Best Buy Products: Juicers

Everyone knows that fruits and vegetables are part of a healthy diet. More specifically, the U.S. Department of Agriculture recommends two to four servings of fruit and three to five servings of fruits or vegetables each day.

Fortunately, serving sizes are smaller than you might expect: a single serving of fruit is equal to a medium apple or banana, a half cup of cooked or chopped fruit, or a three-quarters-cup of fruit juice. While you’ll get more fiber from eating the fruit whole, drinking it in juice form is also a good option. If you want to try an easier and more convenient way to enjoy a healthy diet, it might be time to invest in a juicer.

How can a juicer help?

Juicing provides you with a quicker and more convenient way to get those yummy nutrients. Aside from the health benefits, juicing helps you save time and energy by mixing together several different fruits or vegetables into one drink. Many people find it more convenient to drink a single glass of juice instead of eating three or four fruits, while health conscious parents often find it easier to convince their kids to drink juices rather than eating whole fruits.

If you’re interested in buying a juicer, you can start by checking out some of the juicers we’ve listed here in 100Comments. We provide you with ratings and reviews by ordinary consumers, allowing you to get a clear and unbiased view of whether a product is really worth its price tag.

Types of juicers

Centrifugal Juicers

Also known as Extracting juicers, centrifugal juicers work like a washing machine on a spin cycle. Centrifugal juicers work by inserting the fruit or vegetable into a chute. A shredder plate at the bottom shreds fruit or vegetable and spins the shredded pulp into basket. The juice runs out of the spout, while the pulp is spun into a separate basket.

These type of juicers are faster, but tend to be louder and produces less juice. Centrifugal juicers are great for regular fruits and veggies such as apples, carrots, and oranges, but are not very good for juicing leafy greens such as kale. If you prefer quick and simple juices to drink on the go, this is the type of juicer for you.

Masticating Juicers

Also known as Cold-Press or Auger juicers, masticating juicers use a slow rotating auger to crush fruit or vegetables against a stainless steel mesh screen at low rpm and minimal oxidation. The juice flows through the mesh screen and is dumped into a container, while the pulp goes out a separate exit point into another catcher.

Cold-pressing the juice takes much longer, but these type of juicers produces more juice in the end. If you prefer ‘green’ juices made with leafy and fibrous vegetables such as celery or kale, this type of juicer would be better for you.

Others

There are a few other types of juicers out there, but they tend to be more specialized or focused on a single type of fruit. Examples include Triuating Juicers, Citrus Juicers, Wheatgrass Juicers, and Press Juicers.

Extra Features

While juicing tends to be a fairly simply job, some juicers contain extra features to make the job more convenient. When you’re choosing which juicer to buy, look for features like these:

Large Chute

Makes it easier to push in your fruits and vegetables. After all, who wants to spend time chopping up produce just to make it fit?

Clear Juice Container

These let you see your juices while they’re being made.

Large Pulp Collector

The ‘pulp’ is what’s left over after you’ve finished juicing. Having a larger pulp collector means that you don’t have to stop juicing frequently to clean it out.

Variable Speeds

Some centrifugal juicers let you adjust the speed, meaning that you can juice soft fruit slowly to preserve the nutrients while still being able to juice harder fruits or vegetables if needed.

Reversing Function

Some masticating juicers let you reverse the direction the auger turns. This is useful since it stops the juicer from getting clogged up so easily.

Noise Level

Generally speaking, centrifugal juicers are usually louder than masticating juicers. Check the noise level before you buy if you prefer a quieter juicer.

Dishwasher Safe

Being able to clean the juicer’s collecting cups in the dishwasher saves you time and energy.

External Pulp Collector

While masticating juicers often have an external collection cup for pulp, some centrifugal juicers have a pulp collector located inside the machine itself. This makes it much less convenient to clean.

Juicing Tips

Once you’ve found the juicer you want, here are a few helpful tips to ensure that you’re squeezing out the healthiest and tastiest juice possible.

• To get the most benefit out of your juice, you should drink it as soon as possible. Oxidation will quickly break down the juice’s nutrients, so it’s best to consume it within a day of juicing.
• If you find yourself with extra juice, put it inside an airtight glass container and store it in the fridge. This will keep it good for up to 48 hours.
• If you can adjust your juicer’s speed, use the lower speed for soft fruit such as berries so that you can preserve as many nutrients as you can. Use the higher speed to break down harder fruits such as apples.
• If you enjoy drinking fresh juice with your breakfast, save yourself some precious morning time by washing and cutting up your fruits the night before.
• For the most delicious juice, use only two or three types of produce and perhaps a single herb or spice. Throwing in too many flavors results in a muddled tasting and unappealingly brown juice.
• Softer fruits such as bananas, avocados, mangoes and peaches are harder to juice properly. They’re perfect for blending smoothies, though.
• Instead of throwing away the pulp, add it into your garden’s compost pile instead to create a rich fertilizer. You can also use leftover pulp for smoothies, sauces, soups, stews, and desserts.
• When choosing your ingredients, don’t forget to consider colors. If you mix red and green produce, you’ll end up with a brownish colored juice. It might still be healthy, but it probably won’t look too appetizing.
• Don’t try to force produce into your juicer or overfill the basket. It might damage the juicer and you’ll have to clean up a big mess afterwards.
• If you’re not sure whether or not you should peel your produce, check whether or not it’s organic. Organically grown fruits and vegetables are not sprayed with chemical fertilizers or pesticides, so it’s usually fine if you choose to leave the peel on when juicing.

Here are some of 100Comment’s top rated juicers

Shake N Take 3 Juice Smoothie Blender with 2 Sport Bottles

The Shake N Take 3 Juice Smoothie Blender with 2 Sport Bottles has comes with powerful high-capacity motor; it quickly turns fruits and vegetables into delicious smoothies. The Shake N Take 3 Juice Smoothie Blender with 2 Sport Bottles has convenient flip top straw and easy-to-clean as well as slim design which is ideal for gym goers.

PHILIPS HR1811 Juicer Compact

A great juicer that won’t break the bank, Philips HR1811 Juicer Compact provides you with delicious juice quickly, quietly, and conveniently.

It has a number of handy features including adjustable speeds, a detachable pulp container, and a compact design that needs minimal space to store. In addition, all the removable parts are dishwasher safe, making it much easier to clean up after you’re finished.

Tefal ZC-255 Slow Juicer

With the new Tefal Slow Fruit Juicer ZC-255, you can now experience a completely new world of juicing!

Using the cold pressed technology, it gently squeezes the juice out of fruits and vegetables while maintaining its natural flavor, original color and above all its nutrients. The low speed (average 60 rpm) minimizes oxidation and produces a superior tasting and longer lasting juice. The Tefal ZC-255 Slow Juicer gives you up to 2X more juice, 1/4 more energy, and 2X more youth!