Learn what to look for when choosing the best juicer for your kitchen.
If you're looking for an easy way to include more fruit and veggies in your diet, a juicer can help. There's a wide variety of products to choose from and an even broader price range – anywhere from $60 to $1,000 or more for commercial-scale models – so you'll need to compare different juicers and their features to find the one that's right for your needs.
Compare 10 of the most popular juicers for 2018
What is a juicer?
A juicer is a kitchen appliance designed to extract the liquid from fruits and vegetables. It separates the pulp from the liquid to create smooth and (hopefully) delicious-tasting juice.
Juicers shouldn't be confused with blenders, which process the whole fruit or vegetable and produce thicker drinks, such as smoothies. If you want to buy a blender, check out our guide to the best blenders.
Why buy a juicer?
There are several reasons why a juicer could be a handy addition to your kitchen:
Health benefits
While infomercials make some outlandish (and untrue) claims about the health benefits of fresh juice, a juicer can make it easier to squeeze more vitamins, minerals and nutrients into your body – and without any of the additives or sweeteners found in some store-bought juices.
Get creative
Juicers can also be fun, allowing you to try new fruit and vegetable combinations to create delicious juices for different situations – a thirst-quenching beverage for summer, a post-gym cool-down juice or even a hangover cure for the morning after a big night.
Clean out your crisper
Got a stray carrot or a couple of tomatoes left over from last night's dinner? Instead of throwing them out, include them in your next juice and take advantage of the nutritional benefits they offer.
When don't I need a juicer?
If you're tossing up whether to buy a juicer, the key factor to consider is how often you will use it. Waking up to a glass of fresh juice every day sounds inviting, but the novelty can quickly wear off.
Simply put, using a juicer isn't instant. It takes time and effort, so you need to be willing to put in plenty of hard work peeling, chopping and cleaning regularly if you're going to get your money's worth. If you're not committed to using a juicer several times a week, chances are you'll end up shoving it to the back of a cupboard and forgetting about it.
Juicers can be quite expensive appliances, so think twice before handing over a big pile of cash. They're also highly specialised pieces of equipment, so you might decide that the versatility of a blender or a food processor – some high-end food processors come with a juicer attachment – better suits your needs.
Check out our guide to buying a food processor
What types of juicers are available?
There are two types of juicers to choose from:
- Centrifugal juicers. Centrifugal juicers (sometimes called juice extractors) work by feeding produce through a spinning blade and relying on centrifugal force to separate the juice from the pulp. They're quick and easy to use, producing juice in well under a minute.
- Cold-press juicers. Also known as masticating or slow juicers, these models usually produce better-quality juice than centrifugal juicers and can extract more liquid from your fruit and vegetables. Cold-press juicers operate at much lower speeds than their counterparts and gently compress and crush fruit and vegetables to extract the juice within.
| Pros | Cons | |
|---|---|---|
| Centrifugal juicers |
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| Cold-press juicers |
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How do I compare juicers?
Centrifugal juicers generally range from $60 up to $400, while cold-press models start at around $200 and can cost as much as $1,000.
Before buying a juicer, you'll need to consider the size of the appliance, how easy it is to use and clean, and how much it costs. Make sure you take the following factors into account:
Which juicer is best for me?
The best juicer for you will depend on the types of juice you want to produce, how often you plan on using your machine and your budget.
In order to find an appliance that meets all your needs, you'll need to shop around and compare a variety of options. As a guide on how to do this, we've compared the pros and cons of five popular juicers in the table below:
| The good | The bad | |
|---|---|---|
| Cuisinart CJE-1000 |
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| Breville Juice Fountain Plus JE98XL |
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| Hamilton Beach Big Mouth 67601 |
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| Hurom H26 Alpha |
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| Kuvings Chef CS600 |
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While juicers won't find a home in every kitchen, they can be a very handy appliance for the right owner.
So if you want to buy a juicer, start comparing your options today.
