Choosing the best masticating juicer
If you’re looking to add more fruits and vegetables to your diet, juicing is a great place to start. Masticating juicers are your best bet for making high-quality cold-pressed juice at home. When shopping for a masticating juicer, there are a few important factors to consider. Namely, you’ll want one that’s versatile, durable and easy to clean.
What is a masticating juicer?
Masticating juicers, also called “slow juicers” or “cold-press” juicers, use an auger mechanism to crush fruits and vegetables and slowly extract their juice. This process differs from centrifugal or “extracting” juicers, which rapidly shred produce with a spinning steel blade.
Masticating juicers take longer to produce a cup of juice, but the cold-press process retains more nutrients and produces more juice overall, especially when juicing leafy greens. They also have much quieter motors compared to centrifugal juicers. Some models are capable of other tasks, like grinding nuts and coffee.
What to look for in a masticating juicer
Vertical vs. horizontal design
You’ll find masticating juicers in two body styles: vertical and horizontal, and both have advantages and disadvantages.
- Horizontal juicers: These are the classic option. They tend to be more efficient, especially when juicing greens, but they take up significantly more counter space than vertical juicers.
- Vertical juicers: These produce juice more quickly, but they lack some of the versatility and efficiency of horizontal models. Some vertical masticating juicers may also be too tall to fit under low kitchen cabinets.
Chute size
Masticating juicers have feed chutes of varying sizes. A wider chute lets you add larger chunks of fruits and vegetables into the juicer, minimizing your prep time. However, smaller chutes are safer for young children who might try to stick their hands into the juicer. Vertical models typically have larger chutes than horizontal ones.
Versatility
You can get the most bang for your buck by purchasing a masticating juicer that serves multiple purposes in your kitchen. Some models can do anything from grinding coffee and spices to making baby food, nut milk and sorbet.
Dishwasher-safe parts
For easy cleaning, choose a masticating juicer with dishwasher-safe parts. Look for a model that comes apart easily so you can clean all the nooks and crannies of the auger.
The best masticating juicers
AMZCHEF Slow Masticating Juicer
What you need to know: This efficient juicer with advanced masticating technology offers great bang for your buck.
What you’ll love: It includes a reverse function to remove clogs. The small feeding chute prevents injury during juicing. A low-speed 80 rpm motor prevents oxidation and maximizes nutrition. The machine is easy to assemble and disassemble, and all detachable parts are BPA-free and dishwasher-safe. At just over $100, it’s significantly less expensive than many other juicers on this list.
What you should consider: You’ll need to prep your fruit and vegetables into small pieces to fit through the narrow feed chute.
Ninja NeverClog Cold-Press Juicer
What you need to know: This midrange masticating juicer has a powerful motor and a “NeverClog” filter that makes it so your juicer doesn’t clog.
What you’ll love: It includes two pulp control filters so you can customize the amount of pulp in your juice. The machine has customizable programming and all removable parts are dishwasher safe.
What you should consider: Some users said they wished the chute was bigger.
What you need to know: This user-friendly juicer has an ultraquiet motor and two speeds for hard and soft produce items.
What you’ll love: Multiple speeds ensure efficient extraction for different types of produce. The motor operates at less than 60 decibels for a quiet juicing experience. It includes a reverse function to avoid jamming. Plus, it comes with a 10-year warranty for the motor, a three-year warranty on accessories and lifelong technical support.
What you should consider: Some parts are fragile and must be handled with care.
AMZCHEF Cold Press Juicer with LED Display
What you need to know: This well-designed juicer has a sleek LED control panel to move between speeds.
What you’ll love: The two-speed control offers settings for both hard and soft produce. It includes a reverse function to avoid clogs. The compact design takes up little space in the kitchen. Plus, it comes with convenient accessories, including two 500ml travel bottles to take your fresh juice on the go.
What you should consider: The motor sometimes struggles with large loads of fruits and vegetables.
Prices listed reflect time and date of publication and are subject to change.
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