Juicer buying guide

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.

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.

Do you really 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.

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. Juicers can also be fun, allowing you to try new fruit and vegetable combinations. If you regularly have leftover fruits or vegetables when you cook, you can cut down on waste and throw them in your juicer.

However, using a juicer takes time and effort, including peeling and chopping fruit and cleaning the juicer after every use. They're also not as versatile as a blender or a food processor with a juicer attachment.

What types 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.

How to compare juicers

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:

• Controls

  While basic juicers have little more than an on/off switch, more advanced centrifugal models come with different speed settings to suit different foods. Cold-press models commonly have a reverse feature if you need to unclog your machine.

  Check whether the controls are well laid out and simple to understand as well as if there's an LCD display for extra convenience.

• Juicer parts

  • Chute. The chute size determines whether you can insert whole pieces of fruit straight into the juicer or whether you'll have to take the time to cut them up into smaller segments.
  • Pulp container. Check the size of the pulp container. The larger it is, the less likely you are to have to stop the machine while juicing to empty it out.
  • Jug. Many models come with one or two juice jugs. A 1L jug should be enough to hold juice processed from 1kg of produce. If you choose a model that doesn't include a jug, make sure there's sufficient room under the spout to place your own container.
  • Attachments. Many juicers come with attachments to help you produce other homemade treats including smoothies, sorbets, purees and ice creams.

• Size

  Juicers can be quite sizable appliances, so check the dimensions in the specs sheet to find out how much space each juicer will take up on your kitchen bench. Models with in-built cord storage are handy for reducing clutter on your benchtop. If you'll be keeping your juicer on your kitchen bench, make sure you're happy with the design and that its look matches your existing decor.

• Cleaning

  Check how easy it is to disassemble the juicer to clean its parts. Is it dishwasher-safe? Are there any cracks and crevices where food waste could accumulate? Some juicers come with their own brushes for cleaning those hard-to-reach areas.

  As a general rule, cold-press juicers come with multiple parts that you can't place in the dishwasher. However, some models do feature self-cleaning systems to help take the hassle out of the process.

• Safety

  Check that there's no risk of fingers coming into contact with any blades, especially if kids are around.

• Warranty

  Read the fine print to find out the length of the manufacturer's warranty and what it covers. For example, while some models come with a blanket three-year warranty, others will come with a one-year replacement warranty and a five-year warranty on the motor.

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