Centrifugal juicer or masticating juicer? If it sounds confusing to you, you’re not alone. We know the value of juicing our way to nutritional good health and increasing our daily vitamin intake with smoothies and juices. But with so many different models on the market, understanding what each offers and which process produces the maximum nutritional benefit to you is what we’ll cover here.
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Let’s cut through the noise to find the best juicer to buy for what you want. First thing is to understand the operating basics before looking at the brands.
Juicer Basics
There’s 2 types of juicers, Centrifugal and Masticating juicer
What is a Centrifugal Juicer?
Centrifugal juicers are known as the ‘fast’ juicers because of the operating speeds. Rotations range between 10,000 and 25,000 rotations per minute.
To use a centrifugal juicer, you feed the items to be juiced through the machine to a chamber that holds a blade/grater that spins extremely fast to shred or grate fruit or vegs to extract the juice. Centrifugal force pushes the juice to the outside of the chamber, forcing it through fine mesh. This process further separates the remaining pulp from the juice. The liquid is then funneled from the juicer through a spout to your glass or jar.
- Centrifugal juicers tend to juice fast, making juice in under a minute.
- They’re fast because the speeds vary from 10,000 to 25,000 rotations per minute. They’re great with fruits and veggies.
- They’re usually cheaper than masticating juicers
- Can be noisy
- Centrifugal juicers may not handle tougher food items as well
- May not produce as much juice from harder foods when compared to a masticating juicer.
What is a Masticating Juicer?
Masticating means ‘to soften or reduce to pulp by crushing or kneading’. This makes masticating juicers ideal for juicing leafy greens. (It’s something that centrifugal juicers struggle with; even higher-end models). They are commonly known as ‘cold press’, ‘slow-juicers’ or ‘single gear’ juicers.
Masticating juicers use 1 or 2 twin-gear augers to “chew” the foods being juiced and operate at a slow speed, generally between 80 and 120 rotations per minute.
You’ll find the resulting pulp is drier as maximum juice is extracted. The color of your juice will be a little richer in color and the juice healthier. This method of extraction is the most efficient for wheatgrass, herbs and leafy vegetables which are difficult to juice. (*As a side note, cold-pressing is one of the processes used in the extraction of essential oils, where it’s more difficult to extract the oil from the plant without damaging the quality of the resulting product.*)
What does all this mean?
- Masticating juicers operate more quietly than centrifugal models, which can be loud.
- Centrifugal also require a bit more work to get the finished product. In other words, produce to be juiced must first be cut into small pieces for a centrifugal juicer.
- Masticating juicers tend to be on the pricey side, making them a better choice for people who know that juicing is their “thing”. Beginner juicers may want to purchase a cheaper model to make sure that juicing is something they plan to stick with before moving on to a masticating juicer.
- It will come as no surprise to find that low-end masticating juicers are more expensive than centrifugal juicers, but some pull double-duty by performing other functions, such as making almond milk or other nut milks.
- A big difference between centrifugal and masticating operation is the heat that’s generated as a result of the fast vs slow rotation. Heat generated as a result of speed can destroy some of the valuable nutrients; eg anti-oxidants and enzymes.
If you’re juicing hard vegetables, a masticating juicer is the way to go.
| Masticating Juicer benefits | Centrifugal Juicer pros/cons |
|---|---|
| Quick and easy to use | |
| Quieter operation | Can be noisy |
| Best for wheatgrass and leafy greens | Produce needs to be cut into small pieces |
| Maximise antioxidants and valuable nutrients from juice | Heat created by rotation speed can destroy some nutrients |
| Versatile - Make juices or use to make almond milk or other nut milks | Cheaper models available, ideal for 'beginner juicers' |
| Juice stays fresh for up to 48 hours | Juice stays fresh for up to 24 hours |
What should I look for when choosing a juicer?
As you compare models, keep in mind these points:
- Most of the best juicers have pulp collection in an external basket. This cuts down on cleaning time and juice processing time, since you don’t have to remove the internal basket during juicing to clear away pulp.
- If you plan to regularly juice harder fruits and veggies, choose a multiple-speed juicer.
- One-speed models are engineered really more for softer foods.
- Look for a juicer with the most dishwasher-safe parts possible, as juicers can be difficult to clean by hand.
To make the best juice we recommend
- Juicing at a low speed as it prevents oxidation or degradation of juice
- A gentle squeezing action as it will help keep healthy enzymes intact.
These are top performers in centrifugal juicers and masticating juicers.
Centrifugal Juicers
Breville Juicers
Widely recommended across the juicing community, due largely in part to “Fat, Sick & Nearly Dead” a 2010 documentary from Joe Cross who endorses and uses Breville juicers. Breville makes several juicers in its Juice Fountain series, which include the Juice Fountain Crush.
- This juicer, which uses centrifugal technology, crushes and squeezes, leaving lots of nutrients and fiber in the juice.
- It works with everything from cantaloupe, lemons and apples to pineapple, berries and wheatgrass.
- Most of its parts are dishwasher safe so cleanup is a snap.
Another top seller from Breville is the Juice Fountain Elite.
- Offers 1,000 watts of centrifugal juicing power with 40,000 filtering pores for smoother juice.
- The machine is easy to assemble and sturdy.
- It has a medium-noise level, so you don’t wake the whole neighborhood up to get your morning smoothie fix.
- A larger than usual feeding chute also makes it easier to juice larger ingredients with minimal prep.
Breville machines are mid-priced, running from $150 to $300.
VonShef Juicers
VonShef offers a couple of good juicers for the home market, including its professional wide-mouth 700-watt juicer, which is one of the best juicers on the market, retails just under $100, and was voted as one of the top 5 juicers by Great British Food Magazine.
This centrifugal juicer has stainless steel blades to shred foods into bits, extracting the maximum juice possible. It also operates at up to 18,000 RPMs, making it ideal for juicing hard fruits.
VonShef also makes a slow masticating juicer that extracts nutrients and enzymes instead of grinding foods, so you get maximum nutrient value with every use. The unit features a 200-watt motor and dispenses directly into the included collection jug.
Jack LaLanne Juicer
If you’re a fan of late night TV you might remember Jack LaLanne in a few infomercials over the years, touting the benefits of juicing with the Power Juicer Express, which is hands down one of the best juicers on the market. The brand has sold more than 5 million juicers worldwide, and it’s easy to see why.
- The stainless steel PJP Power Juicer Pro is whisper-quiet with a 3,600 RPM motor.
- Patented extraction technology and large-capacity pulp collector.
The Jack LaLanne Power Juicer Express features nearly whisper-quiet operation and is equipped with stainless steel blades that pulverize hard fruits and vegetables to extract maximum nutrition from everything you juice.
The company claims that its Power Juicer Express Deluxe machine extracts up to 30 percent more juice than other juicers. The juicer’s extra-large chute allows you to quickly juice whole foods, again, cutting prep time. As a bonus, the juicer comes with a money-back guarantee if you don’t like the juicer or think it’s not for you.
With models starting at less than $100, the Jack LaLanne juicer is definitely one to consider.
Cuisinart Juicer
Cuisinart offers a couple of juicers worth a second look, including a compact juice extractor and a full-size juice extractor.
The compact juice extractor offers one-touch operation with an LED control panel that’s easy to see and understand, and it comes with a juice pitcher to hold up to 16 ounces of juice at a time.
A removable pulp container and an included food pusher add to the juice extractor’s usability, while its large feed tube cuts down on cutting and prep time.
The full-size Cuisinart juice extractor offers all of these same features with a 5-speed dial control to customize juicing functions and a larger pulp container and juice pitcher to store juice after juicing.
Magic Bullet Nutribullet
While Magic Bullet does not technically make a juicer, its NutriBullet Pro 900 series does many of the things you’d expect from a juicer in a small, compact design that fits tidily on the counter.
A competitor to the Nutri Ninja, this bullet blender uses nutrient extraction technology to break down veggies, fruits, seeds, nuts and greens, so they are more readily absorbed, and all the while it reduces the pulp, skins, and other stuff into a drinkable texture.
The unit also does the other things you’re accustomed to with a bullet blender – making smoothies, crushing ice for frozen drinks, and so on. This makes it a small-scale version of a juicer that you can store easily or leave on the counter, and because it makes single servings, you can use it on the fly and take your juice drink with you.
Our Favorite Masticating Juicers
Omega Juicers
Omega offers a virtual hodgepodge of juicers, 29 models altogether, including high-speed and low-speed juicing systems, twin-gear juicers, and basic citrus juicers. Many of which often make lists of the best juicers on the market. However they are most well known for their Masticating juicers.
Omega juicers have been on the market for almost 40 years. Starting out as Olympic products in 1985 the name changed to Omega Juicers in 1987. They have the runs on the board for reliability of service and a whopping 10 year warranty to back their products.
Omega J8006 Nutrition Centre
Range of colors to suit your kitchen style, silver, green, pink, lime, purple, red, white
Operates at 80 revolutions per minute
10 year warranty
This is a top selling and highly rates product by users.
It’s great value at well under $300 at time of writing
Omega MegaMouth vertical Juicer
- Its slow 60 rpm operation with a gentle squeezing action maximises the nutritional benefit you’ll get from your juice
- Shelf life of squeezed juice is longer; juice doesn’t oxidize as quickly
- Large chute to feed produce makes it simple and convenient to use
- Manufacturer 10 year warranty on parts and performance
- Removable parts are diswasher safe
- The MegaMouth juicer from Omega is a top seller and gets great reviews from users.
Omega’s Nutrition System juicers are masticating juicers that run at low RPMs to minimize heat buildup, pressing and squeezing whole foods to extract maximum goodness from leafy vegetables, greens, fruits and nut milks.
Save time with this large feed chute. It’s large enough to fit most whole apples, pears, tomatoes, beets etc. No need to chop fruit and veg first.
Omega Juicers VRT350 heavy duty, dual-stage, low speed – good for wheatgrass juicing.
- You need this slow juicing action when you are looking for the best wheatgrass juicer.
- These produce a high yield with very dry pulp.
Cuisinart CSJ-300 Easy Clean Slow Juicer
Uses a slow masticating action to extract maximum, nutrient-rich juice. As the name suggests this juicer is easy to use, easy to clean with a very quiet motor. Oh, and it’s very reasonably priced too at under $170 at time of writing.
Cuisinart is a long established kitchen appliance manufacturer with a solid reputation for reliable products.
Don’t just think of fruits and vegetables. Wheat grass, sprouts and nut milk juice equally as well.
A handy reverse button allows you to clear the augur and avoid clogging at the push of a button. All removable parts can be cleaned in a dishwasher.
Did I mention Easy Clean. For those of you who’ve had a centrifugal juicer in the past, and spent time with the little brush cleaning the mesh filter. (You know what I’m talking about.) You’ll appreciate this video and how easy this masticating juicer is.
Cheap Centrifugal Juicers
Black & Decker and Hamilton Beach offer basic centrifugal juicers that are affordable for most budgets.
While these cheaper models may not be the best juicers on the market, they do the job for people who are just getting into juicing. They are well built and from trusted brands, so you can have confidence buying them.
Black & Decker
One of the lowest-priced juicers on the market is Black & Decker’s JE2200B 400-watt fruit and vegetable juice extractor.
Because it has less power than many of the pricier models on the market, it’s better suited for juicing softer foods like apples, spinach, oranges, and melon.
It has the benefit of a small footprint, so it takes up very little room on your counter and has a simple interface that’s easy to use.
Simple, easy, and does the job at a low price.
Hamilton Beach Juicer
The Big Mouth Pro extractor is a low-end juicer that packs a lot of performance for a low price tag.
It has a somewhat powerful 1.1-horsepower motor, so it can juice tough vegetables with little lag time.
Its chute is 3 inches wide, so you can fit whole veggies and fruits inside without cutting them first.
The machine’s spout funnels juice into a container or glass, making it a cinch to make the whole family fresh juice for breakfast, or juice yourself a drink to go.
- Hamilton Beach claims that the Big Mouth Pro juices up to 24% more apple juice per glass than one of the leading competitors in the niche.
As a bonus, it comes with a 20-ounce juice container that doubles as a pitcher for storing juice in the fridge.
