How to buy Juicer?

Updated on : Oct 17, 2023 12:57 PM

Overview

If you are thinking of incorporating fresh vegetable and fruit juices; a juicer is a good investment.

With many people turning into fitness freaks and growing health conscious day by day, brands have started manufacturing juicers for various lifestyles, homes and purposes. But with varying models and rising prices from hundreds to thousands of bucks, it is really important to know what you need in your juicer and which features is useful for you.

Types of Juicers

There are various types of juicers available in the market. Some of them are listed below:

Centrifugal Juicer – This is the most common type of juicer available in the market and most asked for. A centrifugal juicer grates fruits and vegetables into small pieces and strains the mix through a very fine mesh screen. It is easy to use and makes the juice quickly, but sometimes the juice produced can be foamy. It cannot produce juice from leafy vegetables, sprouts, and nuts. The juicer operates at a very high rpm and produces heat, which oxidizes and degrades the nutrients present essentially in juice.
Masticating Juicer – Also known as “slow juicer” uses low speed to produce a better quality juice because less oxidation occurs while grating. This juicer grinds or chews the fruits and veggies slowly and then squeezes out the juice through a fine mesh. The juice produced is slightly foamy and full of nutrients. A bit of downside is that it is difficult to clean and even the juice preparation takes longer time. Masticating juicers are expensive than centrifugal juicers.
Twin Gear Juicer – A twin gear juicer produces juice by pressing fruits and veggies between two interconnecting roller gears. This juicing process yields a larger volume and juice so produced is higher in vitamins and enzymes. The high squeezing force of gears softens the hard-to-squeeze cells and releases more nutrients. This juicer is difficult to clean, more tricky to set after washing and on the expensive side as well.
Manual Juicer – A manual juicer is quite popular in our country; it is easy to use, clean and maintain. It is also silent and noiseless during operation, does not require electricity for operation and quite affordable. But the downside of this juicer is, juice prep is slow and, also it is limited in the types and amounts of fruits or grasses that it can juice. It for those who can put in extra efforts and have patience for the final product.

Can Blenders and Mixers get the job done?

Mixer grinders or blenders, simply blitz the whole fruit or veggie in the jar, without attempting to keep the pulp out of it. This makes mixer grinder’s ideal for smoothies and milkshakes kinds but not for juices. Some mixer grinders do come with filter sieves to separate the pulp from your drink. But if it is a clear, tasty, and nutritious drink you want, then there’s no replacement for a juicer.

Other Juicer Features to Look for

Some juicers are equipped with extra features like:

Carafe/Jug with foam separator – Not all juicers come with jugs to collect the juice in, but if you get one then look for a foam separator as well. It is a plastic mesh that acts as a barrier for foam but allows you to pour the juice. Some containers even come with lids for fridge storage. Also, check if you can fit a glass under the juicing spout for extra convenience.
Wide Feeder Chute – There are juicers with wider feeding tubes that can fit whole apples at a time and other fruits and veggies as well. This saves time as you do not have to pre-chop them. But do read the instructions, as you may still require doing some other preparations like coring the apple, peel or cut the fruits or vegetables.
Speeds – Most of centrifugal juicers have two speeds; you can use the slower speed for soft fruits like grapes and watermelons, to avoid them bouncing about in the juicing shaft or not grating properly. Higher speeds can be used for harder fruits and vegetables such as carrots or radishes. Masticating juicers have a reverse gear, usually, they help in clearing any blockages.
Citrus Press – Citrus press attachments are the easiest way for juicing citrus fruits. If you are keen on orange juice, this might be a worthy attachment to look for with a juicer. It will help avoid spending time overpeeling and chopping fruit for juicing.
Safety Lock Lid – All the juicers now come with a safety lock lid. It means juicer won’t start unless the lid is attached securely into place.
Non-slip Base – There are usually small suction cups or rubber pads at the base of a juicer. It helps to keep your juicer steady as it blitzes the fruits and vegetables.
Pusher – This fits into the feeder and lets you put fruits and veggies in the juicer without risking your fingers. Try to go for the one with rounded top that fits perfectly into your palm, as it may be very useful while adding pressure over harder vegetables.

With the help of these guidelines, you will be able to buy the perfect juicer for your home.