaf filter, tanks |
| Hot press (rapeseed, tea seed, soybean) | Drum roaster or steamer, crusher or pre-press | Filter, tanks |
| Cold press (nuts, kernels) | High-speed crusher | Filter, tanks |
| Bottled oil | Filling, capping and labeling machines |
Equipment in front of the press decides the yield as much as the press does; see which support equipment to buy first.
Step 5: Settle the build options
- Barrel size: 390 mm for most work; 300 mm for sesame and small batches.
- Single or dual barrel: dual if loading time limits your output.
- Material: the standard frame and barrel are carbon steel, with a nickel-plated barrel and a 27SiMn cylinder. A 304 stainless option (press head, oil tray, separator plates, barrel) roughly doubles the press price.
- Power supply: voltage, phase and frequency at your site.
Mistakes we see
- Choosing the model by tonnage instead of by material and process.
- Buying a cold-press model for a market that wants roasted oil.
- Sizing by the press cycle alone and forgetting loading, unloading and roasting time.
- Budgeting for the press and nothing in front of it.
What to send for a quote
- The seed, and whether it arrives in shell, as kernels or roasted
- Hot or cold pressing, or the oil you want to sell
- Seed per day and working hours
- Voltage, phase and frequency
- Whether you need filtering, bottling or refining
- Destination port
New materials can be test-pressed in our factory from a sample you send.
Related Reads
- Hydraulic Oil Press Specifications and Working Principle
- Hydraulic Oil Press Capacity Chart
- Hydraulic vs Screw Press: Real Production Compared
- Oil Press Machine for a Small Business
FAQ
Which hydraulic oil press model should I choose?
For roasted sesame, peanut or sunflower oil, the 300 or 325. For cold-pressed walnut, almond, flax or other premium seeds, a model from the 355–500 series. For a small shop pressing sesame to order, a Korean-type KHOP press.
Does a bigger model press more seed per batch?
Not much. Most models use the same 390 mm barrel. A bigger model presses the cake harder, which matters for cold pressing. To press more seed, add loads per day or add presses.
How many presses do I need?
Divide your daily seed by what one press handles in your working hours: about 700 kg per 8-hour shift for hot pressing with 60–80 kg loads, and about 250–300 kg for cold pressing.
Can one press handle several materials?
Yes. The preparation changes with the seed (roaster, steamer or crusher); the press stays the same. For sesame, use the 300 mm barrel.
Send us your seed and daily output
We will recommend the model, barrel and number of presses, and the equipment around them.
Project planning
Configure the right oil press and production line
Send your oilseed, target output, bottle or packaging requirements, power supply, and destination country. We will match the machine, supporting equipment, and line layout.