Juicer reviews: Features explained
Types of juicer
There are two common types of juicer on the market – centrifugal and masticating.
Centrifugal juicers
Sieves vary in size and shape
Centrifugal juicers are widely-available on the high-street, and generally make juice fast yet noisily. They work by using toothed blades on the bottom of a rapidly-spinning sieve basket which separates juice from the pulp.
Many have two speeds for hard or soft fruit and veg. Some have citrus press attachments which means you only have to halve the fruit before pressing it onto a spinning cone. Otherwise it’s necessary to remove peel and pith and cut the fruit so it fits into the feed tube for standard centrifugal juicing.
Buying a more expensive model can mean a higher quality commercial-grade motor, more durable metal rather than plastic parts, and a longer warranty.
Masticating juicers
Gears can be made of hard-wearing plastic or metal
While more expensive, masticating juicers give the optimum juice yield and can retain more nutrients than centrifugal juicers.
They crush fruit and vegetables using slowly rotating gears (augers) and press out the juice through a perforated screen. They're available principally online.
If you're a keen juice drinker who wants the ultimate fresh juice either due to lifestyle or health reasons, or if you want to juice wheatgrass, for example, then this is the type to choose.
The juicing mechanisms can either use one gear pressing against its housing (single auger) or with two meshed gears turning against each other (twin auger). There’s also one machine (The Champion) which isn't quite a true masticating juicer - it has no gears - just a toothed cutter which rotates on a horizontal axis inside a perforated screen.
Masticating juicers are also extremely versatile – some can be used as mincers, for grinding coffee beans, making pasta, nut butters or even ice-cream. When you add in long warranties they could be worth the initial high price.
Manual juicers
You can also buy manual juicers where you turn a handle to squeeze the juice out. They're slow and quiet, but if you're lacking electricity, don't mind waiting for your juice, and have strong arms then they might be worth a look.
We haven't tested manual juicers, as they are a niche market and far less popular than the major types, even though they can be a more eco-friendly solution.
Juicer features to look for
Non-slip feet
All the juicers on test have these - usually small rubber pads, but in some cases suction cups, helping to keep your juicer steady as it whizzes fruit and vegetables.
Safety lock lid
Almost all juicers have a safety lock lid. This means the juicer won't work unless the lid is clicked into place securely.
Speeds
More than half the centrifugal juicers on test have two speeds so you can select a slow speed for soft fruit like berries, and a higher speed for harder fruits and vegetables such as carrots. The masticating juicers often have a reverse gear which helps to clear any blockages.
Feed tube size
A large feed tube means less preparation and faster juicing
Some of the juicers have large feed tubes that can take apples and other fruit whole. With other juicers you'll need to cut fruit up before you feed it in.
Pusher
The pusher fits into the chute and lets you safely push small fruit and vegetables into the juicing mechanism without risking your fingers. Pushers are generally made from plastic, although some of the masticating models come with wooden ones.
Look for one that has a comfortable rounded end to fit in the palm of your hand, as you might need to use quite a lot of pressure with harder vegetables. Some pushers have annoying grooves in the end that fits into the chute, and these can be a pain to wash up.
Drip-stop spout
A large feed tube means less preparation and faster juicing
This feature is quite rare, but really useful. After juicing, when you've removed your glass or jug from underneath the spout, any remaining juice inside the machine can drip out onto your worktop. A drip-stop spout flips up and seals the hole, so your worktop stays clean.
Cleaning brush
On centrifugal juicers the sieve can easily get clogged with fruit pulp, so a brush will come in handy. Similarly on masticating juicers, the fruit or vegetable screens will benefit from brushing. The handles of some brushes double as a spatula for scraping out fruit pulp from the container.
Dishwasher-safe parts
Washing-up all the attachments can be laborious, so look for a juicer where the sieves, gears and containers can be put in the dishwasher.
