The Ultimate Guide to the Best Juicers
If you are on the hunt for the best juicer, then stick around, because in this post we are taking a deep dive into juicer types, buying considerations and great models.
If you have been exploring the site, you will know that here at Kombucha Home we are big on drinks that are flavorful and pack a punch health wise. Such as kombucha, water kefir, milk kefir, kvass, rejuvelac, and traditionally fermented ginger beer and root beer. Besides these fizzy fermented refreshers, there is another drink that we talk about, and that is juice. Freshly extracted fruit and vegetable juice.
Juicing fruit, vegetable and leafy greens can bring with it a wide variety of health benefits. And these health benefits are most easily obtained if you juice produce at home. This way you can consume the juice ‘fresh off the press’, while it still contains its naturally occurring enzymes and has the highest nutritional potency.
And to juice at home, of course one needs a great juicer which will make the juicing process a pleasure. Which is why in today’s post we are taking an in depth look at what specs make for a great juicer, which juicers are best for which purposes, and of course which are the best juicers in town at the moment.
Before we get into juicer specs, let’s talk about the benefits of juicing at home.
Why Juice
Buying a juicer can be a pricey outlay. And, aren’t there loads of fresh juices to choose from in the stores already? Why go to the effort of juicing at home?
If you are on the hunt for a great juicer, then you probably know the answers to these questions already. But if you are new to the benefits of juicing, or just want to get a little extra pumped, let’s take a look at why getting into juicing at home is so worth the investment in a juicer.
Freshly Extracted Juice is a Nutritional Powerhouse
The number one reason why juicing at home is such a good idea lies in the fact that freshly extracted juice is a nutritional powerhouse. The vitamins and minerals in fruits and vegetable become concentrated into the juice when it is extracted. Making freshly pressed fruit and vegetable juice a nutritional supplement as well as a simple thirst quencher.
Thanks to the nutritionally concentrated nature of fresh juice it can be used to help increase health and vitality in a relatively short space of time.
Juicing is an Easy Way to Incorporate More Fresh Produce into Your Diet
Because fresh juice is so nutritionally concentrated and effortless to consume – you can literally drink it on the go – it can become a perfect way to include additional fresh produce into your diet.
Many of us know that we should be eating more fruit, more greens, and more vegetable, particularly in raw form. But, fitting these foods into a busy day can be tricky. Drinking a glass of juice however, does not take much time, or thought. It’s a super simple way to fit extra portions of fresh food into your day.
Freshly Extracted Juice is Chemical Free
When making your own juices at home, you are also guaranteed that your juice is 100% free from additives or contaminants, such as preservatives or BPA residues from packaging.
You Get to Decide What to Juice
One of the best parts about juicing at home is that YOU get to decide exactly what you want in your juices. Want to up your kale intake? No problem, just add it into your juicing session. You want to take advantage of the detox benefits of parsley – same thing! Just included it into your juicing ingredients.
Spoilt Fruit and Veg Can be a Thing of the Past
Many of us have great intentions when we hit the store. We load up with kale and carrots, tomatoes, herbs and cucumbers. However once those babies get packed into the refrigerator, and the week picks up a pace, it is easy to forget about the loaded bottom drawer. Until at some point one peeks in and see that the carrots are about to go limp, and you definitely don’t see a chance to eat the tomatoes before they too go soft.
This happens to all of us, and can be incredibly frustrating. You spent good money on good food, and will probably end up throwing some of it away.
Well, if you have a juicer, this need not be the case. If you cannot foresee a chance to consume all of the fresh produce before it starts to lose its freshness, you can juice it.
By now you are probably more excited than ever to get your hands on a juicer to start boosting your diet right away. But before you rush out to pick up a juicer, let’s take a look the different types of juicers, and their associated pros and cons.
The Different Types of Juicers
There are three main categories of juicers available on the market. These are centrifugal juicers, masticating juicers and triturating juicers, also known as twin gear juicers or double auger juicers.
Centrifugal Juicers
Centrifugal juicers are perhaps the most common type of juicer. They are typically the cheapest, and are considered intro level juicers. While they are affordable, they are thought not to put out the best quality of juice. This is because they operate at high speeds, and extract juice by shaving up the produce, and then through a centrifugal action flinging the juice through a sieve component. The reason why this is all considered bad, is because this “shaving” up of vegetables, and the high speed spraying of juice against the sieve, results in increased exposure to air.
If you have ever cut an apple in half and left it for a short amount of time uneaten, you will have seen that the cut surface of the apple turns brown. This is called oxidation, and it happens when the plant cells are exposed to air. Oxidation causes the breakdown of the live enzymes in juice. So if you are wanting to juice for health reasons, then a centrifugal juicer is perhaps not the best choice.
A further downside to centrifugal juicers is that they tend to be very loud!
These juicers are however more affordable that other alternatives, and they are also able to extract juice at a much faster rate that masticating juicers. So if you are simply juicing to have some tasty juice on hand, then one of these may be a good option.
Take note however, that centrifugal juicers also tend not to have as good a yield of juice as better quality models. So what one saves on the machine, one may end up spending in the long term on buying more juicing produce.
Pros:
+ Cheap
+ Fast extraction
Cons:
– Juice loses nutritional value from oxidation
– Noisey
– Uses more produce
– Leafy greens can be hard to process
Masticating Juicers
Masticating juicers are the next up in terms of price and quality. These juicers extract juice from fruit, vegetables and greens by a crushing action of an augur. They tend to be a lot slower at extracting juice, however the juice is of a much better quality. This is because the juice is exposed to the minimum amount of air and heat. These juicers are able to process greens very well and they extract the maximum amount of juice from produce.
Masticating juicers can be quite pricey. However if you are buying a juicer to juice for health reasons, then they are definitely a preferable alternative to centrifugal juicers. Masticating juicers also tend to last longer than centrifugal models, because their extraction process is slower and gentler on the machine.
Pros:
+ Juice loses less nutritional value from oxidation
+ Quiet operation
+ More efficient use of produce
+ Handles leafy greens well
+ Longer lasting
Cons:
– Slower extraction time
– Expensive
Twin Gear Juicers
Twin gear juicers are a type of masticating juicer. They also crush up and extract juice gently and slowly using an augur. The only difference is that they have not one, but two augurs. This makes them capable of extracting even more juice out of produce that a single auger masticating juicer. They are also incredibly quiet.
On the downside these juicers can be more time consuming to clean, and are pretty pricey. They also do not handle citrus very well.
However if you are looking for a top of the range machine that will produce the best quality and highest quantity of juice, then you won’t find better than a twin gear juicer.
Additionally, besides extracting juice, some of the twin gear machines can be used for other purposes as well. Such as making pasta and rice cookies.
Even with knowing the specs and pros and cons of the different types of juicers it can still be tricky isolating what will suit you in a machine. So let’s quickly take a look a some personal considerations to keep in mind when buying a juicer.
Pros:
+ Juice loses less nutritional value from oxidation
+ Quiet operation
+ Most efficient use of produce
+ Handles leafy greens well
+ Long lasting
Cons:
– Slowest extraction time
– Most expensive
What to Consider When Buying a Juicer
This guide is aimed at helping you to isolate the perfect juicer, for your needs. The juicer which will make your day every time you use it will be the one which is most suited to you and your purposes. So before we get into the types and models, here is a list of personal considerations to think about before selecting a model.
Ease of Cleaning
This is a biggie. If you are planning on juicing regularly, it is super important that the cleanup process is one which will not drive you crazy. Cleaning a juicer is not nearly as fun as feeding produce into it, and can take longer than the actually juicing process as well. So it is important that the cleaning stage is as hassle free as possible.
Noise Level
Another consideration when looking at potential juicers is the noise level. Juicers can be pretty noisy appliances, and if you are planning on juicing say early in the morning, when the noise could potentially disturb other people’s sleep, then you will probably want to opt for as quiet a machine as possible.
Slow RPM juicers tend be quieter, as the motors operate at a gentler pace.
Quality of Juice
A big differentiating factor among juicers is the “quality” of juice which they make. As explained above cheaper centrifugal juicers typically produce a lower quality of juice than more expensive masticating juicers. Again, if you are getting into juicing largely for the nutritional supplementation that it brings, then a masticating juicer is probably going to meet that goal better than a centrifugal model. However if you just want to make some fresh juice, and are happy with a slightly less nutritionally dense juice, then a centrifugal machine could be quite adequate for what you want.
Ease of Loading
Another thing you want to check for and think about when looking at juicers is ‘ease of loading’. You probably do not want to have to cut everything into cubes before being able to feed it into your juicer. So make sure that the produce shoot is wide enough for convenient loading.
Warranty
It is always good when buying appliances to check if the manufacturer gives a warranty. This an indication of the level of quality of the machine, but it also gives you the buyer peace of mind that if anything is faulty with the juicer that you can get it sorted out free of cost.
Let’s now get into our top list of juicers.
Juicer Tops Picks
In this list we have assembled the juicers which have racked up the best review on Amazon and across the web, and which are known to be the top players in town when it comes to juicing. Let’s jump in!
Breville BJE510XL Juice Fountain
To start with, let us introduce the Breville Juice Fountain. With over 1 000 5 star reviews on Amazon, this juicer is definitely a crowd favorite.
The Breville Juice Fountain is a centrifugal juicer. Centrifugal juicers are often not manufactured to as high a level of quality as many masticating juicers, being a more budget juicer type. However this is not so with the Breville Juice Fountain.
Made almost entirely out of stainless steel ,the juice fountain is super sturdy and built to last. The blades sport the patented Nutri-Disc System, whereby they are coated in titanium. This helps to keep the blades sharp. Blunted blades in juicers is a common problem, which Breville obviously decided to tackle.
Titanium blades however is not the only smart feature. The Juice Fountain comes with 5 speed settings. These speed settings are tailor made for different fruit types. Adjusting the speed according to which fruit type you are juicing can greatly help with the efficiency of the extraction, leaving you with more juice, and drier and less messy pulp waste.
Breville also decided to fit this juicer with an extra wide feed chute – a bonus for any juicer. The juice jug and pulp container are also super sized, which is great for making big batches of juice.
To top things off, the Breville Juice Fountain also comes with a 1 year warranty.
Breville BJE200XL Compact Juice Fountain 700-Watt Juice Extractor
If you are a fan of Breville products, but don’t want to lay out for the previous juicer, here is a budget model from Breville.
However this juicer is still a good model as far as centrifugal juicers go. It has titanium coated blades like the previous Breville juice fountain. The housing of the machine contains a good amount of stainless steel, making it durable. And it is designed to be compact (hence the name) measuring in at 9-1/2 by 8-3/4 by 16 inches. Which is great for kitchens where counter space is a hot commodity.
What is more, this machine is definitely tried and tested. With over 5 000 reviews on Amazon, it has a 87% 4-5 star rating.
This juicer is a great choice if you are starting out. It can be daunting to lay out a chunk of change on an appliance before you know how frequently you will use it. At the same time, one does not want to buy a sub par machine. However with this Breville, you get to have the best of both worlds. Cost effectiveness combined with quality.
This machine like the previous Breville comes with a 1-year limited warranty.
Omega J8006 Nutrition Center Masticating Juicer
Having covered two great centrifugal options, let’s now take a look at some masticating models.
Omega is a reputable brand of juicers and they specialise in top quality long lasting machines.
The Omega J8009 is definitely a crowd favorite. And no wonder, considering that it boasts a number of features that mark it out as a top quality juicer.
First up, the motor processes at a nice slow speed of 80 rpm combined with gear reduction which makes it the equivalent of a 2HP motor. This is great for conserving the nutrients and active compounds in your juice. It also makes the juicer a lot quieter than other high speed models.
The body of the Omega is made largely out of stainless steel, making for a durable and long lasting housing. The augur on this machine is made out of polyetherimide which is 8x stronger than most other plastics. As the augurs take a high amount of strain in masticating juicers, this component will also help to ensure that the Omega is long lasting.
The Omega processes produce in two stages whereby it crushes the fruit and vegetables, and then additionally squeezes the pulp in order to extract the maximum amount of juice possible.
Besides all of these great features, not only can you extract top notch juice from the Omega, you can also use it for making nut butters, pasta, baby food, frozen desserts, soya milk and to grind coffee, spices and flour.
The Omega has had over 3 500 review on Amazon, with a 88% 4-5 star rating.
Super Angel PREMIUM DELUXE Model
If you are serious about juicing, or having one of the best juicers on the market, then you may want to take a long look at the Super Angel Premium Deluxe Model.
Super Angel is known in the juicing world as being one of the best brands out there, with some of the strongest motors, with the highest capacity for heavy duty juicing, with the longest guarantees.
This Super Angel model is no exception. Made entirely out of stainless steel it is a heavy machine which should last a portion of one’s lifetime. And what is more a large amount of the stainless steel components are made out of surgical grade stainless steel, which is even more durable and long lasting than food grade stainless steel.
Besides this super durable construction, the Super Angel Premium Deluxe Model is also what is known as a trurtiarating or dual gear juicer. This means that it has two augurs, and processes the juice in two stages. First it crushes the produce and then further squeezes out the pulp to extract the maximum amount of juice. This has the added benefit of outputting drier pulp, which makes clean up quite a lot easier.
Besides being an absolutely top grade juicer, the Super Angel Deluxe Model can also be used for making nut butter as well. Super Angel produces a nut butter attachment which one can purchase to use for making your own nut butters.
The high prices of Super Angel juicers puts them out of many consumer’s budgets. However, if you are considering purchasing a Super Angel juicer, you will be happy to know that their juicers come with a 10 year warranty.
Champion Juicer – Commercial Heavy Duty Juicer
Another name in the game that has been around and make many glass of juice and customers happy is Champion. Champion juicers are renowned for their quality and sturdiness.
This model of theirs is no exception. Built to commercial grades specs, this juicer is definitely meant for the long haul. Unfortunately this durability and solidness of parts does make the machine a little heavy. But, that is perhaps not a large sacrifice if you are looking for a machine which will last, and stand up to extensive use.
Besides boasting a stainless steel shaft and nylon fittings, the other factor that marks this machine out as commercial grade is that has automatic pulp ejection – great for any business purposes.
This masticating juicer from Champion also comes with additional attachments which you can purchase if you wish to turn it into a dual purpose machine.
Champion offers a 10 year limited warranty on this model, another factor which makes it a great choice of juicer if you are looking for something for a commercial setting.
Aicok Slow Masticating Juicer Extractor
We have looked some top range masticating juicers. But what about if you are just looking for a masticating juicer that will do the job, get you into juicing, and not cost more than a couple hundred bucks?
If this is you, then you may want to consider this model, the Aicok Slow Masticating Juice Extractor. At the time of writing the price is a little over a hundred bucks. However it still boasts a good enough array of features to make it a worthwhile juicer!
It has a slow running 80 rpm motor, and the manufacturer claims that it runs at less than 60 decibels. According to reviews, this machine does a pretty good job at juicing leafy greens, despite being a budget choice. The juice is of a good quality, not too pulpy. It is also super easy to clean, a great plus.
All in all this juicer is a really great buy if you are looking to save a little cash, but still get a great juicer. It even has as 2 year warranty and a 1 year extra warranty. Really not bad for just over a hundred bucks.
Cuisinart CJE-1000 Die-Cast Juice Extractor
Are you looking for fast, time efficient and quiet? In a juicer? Then this juicer by Cuisinart might be your deal.
The Cuisinart juicer is a centrifugal model, which means that the juice quality will be slightly inferior to what may come out of a masticating juicer. But besides that area, this juicer really shines in its other attributes.
Firstly it is super fast and efficient to use. Because it is a centrifugal model, the extraction time is short and sweet compared to masticating juicers. The extra large produce chute makes things even faster, because it is so wide that it can take whole fruits. This can cut down on juicing time by a chunk, because it means that you won’t have to stand at the chopping board before getting your juice going.
Amazingly, this juicer is also very quiet. This is quite something in a centrifugal juicer!
In short, the Cuisinart juicer is a great choice for a busy person who just wants a no nonsense juicer. And who wants to juice fast, without disturbing the whole house.
Hamilton Beach 67601A Big Mouth Juice Extractor Electric Juicer, 800 Watt, Black
The Hamilton Beach Big Mouth Juice Extractor is another model which combines functionality with a great price tag.
Retailing for just over $54 on Amazon, it s is truly a bargain buy considering that it provides a good level of quality and juicing results across the board.
The first and most impressive stat for this juicer is that it provides a great yield rate. Often in cheaper juicers, you won’t get the amount of juice out of your produce that you would have gotten if you were using a more expensive juicer. However this is not the case with the Hamilton. It provides a decent output ratio of juice, which means that you save even more money on the long run, because you will be getting the maximum amount of juice out of your fruit and veg.
Next up, it has a wide chute, and being a centrifugal juicer this means that juicing should be a snappy business. No fruit and vegetable chopping, just drop your produce in. Another great capability of the Hamilton Beach juicer is that is copes pretty well with leafy greens. This is another area where cheaper centrifugal juicers can struggle, so the fact that the Hamilton Beach model does not have any significant problems with this is impressive. It is also relatively easy cleaning.
One downside to the Hamilton Beach Big Mouth Juice Extractor, is it produces quite a lot of foam. So if you are someone who does not like foam in their juice, then this model may not be the best option.
Otherwise it is real value for money buy.
Final Word
Since juicing became ‘a thing’, a wide variety of juicers and juice extractors have come onto the market. While this is great, it can get confusing when it comes to choosing a model. However if you are with us here at the bottom of this post – you are well on your way to becoming a juicer fundi, and probably already have your eye on a model that rings your bells.
And…. once you have found your dream juicer, you can check out these posts on how to combine vegetable juice and kombucha and green juice and kombucha to make ultimate power mixes.
That’s all for now, and in the meantime, happy juicing folks!
