This is just my experience and opinion.
IMO you need a machine to get a consistent anneal... those that use a handheld drill method..... I'm sorry but the location of the flame and consistent time in the flame isn't consistent... machine will get you that consistent anneal.
I've used annealers with hoppers and got tired of swapping out parts and by the time I fiddled around with swapping parts and filling a hopper WITH bridging issues and brass not spinning correctly, I was already well into annealing with the EP 2.0 annealer. Especially if you're like me and usually reload 100pcs or less (most hopper annealers usually can't hold more than that anyway depending on size of case). Having a hopper doesn't make it a faster process. If it takes XYZ time to flame base anneal XYZ brass, then having a hopper is just something you need to fill up and then start the process of annealing. Not like you can fill up a hopper and go mow the yard while you have an open flame. You still need to watch the process. If it takes 5 to 6 seconds to flame base anneal XYZ case with a single torch then it still takes 5 to 6 seconds to anneal XYZ case regardless if it has a hopper or not. Just for example..100 anneals at about ~6 seconds each is 600 seconds. 600 divided by 60 seconds is 10 minutes which is a drop in the reloading time bucket IMO. You're still handing each pc of brass.
If you need to pick up the brass and manually orientate the brass in the right direction and fill up a hopper and then change out parts to go from cartridge to cartridge then IMO it doesnt really matter if its single feed or has a hopper, and I'll take the speed of the EP 2.0 change over from cartridge to cartridge that can go from 5.7x28 (down to about 1" inch long which is hard for a lot of annealers) /17hornet size casings to 50 bmg, rim or no rim it doesn't matter, and adjust in seconds without having to add or remove any parts. Very very small footprint also. Pure KISS method.
Now,,,,,,,, if the annealer had a case feeder where you don't need to orientate the brass manually and the machine can orientate and feed the brass for you where you're throwing in handfuls of brass,,,, then that's a whole different story but to get a case feeder (not a hopper = big difference), and can adjust from 5.7 to 50bmg on the case feeder too = cost money and would be very complex... once again just keep it simple stupid IMO.
As a side note, I wouldn't want my torch head mounted... for the sole reason of going from cartridge to different cartridge size. It's fast and easy. Move it, leave it, and forget it...
For someone that has used both,,,, it's my experience and hopefully this helps & why the EP 2.0 doesn't have a hopper = IMO it is really not needed and I'll take the ease of adjusting from different size casings with no extra parts / no tools needed. I just found myself not using my annealer with a hopper & kept on using my OG 1.0 DIY annealer = the EP 2.0 just made it adjustable with no tools needed.
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