In This Post:
The Best Juicers | Criteria for Choosing the Best Juicer |
The Four Different Types of Juicers | My Favorite Juice Recipes |
Frequently Asked Questions
Hiya Sweet Friends,
The other day I got a hilarious email from one of my closest pals. Here’s what she wrote:
“I hope you don’t want to poke my eyes out for asking this question, but you’re so educated on this stuff and I don’t trust anyone else but you! I think I need to upgrade my juicer. There are so many juicers to choose from on the market. Where do I start? Oh and if you haven’t blogged about this, you should. It’s all so confusing!”
When I think about all the diet and lifestyle upgrades I’ve made, juicing takes the cake.
Once you get on the juicing train, you won’t want to step off. But you guessed it, ya need a juicer to make the fabulous stuff. So to help you get started, or take your practice further, I’ve done a deep dive on many of the popular juicers available today.
Our Top Overall Picks
| My Top Juicer Picks | Juicer Type | My Rating |
|---|---|---|
| Hurom H400 Juicer | Masticating/Slow Juicer | 15/15 |
| Super Angel 5500 | Twin-Gear/Triturating | 14/15 |
| Breville Juice Fountain Multispeed | Centrifugal | 12/15 |
The Best Juicers
The low-down on my juicer ratings: In addition to my experience with many of these juicers, I reviewed every unbiased juicer review blog or website I could find as well as the most “helpful” positive and negative Amazon reviews for each machine. Everyone’s juicer experience is somewhat subjective, but I hope that these ratings and detailed juicer stats give you the tools you need to make an informed decision.
Hurom H400 Juicer
Type: Masticating/Slow Juicer
My rating: 15/15
I love the Hurom H400 juicer for many reasons. It has a large, self-feeding hopper. It’s quiet. It’s easy to clean, and it gives me a high yield.
Yield: The slow squeeze process allows you to get the most out of your produce. In fact, the H400 gives you the highest yield out of any of the Hurom Easy Clean models.
Usability: The large chamber and hopper size makes it easy to load larger amounts of produce. This is great for making larger batches to keep for later, or when you’re juicing for friends or family. The handy gauge window on the front of the model allows you to see how full the chamber is, as well as the beautiful colors of your juice.
Clean-up: The strainer-free design means less mineral buildup over time. And you can easily separate the individual parts. All this adds up to much less time scrubbing and cleaning.
Super Angel 5500
Type: Twin-Gear/Triturating
My rating: 14/15
The Super Angel 5500 juicer is a top-of-the-line twin-gear masticating juicer known for its high juice yield, ease of use, and excellent clean-up features, all housed in a durable stainless steel body.
Yield: The Super Angel 5500 is known for a high juice yield. It operates at a low speed of 83 RPM, which ensures minimal oxidation and maximum nutrient retention.
Usability: The juicer is straightforward to use, with a setup that allows even those new to juicing to operate it easily. Although it features a narrow feed chute requiring produce to be cut into smaller pieces, the overall juicing process is oh-so-efficient.
Clean-up: Cleaning the Super Angel 5500 is relatively easy. While not all components are dishwasher safe, the juicer is equipped with a cleaning brush and is designed for easy disassembly for cleaning.
BREVILLE JUICE FOUNTAIN MULTISPEED
Type: Centrifugal
My rating: 12/15
The Breville Juice Fountain Multi-Speed (BJE510XL) juicer is a centrifugal model that is well-regarded for its efficient juice extraction, particularly from hard fruits and vegetables like carrots and apples. It features a strong 900-watt motor with five adjustable speeds, which allows you to optimize the juicing process depending on the type of produce you’re using.
Yield: The juicer is very effective at extracting juice from hard produce, and while it is less efficient with leafy greens, it still performs reasonably well when they are packed between harder ingredients.
Usability: The Breville Juice Fountain Multi-Speed has a wide 3-inch feed chute that minimizes the need for pre-cutting fruits and vegetables, allowing for faster and more convenient juicing sessions.
Clean-up: Cleaning this juicer is easy-peasy. It includes a cleaning brush and most of its parts are dishwasher safe (top rack recommended), which facilitates quick cleanup. Immediate cleaning is advised to prevent pulp from drying up and staining the plastic parts.
Criteria for Choosing the Best Juicer
Before you select a juicer, ask yourself the following questions, and be honest!
- How much prep time am I willing to invest in my daily juicing?
- How much cleanup am I willing to endure on a daily basis?
- What’s my budget?
- Will I be juicing wheatgrass?
- What’s more important: The shelf life of my juice or the time/effort it takes to make my juice?
- How much space do I have?
Which Juicer Should You Choose?
Frankly, that depends on your goals and your lifestyle. If you’re a hardcore raw foodie who wants to invest in a killer machine and you have some extra time on your hands, you might go full tilt with a twin-gear juicer.
On the other hand, if you’re a working mama who knows that she’s only going to make her green juice if it’s relatively quick, and easy to clean up, then you might opt for a centrifugal model. Will there be some compromise in nutritional value if you go the easier way? Sure.
But it all comes down to whether or not you’ll actually commit to juicing. Abandoned juicers make great dust collectors and door stops. So for best results, choose the juicer you’ll actually use!
Since everyone has different needs and budgets, I want to show you how I evaluate the many juicers on the market today so that you can choose a juicer tailored to your needs.
The Four Different Types of Juicers
In this section, I’ll teach you how to choose between a centrifugal juicer, a Masticating juicer, a Twin Gear/Triturating juicer, and a Wheatgrass juicer. I’ll list the pros and cons of each and some of my favorite brands and models of that type of juicer.
Centrifugal Juicers
Centrifugal juicers use a fast-spinning grater to shred the fruits and veggies. The juice then gets flung through a strainer and out the spout, while all the pulp flies up into a catch basket.
- Pros: A centrifugal juicer is easy to clean and use, juices fast, takes up less counter space, is less expensive, juices fibrous veggies well, and juices whole fruits well (large chute).
- Cons: Centrifugal juicers aren’t optimal for juicing greens. They’re also noisy, and the juice has a shorter shelf life (20-30 minutes), and nutrients oxidize quicker.
Tip: I stretch out the shelf life by storing any extra juice in an airtight jar to enjoy later that same day—realizing that it does lose nutritional value.
Other top centrifugal juicers that I tested include: Breville Juice Fountain Multi-Speed, Breville Juice Fountain Compact, and Black & Decker Fruit & Vegetable Juice Extractor.
Masticating Juicers (AKA Cold Press Juicers, Slow Juicers, Single Gear Juicers)
A masticating juicer uses one slowly turning screw-shaped gear that chews up the veggies and squeezes the juice through a stainless-steel screen. This action gently tears open the cell membranes to release the nutrients.
- Pros: A slow juicer extracts more juice with higher nutritional value (enzymes included). It also produces less foam, has a longer fridge life (about 24-48 hours), and is quiet with less waste (drier pulp = less produce in your garbage). Most models also juice wheatgrass and can make nut butters, ice cream, veggie pâtés, and more.
- Cons: Takes longer to prep produce and make juice (a smaller chute means that you have to cut up fruits and veggies into smaller pieces), more difficult to assemble and clean, heavy machine, higher price tag.
My personal favorite slow juicer (which includes a 10-year warranty!) is the Hurom Masticating Slow Juicer.
Other slow juicers that I tested include: Breville Fountain Crush Masticating Slow Juicer and Omega Nutrition Juicer.
Twin-Gear Juicers (or Triturating Juicers)
A twin-gear juicer is another slow juicer, slowly squishing the fruits and veggies between two gears until the pulp is nearly dry and almost all the juice is squeezed out.
- Pros: The juice stays fresh longer (about 72 hours), has a higher juice yield and nutritional value, is more versatile (It can juice wheatgrass and makes nut butter, ice cream, veggie pâtés, and more), and is quiet.
- Cons: It takes longer to prep and juice produce (again, smaller chute, etc.). Cleaning the juicer takes longer, and it is not optimal for juicing citrus fruits. It has a higher price tag and is a larger and heavier machine.
Other twin Gear juicers that I tested include: Super Angel 5500 and Green Star Elite Jumbo Twin Gear Juice Extractor.
Wheatgrass Juicers
Wheatgrass juicers work by slowly squeezing and pressing juice out of the tough wheatgrass fibers—similar to wringing out your wet clothes after running through the sprinkler on a hot afternoon.
Wheatgrass juicers come in hand-crank and electric versions and while some are specific for wheatgrass, others will also juice leafy greens, fruits and vegetables.
Other wheatgrass juicers that I tested include: Lexen Healthy Juicer, Handy Pantry HJ Hurricane.
Remember, you don’t need a separate wheatgrass juicer if you have a slow masticating juicer, twin-gear juicer.
My Favorite Juice Recipes
Need some juicing inspiration? Check out a few of my favs:
- My Signature Green Juice Recipe: This delicious juice packs a healthy punch with leafy greens and tart granny smith apples.
- Orange Uplift Juice: This recipe combines cantaloupe, carrots, celery, and romaine for a refreshing take on an “orange” juice.
- The Spicy Sweetie: A delicious combination of ginger, granny smith apples and tasty veggies will truly make you pucker up.
For a step-by-step guide on how to start juicing, check out “How to Make a Green Juice.”
Summary
- The best juicers I’ve chosen are based on type, yield, usability, and clean-up.
- The juicer you choose will depend on your budget, time invested, ease of cleanup desired, space you have, and what you’ll be juicing.
- There are four main types of juicers to choose from: Centrifugal, Masticating, Twin Gear/Triturating, and wheatgrass.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is a cold press juicer and masticating juicer the same thing?
A cold press juicer, masticating juicer, and slow juicer are all names for the same juicing machine! They use a mechanism to slowly crush your fruits and veggies to separate the juice from the pulp.
What’s the difference between a masticating juicer and a centrifugal juicer?
A centrifugal juicer uses a spinning blade to chop your ingredients into small pieces. It’s a speedier process but it is capable of damaging the flavor and negating the nutrient density of the resulting juice.
What can you juice in a cold press juicer?
You can juice almost anything in a cold press juicer, from spinach and cucumbers to apples and oranges. Dryer ingredients (like wheatgrass) may need to be paired with something juicier.
How long can you keep cold press juice in the fridge?
Cold-press juices have a longer shelf life and should be “good” for up to 48 hours when stored in an air-tight container in the fridge.
Which Juicer Will You Go With?
I hope this helps you pick out the perfect machine that’ll have you juicing for decades to come! Adopting this one healthy habit will increase your energy, reduce inflammation, boost your immune system, improve your mood and support your overall well-being. It’s like prevention rocket fuel!
Let me know in the comments: What factors are most important to you in a juicer?
Peace & cheers,
Hey Kris,
Thank you for this informative and useful guide about the juicers. You can also search for a feeding chute feature in juicers which helps to cut down the fruits and saves our preparation time as well.
Great review.
I’m just starting out wheatgrass and are looking for a great juicer for it. I think a masticating juicer sounds great for me because I want something that retains maximum nutrients. I’ll check what works with my budget.
Thanks for the read!
Ultimate review indeed. I have read so many reviews and juicer related articles for the past few days. but this one seems to have more related and on-point information about juicers. Very well written. Thank you for sharing.
Love all your recipes and info!!!!! Thank you!
What are your thought on the Nama Juicer?
This Guide will obviously help people to choose the best juicer. Thanks for sharing.
So I have a Norwalk 270, however, it doesn’t seem to be very efficient in producing wheatgrass juice. How many ounces of wheatgrass does the best specialized wheatgrass juicer need to make 10 oz of juice?
I like juicing a lot especially now that I am trying to manage my weight. I found masticating juicers to be more fulfilling in terms of juice yield and ease of cleaning. Currently, I am using Hurom HAA slow juicer and I can vouch for it any time. I also have a Breville juicer but i only use it when I am in a hurry although the yield is unsatisfactory sometimes.
What you think about fast juicers and slow juicers? Which one is the best in your opinion? I found mixed reviews on the internet and I don’t know which one choose.
Good article Kris – there certainly is some great new products and brands of juicers out there these days. Makes it a difficult decision sometimes. If any of your followers from Australia or New Zealand are reading, you can find cold press juicers from Omega, Angel, Tribest, Wellra
I am also reviewing juicers and food processors and your blog was informative
Comparing the pure juicer to the Norwalk. Any recommendations?
I have a centrifugal juicer and it’s perfect for juicing watermelon and similarly watery fruits. Works fast and easy to clean. However, like you said, it’s almost useless when it comes to leafy greens. Another downside I could add is it’s extremely loud 🙁
If you’re goal is to heal from breast cancer, what is the best option for a juicer? I’m still confused bc although the centrifugal is affordable, it is less nutrients. Please help, feeling lost in this journey.
Thank you so much for doing all the research!! I am ready to start juicing!! I already have BOTH your books!! Juice and Kitchen!! ?
Hey Kris,
Great guide on how to select the perfect juicer. I’m always fascinated by your write-ups because of your simple yet detailed way of writing. You have cleared all confusions of your readers through this guide. Keep writing and adding value!
– Sam
Which juicer are u currently using?