Types of Juicers
Whether you are new to juicing or a seasoned veteran, there’s a juicer out there for everyone. Because of the increasing popularity of juicers, there is a wide range to choose from, whether you are hoping to make occasional fresh juice for a special weekend breakfast or plan to include a cup of juice with every meal, every day.
Juicers range in complexity from manual citrus juicers to complex cold pressed juicing machines, and they range in price from less than twenty dollars for hand citrus juicers to over two hundred dollars.
Before settling on a juicer, it’s beneficial to familiarize yourself with the models available and the differences between them.
Different Types of Juicers
Juicers vary in the way they extract juice, how quickly they extract it, and the quality of the juice. Different types of juicers also vary in how loud they are and how easy or difficult it is to operate and clean them. Below are the main types of juicers you’ll find on the market.
Centrifugal Juicers
Centrifugal juicers are a simple and economical way to enjoy a glass of fresh juice. A centrifugal juicer works by grinding up fruits and veggies with tiny teeth on a high speed spinning basket. The juice is then pressed through a fine mesh sieve. The pulp is separated and can then be composted, discarded, or used in other ways. Centrifugal juicers produce quality juice fairly quickly, and they are often easy to set up, easy to clean, and often have dishwasher-safe parts, making them very convenient. They are also among the most affordable ways to take advantage of the benefits of juicing.
On the downside, centrifugal juicers produce heat, which some people feel diminishes the nutrient content of produce, and it also results in a fairly foamy juice. Some feel the foam causes oxidation of the juice. Centrifugal juicers are also on the louder side, so if you plan to make juice early in the morning while others in the household are asleep, centrifugal juicers might not be the best choice.
Centrifugal Juicers are best for:
- Carrots, apples, hard vegetables
- Hard and soft fruits and veggies with a high moisture content
Masticating Juicers
Masticating juicers mimic chewing produce using augers with metal teeth (single auger juicers are also available). Fruits and vegetables are then pressed to extract the juice, and it results in a high juice yield that is free from foam and that many feel is a better quality juice and higher in nutrients.
Masticating juicers are also know as cold press juicers because the juicing process doesn’t produce the heat that a centrifugal juicer does. According to some, that means the masticating juicer produces a better quality of juice, without the nutrients being degraded by the exposure to heat.
A masticating juicer is more powerful than a centrifugal juicer, and it is also quieter. However, those features tend to make the cold press or masticating juicer more expensive. Serious juicers will often graduate to a masticating juicer for the higher juice yield. Some also maintain that juice contains more vitamins when a cold pressed juicer is used.
Horizontal Masticating Juicers
You can get a vertical or horizontal masticating juicer. The juicers work in essentially the same way, and newer-model masticating juicers tend to be the vertical versions. Some still prefer horizontal masticating juicers. It is a slow juicer compared to its vertical counterpart, which some feel preserves more of the enzymes, vitamins, and minerals in fruits and vegetables. Many feel horizontal masticating juicers are better for juicing leafy greens. It’s also less expensive. Some horizontal juicers are available with attachments for making pasta, extracting oil from seeds, or slicing produce for salads.
On the other hand, vertical juicers are easier to clean, and the generally larger feeding chute means less time cutting fruits and vegetables into smaller pieces.
Masticating juicers are best for:
- Leafy greens like kale, wheatgrass, spinach, and lettuces
- Nut butter
- Baby food
- Nuts and seeds – horizontal juicers can extract oil
Triturating Juicers
This type of juicer is sometimes known as a twin gear juicer. These twin gears crush and grind vegetables and fruit into very small particles. The gears then produce juice by pushing it from the ground up bits, extracting a large amount of high quality juice and leaving very little dry pulp behind. As a result, it works well for all types of produce and can extract juice from lower moisture produce like leafy greens. Like masticating juicers, they are quiet juicers that work quickly to produce a nutrient-dense, foam-free juice. This type of juicer is often equipped with optional attachments that allow you to chop vegetables for salads or grind nuts and seeds.
Twin gear juicers tend to be large, so size can be a consideration if you have a small kitchen or limited counter space. However, if you’re aiming to produce a high yield with little dry pulp left behind, a triturating juicer might be the best juicer for you.
Triturating juicers range in price from a few hundred dollars to well over a thousand.
Triturating juicers are best for:
- Leafy greens
- Most types of produce
Hydraulic Press Juicer
This is the king of the juicers, a complex and expensive juicer geared toward those who want to juice daily and want to get the absolute highest quality juice from fruits and vegetables.
As its name implies, the hydraulic press juicer works by using pressure to extract juice from fruits and vegetables. But this is only part of the process. The juicer uses trituration to cut, shred, and grind the produce until the fibrous materials are broken down. This mash is then transferred to the hydraulic press portion of the juicer, where it is subjected to extreme pressure – in some cases as much as 6000 PSI – to extract the maximum yield of fruit juice. Many feel that the juice produced by hydraulic press juicers offers the most nutritional benefits.
However, hydraulic press juicers are by far the most expensive, with some models costing as much as $2500. They can also be more complicated to operate and clean. Another disadvantage can be size; a Norwalk model 280, for example, weighs in at fifty-eight pounds. A PURE two-stage juicer is a potentially unwieldy seventy-six pounds. Still, many people consider the superior quality juice these machines are capable of producing to be worth the price, complexity, and size.
A Hydraulic Press juicer is best for:
Softer fruits
Manual Juicers
As the name implies, manual juicers are operated by hand; there’s no battery power or electricity involved. This type of juicer is an inexpensive option, it cleans up easily, and operation is simple. However, they extract a lower amount of juice compared to other models, so they’re best for soft fruits and juicing produce with a high water content, because you’re essentially pressing the juice from the produce with your own power. A citrus juicer or press juicer is the simplest form of a manual juicer, while other models are crank-operated. There are manual juicers on the market designed exclusively for juicing wheatgrass.
Choosing a Juicer
Because there are so many types of juicers on the market and some of them are a significant investment, it’s worth taking the time to assess your needs and shop around for the juicer that will best meet your needs.
How to Choose a Juicer
Now that you know the main types of juicers available, you are in a better position to determine how each juicer will fit into your lifestyle. As you consider juicers, here are some of the factors to consider.
Types of Fruits and Vegetables
When considering juicer types, one of the first things you’ll need to determine is what you plan to juice, how often, and whether you need a fast juicer that can produce a high yield. For fruits and hard vegetables, a good quality centrifugal juicer might meet your needs nicely. If you want to extract juice in large quantities from leafy green and other lower moisture foods, you might be better served by a twin gear juicer or even a hydraulic juicer.
Size and Storage
Some juicers are much bigger than others, so if you live in a small apartment or have limited counter space or limited cabinet space, you might want to seek out a more compact model.
Speed and Noise
Different types of juicers work at different speeds and different volumes. A masticating juicer is a quiet but slow juicer, while centrifugal juicers can juice an apple in half a minute or less, but they make a lot of noise. If you have roommates or sleeping babies, you may need something that can extract the juice without disturbing others.
Cleanup and Ease of Use
There’s an advantage to juicers that are easy to operate and a cinch to clean up. However, those capable of making nut butters, sorbet, pasta, and so on may require a little more assembly. A juicer with a large feed tube will save you prep time, as will a high speed model. One with an external pulp container aids in cleanup, as does one with dishwasher-safe parts.
Your Budget
Cost is always a factor, and everyone has to shop for juicers within their budget. But it’s also important to consider longer-term costs associated with juicing, particularly produce. Lower yield juicers mean more spent at the grocery store, so in the long run, more expensive juicers might be a better investment. Slow juicers cost you your time. More expensive juicers might also last longer than cheaper ones.
Style
There’s nothing wrong with looking for a juicer in a design and color that you like! There are plenty of juicer types that come in an array of colors to match you preferences or decor.
Your Eventual Decision
Juicers use different methods, and some are better for some types of juice than others. With diligence, you’ll find the juicer right for you.