When you start juicing, you want to make sure you find a juicer machine that suits your individual needs. There’s a lot to choose from in the market, so choosing the right one can sometimes feel a tad overwhelming. How can you know what is the best juicer for you?
Finding the best juicer machine for juicing doesn’t have to be difficult. With a handful of practical tips, you can save heaps of time and money. After all, you want a juicer that’s not only good for your health, but that’s also going to last a long time.
In this post, we’ll cover a few key points to find the best juicing machine out there. Whether you’re interested in starting a juice cleanse or a juicing diet, this post will help you get started.
Let’s jump right in!
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Juicing 101: What is a juicer?
When you’re thinking about starting a juice cleanse or diet, you need a juicer machine to juice your veggies and fruits.
Preparing your juices from fresh, organic ingredients is a much healthier option than buying ready-made juices at the supermarket.
And when it comes to finding the perfect juicer, let me tell you something:
A good juicer will make juicing much more enjoyable and a lot of fun.
The smoother your juicing experience is, the more likely you are to keep on juicing.
Otherwise, your juicer could quickly end up at the back of the cupboard with the other gadgets that aren’t fun to work with.
Trust me on this. I’ve poured my money into two juicers I thought were the perfect match.
But oh boy, was I wrong.
The first juicer I bought didn’t even make it through the first week on my kitchen counter. The moment I tried to juice beets, it made the most miserable sound and just gave up.
My second juicer had more power, but I guess it just wasn’t built for all the hard work I put it through. Just 6 months after purchase, I noticed the first cracks in the plastic parts.
With that said, both juicers went back to where they came from: to the merchant.
But – I learned my lesson!
And I’m super excited to share my findings with you in this guide. Tag along!
What is the best juicer for you?
So, what is the best juicer like for your needs?
Before we dive into the details, keep these two things in mind:
- What are you looking for in a juicer?
Most of us want a compact and easy-to-clean juicer. Also, it should be powerful enough to juice hard vegetables like carrots and beet roots. - What is your budget?
Juicers can vary quite dramatically in price. You want to make sure you’re paying for features you actually need.
The key here is to find a juicer that suits your lifestyle, juicing goals, and the kind of veggies and fruits you want to juice on a regular basis. With these points in mind, let’s start by looking at how juicers work.
How does a juicer machine work?
In order to extract juice from vegetables and fruits, a juicer first needs to break down the cell walls and fibres. Then, it has to separate out the juice with as much valuable nutrients for your body as possible.
Ideally, a top quality juicer should deliver a nutrient-packed juice. At the same time, it should extract as much juice from the ingredients as possible. In other words, the cell walls and fibres should end up as pulp that’s dry to the touch.
When it comes to how juicers work, the two most common juicer types are
- Centrifugal juicers and
- Masticating juicers (aka slow or cold press juicers)
Let’s look at how each of them works.
Centrifugal juicers
Centrifugal juicers are usually great value for your money. They’re widely available in stores near you and you can get started with juicing really easily with one. They juice fast, are easy to clean, and the good ones extract a lot of juice from your produce.
Here’s how centrifugal juicers work:
Essentially, they grate vegetables and fruits into tiny bits and pieces. They are then spun in a centrifugal basket with a mesh, which extracts the juice at very high speeds (ca. 6,000 to 10,000 rpm).
The dry leftovers, or the pulp, is what remains from the ingredients. Ideally, a good centrifugal juicer extracts as much juice as possible, so that the leftover pulp is dry and light.
Because the juice is flung out at a high speed, it mixes with air and starts to oxidize quickly.
Pros:
- Good juice quality
- Fast prepping, juicing, and cleaning
- Affordable
- Easy to assemble/disassemble
- Affordable
- Takes up little space
Cons:
- Noisy
- Potential loss of nutrients through friction and heat
Masticating juicers
Masticating juicers are also called slow juicers. And true to their name, you will need a longer time to process your fruits and veggies with them.
They work a bit differently than centrifugal juicers:
Masticating juicers break up the fruits and vegetables more thoroughly. They press out the juice from the pulp inside a nose cone with a narrow opening.
The lower speeds allow the juicer to gentry crush smaller pieces of fruit and veggies. These type of juicers are great for juicing tough fibrous greens and wheatgrass, for example.
Usually, a masticating juicer makes a more flavorful, nutritious juice.
Also, since the ingredients aren’t shredded using blades, they aren’t exposed to heat that could speed up oxidization.
And here’s the best part:
Masticating slow press juicers are also more efficient at extracting juice.
They give you a higher yield of juice from your ingredients, meaning that you can save money on produce.
However, masticating juicers also come with a heavier price tag.
But is a masticating juicer the right choice for you?
I know they can be pricey, but you don’t need as much produce as with centrifugal juicers. Thus, they will pay themselves back in the long run.
If you’re just starting out with juicing, remember that a masticating juicer is a long-term investment in your health and well-being.
Pros:
- High juice quality
- High yield
- Works for hard and soft produce
Cons:
- Takes up quite a bit of space
- Can be pricey
- Long prepping time
What is a good juicer machine like: Buying guide
When you’re looking to buy a juicer machine, there are a handful of things you want to pay attention to. You want to make sure you choose a juicer that’s easy to handle and take care of. It should be so easy to use that you won’t stow it away in the highest cupboard just to forget that you even had one.
With that being said, here are 6 helpful tips for buying the best juicer that’s going to make juicing fun and enjoyable:
Tip #1:
Choose a juicer that’s easy to clean
One of the biggest reasons for people giving up with juicing is the cleaning. Of course, all juicers have several parts that you need to take apart when you’re done juicing.
And when it comes to taking care of your health, you should always clean your juicer right away. This will help you keep things clean and avoid any dried up residue in your machine.
Thus, choose a juicer that has a few parts as possible. This will make them easier to assemble and clean. Also, check the parts for any spots that could potentially be difficult to clean. Smooth, rounded parts without food traps can prevent pulp from sticking and make rinsing under the tap quicker.
Tip: Some juicers come with special scrubbing brushes and other equipment that can make the cleaning process easier. This is especially useful for centrifugal juicers to clean the filter mesh faster.
Tip #2:
Buy a juicer with at least 700 watts
When it comes to power, you want a juicer that has at least a 700 watt motor. That should be enough to juice even the toughest veggies without a hassle.
Tip: Most powerful juicers allow you to choose the speed. Use lower speeds for softer fruits and leafy green veggies like melons and spinach. Higher speeds work better for tougher veggies like beet roots and carrots.
Tip #2:
Find a machine that’s not too big
These days, our kitchens are often packed with a ton of different gadgets we don’t necessarily need regularly. Some of the are quite bulky, taking up too much space on the counter.
Before buying a juicer, make sure you know exactly how much space it can take up in your kitchen. If you don’t have too much space, either on the counter or in your cupboards, go for a smaller machine.
Also, check how tall the juicer is. Some machines have extra long feeder chutes. Which brings us to our next point…
Tip #3:
Check the size of the feeder chute
When you’re looking for the best juicer out there, choose a machine with a wide chute. This means you can juice bigger pieces or even entire fruits, saving time since there’s less prep work.
Furthermore, pay attention to the length of the feeder chute. Longer tubes mean that there’s less of a chance of having bits of fruit fly back up.
Tip #4:
Choose a brand you know
Although this is not the most important point when buying a juicer, you still want to pay attention to the brand. Choosing a widely known brand usually means it’s easier to get support and contact the manufacturer with any questions you may have.
Tip #5:
Make sure the juicer has warranty
Should anything go wrong with your juicer, you want to know there’s a warranty you can make use of. Most juicers come with a 2 -year warranty, but make sure you double-check this.
Tip #6:
Find a machine that’s stabile for added safety
Choosing a juicer that’s stabile simply means that it won’t move around on the kitchen counter when you turn it on and start juicing. This is especially important for the elderly and for anyone who’s got kids around in the kitchen.
Therefore, look for a juicer that’s not too lightweight. Also, check if it has adhesive rubber feet to prevent sliding.
How much do juicers cost?
One of the biggest questions with buying a juicer is the price. At first sight, some juicers may seem ridiculously overpriced. But if you’re just getting started with juicing, you don’t have to get that $500 juicer with all the bells and whistles out there.
If you’re looking for good value for your money, you can get a great centrifugal juicer for around $100 or even less.
My first juicer cost around $80 and it did its job. However, I quickly noticed several details that could have been better. Therefore, I’d recommend you don’t choose the cheapest one out there. Although a higher price doesn’t always translate into higher quality, there is a clear difference between the low and high price segments.
My recommendations: Find the best juicer for your budget
Alright, now that you’re familiar with how juicers work and what different types there are, let me walk you through a few juicers I’ve used and fallen in love with.
Yes, there are currently three juicers in my tiny kitchen. But I can’t help it – I’m a juice-a-holic!
Here are my recommendations for the best juicer in 2020:
1: Breville BJE200XL Compact Juice Fountain 700-Watt Juice Extractor (Centrifugal juicer)
If you’re completely new to juicing and you don’t want to break the bank, the Breville BJE200XL Compact Juice Fountain is THE juicer to get started with.
It’s one of the juicers I still use almost daily – I couldn’t be happier with it!
What I love the most about my Breville is the small size. Remember: you don’t want to hide your juicer in the cupboard. This little guy won’t just look great on your counter, but it also fits in a tiny space.
Plus, it has enough power to grind through those dense veggies without a problem.
And one more thing: the feeding tube is pretty big, so you won’t be wasting your time cutting and prepping your veggies.
All in all, this is one of the best centrifugal juicers for beginners. Great value for your money!
2: Breville BJE530BSS1BUS1 the Juice Fountain Cold Plus Countertop Centrifugal Juicer
Now, although the name of this juicer is something from a sci-fi movie, it’s clear winner for me.
The Breville BJE530BSS1BUS1 is in a higher price range than the juicer above, but it also delivers that it promises.
The biggest perk: the 1,000 watts inside will turn any fruit or vegetable into delicious juice in the blink of an eye, really.
And if you’re a lazy cleaner like I am, you’ll love how easy and quick it is to clean compared to some of the cheaper models.
Just like all the best juicers out there, this one has an extra large feeder chute. Got a small apple you don’t want to prep and cut? No worries! Just throw the whole thing in for a super quick 1-minute juice.
Final thoughts: What is the best juicer for me?
Finding the best juicer is all about choosing a juicer machine that suits your lifestyle and the kind of produce you want to juice regularly.
Each machine comes with their advantages and disadvantages. With the points just discussed, you should be more aware of the key points that affect usability of any juicer out there.
At the end of the day, what matters most is that you genuinely enjoy using your juicer. You want to make sure it finds its spot on your kitchen counter. That’s when you’ll keep using it regularly, reaping all the potential health benefits juicing has to offer. Don’t buy a juicer and then stick it in the cupboard – you’ll never see it again.
With this said, what is the best juicer for you, then?
The answer is simple: The best juicer machine is the one that you’ll keep using.
If you’re looking to buy a quality juicer, check out these top juicers to get started.
I hope you found a few helpful tips and inspirational points in this article. If you found this post about what is the best juicer for me helpful, drop me a line in the comments below!
P.S. If you enjoyed this post, please share it with others! Thanks!
Happy juicing!