The Consumer’s Guide to Juicers
Juicy Tidbits About Juicers
Juicers have attracted quite a large following. Their ease in use has won them popularity for providing delicious, wholesome, freshly-squeezed fruit juice. Have you ever reveled in a refreshing glass of freshly-squeezed orange juice or a tangy tumbler of red tomato juice? (Okay, okay –so it’s hard to revel in tomato juice.) Did you ever take pride in creating creamy silky-smooth butternut soup? And then there are the truly health-conscious who take it all a step further what with wheatgrass and spinach juice on the market. Ambitious mothers preparing the ultimate in baby food may aspire to all of the above…
A number of various juicer types answer different needs. Citrus juicers specialize in drinks such as orangeade and lemonade, while twin-gears take on the entire range from fruit to vegetables to leafy greens. Some machines feature food processing attachments for sorbets and pates and even produce pasta or rice cakes. The many models out there can send your head spinning as fast as their motors! To quench your thirst for knowledge that will help you make an informed purchasing decision, read on.
First of all, decide what it is you want to juice. Is it garden-fresh oranges for breakfast, moist green herbs for lunch, or iron-rich spinach leaves for dinner? Perhaps you are constantly on the go, with little time to spare - or would you take pleasure in the process? Budget, nutrition goals and versatility must also be taken into account when you buy your new juicer. Esthetics will be simple here; choose from basic black, white, or metal – maybe even stainless steel.
When you check out a product, don’t forget to look at the care instructions. Are the parts easy to disassemble? Are they dishwasher-safe? Is there a manufacturer’s warranty?
Types of Juicers
You can buy a manual single-auger juice extractor that is reasonably priced and easy to use. Turning the handle for uninterrupted continuous juicing means you can boast that you made it yourself! Some are even wheatgrass capable. Check for easy disassembling of dishwasher-safe parts.
Increasingly popular are electric automated juicers. The three main categories of automatic juicers are centrifugal, masticating, and twin-gear.
Centrifugal JuicersIf you want the most popular, least expensive juicer which is no-fuss no-muss, then here you have it. Quick to use, you feed peeled, coarsely-chopped pieces of fruit or vegetables into the large feeding chute. (Whole fruit and vegetable juicers will take them unchopped.) They are sent down into a twirling basket for grating into a pulp. The basket’s rapid spinning motion creates the centrifugal force that presses the pulp against the sides of the basket, which in turn act as a strainer for the juice coming out through the basket and via the ejector spout.
The dramatic spinning sound of centrifugal juicers will be a welcome accompaniment to a delicious result.
Masticating Juicers
The next rung up the price ladder brings you more value for your money. Masticating juicers extract juice from herbs, wheatgrass, spinach and other leafy green vegetables, in addition to fruit and vegetables. You can even add fruit-based ice creams, sauces, pates and nut butters to the repertoire. Some fancier versions include accessory rice-cake- and pasta-making capabilities. Calling all mothers: check out your options in baby food preparation!
Also known as single gear juicers, the quieter grinding operation of the single gear breaks up cells with greater efficiency than the centrifugal method. The result is a higher yield rich in vitamins, minerals, enzymes and fiber. The lower RPM rate (rotations per minute) produces less heat and is therefore beneficial both in preserving nutrients and in creating a product with a longer shelf life.
This method gives you a continuous juicer. The pulp is ejected into a separate area away from the grinder, so there is no need to stop periodically to remove it. This means less time and hassle on your part.
If you want less foam and more nutritious juice, you will do well to buy a masticating juicer.
Twin-Gear Juicers At the top of the tri-tiered totem pole in quality, versatility and expense is the twin-gear or triturating juicer. This machine is king of extractors with fruit and veggies, wheatgrass, leafy greens, and herbs. (Pine needle extract, anyone?) It works by pressing the food to be juiced between two roller gears. You can find versions here, too, with extra attachments available as well. Its technique and slow speed result in the largest volume of juice and boasts the highest nutritional value and longest shelf life, to boot.
Twin-gear juicers tend to come with smaller feeding chambers, so they do take longer to use. Once produced, however, the juice extracted is the most delicious of all.
Specialty Juicers
Two types of juicers which specialize in juice extraction from particular foods are citrus and wheatgrass juicers.
Citrus Juicers
While the 3 juicer categories enumerated above perform admirably, they are designed more for use with hard fruit than soft. Thus the invention of citrus juicers, suited specifically for juice extraction from citrus fruits.
To use, simply cut the orange, lemon, lime, or grapefruit in half. Press one half down on the reamer cone to activate. The cone will spin and ream, or extract, the juice. These juicers are particularly easy to use, as they require no peeling. Some machines press the fruit down automatically, saving you even more time and effort. Either way citrus juicers yield more juice from citrus fruit than any other type of machine.
You can choose between a do-it-yourselfer’s manual version made of heavy duty metal, or an electric machine in stainless steel or plastic.
To own one of these along with a twin-gear machine is to possess full juicing capabilities with the gamut of juice-able produce.
Wheatgrass Juicers
Ever tried extracting water from a stone? Even if you didn’t succeed you can still get water from wheat grains to produce this highly nutritious health drink. This specialty juicer is perfect for juicing leafy green vegetables as well as particularly soft fruits such as grapes.
Versions are operated either manually or automatically.
Now that you are information-smart, put the squeeze on and check out the many juicer models available. But if you are pressed for time, don’t beat yourself to a pulp. Get into an on-line whirl of activity and purchase your new juicer today!
