Fruits and vegetables are among the most important parts of a person’s daily diet. It’s because they are naturally good and contain vitamins and minerals that can help keep the body healthy. They also aid in protecting the body against diseases. There are various fruits and vegetables available, as well as various ways to prepare, cook, and serve them. However, there are people who are not fond of eating fruits and vegetables. Also, it is quite difficult to achieve the needed nutrients as you will have to eat huge amounts of fruits and vegetables.
If you are one of those who find it difficult to eat lots of fruits and vegetables, one of the best ways to incorporate them into your diet is by juicing them. Drinking fruits and vegetable juices are easier compared to eating a lot of whole fruits and vegetables. The process of juicing involves grinding, squeezing, or pressing fresh fruit or vegetables to extract their juices. Drinking juices can make it easy for your body to absorb nutrients.
To be able to get juice from fruits and vegetables, you will need to use a juicer. Juicers come in different types, from the simplest ones to the most complex ones. Picking which one is best depends on your preferences and other factors. If you are thinking of getting a juicer soon but can’t decide yet what juicer to get, we are here to help you. In this post, we are giving you a guide to choosing the right juicer for your needs.
What is a Juicer?
A juicer is a kitchen appliance designed to extract juice from fruits and vegetables. Having a high-quality juicer is a useful addition to a kitchen, and many people engage in juicing as they believe it will improve their health by increasing the number of vitamins and minerals that they consume.
Even though a juicer is quite similar to a blender, they are different. It’s because smoothies and other combined drinks may be made in a blender while still retaining all the fruit’s or vegetable’s natural flavors. A juicer, on the other hand, extracts juice and leaves much of the fiber of the produce behind.[1]
Different Types of Juicers
Learning about the various types of juicers is one of the essential things that can help you in deciding what juicer to get. It’s because the best juicers are ones that match your juicing needs. Investing in a juicer that suits your preferences will enable you to make the most of your money, regardless of whether you are constantly juicing and pressing fruits and vegetables or only occasionally want a sip of celery juice to quench your thirst after a strenuous workout.
Juicers have various types, and each of them may offer special features or unique attributes. To learn more about them, below are the different types of juicers:
Centrifugal Juicers
A centrifugal juicer is also often called a fast juicer. It is the most popular type of home juicer as they come at affordable prices. This type of juicer takes the fruits and vegetables through a feed tube and directly into contact with a blade that shreds them at 6,000-14,000 RPM. The juice of the fruit or vegetable is thrown by the centrifugal force of the spinning basket towards the sides and pushed through a sharp screen into a jug or glass. The juice produced by a centrifugal juicer mostly separates quickly and has around 30% solids, including the skins, seeds, and stems of the produce.[2]
The best thing about centrifugal juicers is that they are fast at extracting juice from fruits and vegetables. They mostly have tubes that are wide enough to take on whole small apples, oranges, and cucumbers. This type of juicer also stands upright, which takes up minimal space on the kitchen counter. They are also the least expensive type of juicer.
The downsides of centrifugal juicers are that they can be quite noisy, and they can’t handle leafy greens or wheatgrass well. Also, the speed of rotation causes heat that degrades the quality of the juice produced. More oxidation also occurs, which creates a foam on top of the fresh juice, causing it to separate fast. A centrifugal juicer is perfect for those who are on a budget and those who do not need large batches of juice and wish to drink their juice as soon as it is made.[2]
Masticating Juicers
An auger-based juicer is known as a masticating juicer, and it has sharp metal teeth rotating at 80 to 100 RPM to simulate “chewing” fruits and vegetables. The maximum amount of juice from the pulp is pressed, which results in high yields and very little foaming or oxidation. This slow juicer technique enables easy juicing of leafy greens like wheatgrass.
This type of juicer is also often referred to as a cold-press juicer. It takes more time to produce juice, but it preserves more nutrients in the final juice. Also, a masticating juicer tends to be quieter and operate at a low hum. It has stronger motors that come at a higher cost but allow added features, such as making baby food, sorbets, nut butter, and even pasta.[3] The best thing about masticating juicers is that they have a higher juice yield than centrifugal juicers with less oxidation. The juices that this type of juicer produces also tend to last longer than centrifugal.
However, the downside of this type of juicer is that it has a smaller chute, which requires you to chop the fruits and vegetables into small pieces first before juicing, and they are more expensive. It is also quite challenging to clean, and it takes more time to extract the juice. A masticating juicer also takes up more counter space and can be very bulky. Masticating juicers are perfect for those who are looking to maximize the nutrients of their juices and those who have extra budget to spend.
Twin Gear Juicers
A twin-gear juicer uses two gears or augers that spin and pulls the produce in and chews it up. These augers extract the juice by pushing the produce through a decreasing size screen. The pulp of the fruit and vegetables is left behind, and only quality juice is extracted. This is a great type of juicer for hearty vegetables and leafy greens. But it also works well with soft fruits.[3]
This type of juicer is also called a triturating juicer. It is much quieter compared to a centrifugal juicer but has a larger footprint compared to other types of juicers. Twin gear juicers are mostly horizontal and require more space on your countertop or in your pantry. But it is capable of several other great culinary tasks, such as grinding seeds and nuts to chopping vegetables. However, it is also quite expensive.[3]
Juice Press
A juice press, also called a hydraulic or pneumatic juice press, is the best type of juicer for most people. It is also referred to as a two-stage juicer since it involves two stages. In the first stage, the produce is ground up into pulp, and the juice is extracted by pressing the pulp under thousands of pounds of pressure. It is also in this type of juicer where the term “cold-press” juicer came from, even though it is now used for other types of juicers, too. Also, this is the only type of juicer that contains a press and therefore is the only true cold-press juicer.[2]
Compared to other types of juicers, a juice press extracts the most nutrients possible from fruits and vegetables. It also produces juices with the longest shelf life, which can be stored in a refrigerator for 3 to 5 days with minimal separation or breakdown of taste and nutrients. However, this is also the most expensive type of juicer, and it requires the use of reusable or limited-use press bags for the pulp.[2]
Manual Citrus Fruit Juicers
Aside from using juicing machines, there are also manual juicers available in the market. These types of juicers require more effort on your part, but sometimes they also extract the best juices from citrus fruits. Most manual juicers are made of quality materials, such as stainless steel, which give them a long life even after repeated and heavy use.
The best thing about manual juicers is that they can be used anytime and anywhere you want, even when there is no electricity. All you have to do is put the produce in the juicer and twist the fruit to extract the juice. It is the easiest to use among the different types of juicers and also the most affordable.[4]
The Most Popular Juicer Brands
After learning about the different types of juicers, another thing that can help you decide on what juicer to buy is knowing about the different brands that offer the best quality juicers in the market. There are various juicer brands available today, but some brands stand out from the rest. To learn more about these, below are the most popular juicer brands:
Breville
When it comes to juicers, one of the most popular brands is Breville. Juicers made by Breville are mostly used by businesses, as it offers models for commercial use that can handle large volumes of fruits and vegetables. Most of the juicers offered by Breville are made of stainless steel and are well-built and stable.
What’s great about Breville juicers is that they are now more affordable, and a lot of models are priced competitively compared to others on the market. Therefore, if you are looking into investing in a good juicer, you can add Breville juicers to your list. Below are some examples of the best juicers that the brand offers:
- Breville Juice Fountain Cold Juicer: This is a high-performance juicer that features an innovative cold extraction system that can give a super-sized 70-ounce juice. You can prevent heat and processing-related vitamin and mineral degradation with its cold spin technology and precision mesh. It has a 3-inch extra wide chute feed that enables you to juice whole fruits and vegetables without pre-cutting. It also has a juice nozzle that is great for mess-free juicing straight into a glass.
- Breville Juice Fountain Elite Juicer: This juicer has a 1000-watt motor that spins up to 13,000 RPM, giving you more juice than traditional juicers. It has a titanium reinforced disc and an Italian-made micro mesh filter basket that is made of stainless steel. It also has an extra wide chute that accommodates whole fruits and vegetables. It has a two-speed control that can be switched to juice both soft and dense fruits and leafy and hard vegetables.
- Breville Big Squeeze Slow Juicer: This slow juicer is very quiet when operating. It can be used to make different mixed juices. It features forward and reverse buttons for easy juicing and unclogging. It is also a great choice if you are looking for a juicer that is easy to store, as it stands upright and will not take up much space on your kitchen counter.
Hamilton Beach
Hamilton Beach is also a well-regarded brand of juicer, and it offers a lot of models at a variety of price points. It is an appliance company that has been operating for more than a century. It was founded in Wisconsin back in 1910 by men who invented an innovative small motor that changed the market for home appliances. It is a known brand for manufacturing reliable, efficient, and durable juicers, whether for home use or for commercial use.[5]
Below are some of the best Hamilton Beach juicers that might help you choose the best one for your needs:
- Hamilton Beach 932 Commercial Citrus Juicer: This is a manual citrus juicer that was first manufactured in 1932. It has a classic design, created with rack-and-pinion gearing, that allows you to exert up to 2,000 pounds of pressure with very moderate effort. Citrus fruits including lemons, limes, oranges, and grapefruits are juiced to their fullest potential. It is perfect to be used in kitchens and cafes.
- Hamilton Beach Centrifugal Juicer Machine: This juicer extracts juice from various fruits and vegetables in just a few seconds. It has an extra-large 3-inch feed chute that fits whole fruits and vegetables. It also offers two speeds for various juicing preferences. All of its parts are dishwasher-safe. It also has a compact design that can be stored or added to the countertop easily.
- Hamilton Beach 67951 Masticating Juicer Machine: This juicer has a Tritan auger that is driven by a 150-watt motor. It crushes and squeezes fruits and vegetables at a slow speed to extract the maximum juice with minimal noise. It extracts twice as much juice from leafy greens as centrifugal juicers. Its slow masticating action creates a smoother texture and less separation than centrifugal juicers for delicious, great-tasting juice.
Omega
Omega is also among the most reliable juicer brands in the market today. There are many Omega juicing machines that are regarded as “jack of all trades.” It’s because they can outperform other general-purpose juicer brands and are a great choice if you are looking for a versatile juicing machine. The brand also offers juicers that are better at processing certain types of fruits and vegetables.[6] Take a look at the examples below for the best Omega juicers:
- Omega Compact Nutrition System Juicer: This is a compact juicer that is great if you are looking for one that saves space. It uses a low speed of 80 RPM, which results in minimal heat buildup and oxidation. It extracts the maximum amount of vitamins, taste, and juice from a minimum amount of fruits and vegetables. It is very easy to use and has a quiet motor. In addition to juicing fruits, it can also be used to grind the coffee, extrude pasta, make baby food, and mince herbs and garlic.
- Omega VSJ843QS Vertical Masticating Juice Extractor: This masticating juicer has dual-edge auger with tighter fit tolerance, which strains more juice and breaks down fiber to a palatable level, giving you a smoother and nutrient-dense juice. It has a no-drip juice tap at the end of the juice spout, which can be closed during the juicing process to make a mixing function. It also has a vertical design, making it compact and easy to add to any kitchen counter.
- Omega MegaMouth Vertical Juicer: This is a slow juicer that has a speed of 60 RPM, which minimizes heat build-up and oxidation. It has a large chute that fits whole fruits and vegetables for less prep time. It also has a smart cap and no drip juice tap, which allows mixing function. It also has an upright design, which means it takes up less space on a kitchen counter.
Cuisinart
Cuisinart is a popular American home appliance brand that is owned by Conair Corporation. It manufactures some of the best kitchen appliances, and this includes juicers. The brand offers juicing machines that are perfect for every budget. Most of their machines are also designed to be really quiet to avoid disturbing anyone. It is a great brand for those looking for high-quality and reliable juicers. Below are some of the best Cuisinart juicers that you might like:
- Cuisinart CCJ-500P1 Pulp Control Citrus Juicer: This is a citrus juicer that is made out of stainless steel. It has 3 pulp control settings with an auto-reversing universal juicer cone for more efficient juicing. It also has a final-spin feature that extracts more juice from the pulp and protects against dust. It also includes a long snap-up spout to accommodate more glasses and prevents dripping. It also has a juicing cone that accommodates small limes to large grapefruits.
- Cuisinart CJE-1000 Die-Cast Juice Extractor: This juicer machine features a 1000-watt 5-speed juice extractor with a large 3-inch feeding chute. It has a control dial with a blue LED light ring, along with an adjustable flow spout and an easy unlock and lift system. It also has a foam-reducing filter basket, and all of its parts are dishwasher-safe.
- Cuisinart CSJ-300 Slow Juicer: This is a masticating juicer that yields more juice from fruits and vegetables. It has a mesh-free filter that is easy to clean. All of its removable parts are also dishwasher safe. In addition to fruits and vegetables, nuts can also be slowly pressed using this machine to make nut butter. It also has an upright design, making it suitable for small kitchen counters.
Things to Consider When Buying a Juicer
After learning about the different types and brands of juicers available, it is also important to understand what you want out of a juicer. This will help you in narrowing down your options to the one that is best for your needs and preferences. Once you’ve decided what type and brand of juicer you want to buy, there are other factors that you need to consider before spending your hard-earned money. Below are some of the important things to consider when buying a juicer:
1. Price and Budget
When thinking about buying a new juicer, whether for business or for home use you first need to consider your budget. Knowing how much you are willing to spend for a juicer will help you in narrowing down your options. Higher-end juicers that provide a greater juice yield also often come at a higher price. But there are more affordable options that are good enough for average juicers with more basic expectations. Note that juicing can become an expensive habit, too, especially if you do it regularly. If you plan to juice many times a week, then getting a higher-end juicer can be a good investment for you.[7]
2. Ease of Use
It is better to pick a juicer that is user-friendly than those that have complicated instructions and controls. Some of the best and easy-to-use juicers mostly have pulp ejection systems that capture discarded solids, juice containers, large feeder chute openings, and other convenient options. A juicer that is easy to use will save you from getting frustrated and will help you acquire delicious juices easily.[8]
3. Ease of Cleaning
When cleaning juicers, you may have to disassemble some of their parts. For example, juicers that have specific bins for the juice and pulp ejection, along with filter screens and other components, require more cleaning time. It’s because these parts are also needed to be cleaned once the elements are removed. If a juicer is difficult to clean or takes too long to clean, you might not use it often.
Many juicer manufacturers make it easier for users by offering dishwasher-safe parts. But do not assume that all the parts of your juicer can go in the dishwasher. Always read the instructions on how to clean them to avoid any issues.[8]
4. Versatility
You might wonder what else a juicer should be required to do other than extract juices from fruits and vegetables. There are juicers that can process a wide variety of produce and other ingredients. Mostly, masticating juicers are more versatile. When you use a centrifugal juicer to juice leafy greens like spinach and kale, you may get disappointing results compared to when you use a centrifugal juicer.[8]
There are also juicers that have extended functionality, and some may even act as food processors. Therefore, if you currently do not have a food processor and a juicer, you might want to consider a juicer machine that can do both.
5. Noise
You also have to consider whether or not you are fine with having a noisy juicer or if you want one that works quietly. Centrifugal juicers are mostly loud, while cold press and twin-gear juicers are quieter. If this is an important feature for you, you can look for juicers that are specifically designed to be silent.[7]
6. Speeds
Cold-press and twin-gear juicers work at slower speeds compared to centrifugal juicers. This enables them to extract juice from fruits and vegetables more effectively. Therefore, you can get a higher yield with more nutrients. When trying to determine which juicer is best for you, ask yourself if you would like to get more out of your juice or get it faster and move on with your day. Also, regardless of the type of juicer you buy, various fruits and vegetables fare better when juiced at different speeds. With this, you can also consider juicers with different speed options.[7]
7. Size and Cord Length
Counter space is a valuable commodity in most kitchens. Unfortunately, most juicers take up a lot of space. Therefore, before you purchase a juicer, you have to make sure that you have enough space for it and that its cord will reach an outlet from the space where you are planning to place it.
In addition to the space in your kitchen, the size of the juicer also affects how much juice you can make. How big its chute is determines how much preparation time you need to spend in making the juice. The size of the container is your typical limit for each session of juicing. Therefore, it is important to decide first whether you’d like a big juicer or a compact one.[7]
8. Warranty
If you are planning to spend a huge amount on a new juicer, you have to ensure that it has a sufficient warranty to protect your investment. The warranty rule of thumb is that the longer the warranty, the better the quality of the product. Typically, low-end juicers offer a 1-year warranty, while some may offer a 5 to 7 years warranty. Higher-quality juicers, on the other hand, may offer a 10 to 15 years warranty.
However, note that warranty coverage does not apply equally to every part of your juicer. For instance, the motor of a juicer may have different coverage than its removable parts. Therefore, make sure to learn more about the warranty of the product first before you buy a juicer.
Conclusion
A juicer may not be an essential kitchen appliance to own, but it is perfect for those who are looking to live a healthier lifestyle by incorporating fruits and vegetables into their diets the easier way. Juicing is continuously growing, and a lot of people are already making their own juice at home. If you have decided to buy a juicer, deciding whether cost, health, or ease of use wins out in your priorities will help you in determining which model will work best for you. But no matter what juicer you end up with, you can pretty well count on consuming more tasty juice at home.
References
[1] McMahon, M. (2022, August 28). What is a Juicer? Delighted Cooking. Retrieved October 3, 2022, from https://www.delightedcooking.com/what-is-a-juicer.htm
[2] Goodnature, E. (2021, August 11). Types of juicers: Pros & cons of the 4 main juicers. Goodnature. Retrieved October 3, 2022, from https://www.goodnature.com/blog/types-of-juicers/
[3] Holland, K. (2019, July 2). How to choose the right types of juicers for you. Real Simple. Retrieved October 3, 2022, from https://www.realsimple.com/food-recipes/tools-products/appliances/types-of-juicers
[4] Seitz, S. (2021, November 16). 5 best manual juicers for homemade fruit juice. Clean Green Simple. Retrieved October 3, 2022, from https://cleangreensimple.com/article/best-manual-juicers/
[5] Williams, T. (2021, May 1). 5 best Hamilton Beach Juicers to buy in 2022. KitchenSanity. Retrieved October 3, 2022, from https://www.kitchensanity.com/juicing/hamilton-beach-juicers-review/
[6] Bedford, J. (2022, January 3). The best Omega Juicer in 2022. Viva Flavor. Retrieved October 3, 2022, from https://vivaflavor.com/best-omega-juicer/
[7] Hicks, K. (2016, December 30). How to buy a juicer (and other factors you didn’t think about). Compact Appliance. Retrieved October 3, 2022, from https://learn.compactappliance.com/juicer-buyers-guide/
[8] Verkhovskaya, M. (2021, July 17). How to choose a Juicer? 7 critical factors to consider. Juicers Plus Blenders. Retrieved October 3, 2022, from https://www.juicersplusblenders.com/buy-juicer/