Juicers

When you think about squeezing juice from fruit, vegetables and grasses, you probably think it's as easy as applying pressure and seeing liquid results. But as it turns out, juicers are much more complex than that. There's many different ways to extract the juice -- high pressure, slow extraction, mash or press. And many people feel the quality of juice depends on the method of juicing. Before you start looking at juicers, it's important to consider what types of juice you might want to make. The reason for this, is some machines are specifically designed for citrus, others for fruit, while others still for hard vegetables and grasses. No matter what you are looking for, read on to learn more about choosing a juicer that is right for you.

Types of Juicers

Citrus Juicers 

  • Electric citrus juicers work pretty much the same way as old-fashioned juicers.
  • Less expensive than other juicers.
  • Only works with citrus fruits.
  • Pretty much any model will do.
  • Check out: Breville 800 Series Citrus Press. 

Centrifugal Juicers 

  • Chop and spin produce, extracting juice by using physics.
  • Fine for all types of fruits and vegetables.
  • Be sure it has at least a one year warranty.
  • A centrifugal-ejection machine will also eject the pulp and therefore requires less cleaning.
  • Check out: Breville 800 Class Commercial Juicer. 

Extractors/Masticators 

  • Mash all types of produce to a paste, which is pushed through a screen.
  • Yield the most juice for a given amount of produce.
  • Tend to be expensive.
  • Check out: Kemp KP-E1304. 

Manual Juicers 

  • Build upper body strength while making delicious juices.
  • Not practical for hard vegetables.
  • They take up a lot of counter space and don't fit well in cabinets, but they make a statement.
  • Check out: Lexen Healthy Juicer MK3.  

Wheatgrass Juicers 

  • Specially built to extract the juice from wheatgrass.
  • Comes in either manual or electric versions.
  • Can help improve your health with a daily dose of this healthy treat.
  • Check out: Porkert manual wheatgrass juicer. 

Features to Consider

There are many things you should consider in determining which juicer is best for you. 

Pulp Facts

  • Some people like their juice with lots of pulp, some like their juice 100% pulp-free. If you are particular about particulates, make sure to get a juicer with adjustable pulp levels.
  • Look for models that offer automatic pulp ejection so you can juice away without having to stop to remove the pulp.

How Much Juice for your Juice?

  • The more powerful a juicer, the better equipped it is to handle large quantities of produce or hard vegetables such as carrots.

Cover Your (Wheat) Grass

  • If you are a hard-core juicer and like to throw all manner of things into your breakfast juice, consider getting a juicer with a good, long warranty. You might just need it!
  • Be sure to check the terms of the warranty. Some cover the blade and the motor for different lengths of time.

Odds and Ends

  • Capacity should, of course, figure into your decision.
  • Is it easy to clean?
  • Does it have a see-through chamber?
  • Do you need a juicer, or will a food processor  with a special attachment work for you?
  • On the other hand, do you want a juicer that can also function as a pasta extruder, nut butter grinder or soy milk extruder? All this and more is possible with certain models.

Major Manufacturers

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