Types of Juicers
An in depth guide on the different types of juicers available.
Being always inspired by health trends and hacks to boost the body and mind, today we are talking juicers! Juicing has become a bit of an ‘it’ thing recently, and for good reason. Juicing can be a super effective health strategy.
The benefits and pros associated with juicing are definitely worth a mention so here they are in a nutshell, just in case you were wondering.
Juicing is:
- A concentrated source of vitamins and minerals
- An easy way to insert extra portions of fresh fruits, vegetables and or leafy greens into your diet
- Perfect for on-the-go health maintenance
- A great way to use up produce which could go to waste in the refrigerator
For a more extensive list, go and check out our post on the health benefits of fresh juice and juicing.
Now to juice, one does not necessarily have to physically have to juice produce oneself. You can pick up fresh juices all over the place nowadays.
But! This, abiet healthy, habit can become expensive. Fresh juices can cost within the range of 5-8 dollars, and if you consume one a day this leaves a monthly bill of 150-240 dollars.
Which brings us to juicers. If you purchase your own juicer and make juice in your own home, your can save some serious cash. Of course you will need to make the investment in the juicer, but if you use it regularly this could end up being a pretty smart move.
If you are going to be shelling out for a juicer then you want to make sure that you know what you are paying for. Which is why we decided that Kombucha Home really needs a guide on the types of juicers available on the market.
Let’s take a look.
The Four Types of Juicers
At the moment, there are three main categories of juicers available on the market. These are centrifugal juicers, masticating juicers and citrus juicers. Within the masticating juicer category falls a fourth juicer type, the double auger juicer. Also known as triturating juicers or twin gear juicers.
Centrifugal Juicers
Centrifugal juicers are generally the cheapest juicers available on the market. They function by grating up the produce with a high speed spinning serrated disk. The resulting pulp is then flung against the walls of chamber, through a sieve. The juice is centrifugally pulled out of the pulp by this action, is then collected, and the resulting pulp ejected.
Juice Quality (freshness and enzyme levels)
For doing the job of simply getting the juice out of produce centrifugal juicers do a pretty effective job. However, unfortunately the way that centrifugal juicers extract juice can degrade its quality and freshness.
This is because of the high amount of air that juice is exposed to when extracted in a centrifugal juicer. Because of the high speed centrifugal flinging action, the pulp and juice comes into a lot of contact with air. If you have ever cut an apple in half and left it uneaten, you may have noticed that the cut section turns brown. This is known as oxidation. Oxidation is the process whereby exposure to oxygen causes cells to die off and break down. Now of course the whole point with juicing, is to consuming plant cells in their freshness and most alive state. The more oxidized the juice is, the fewer live enzymes it will contain. And these live enzymes are part of what can makes fresh juice beneficial to the body.
There is another way by which juicing experts claim that centrifugal juicers denature juice while extracting it. And that is by exposure to heat. The high speed action of centrifugal juicers can cause heat to build up in the machine, and this in turn can cause further denaturing in the juice. This topic is debated by some, who claim that measuring the temperature of the juice shows that it does not increase in a centrifugal juicer and therefore the denaturing claim is false. An opposing argument to this is that the juice does not necessarily need to rise in temperature as a whole, to experience denaturing. Because, the juice which touches the heated up parts of the machine will suffer a die-off of enzymes, without causing the whole batch of extracted juice to become warm.
Whichever camp is correct, it is well known that centrifugal juicers do tend to denature juice, whether by oxygenation alone, or by a combination of heat build up and exposure to oxygen.
Efficiency at Extraction
Centrifugal juicers tend not to have the best rate of efficiency of extraction. So you will get less juice out of your produce than from a masticating or triturating juicer. So in the long term you will either consume slightly less juice, or have to buy more produce. The reduced juice extraction level also means that the waste pulp will contain more liquid. This causes it to be more sloppy, and can make for a messier clean up.
Ease of Cleaning
Speaking of cleanup, let’s talk ease of cleaning. This can be an important factor to consider when choosing a juicer. Cleaning your juicer is way less fun than feeding it with produce and watching the juice run! While the waste pulp can be a little messier to deal with than in juicers where the pulp is dry and compacted, on the whole centrifugal juicers are relatively easing cleaning. This is because their construction is pretty simple.
Ability to Juice Leafy Greens
Centrifugal juicers are not the best when it comes to processing leafy greens. You may find that some leaves do not get processed much at all, which can be a bit of waste. Not to mention frustrating, if one of the main types of juices you want to make are greens juices. For this, masticating juicers tend to do a much better extraction job.
Ability to Juice Citrus
Centrifugal juicers tend to do a pretty good job at juicing citrus. Citrus fruits can be hard to juice with regular juicers, which is why there are special citrus juicers for the this. However, if you just want to juice the occasional citrus fruit, a centrifugal juicer will usually work fine.
Ability to Juice Soft Fruit/Produce
Centrifugal juicers do not process soft fruits too well. Because of the way they extract juice, the soft fruit can end up just being ejected as pulp, with little to no juice extracted. This is particularly true if you juice them by themselves. However you can increase the yield somewhat if you combine soft fruits with other harder produce.
Ability to Juice Hard Produce
Centrifugal juicers do pretty well on hard produce and have a decent yield rate when processing harder fruit and vegetables. Produce such as apples, carrots and cabbage are ideal.
Speed of Extraction
When it comes to speed of extraction, this is where centrifugal juicers will beat masticating juicers hands down. They are high speed machines, and will eat through a batch of produce in no time at all. This of course is not great for the enzymes in the juice, but it might be great for your schedule!
Noise Level
With speed comes noise, and centrifugal juicers tend to be the noisiest models. If you live alone, or juice at times when it is not likely to wake up the whole world, then this may not be too big of a deal. However if you are part of the 5 am club, and like to get your juicing done early, this could cause some problems.
Durability
Thanks to the high speed at which centrifugal juicers operate, their parts are under quite a bit of strain. Mostly being part of the budget category of juicers, centrifugal models are also not usually manufactured from high quality materials. These two factors combined can make centrifugal juicers short lasting.
Price
The great thing about centrifugal juicers is that you won’t have to take out a bank loan to get your hands on one. There are some pretty affordable models on the market, which are still quality appliances which won’t fall apart just by being looked at.
If you are new to juicing, purchasing and trying out a centrifugal juicer can be a doable, low stress, and budget friendly way to get into juicing.
Pros & Cons of Centrifugal Juicers
All this juicer info can be an overload, so to makes this easy here are the pros and cons associated with centrifugal juicers.
Pros:
+ Cheap
+ Fast extraction
+ Ability to process hard fruit/veg
Cons:
– Juice loses nutritional value from oxidation
– Noisy
– Uses more produce
– Leafy greens can be hard to process
– Soft fruits can be hard to process
– Models can be less durable
Masticating Juicers
Now let’s take a look at masticating juicers. Masticating juicers function differently to centrifugal juicers. Instead of a serrated spinning disk, they have augers which literally crush the produce up using a slow and steady force. They tend to have low rpm motors, and this is partially what makes them more expensive than centrifugal juicers.
Juice Quality (freshness and enzyme levels)
This crushing action of the augers extracts the juice while exposing it to a minimum amount of oxygen. This is of course ideal for maintaining the inherent high levels of live enzymes, one of the elements of fresh juice that makes it so beneficial for the body. Because of the slow workings of masticating juicers, they also do not build up much heat internally. Which further helps to ensure that your juice is not denatured.
Efficiency at Extraction
Masticating juicers tend to have a higher efficiency of extraction than centrifugal juicers. This is great in the long term because it means that you will be getting more out of your produce when you juice. And, the more juice that is extracted from the produce, the drier, more compacted and less messy the pulp in the refuse container will be. No splatting equals less mess and less cleanup.
Ease of Cleaning
Although the waste pulp produced by masticating juicers is generally drier and less messy than from centrifugal juicers, the machines on the whole tend to be more intricate to clean. This is a downside that comes with the design of most masticating juicers. There are however some models which are designed to be easier to clean, so keep your eyes out for one of those when shopping.
Ability to Juice Leafy Greens
Masticating juicers are great when it comes to juicing leafy greens. This is something they do a lot better than centrifugal juicers. So much so that if you are into green juices, it is almost worth paying the price for a masticating juicer, just for this capability. Having whole or part leaves shot out the other side, damaged, but not properly processed, is no green juice addict’s idea of fun.
Ability to Juice Citrus
Masticating juicers also handle citrus fairly well. To be fair the machine that will most efficiently juice citrus is a citrus juicer (covered further on). But considering that, masticating juicers do a fairly good job on citrus fruit.
Ability to Juice Soft Fruit/Produce
Soft fruit is ideal for masticating juicers. The crushing action of the augers is perfect for squeezing out the liquid from soft fruits such as peaches, nectarines and plums.
Ability to Juice Hard Produce
Masticating juicers also do fine processing hard produce. This is the one produce type where centrifugal juicers may compete. However a good masticating juicer should not have any problems with harder produce such as apples, carrots, cabbage etc.
Speed of Extraction
This is one area where a masticating juicer can be a little annoying. They are termed “slow juicers” for a reason, and that is because they are slow. And, you have to stand and feed the machine, so no walking off and doing something else while it juices. This slow juicing action is of course a good thing for the freshness and quality of juice.
However maybe not so ideal for a tight schedule.
Another aspect which can make juicing with a masticating juicer a slow business, is the chute size. Masticating juicers often tend to have smaller and narrower chutes than centrifugal juicers. This is to stop people overloading the machine with whole fruits and vegetables. This is a good safety catch, but it means increased prep time because you will have to cut up the produce prior to juicing.
Noise Level
Masticating juicers are very quiet. Because of their low RPM engines, they generally make nearly as much noise as centrifugal juicers. This is really great if you are likely to be juicing at times when other people are asleep.
Durability
Many masticating juicers are manufactured to a good or high level of quality. This is especially true for the tried and tested stars of the juicing world such Green Star, Omega, Breville, and Super Angel. Additionally, the slow operation speed of masticating juicers means that the machines are under less strain. High speed motors and operating speeds can cause juicers to be under a lot of strain from rattling and vibrations.
Of course, there are low quality masticating model out there as well, so be aware that simply buying a masticating juicer is not a guarantee of quality. And be wary of models which seem ‘to cheap to be true’.
Price
Masticating juicers tend to be quite a lot more expensive than centrifugal juicers. That said, some of the cheaper models are lower in price than higher end centrifugal models. However if you are investing in a masticating juicer, be prepared to probably have to spend quite a bit more than if you are looking to buy a middle range centrifugal juicer.
Pros & Cons of Masticating Juicers
All this juicer info can be an overload, so to makes this easy here are the pros and cons associated with masticating juicers.
Pros:
+ Juice is of a high quality, not denatured
+ Quiet operation
+ Extracts most of the juice from produce
+ Waste pulp is dry and compact, not sloppy
+ Processes leafy greens well
+ Can processes soft fruits and vegetables well
+ Processes hard fruits and vegetables well
+ Juicers tend to be durable
Cons:
– Can be more costly than centrifugal models
– Slow in operation (and requires you to feed the machine during extraction)
– Feeding chutes can be small
– Cleanup can be time consuming
Triturating Juicers
Triturating juicers (also known as double auger) are the next level up in the masticating juicer category. Being masticating juicers they work in the same way, except they have not one but two augers. This is great for juice extraction, because the fruit and vegetables essentially get pressed twice. Once into a pulp, and then the pulp is pressed again, in the second auger, to extract as much juice as possible.
Juice Quality (freshness and enzyme levels)
Like single auger masticating juicers, triturating juicers are also known to produce top notch, quality juice, with little denaturing. They do not expose juice to excessive amounts of oxygen, and they also do not heat up during operation. This is why for those looking to extract maximum health related gains from their juice, triturating juicers are a popular choice.
Efficiency at Extraction
Triturating juicers are the most efficient at juice extraction. Thanks to their double auger pressing system, them are able to press out almost every available drop of juice. This of course has the added benefit of the waste pulp being very dry and compacted, which is perfect for reduced mess and easy cleanup.
Triturating juicers tend to be the most pricey, but if you are thinking of getting your hands on one, remember you may also be able to save a buck or two in produce related expenses in the future.
Ease of Cleaning
This is the one area where triturating juicers are really not the best. In fact they tend to be the most difficult to clean, due to the dual augers, which of course both have to be cleaned. So these machines are definitely for the patient and thorough when it comes to cleanup.
Ability to Juice Leafy Greens
Triturating juicers are absolutely great at juicing leafy greens. In fact, they are the best at it! The double set of augers ensures that all leaves get crushed properly and the maximum amount of juice is extracted.
Ability to Juice Citrus
Triturating juicers can also juice citrus. They may not be as efficient at it as a citrus juicer, but they do a good job overall.
Ability to Juice Soft Fruit/Produce
Soft produce is ideal for the triturating juicer. Again, the double set of augers is perfect for extracting juice from the pulp of soft fruits, ensuring that no juice is wasted.
Ability to Juice Hard Produce
Triturating juicers can also handle hard produce. They have no problems with apple, carrots cabbage etc, and their efficient extraction ability ensures that you get a maximum amount of juice.
Speed of Extraction
Here is where the triturating juicer is once again most suited to those of a patient nature. These juicers take even longer to extract juice than regular masticating juicers. And like other masticating juicers you have to hand feed the chute.
This slow juicing is of course a positive thing for the quality of juice, which in many people’s cases is the whole point of juicing.
Noise Level
Like regular masticating juicers, triturating juicers are pretty quiet. This is always a plus!
Durability
Triturating juicers tend to be designed to a good standard, and the double auger design is meant to deliver quality results. Of course, once again, buying a triturating juicer in and of itself is not necessarily a guarantee of quality and durability. However in general, these machines tend to be some of the sturdiest.
Price
Triturating juicers are generally the most expensive type of juicer.
Pros & Cons of Triturating Juicers
All this juicer info can be an overload, so to make this easy here are the pros and cons associated with triturating juicers.
Pros:
+ Juice is of the highest quality, not denatured
+ Quiet operation
+ Extracts maximum amount of the juice from produce
+ Waste pulp is very dry and compact, not sloppy
+ Does a great job of processing leafy greens
+ Able to process soft fruits and vegetables well
+ Can also handle hard fruits and vegetables
+ Juicers tend to be durable
Cons:
– Expensive
– Slow in operation (and requires you to feed the machine during extraction)
– Feeding chutes can be small
– Cleanup time is probably the highest of most juicers
Citrus Juicers
Citrus juicers are the juicer type specifically designed to juice citrus fruits. Different models do this in different ways. However most feature a cone shaped area onto which an orange half can be pressed or rotated either by hand or mechanically.
Citrus Juicers are Only For Citrus
Citrus juicers are designed to juice citrus fruit and nothing else. At a pinch some of them can be used to juice pomegranate, but not much more than that. Therefore when you buy a citrus juicer, it is one of those kitchen gadgets that is single purpose. If you do not want to juice that much citrus, then you may find that the space the juicer takes up is more valuable than the appliance.
However if you are an avid orange juice drinker, then there is nothing more convenient than having a good citrus juicer. Citrus juicers really take the hassle out of making freshly pressed orange juice. When putting citrus through a centrifugal or masticating juicer, you have to peel and prepare the fruit beforehand. And what is more, as mentioned above not all juicers handle citrus that well.
Citrus Juicers Extract What is Known as Citrus Water
While having a citrus juicer is fantastic for making homemade, freshly squeezed citrus juice, there is one area of contention. Because citrus juicers only extract the juice from within the citrus segments, many people term the end product “citrus water”. The reason for this is that most citrus juicers do not process any of white rind under the skin of citrus fruits. This is thought to be a source of great nutritional value. Therefore, many health conscious people prefer to process their citrus in a regular juicer, by thinly peeling off the outer layer of skin, and allowing a portion of rind to be juiced.
Types of Citrus Juicers
There is a huge variety of citrus juicers out there on the market today. These include:
- Manual, lever driven press style citrus juicers
These juicers can be pricey, due to good construction. However they are simple to use and easy to clean. - Manual, crushing citrus juicers
These are some of the cheapest, most compact and easy to use citrus juicers. Small enough to fit in a drawer, they are similar in design to a garlic crusher. Because of their simple design, you can pick up a decent quality one of these, at very affordable prices. - Automated lever driven press style citrus juicers
These citrus juicers are pretty snazzy, and their price usually reflects that. However if you drink a lot of fresh juice – then investing in one of these may be worthwhile - Manual ‘rotation’ based citrus juicers
These guys are very simple in design and easy to use. They require a little elbow grease to twist the orange halves against the raised cone. These citrus juicers function very well for small batches of juice, and fit conveniently into a cupboard or drawer. They are however not ideal for making large batches of juice. - Automated ‘rotation’ based citrus juicers
These citrus juicers come in all ranges of price, complexity and size. From small simplistic designs to large, high capacity versions.
Besides these basic designs and categories there are many variations and features available. Some machines even cut oranges in half for you!
Pros & Cons of Citrus Juicers
To make this easy here are the pros and cons associated with citrus juicers.
Pros:
+ Makes juicing citrus easy
+ Mostly quiet operation
+ Extracts maximum amount of the juice from citrus
+ Cleanup is easy on most models, particularly manual ones
+ Some models are very inexpensive
Cons:
– Extracts what some term ‘citrus water’
– Is a single use kitchen tool
Final Word
And there you have it, the low down on the main juicer types. If you are on the hunt for a juicer, check out our post The Ultimate Guide to The Best Juicers. In it we have a top picks list where we take a look at some of the best juicers on the market today in terms of both capability, price and quality.
We hope that this post has been helpful to you and that you get your hands on the juicer of your dreams… and of course get juicing!
