Understand the Different Types of Juicers and How They Work

For you who decided to go with your daily juice routines, then having a proper type of juicer would be the best thing to have in your kitchen.

With so many different types of juicers available on the market, it may not be very clear to choose the right one for your needs. In fact, not all juicers are created equal, but how do you choose the best one for your routine?

In this article, we’ll tackle five of the most popular variation of juicers, how they differ from one to another, and how to make good use of them. We’ll also provide answers to some of the most common juicing questions that you might have.

So without further ado, let’s get right to the good stuff.

5 Common Juicer Types on the Market

Below are five of the various juicers common on the market. Essentially, they all extract juice by applying pressure while simultaneously separating the pulp.

The variation in their designs makes some juicers more suitable for certain types of produce than others.

1. Manual Press Juicers

As the name suggests, a manual press juicer is a juicer that uses mechanical force generated by the user to extract juice from produce. They typically make use of a lever system to maximize the force applied by the user.

The tabletop models work by pressing down on produce to squeeze out the juice, which flows through a mesh filter down a chute where you can collect it. Meanwhile, the hand-held designs, on the other hand, are much smaller and have a slightly different format, but the principle remains the same.

Citrus juicers are the most common type of manual press juicer. These are typically designed to be used exclusively with citrus fruits like oranges and lemons. They work exceedingly well for them, though, and can yield nutrient-rich and producing minimal heat and oxidation.

However, they aren’t the best choice if you plan on juicing other things like vegetables and leafy greens. And if you have a large quantity of produce to juice, you might end up straining yourself.

Pros

• Inexpensive and easy to find.
• Some models are portable.
• Virtually no heat and oxidation, resulting in nutritious juice.
• Quiet to operate.

Cons

• Very limited in terms of the types of produce it can extract juice from.
• Can be slow and tiring if juicing large quantities.
• Spillage can be common, resulting in less yield.

2. Centrifugal Juicers

Centrifugal juicers are another common juicers you can find in the market. These juicers are powered by electricity and make quick work of most types of produce.

Fruits and vegetables are taken in via a feed tube and are shredded into small pieces by a spinning blade. The cut-up produce then enters a chamber where centrifugal force separates the juice from the pulp.

A mesh catches the pulp, which is then ejected into a catch area, while the juice flows down a chute where you can collect it. Some models have a small pulp catch area, though, and will require you to clean it out before you can use it again.

Using a centrifugal juicer is fast and easy. These typically have fewer parts than other juicer types, allowing for quick assembly and storage. If your model has a large enough feed chute, you won’t even have to pre-cut your produce before you start juicing.

However, due to the way centrifugal juicers work, they can be very noisy and introduce plenty of air that oxidizes the juice.

The heat generated by the fast-spinning blades also breaks down certain enzymes and nutrients, resulting in lower-quality juice that you must consume immediately. However, if you’re using the juice for cooking or baking where you’ll heat it anyway, this shouldn’t be much of a concern.

Pros

• A lot easier to use than most other types.
• It works faster than any other juicer.
• Great for hard vegetables like carrots and celery.

Cons

• Introduces a lot of air to your juice, quickly oxidizing and foaming it.
• Exposes produce to high amounts heat, sapping some nutrients.
• Can be very noisy.

3. Masticating Juicers (Cold Press Juicers)

Cold press juicers go by a variety of different names. Aside from masticating juicers, you can sometimes refer to them as slow juicers or single auger juicers. These juicers rely on a rotating auger to crush produce and squeeze out its juice.

They come in two main varieties: vertical and horizontal masticating juicers. Vertically-configured models have smaller footprints but are prone to clogging due to the pulp ejector’s placement. To circumvent this problem, you’ll need to cut up your produce into small pieces beforehand.

Horizontal-configured juicers are larger but aren’t as likely to clog up thanks to their design. They’re great for fibrous vegetables and leafy greens.

You call them cold press juicers because they don’t generate as much heat as centrifugal juicers. This is due to the lower RPMs (around 80-120 RPM, as opposed to over 3,000 RPM) at which these juicers operate. The result is a juice that isn’t exposed to as much heat and air, making it more nutritious and last longer.

Pros

• It produces high-quality juice that lasts longer and is flavorful and nutrient-rich.
• Some models can function as grain mills and make baby food.
• Easy and very quiet to operate.
• Generally, the most versatile in terms of what kind of produce it can process.

Cons

• More expensive than regular juicers.
• Takes a longer time to extract juice than centrifugal juicers.
• Typically have narrow feed tubes, requiring plenty of pre-cutting.

4. Triturating Juicers (a.k.a Twin Gear Juicer)

Triturating juicers work similarly to masticating juicers. In fact, you can also refer to them as twin gear juicers or double auger juicers. But instead of having one auger, these juicers have two augers that interlock together. The dual augers also rotate at a very slow speed – even slower than masticating juicers – causing very little heat buildup and oxidation.

Additionally, these juicers also have a knob that lets you adjust the backpressure as necessary. This added feature gives you more control as you use different kinds of produce with varying firmness – making it more efficient at extracting a lot of juice.

If you’re a big fan of juicing leafy greens, triturating juicers are your best bet. However, these machines are more expensive than their single gear counterparts. They also have a very large footprint that makes them not so ideal for tight spaces. Cleanup and assembly can also be a chore due to its many parts.

Pros

• It produces a lot of juice due to the twin gear design.
• Could extract juice from leafy greens
• Preserves as much of the nutrients as possible.
• Minimizes oxidation to produce longer-lasting juice.

Cons

• Quite expensive compared to the other types.
• You’ll need to exert a bit more effort feeding produce into a twin gear juicer.
• Large and can be difficult to clean.

5. Hydraulic Press Juicers

Hydraulic press juicers are the heavyweights of the bunch. These juicers can extract the most amount of juice out of all the ones we’ve discussed.

These juicers work by applying high amounts of pressure (around 6,000 psi) to squeeze out all the juice from fruits and veggies literally. This process produces very little heat, foam, and oxidation – giving you the highest-quality juice possible.

To use a hydraulic press juicer, you’ll first need to shred whatever you’re juicing and then place it in a linen cloth or bag. The fabric acts as the mesh that keeps the dry pulp separate from the juice. It’s an added step that can make juicing large quantities of produce quite time-consuming.

Also, take note that some models come with a built-in shredder. If yours doesn’t, you’ll need to purchase one yourself.

Apart from that, hydraulic press juicers are also very expensive – easily set you back thousands of dollars. Constant use will also require you to spend more money in the long-term as you replace the necessary linen bags. They’re also quite large and take up a lot of space, making them impractical for small kitchens. Finally, their design typically makes them a challenge to clean as well.

Pros

• High yield and juice quality.
• Almost zero oxidation, allowing juice to stay fresh longer.
• Juicing process creates little noise.

Cons

• Expensive upfront and running costs.
• Relatively complicated to operate.
• Large and difficult to clean.

Frequently Asked Questions Regarding Juicers

Now that you have a better understanding of how the different types of juicers work let’s move on to the next section. Here, we’ll be providing you with answers to common questions regarding juicers and juicing in general.

Slow vs Fast Juicers – Is a slow juicer better than a fast juicer?

Overall, slow juicers produce better juice quality than fast juicers, but both slow and fast juicers have their own merits, and it’s just a matter of which one more appropriately suits your needs. Let’s break it down below:

Speed

Fast juicers will extract juice quicker than slow juicers can. Not only that, fast juicers generally don’t require as much pre-cutting beforehand as their spinning blades will do most of the work for you. They also have fewer parts meaning quicker assembly and cleanup.

Juice Quantity

In terms of the amount of juice extracted, slow juicers are overall the better option. However, the difference between the two types heavily depends on the kind of produce you are juicing. Berries and leafy greens, for example, will yield much more juice when processed with a slow juicer. In comparison, citrus fruits will generally yield the same amount of liquid between the two types.

Juice Quality

Juice quality can be determined by how nutrient-rich it is and how long it can stay fresh after being extracted. Some claim that slow juicers are the clear winners here. They’re only partially right, though. Some nutrients like vitamin C do degrade when exposed to heat, while others remain unaffected or even enhanced by it.

In terms of freshness, fast juicers always lead to more oxidation. But if you were to consume the juice immediately after extracting it, then the difference is hardly considered.

It’s also important to consider other important factors like noise levels, space limitations, and your budget when choosing which juicer is better for you.

What does cold-pressed juice mean?

Cold-pressed juice is any juice extracted without being exposed to high amounts of heat and air. In other words, it’s the juice that you get from slow juicers like masticating juicers, triturating juicers, and hydraulic press juicers.

Since these cold-pressed juicers operate at much slower speeds than fast juicers – therefore producing very little heat – the juice essentially stays as close to raw as possible. This preserves more nutrients and soluble fibers, making it a healthier alternative.

Another effect is you can’t introduce as much air to the juice – a great thing as it slows down the oxidation process. Oxidation is what causes nutrients to degrade and food to spoil. In other words, cold-pressed juice will stay fresh longer.

Some people also claim that cold-pressed juice tastes better, too. Although this might be more difficult to substantiate, the taste can be very subjective and vary from person to person.

What is the difference between a masticating juicer and a centrifugal juicer?

The main difference between masticating juicers and centrifugal juicers is the processing speed for fruits and vegetables.

A centrifugal juicer uses rotating blades and a mesh screen to pulverize food and separate its juice from its flesh quickly. It’s the fast spinning motion (upwards of 3,000 RPM) that creates sufficient force to push out the juice from the pulp.

On the other hand, a masticating juicer rotates much more slowly (between 80 and 100 RPM) to perform the same task. With the use of a spinning auger, this juicer effectively chews and shreds produce while squeezing out the juice. A perforated screen is what keeps the pulp separate.

The difference in speeds has a significant effect on the quality of the final product. The high speeds in centrifugal juicers mean a lot of heat, and air makes contact with the juice, causing certain nutrients to degrade and shortens shelf life. You can find the slower speeds in masticating juicers minimizes these problems – resulting in a juice that stays fresh longer and is more nutrient-dense.

There are some other differences, as well. Masticating juicers are more expensive, costing double or even triple the price of a centrifugal juicer. Masticating juicers are also much quieter to operate.

Summary

There you have it – the various juicer types and how they differ from one another. Hopefully, we’ve cleared things up for you, and you can now make a more informed decision when choosing which juicer is best.

• There is no clear, best juicer in the market. Each one has useful applications. However, a cold press juicer should suffice for most of your needs.
• Other considerations like budget and space requirements also come into play when selecting the right juicer for you.
• Some nutrients degrade when exposed to heat, while others are unaffected or even enhanced by it.
• Cold-pressed juice is overall superior to the juice extracted through other means.