I’ve used Baker/Crosby Gelatin, Knox Gelatin, Biofine Clear, and Super-Kleer.
Baker/Crosby vs Knox: The B/C is more fine than Knox. It’s also MUCH less stinky than Knox. Otherwise, same stuff (animal source). Cost is negligible (a dime maybe per 5 gallons). Requires preparation and beers should be cold crashed, also requires more cold conditioning to work. 3-7 days for full effectiveness. After initial sedimentation, if roused, it will not settle back down as well. Works pretty good (assuming you’re not dealing with too much starch or polyphenol haze).
Biofine Clear: Dosage is variable based on beer and amount of sediment needed to clear. Non-animal source. No smell. Technically, it should not be ingested but we “ASSuME” it all settles out. No preparation needed. Cost is at least $1/5gallons, more $ for more haze. Beers does not require prior cold crashing, and more cold conditioning is not absolutely necessary but is helpful. 2-4 days for full effectiveness. After intial sedimentation, if roused, it will settle back down very well. Works about as well as gelatin.
Super-Kleer: (Only used once due to cost) Two-stage fining agent for positive and negative charged particles. Chitosan is animal source (shellfish, allergy issues?), kieselsol is not. No smell. Some preparation needed. Cost is about $2.50/5gallons. No prior or after cold crashing needed. Use in fermenter/secondary; keg is not ideal. 1-7 days for effectiveness. After intial sedimentation, if roused, it will settle back down but slowish. Works very well but significant extra efforts are required.
After using these four products, my personal choice is C/B gelatin. It’s cost is negligible. It’s effectiveness is on par with Biofine Clear (sometimes a little better or worse). I’m not vegetarian/vegan. It’s smell is very mild compared to knox. I have the abilities to cold crash prior to and after use. I don’t jostle the sediment after use.
I liked biofine clear just fine. Sometimes it would create really clear beers and sometimes not. I just find that having gelatin on hand is more convenient than biofine. Plus I can only get it via online orders (williams has a 4 oz bottle)
In the end, starch and polyphenol haze seems to be the primary culprit in beers that remain hazy after fining and can only be alleviated with mechanical filtering, centrifuge, or process adjustments.
…at least that’s my take on it.