Still LEONARDO® Flexi, 2 to 5 Litres

The Still LEONARDO® Flexi, 2 or 5 Litres, is a high-quality copper still for the gentle production of essential oils and intense hydrosols. It works according to the principle of steam distillation: the plant material does not lie in the water but is flowed through exclusively by steam. The particular advantage of the Flexi is its variable design. Depending on the plant quantity, the unit can be used with 5 litres or 12 litres of plant volume. The vapour space therefore remains matched to the fill quantity and no unnecessarily large empty space is created.

The LEONARDO® Flexi was designed by us, optimised from a process-engineering perspective and is manufactured exclusively for us. We were one of the first suppliers to offer an essential oil still in this design specifically suitable for small and varying plant quantities. The unit has since been imitated many times but, thanks to its thoughtful construction, the short vapour path, the easy cleaning and the variable size adjustment, it remains a true original.

The two basic variants at a glance

LEONARDO® Flexi 2 Litres
for 5 or 12 litres of plant volume

LEONARDO® Flexi 5 Litres
for 5 or 12 litres of plant volume

The principle of LEONARDO® steam distillation

Above the bottom of the boiler there is an aroma basket. The botanicals therefore do not come into direct contact with the water but only with the rising steam. The steam absorbs the volatile constituents of the plants and then condenses in the cooling dome. Thanks to the short vapour and cooling path, particularly intense hydrosols are formed and valuable essential oil is not unnecessarily lost in long cooling systems. Its construction is based on the historical sketches by Leonardo da Vinci from the 15th century, which are designed for steam distillation with as little loss as possible.

The main advantages

• One unit, two plant volumes: the Flexi can be used with 5 litres or 12 litres of plant material as required.
• Less empty space: with smaller plant quantities, the unit stays compact. With larger plant quantities, the extension piece is inserted. The vapour space is therefore used better.
• Better results with a matching fill: too large an empty space can reduce the yield and make the hydrosol seem weaker. The Flexi can therefore be adapted to the available plant quantity.
• Conversion with just a few steps: the extension piece is simply inserted or left out as required. The necessary parts are included in the scope of delivery.
• Interchangeable boiler: the Flexi can be used with a 2-litre or 5-litre boiler. The unit can therefore be converted from 2 litres to 5 litres as required, or vice versa.
• Aroma basket above the water: the plant material is flowed through only by the steam. This is ideal for high-quality essential oils and hydrosols.
• Short vapour path: the vapour condenses directly in the cooling dome. As a result, aroma, intensity and yield are preserved as well as possible.
• Solid hammered copper: the unit is stable, durable and has the typical artisanal appearance of a classic copper still.
• Direct heating: thanks to the flat boiler base, the still can be used on a gas stove, electric stove, wood stove or open fire.
• Open condenser: the cooling can be carried out with running water, a circulating pump or by simply topping up with cold water from above.
• No seals required: the precisely fitting individual parts are plugged together. The unit is therefore tight without the constant need for spare parts or seals.
• Easy to clean: the entire interior, including the condenser and drainage groove, is easy to reach and can be cleaned thoroughly.

Why the variable size is important

In the distillation of essential oils, not only the heat input or the boiler size is important, but also the ratio between plant material and free vapour space. If too large a unit is only half filled, unnecessarily much empty space is created. This can lead to less essential oil being obtained and the hydrosol turning out less intense.

This is precisely where the advantage of the LEONARDO® Flexi lies. With smaller plant quantities, the unit is used in the compact 5-litre configuration. If more plant material is available, the extension piece is inserted and the plant volume is expanded to 12 litres. The unit can therefore be adapted to the respective harvest quantity without a separate still being needed for each quantity.

Handcrafted and clearly marked

Each LEONARDO® is made by hand and is therefore essentially a one-off piece.

Deliberately without an automatic oil separator

The LEONARDO® deliberately has no automatic oil separator or separating funnel. Valuable amounts of oil can adhere in such devices. In addition, some essential oils are heavier than water and would not be cleanly captured during automatic separation. It is better to let the hydrosol and oil rest together after distillation and only then to separate them carefully. This improves the yield and protects the quality of the distillate.

Who is the LEONARDO® Flexi suitable for?

The LEONARDO® Flexi is particularly well suited for anyone who works with varying plant quantities. If only smaller quantities of herbs, flowers or seeds are available, the compact variant with 5 litres of plant volume is used. If more plant material is to be processed, the extension piece is inserted and the unit is expanded to 12 litres of plant volume. The Flexi is particularly practical for seasonal harvests, different plant species and applications in which the available plant quantity is not always the same.

If you would like to start smaller, the LEONARDO® Classic or the LEONARDO® Grande are matching alternatives. If, on the other hand, considerably larger batches are to be processed, the Still LEONARDO® 35 to 85 Litres is the next logical step.

Technical data

The distillation time refers to operation with an electric 1500-W single hotplate, including heat-up time.

Scope of delivery

• Still LEONARDO® Flexi made of copper
• Aroma basket
• Extension piece for 12 litres of plant volume
• Cooling dome
• 1 metre of silicone hose
• Detailed operating instructions

Practical accessories and further instructions

You can enlarge or reduce the boiler of the still. For cleaning the distillate drain tube, we recommend the matching Cleaning Brush for Still LEONARDO. In addition, our book Producing Essential Oils Yourself contains many further tips on plant selection, harvest time, processing and use of essential oils and hydrosols.