What Type Of Juicer Is Best To Start With?
If you have been reading my recent blog posts you may have become enlightened to the wonderful benefits that juicing can do to your body and mind. Many people just getting started have questions about the best type of juicer to purchase. It depends on your budget, how much you will be using your juicer and if it matters to you whether you want as many nutrients and enzymes as possible.
There are several different brands and juicers on the market. They fall under a centrifugal, masticating, twin gear or hydraulic press. Each type of juicer has pros and cons. I have broken them down and listed the pros and cons to each of them based on my research and experience. In general, the faster the speed of the juicer the more heat produced and the less volume and quality of juice you will get.
When purchasing a juicer besides having a budget to work with you also want consider how much time you want to spend on prepping, chopping and clean up after you are finished juicing. Please too consider how much space you have in your kitchen to store the juicer. I like to store my juicer on my kitchen cupboard for easy access and a constant reminder to use it since it’s taking prime space in my kitchen. If you click on the underlined lettering of each of the 4 juicers it will take you to a link to see what each one looks like.
This is a great option for someone looking to start juicing but are not sure if you want to invest in something you haven’t tried before. They are easy to assemble/take apart and quick to juice.
Here is how it works: There is a fast spinning disk blade with a mesh basket in the machine. The produce goes down the shoot into a fast spinning blade that sits in a mesh basket. The juice is pushed through a strainer via centrifugal force landing into a container outside the juicer. It’s best to drink immediately.
Pros: Quick clean up because you do not have to spend as much time chopping produce because you can put the whole fruit or vegetable in at once. This is a good juicer for non-leafy greens. Easy to operate and clean. You will find this type of juicer in most stores that carry small appliances.
Cons: Since the blade is spinning so fast it heats up which can oxidize enzymes and nutrients at a faster rate. This type of juicer may not be suitable for leafy greens or wheatgrass and produces the least amount of juice compared to the other types of juicers. You will find the pulp can be very wet. This type of juice is best to drink immediately due to the oxidation taking place.
My first juice machine so I’m a little biased to this one for my home kitchen. This is a slow juicer and what is called “cold-pressed” meaning the vegetables/fruit is crushed through a spinning auger and squeezes the juice from the produce. The juice lands in a container with a strainer on it outside the juicer. This is a slow process which allows for less oxidation and nutrient loss as compared with centrifugal juicers.
Pros: Extremely easy to assemble and clean. It is suitable for leafy greens, herbs and sprouts. Less oxidation occurs so it contains a higher nutrient content. There is less foam and separation as compared to the centrifugal. You can juice large batches and store in glass containers for up to 48 hours with minimal nutrient loss.
Cons: Because the auger is slower moving it takes longer to make the juice which is more time spent in the kitchen. The prep time is longer because you will be chopping up the produce to fit in the shoot. This type of juicer is a higher price point to start out with.
This juicer works by using two slow moving gears that spin to squeeze and press the juice out of the produce. They come in electric and manual hand crank versions which are designed specifically for wheatgrass.
Pros: Good for wheatgrass, leafy greens, sprouts, herbs and vegetables. It can also grind nuts. You can juice large batches and store in glass containers for up to 48 hours with minimal nutrient loss.
Cons: Slower speed means it takes longer to make the juice which is more time spent in the kitchen. They take longer to clean because there are more moving parts. It does cost more then both the centrifugal and masticating juicers. This type of juicer is not conducive to juicing soft fruit like pineapple and mango.
This is the mac daddy of juicers and the kind of juicer we will be using at Vibe Organic Juice Bar. They work slowly and gently to press the juice out of the produce leaving most of the nutrients in-tact.
Pros: There is little oxidation that occurs making the quality of the juice superb. This juicer is suitable for all produce including fruits, greens, herbs and sprouts. You can make juice in large
batches and it can be stored for up to 72 hours in glass containers with minimal nutrition loss.
Cons: This juicer is slower to juice and can be loud. They are the hardest to clean and the investment is significant. Many juice bars and juice companies use this kind of juicer.
When making a decision about which juicer you want to purchase do some additional research on the quality and what people are saying. Read the comments, compare and shop around. If I had to buy my first juicer over again I still would have purchased the masticating one. I like this type of juicer to begin with because you can make up a juice cleanse for 2-3 days at a time if you prefer to do it all at once. It’s important to me to get the most nutrients and enzymes as possible in my juice which makes this my favorite home juicer.
Whichever type of juicer you start with is wonderful no matter which version you purchase. Taking the first step to better health is where your journey can begin. I support you and am here for you.
Love and Light,
Amber
