Best Juicers on the Market: 2016’s Best Rated Juicers

Making your own fresh fruit and vegetable juice is fun, tastes great, and can improve your nutrition, health, and well-being. Whether you are young, old, or somewhere in between, it’s never too late to start juicing!

Centrifugal juicers use cutting discs at high rpm speeds to extract juice rapidly from fruit and vegetables.

Centrifugal juicers are general-purpose machines that can extract juice from most kinds of fruits and vegetables. They are relatively inexpensive, and easy to operate. This makes them a good choice for novice and seasoned juicers alike.

Masticating juicers are good at juicing nearly all kinds of produce, leafy greens, and grasses, but they are slower, and generally cost more than centrifugals.

A masticating juicer uses an auger to chew and grind produce, and break the walls of the plant cells to separate the juice from the pulp.

A triturating juicer, also called a twin-gear or dual gear juicer, uses two screws or gears to shred, grind and press the juice from the produce.

The triturating process is highly effective at extracting the greatest volume and highest quality of juice of any other juicer type, but is also more expensive than other types of juicers.

Reamer or citrus juicers excel at getting juice from oranges, lemons, limes, grapefruits, and other citrus produce. Citrus juicers come in either manual or electric models, and are very quiet to operate.

If you are going to juice a lot of citrus produce, take a look at this type of juicer.

A wheatgrass juicer is a type of masticating juicer that is specifically designed to squeeze the most juice from wheatgrass, barley grass, parsley, herbs, sprouts, spinach, and leafy greens.

Wheatgrass juicers are manually operated or electric powered. They are highly efficient at extracting a maximum amount of juice from leafy produce and grasses.

Another type of appliance used for juicing is a blender. While a blender is not a dedicated juicing device, it is an ideal appliance for making juice smoothies, shakes, and sorbets.

Instead of separating juice from fiber, the blender will liquefy and “blend” it all together at high speed for a high potency, healthful drink.

For starters, you must consider that there are several types of juicers that use different processes to extract juice.

• Centrifugal juicers
• Masticating juicers (Single auger or gear)
• Triturating juicers – also called Twin gear juicers
• Citrus Juicers (Reamers and Presses)

Unfortunately, knowing the different types of juicers doesn’t necessarily give us enough information to answer the question “which juicer is the right one for me?”

To choose the juicer that is best suited for you will require first identifying your needs and expectations.

Because each person is a uniquely different individual, you can see why a juicer that is perfect for one person may not be nearly as good of a choice for someone else.

So let’s look at some factors you should consider when looking for a juicer, and then go from there.  

• What Kind of Juice are you going to make?   
• How fast does it make juice?  
• How easy is it to clean?  
• How loud is it?  
• What is the Price? 

First, let’s determine what kind of vegetables and fruits you will be juicing, as this will help narrow your choices.

Citrus Fruit

One of the most common types of juice consumed worldwide is orange juice. If you’re looking to make only fresh orange, grapefruit, or other citrus juices, then you may need nothing more than a citrus juicer.

A citrus juicer, also called a citrus press or reamer, is a very effective device for extracting juice from all kinds of citrus fruits, including, lemons, limes, oranges, tangerines, grapefruits, and pomelos.

Not only is this the best juicer for citrus, most models are also very inexpensive, so you won’t have to spend a great deal of money to buy a good quality device. Citrus juicers come in both manually operated and electric models.

Leafy Vegetables, Greens, and Grasses

Are you planning to juice a lot of leafy vegetables such as spinach, kale, lettuce, and parsley, or grasses like wheatgrass or barley grass? If so, then a masticating juicer is a good choice, as it can generally extract more juice from this type of produce than can a centrifugal juicer.

There are three main types of masticating juicers:

• Horizontal masticating juicers
• Vertical dual-stage juicers
• Wheatgrass juicers

The horizontal and vertical style masticating juicers can effectively juice most types of vegetables and many fruits, although some models do not juice grasses as well. If you are going to juice a lot of wheatgrass, a wheatgrass juicer is probably your best choice.

In addition to juicing fresh veggies and fruit, masticators are also adept at making nut butters, sorbets, creams, and baby food.  

A masticating juicer uses a single auger to grind and chew (masticate) the produce at low rpm speeds to extract the juice. The mastication process is very efficient at squeezing out a maximum amount of juice from produce. And since it operates at low speeds, oxidation of the juice is minimized, which results in a high quality, nutrient-rich juice.

One tradeoff for the high quality of juice however is that the lower speed means it will take longer to juice than a high-speed centrifugal juicer.

The juice made with this style of machine will be somewhat pulpy, so you may need to strain it if you don’t want as much pulp in the juice. And while a masticating juice extractor is ideal for softer vegetables, fruits, wheat grass, and leafy greens, some models may have difficulty processing harder vegetables such as carrots and parsnips, and some types of fruits.

All Fruits, Vegetables, and Greens

If you want a machine that will juice just about any kind of produce equally well – whether a fruit, vegetable, leafy green, or grass – you may want to look at a triturating, or twin gear juice extractor.

They cost more than other types of juice extractors, but they are the most efficient at extracting juice from the greatest variety of produce.

A triturating extractor uses two gears to chew, tear, and apply extreme pressure to squeeze out the absolute maximum amount of juice possible. Because it is so efficient, it will yield the highest quality of juice, and produce the least amount of waste. Like a single auger masticating machine, the twin-gear triturating juicer operates at low RPM’s to minimize oxidation and maximize the volume and quality of juice.

Common Fruits and Vegetables

If you are planning to drink many different varieties of common fruits and vegetables, you should look at a centrifugal juicer. Centrifugal juicers use grater or cutter discs to shred the produce and separate the juice from the fiber pulp.

They operate at high rpms, and extract juice from most kinds of fruits and vegetables (except for leafy greens and grasses) very quickly. Some models can extract 8 ounces of juice in about 5 seconds, which means you won’t have to wait around long to drink that fresh juice!

The tradeoff for the speed is that the juice is heated slightly, which may cause some oxidation, but the amount is generally negligible. Considering you will be drinking the juice within seconds however, this is really a moot point. And it is most certainly of much better quality and health benefit than the bottled juices you can buy at the store.

How Fast Does it Make Juice?

We’ve looked at the different types of juicers that are best suited for the kind of juice you are going to make.

Now we’ll consider how fast each type of juicer can extract juice.

The speediest juicers are the centrifugal juicers and citrus juicers. Centrifugals are fast due to the high speed (rpms) at which they operate. Some centrifugals can make an 8-ounce glass of juice in just a few seconds.

In addition to the speed, many of these juicers have large feed chutes, so you can put in bigger pieces and even whole fruits and vegetables directly into it. This saves having spend so much prep time cutting and chopping into small pieces.

With citrus juicers, all that you have to do is cut the oranges or grapefruits in half, then juice them, which makes the whole process relatively fast.

Masticating and twin gear units are generally slower than centrifugal juicers because they operate at lower rpms, take a longer to chew and grind the produce, and extract the juice. Vertical masticating juicers have larger feed tubes, so they can process food a bit faster than the horizontal masticators, but they are still slower than centrifugal models.

However, although masticating and twin gear juicers are slower there are a few beneficial tradeoffs for speed. They can juice a wider range of produce, extract more juice, and yield a higher quality of juice.

Ease of Cleanup

Another thing to consider when looking for a juicer is clean up. As with any small kitchen appliance, juicers require cleaning after use. However, some juicers are harder to clean than others are.

Try to select a juicer that is relatively easy to clean, with easy to disassemble parts. A juicer that is easy to disassemble is usually one that is easy to clean as well. Taking apart and cleaning a juicer with 5 or less parts is generally faster than cleaning one with 10 parts.

Ideally, parts should be dishwasher safe. If a unit is difficult or time-consuming to clean up after every use, you may find yourself not juicing very often because it is just too much of a chore. And not juicing defeats the whole point of buying a juicer.

The ease or difficulty of cleanup does not necessarily correlate to the type of juicer, i.e. centrifugal, citrus, masticating, but more to the particular design of a model. That is to say, some centrifugal juicers are much easier to clean than other centrifugals; some masticating juicers are easier to clean the other masticators, and so forth.

Because each model is different, it is a good idea to read the manufacturer’s product description for details on cleanup, and read reviews from people who own and use the juicer on a regular basis.

How Loud is it?

All juicers that are powered by an electric motor will make some amount of sound during use, although some are much louder than others. Generally, centrifugals are the loudest as they operate at high rpms when being used. Less loud are the masticating, triturating, and citrus juicers, which operate at much lower rpms.

If the loudness doesn’t bother you, then you can go for any juicer that suits your fancy, regardless of noise. However, if you want something a little quieter, look for a model that keeps noise levels below 100 decibels.

Lastly, you need to consider your price point.

Price of juicers vary considerably across manufacturers, models, and types.

Just because a juicer cost a lot of money doesn’t mean it’s “better” or that it is going to fit all your requirements. There are several things to consider, such as what kind of juices you will make, how often you will be juicing, and how much you want to spend on a new extractor.

Look for a juicer that can do what you need it to do at a price that fits your budget. You do not have to spend a lot of money to find a great juicer. Prices range from about $50 for an inexpensive centrifugal juicer, to thousands of dollars for commercial model juicers.

If you are just starting out with juicing, you may want to start with a less expensive model so you won’t have too much invested at the beginning. As you progress with you juicing, you can upgrade to a more expensive when you are ready. Of course, if you are happy with you budget model, then by all means continue to use it.

The choice of how much to spend is yours, so long as you make a choice. The important thing is to start juicing, whether you spend a little or a lot.

As you can see there are many unique factors to consider then you are about to buy a juicer.

The best piece of advice is to be open-minded and consider all your options before you just buy whatever is on sale. There are a wide number of juicers on the market and there is definitely the perfect juicer for you out there.

The Health Benefits of Juicing

Juicing is the process of extracting juice from fruit and vegetables by means of a juicer, also known as a juice extractor.

The juice is released from the pulp by breaking down the cellulose fiber of the produce during the extraction process.

When the pulp and fiber is removed, nutrition is concentrated in the juice, and is more easily absorbed by the body than it would be by consuming the solid produce.

The many health benefits of juicing will make just about anyone a believer in the power of a juicing diet.

Aside from the unique and delectable tastes that you can get through juicing fresh fruit, vegetables and greens, drinking freshly squeezed juice can greatly increase the nutritional value of your diet, and improve your health.

Fresh Juice Is Best

There are multiple benefits to fresh juice – not the least of which is that fresh juice contains more nutritive power than the frozen or prepackaged juice you might buy at the store. Almost all of the nutrients that are in store-bought juice diminish in potency the longer it sits in the refrigerator.

Fresh juice on the other hand, abounds with a variety of vitamins, minerals, enzymes, and phytochemicals. Additionally, freshly made juice tastes much better, which will make you want to drink even more.

Drinking freshly extracted juice enables the body to absorb more nutrients from fruits and vegetables. Compare this with the amount of nutrients the body will absorb from eating solid fruit or vegetables and the difference is clear.

Choose the Ingredients

You get to choose the ingredients that go into your juice! Is there any way for you to really know what fruits and vegetables were used to make the juice you buy from the store? The answer unfortunately is no.

When you make the juice in your own home however, you get to choose the exact ingredients that go into it. You can examine the condition and quality of the produce and eliminate any sub-standard items before you use it. You will be the one preparing your drink, which gives you a huge advantage with the quality control of your juice.

Do you need more vitamin C in your diet? Throw two oranges and an apple into the juicer for a great tasting unique mix that is full of nutrition. Do you need to eat more vegetables? Then you can throw in a tomato and some carrots or celery.

Maximum Nutritional Benefit

Cooking vegetables and fruits or eating processed and canned fruits may not provide you with all the nutrition your body needs for good health. This is because t  he process by which the food items are prepared, i.e., heating, cooking, canning, etc., destroys some essential micro-nutrients.

This does not happen during the juicing process, which helps to preserve these enzymes in their natural state.

To get the most out of fresh produce, it is best to eat them raw or turn them into juice. Juicing of fruits or vegetables provides maximum benefits compared to eating cooked, processed or canned food.

Meet Your RDA

You know you should eat a recommended daily amount (RDA) of fruit and vegetables every day. However, it’s likely you often fail to eat the required amount because of lack of time, forgetfulness, dislike of vegetables, eating other foods, and so forth. Besides, it can be really tough to eat several cups of produce every day.

Juicing makes it easy to meet nutritional requirements because you can combine several different kinds of fruits and/or vegetables in one juicing process – which consequently provides more nutrients at a time.

If you throw them into a juicer however, you will get all the health benefits of fruits and veggies in one cup of easy-to-drink juice.

Holistic Benefits

One of the things that juicing advocates point out is the potent holistic benefits. This means that drinking juice daily has benefits on your whole body. Here are some of these benefits:

• Increased energy and stamina.
• Greater flexibilityand less strain on your joints.
• Disease resistance. There is also mounting evidence that shows that juicing may include increased resistance to many diseases. This is likely because fresh vegetables contain antioxidants that help fight off free radicals that can cause cancer, heart disease and other illnesses.
• Slow the Aging Process. Consuming the juice from fruit and vegetables is also good for anyone who wants to slow the aging process. This is due to the amount of antioxidants that are in the juice. These antioxidants fight the aging effects of free radicals on the skin. Regularly drinking juice helps improve the condition of the skin, reduces wrinkles, and keeps you looking younger.
• Fight depression. Juice is also good for some people who suffer from depression.  Juicing provides a concentrated boost of vital minerals, phytochemicals, and other nutrients which can help fight depression.

Weight Loss Benefits

Weight loss is a juicing benefit that will contribute to improved health and longevity. It is easy to shed a few pounds by simply drinking a full glass of fresh-squeezed veggie or fruit juice a few minutes before mealtime. This will help reduce your desire for food, and you won’t be as likely to go back for a second helping.

You will feel fuller, be satisfied with less food, and you will have consumed fewer calories. Of course fewer calories, combined with increased activity, equals weight loss over a period of time.

Drinking juiced fruit and vegetables on a regular basis can also help to raise the metabolic rate of the body. For anyone on a diet, this is good news. When the metabolic rate is raised the body burns more calories, which is good news for all dieters who are trying to lose weight.

Mix it Up for Better Taste

Because the taste of most vegetables juices is strong and harder to drink by themselves, you may want to mix different kinds of fruits with vegetables in your juices. Because fruit juices are generally sweeter than vegetable juices, the fruit taste will overpower the taste of the vegetables and create a sweeter and more palatable drink.

For more variety, you can prepare a new juice mix every day. There are numerous healthy recipes that you can find online. Be adventurous, try out some different recipes and enjoy a delicious glass of juice for good health.

Get Started Today

As you can see, there are numerous health benefits of juicing for everyone, both young and old.  Of course, besides the improved health, for many people the best thing about drinking fresh juice is that it is delicious, and tastes so good. This is why so many people around the globe enjoy making their own juice these days. If you haven’t added regular juicing to your diet, you should definitely consider it.  Get started today, you’ll be glad you did!