Types of Juicers

I was so eager to get this blog started and begin sharing the wonderful new juice recipes I was creating in my kitchen that I completely forgot to go over a few basics that anyone new or old to juicing might like to read about. I remember how hungry I was (and still am) for information in the beginning of my juicing journey. Having said that I would like to take the time to discuss very simply and clearly the three main types of juicers along with their pros and cons.

CENTRIFUGAL JUICERS

This is by far the most popular and most affordable type of juicer on the market. These juicers have a round disc with sharp blades that grind the vegetables and fruits as you push them through, allowing the juice through the sieve and out the spout while discarding the pulp on the opposite end into a container.

 Pros

• most affordable (price range is about $40-$300).
• high RPM which makes them the fastest
• they have a wide mouth/large feeding tube which means you don’t have to chop up your fruits and veggies too much or at all.
• produce a pulp free high-yield juice

Cons

• not so great at juicing leafy greens
• can be quite loud
• they have several (some quite bulky) parts to clean. I place a plastic baggie in my pulp container before I begin juicing which makes for one less part to clean up. I also clean the other parts immediately after juicing and before enjoying my juice.
• The shredder/grinding disc spins incredibly fast which means the juice begins to oxidize. Try to always drink your juice immediately and store only if you must regardless of what juicer you use.

I own a Breville Juice Fountain Plus that I purchased in December of 2008 for $120 (with my Macy’s coupon).  Check out the first green juice recipe I ever made with it. This is the one and only juicer I have owned and it has NEVER given me a problem. I use it several times a week and the only con that sometimes makes me want to get a new juicer is the fact that it is just ‘ok’ with leafy greens. Otherwise, I love my juicer, take good care of it and feel eternally grateful for the abundance of health that has come my way because of what it can do!

Here is my Breville Juice Fountain Plus today…

MASTICATING JUICERS

These are single gear juicers and tend to be more expensive than centrifugal juicers. They work by slowly grinding vegetables and fruits and then squeezing the juice out.

Pros

• great at juicing leafy greens, including wheatgrass
• easier to clean than centrifugal juicers
• can make nut butters and fruit sorbets
• not as loud as centrifugal juicers

Cons

• they are more expensive than centrifugal juicers and range from about $200-$400
• they are much slower than centrifugal juicers
• they have a smaller feeding tube and therefore veggies and fruits need to be cut up quite a bit to get them through

After doing a bit of research if I wanted to purchase a masticating juicer I would get the Omega Vert VRT350. They seem to have great reviews across the web, have a 10 year warranty and are upright which means they take up less counter space!

TRITURATING (TWIN-GEAR) JUICERS

These juicers also work by grinding and pressing the juices out except they have an even slower RPM and double the gears to produce the highest quality juices a juicer can make.

Pros

• able to juice any and all kinds of produce including leafy greens and wheatgrass exceptionally well
• produce an incredibly high quality juice that barely undergoes any oxidation or exposure to heat.
• produce extremely dry pulp
• fairly quiet

Cons

• most expensive and can range from $500-$2500
• take the longest to make juice but good things come to those who wait, right?
• have several parts to clean that can be a bit of a hassle.

Check this out to see what I consider to be the Rolls Royce of juicers. They cost a pretty penny but they definitely get the job done exceedingly well.

Remember, the BEST juicer for you is simply two things:

• the one you can afford
• the one you will use

~Happy Purchasing and Juicing!~

What juicer do you own and what kind is it? Do you agree or disagree with these pros and cons? Do you have a ‘dream’ juicer? 

Juice Recipe #20: Bright Orange Goodness

So I made 32 ounces of Bright Orange Goodness as I’m calling it to have for breakfast tomorrow. I prefer to drink my juices immediately after making them for many reasons…

• that’s when they taste the best/super fresh!
• they are just the right temp for me, not too cold and not too warm. I’m one of those “water with no ice please” people. A few juices tend to taste better chilled or on ice though.
• and most importantly, they haven’t began to oxidize yet. Juices are loaded with the most live enzymes, antioxidants, vitamins and minerals immediately after. So if juicing strictly for health is your thing, the best way to store them is not to! 🙂

We don’t live in a perfect world though so because I have to get up at an ungodly (5:30am) hour to get ready for work tomorrow and every minute of sleep is worth more to me than my first born child (that I don’t have yet), I juice the day before sometimes. Sssshh!! Don’t tell the juice gods. But do tell about this awesome recipe when you try it. Go with organic veggies and fruits whenever possible but if you had to pick only two (heehee!) go with the celery and apples. They are always at the top of the naughty list for being super high in pesticides.

• 4-5 organic carrots
• 2 organic fuji apples
• 8-10 organic celery stalks
• 1/2 an organic lemon

~Juice, enjoy and store only if you have to!~

PS: Fill your container all the way to the top with your juice if you’ll be storing it to minimize the amount of air and therefore oxidation of your juice.

Juice Recipe #19: Green Juice aka My Sunday Snack

Here’s a new green juice recipe I made this weekend that I absolutely enjoyed and wasn’t too ‘green’ tasting. While I can usually tolerate the greenest of juices I realize many can’t, especially those new to juicing. So in an effort to convert as many people to my green-juice-loving cult I am making an effort to create veggie and fruit recipes that are light, tasty and refreshing. This recipe fits that bill to a T!

• 2-3 really large handfuls of romaine lettuce
• 1 green apple
• 1 large head of broccoli
• 1/2 lemon

This should make somewhere between 14-16 ounces. I’ll definitely be making this recipe over and over again.

~Juice and Enjoy!~

PS: I called it my Sunday snack because I drank it this afternoon/evening while trying to figure out what to make for dinner. It filled me up and kept me thinking straight so I could make a healthy choice. Yay Juice!