It’s Well Worth It To Invest In a Durable Juice or Smoothie Machine
Best Juice & Smoothie Machines
Let’s get right to the point. What’s the best juicer? Interestingly John Kohler from discountjuicers.com whose brief and informative video comparisons are in my opinion the best help when shopping for a juicer or blender, just made a video asking experts what they preferred. To summarize, the best blender is unanimously the VitaMix. The best juicer is a variety of models but ALL are in the category of the ‘slow’ juicers. I review these as well as many others below. The favorite slow juicers were the Breville Crush, Hurom, Omega 8006, OmegaVERT, and the GreenStar. Why are these such favorites? Primarily because they juice greens so well, and leafy greens and wheatgrass are essential to juice and smoothie recipes for their ‘superfood’ qualities.
Types of Machines
The many juicers reviewed here and alll juice machines in general can be separated into 3 categories:
- Centrifugal juicers which grind and spin, are least expensive, but don’t do greens well.
- Slow juicers which squeeze rather than spin for better nutrient content and do nearly all veggies and fruits including greens and wheatgrass.
- Press juicers which are generally very expensive but produce the best nutrient content. However, they take the most time for preparation and cleaning.
Our Unique Review Process
Be aware that though we have reviewed and summarized hundreds of consumer reviews, a fair number are written by ghost writers for companies that pay them to write favorable reviews. This is why I prefer the side-by-side video comparisons of juice machines such as John Kohler’s many brief Youtube presentations available at his website so that you can judge for yourself.
My sister who does all the exhaustive research claims that after reading so many reviews she is now able to spot the fakes! Also beware that the most popular brands are not necessarily the best, since popularity is driven by availability, advertising and marketing – none of which insure quality. For instance, one of the very finest juice machines is an expensive appliance manufactured by Norwalk, but a consumer review is rarely found because relatively few people own this machine.
What we have done here includes something that I haven’t seen done anywhere else. First, we list the most popular websites that rate the most popular, highly rated and best selling machines – nothing unusual here. Along with these sites we include their ratings. Next we give you a brief review of all the machines mentioned plus any machine we have heard of – a kind of Wikepedia of juice machines. Finally – and here’s our unique contribution – we summarize the many reviews we have read on each machine. This not only saves you time but also and most importantly provides a more reliable review based upon an ‘average’ of all the reviews we read.
Though it is impossible for anyone to provide a completely unbiased point of view it is important to note that this ‘averaging’ of reviews is the best way we have found to reduce the effects of dishonest and manufacturer-paid reviews. We realize that the strength of any ‘average’ is based on the number of items averaged. Thus every one of our reviews is based upon several that we have viewed including video comparisons, owners manuals and calls to customer service.
After researching many juice appliances we have come to an important conclusion: in the world of juice machines you get what you pay for, meaning that if it is less expensive it is definitely less durably made. This is true for all juice appliances that we have ever seen on an infomercial!
My sister and I receive no compensation from any juice machine manufacturer or advertiser.
How Top Websites Rate Them
http://www.ConsumerResearch.com – Top Juicers: 1. Breville Elite, 2. Hamilton Beach Big Mouth Pro, 3. Breville Juice Fountain, 4. Breville Die-Cast Citrus Press 800 (this only juices citrus), 5. Black & Decker Citrus Mate Plus (citrus only), 6. Green Star GS 2000, 7. Breville Compact Juicer.
http://consumerselect.hubpages.com – Top 10 Juicers: 1. Breville Compact, 2. Hamilton Beach 67650, 3. Breville Ikon, 4. Breville Elite, 5. Hamilton Beach 67601, 6. Breville Juice Fountain Plus, 7. Black & Decker JE2200B, 8. Omega J8006, 9. Omega J8004, 10. Hamilton Beach 67608.
http://www.FindAJuicer.com – Top 5 Juicers: 1. Sunkist SK860 Masticating Juicer, 2. Vita-Mix Tritan, 3. Breville Ikon, 4. Omega J8005, 5. Breville Juice Fountain Plus.
http://BestJuicerReviews.net/best-juicer-reviews/juicer-reviews-and-best-juicer-to-buy – Top Juicers: 1. Breville juicers – all models, 2. Omega juicers – all models, 3. Champion Juicers, 4. Black & Decker, 5. Hurom 100 Slow Juicer, 6. Magic Bullet, 7. Jack LaLanne – all models, 8. Juiceman – 3 models only, 9. Green Star – all models, 10. Hamilton Beach, 11. Waring, 12. Acme.
http://www.ConsumerReports.org/cro/appliances/kitchen-appliances/juicers/juicer-ratings/ratings-overview.htm: Note: Consumer Reports ratings are based on 1. overall rating by Consumer Reports tests and customer reviews, 2. performance, 3. convenience, and 4. noise. CR does not consider several issues typically important to people who juice regularly such as warranty, quality & durability, ease of cleaning, and customer service. It is not surprising that there is an unusual disappointment with Consumer Reports about the quality of their juicer reviews. This is an important consideration since most consumers rely heavily upon CR reviews. Top Juicers: 1. Juiceman Pro JM503, 2. Hamilton Beach 67650, 3. Breville Elite, 4. Dr. Weill 9816, 5. L’Equip XL 215, 6. Oster 3167, 7. West Bend Performance 7010, 8. Bullet Express BE110, 9. Omega 4000, 10. Waring Pro JEX410, 11. Jack LaLanne Pro E 1189.
http://BestJuicerRatings.org: Best-selling Juicers: 1. Breville Elite, 2. Super Angel 5500, 3. Omega vrt360, 4. Champion Juicer P5-GC7 10/20, 5. Breville Ikon. This site concludes that Breville and Omega are the ‘best juicers’ overall.
http://www.BestJuicerToBuy.org: Best Juicers: 1. Breville Compact, 2. Hamilton Beach 65670, 3. Breville Ikon, 4. Breville Elite.
http://www.FlowingHome.com/juicers/best-juicers-to-buy-reviews: Best Juicers: 1. Breville Compact, 2. Breville Ikon, 3. Breville Elite, 4. Omega J8006, 5. Omega 350HD, 6. Green Star GS-1000.
http://FreshStartJuicers.com/centrifugal-juicer.html: Best Juicers: 1. Breville Elite 2. Breville Ikon, 3. Breville Juice Fountain Plus, 4. L’Equip 110.5, 5. Omega 4000, 6. Omega 330, 7. Waring Pro JEX450.
Centrifugal Juicers
Aside from the very cheapest citrus presses (that only juice citrus) these are the cheapest juicers, but they are the noisiest and don’t do greens which are absolutely essential to your juice recipes due to their high nutrient content.
Centrifugals are great ‘1st juicers’ for those not yet ready to get serious about 
juicing. The high rpm’s result in the lowest quality juice in terms of nutrient value due to oxidation produced by the spinning action. Cleanup time tends to be more than slow juicers but much less than presses. But let’s just say that for one reason or another you have your heart set on a centrifugal juicer – which one is the best? Omega has the best warranties, but the Kuving is the most durable.
Omega 1000: durable, dependable, efficient, and relatively quiet & easy to clean (all centrifugal juicers require more work to clean than other types, because the mesh basket and gear have large surfaces). Includes a large capacity bowl. Delivers pulp-free juice. $200-250 with a 10yr warranty. It’s considered the ‘original juicer’ and continues to lead the industry.
Omega 4000: starts at $200 with a 15yr warranty. Automatically ejects pulp which is known as a “continuous action juicer” Durable, dependable, efficient, and easy to use and clean. One of the premiere “pulp ejector” style juicers with a large capacity bowl.
Omega 9000: $220-300, this juicer is the Omega 1000 with a stainless steel top and longer (15-year) warranty. The 1000 and 9000 have been on the market for over 40 years. Durable, dependable, efficient, and relatively quiet. Slightly easier to clean than the 1000 with paper filters for pulp removal. Includes large capacity bowl. Has very loyal following.
Omega BMJ330 Big Mouth Juicer: large feed chute with commercial grade ½ horsepower. Runs quietly and is easy to use and clean. $200-300, includes a 10-year warranty. Constructed of heavy duty stainless steel. Makes an extremely high yield pulp-free juice, and comes with large capacity bowl. Only drawback: reviewers complain that it’s messy to use. Demonstration videos do show splatter from juice spout.
Acme 6001 Supreme Juicerator: $200-360, 10yr limited warranty (motor only), cleanup very easy, claims ‘vibration free’, dishwasher safe parts. Made in USA. Optional attachments for better citrus juicing. Note: high accolades from those who’ve owned the old Acme Juicerator – current version received complaints of high noise and cheaply made since acquired by Waring.
Acme Supreme 5001 Juicerator Juice Extractor (also sold as Waring Pro PJ401: $169-325, 5yr limited warranty (confusion here: some sites say ‘10yr limited warranty’), stainless steel basket, blade, bowl & lid, high yield juice & easy cleanup, vibration free, commercial grade stainless steel motor, polycarbonate housing, dishwasher-safe parts, includes recipes. Made in USA. Optional citrus juice attachment purchased separately $58. Some consumers complain about noise level and not easy to clean.
Big Boss 8123 Juicer: manufactured in China. $66-130, 1yr warranty on defects, dual speed, stainless steel basket, removable pulp collector attaches at back, 3” feed chute, dishwasher safe, includes cleaning brush & recipes (in manual). Comments recommend this for a 1st juicer, very loud, doesn’t juice fibrous, pulpy, or hard produce, motor stalls often, and internal plastic parts can break and disperse into juice & pulp!
Bullet Express Trio BE110: $120-160, 1yr limited warranty on manufacturer’s defects only, dual speed 3-in-1 system includes juicer, blender & attachment for shredding and mincing, pulp collector attaches at back, purchase includes recipe book. Made in China. Note: comsumer complaints about not juicing greens, quality of juicer, difficult to clean, and difficulty contacting customer support.
Magic Bullet Juicer: $49-100, 1yr limited warranty on manufacturer’s defects only, this 17 piece ‘mixing system’ does not actually juice but only makes smoothies and protein drinks. Made in China. Note: consumer complaints that it will not juice vegetables and many types of fruit, and although it is quite compact the unit overheats rapidly, plastic parts break, and it is difficult to clean.
Cuisinart CJE-1000: $150-270, 3yr limited warranty on manufacturers defects, 5-speeds, body die-cast and stainless steel, 3” feed chute, “exclusive foam management filter disk” reduces foam (although the foam is natural and just fine!), “exclusive anti-drip adjustable flow spout”, dishwasher-safe. Includes 2 liter pulp container, 1qt. juice pitcher, cleaning brush, and recipes. Made in China. Note: most first time juice customers give it high scores compared to cheaper purchases such as the Jack LaLanne line – accolades for cost, noise, and ease of use. Among experienced juicer users the most common complaints are that the lid/latch system is difficult to use and clean-up is time consuming.
Dr. Weil Healthy Kitchen Professional Juice Extractor 9816: $95-125, 1yr limited warranty, dual-speed, metal housing and locking arm, 3½“ feed chute, stainless steel blade & micromesh basket, pulp & juice sent to separate containers. Country of manufacture unknown and customer support has not yet returned our call. Note: although this juicer appears on a number of top ten juicer lists including ‘Consumer Reports,’ few positive consumer comments. Problems mentioned are short motor life, leakage, and difficult assembly.
Juiceman Express JM1000M Junior Silver Metallic Juice Extractor and Food Processor: $83-130, 2yr limited warranty on defects only, stainless steel & plastic body, high and low speed & pulse control, stainless steel mesh basket, 3” wide circular feed chute & produce pusher, a combined juicer and food processor. Includes 9” cup juice collector ‘workbowl’, large 1.6 liter pulp collector, cleaning brush, and recipe book. Dishwasher safe. Very popular 1st juicer. Juiceman is manufactured in China. There are many Juiceman products now on the market such as the JM300, JM400, JM410, Jr. Elite Pro JM211, Juiceman II Elite JM502 & JM503, JCJ 150S. Only the Juiceman Express JM1000M & 2, and the Juiceman JM480S are currently manufactured. Purchasing other models is not recommended since parts & service may be an issue. The most recent juicer review published by Consumer Reports listed the Pro JM503 among their top rated brands. The original ‘Juiceman II’ was replaced by the Juiceman II Elite ($90-200 with 1yr limited warranty) and the Juiceman Jr. 2-speed JM300 ($35-70 with no warranty). These as mentioned above are no longer manufactured. The Juiceman line of juicers have a devoted following, but there are complaints that parts and motor have a short life. Jim Rubel outright warns to steer clear of Juiceman and other infomercial brands for their short life.
Juiceman JM480S: $80-100, 2yr limited warranty on defects only, dual speed, plastic over stainless steel body, stainless steel basket and pulp collector, feed chute 3”, dishwasher safe. Includes cord storage, skid-free base, juice collector & spout, cleaning brush, 2 produce pushers. Note: very popular but many consumer complaints about durability of machine.
Oster 3167: $69-79, 1yr warranty on everything except accessories, made in China, ‘extra wide feed chute’, stainless steel filter, dishwasher safe. Housing appears plastic, although no info available. Includes 34 oz. juice collector, ‘large capacity’ pulp collector. Note: customers rave about price.
Vita-Mix ‘Tritan’ CIA Professional Series: Not a juicer but a very high speed blender, made in USA, $499-600, 7yr warranty on all parts, frequently reviewed & referred to as juicer, but is actually a food processor in blender form, i.e., pulp is not separated so it creates ‘smoothies’ only. As such it is a very powerful, high-end work horse for nearly all needs, from fruits and veggies to herbs, spices, seeds & nuts. Very few consumer complaints, and the hands-down favorite blender for making smoothies (the juice plus the pulp together) among health food experts.
West Bend Performance 7010 Juice Extractor: $118-150, 1yr limited warranty on defects only. Made in China, all Westbend juicers discontinued this year but still sold online. We do not recommend purchase due to possible problems with warranty and customer service. Dual speed, 3” feed chute, stainless steel, dishwasher safe. Note: besides this juicer no longer made, consumer complaints numerous.
Miracle Ultramatic MJ7000: $230-330, 3yr warranty. The warranty is shorter than most but the construction is extra durable with a stainless steel cutting disc, strainer basket, juice bowl, and juicer body. Includes automatic suction feeder, large pulp ejector, and very large feed chute. Easiest cleanup among centrifugal models. Handles wide range of fruits and veggies including watermelon and berries.
L’Equipe 221: $200-250, 15yr warranty. Reviewers do not recommend this model due to breakage and returns. For instance, John Kohler highly discourages this juicer for ‘quality control’ issues, lack of ease in warranty returns, high cost, and the ‘foot-print’ for your troubles.
Lequip Mini 110.5: $100-150. A unique, high quality juicer with small, compact design (suited for ‘single user’) and 10yr warranty. Korean made, very user friendly, and easy to clean. Dishwasher safe, includes stainless steel basket, bowl, and blade. It is powerful, delivers high yield, and includes patented pulp ejector. It is considered by reviewers to be the most powerful, quiet, and efficient centrifugal juicer for the price.
Lequip 215XL: $120-160. Identical to the 110.5, except this has a larger (3”) feed chute. 10yr warranty, great price, compact design, and easy to use and clean. The powerful motor again delivers high yield. Includes same dishwasher-safe stainless steel bowl, basket, and blade of the 110.5. Reported by reviews to be remarkably quiet for a centrifugal juicer. Note: one common complaint with L’Eqiup is customer service! However, the 110.5 and 215XL models have few problems and high praise.
Breville BJE200XL Compact Juice Fountain: replaces Breville JE900, $100-150, 1yr warranty on motor only, very loud, All Breville brands and parts made in Italy and China, 3” round feed chute, ‘Breville Assist Plug’ senses overheating and automatically shuts off motor, Breville states that parts are ‘dishwasher safe’, but many consumers comment that the dishwasher heat warps parts & causes breakage. Other comments include time-consuming clean-up, and not great with leafy greens or soft produce. For the record no centrifugal juicer does greens well and few juicers of any kind can handle the soft fruits and veggies such as avocados and bananas.
Breville JE98XL Juice Fountain Plus: $150-230, replaces Breville JE95XL, 1yr warranty on motor only, dual-speed control, plastic housing, stainless steel blades cost extra, dishwasher safe, 3” wide circular feed chute, ‘Breville Assist Plug’. Customers comment that it is loud and clean-up is time-consuming. For the record all centrifugal juicers are loud and take more time to clean than ‘slow’ juicers but not as much time as it takes to clean a high-end juice press.
Breville BJE510 Ikon Juice Extractor: $200-300, 1yr warranty motor only, stainless steel body, 5-speed, base includes rubber feet, stainless steel blade & basket, dishwasher safe, 3 ¼” round feed chute, LCD light display indicates what produce should be juiced at which speed level. Comments: loud; cutting & chopping required despite wide feed chute, not good with leafy greens, plastic-constructed lid cracks if not placed on properly, and clean-up not easy.
Breville Juice Fountain Elite: $290-400, 1yr warranty on motor only, die-cast metal body & motor, stainless steel 3” feed chute parts, dual-speed, Breville Assist Plug’, and dishwasher safe. Comments: noisy, heavy, overpriced, difficult to clean, and does not juice leafy greens well.
Jack LaLanne Juicers: Before reviewing Jack LaLanne juicers, it’s important to mention some notable highlights of the man whose name they bear. Jack LaLanne is best remembered as the father of fitness, health & nutrition. His life spanned from 1914 to 2011, & included many ‘firsts’: among them, LaLanne hosted a TV exercise program from 1951 to 1985 – the longest running of its kind – years before Jane Fonda and Richard Simmons became household names. He was a forerunner in emphasizing the exercise needs of women, people with disabilities, and the elderly. LaLanne authored quite a number of books on fitness and nutrition, opened one of the earliest fitness centers in the US (1939), & invented exercise equipment still in use today. His views on juicing & its benefits were also a first, especially when LaLanne went public, using the infomercial to market his health ideals, & a ‘new’ kitchen item: the juicer.
The early Jack LaLanne juicer infomercial brought new values about health & well-being into homes across the country. It’s no wonder those who’ve owned one for 10 years & longer hold them in such high regard. However, what’s essential is that the early LaLanne juicers & newer models are not the same. Over the past 7 – 9 years, juicers bearing his name have changed and consumer reviews since 2004 have become mixed. Most importantly, the original maker of Jack LaLanne juicers no longer manufactures the Power Juicer series. They are now made in China. Many comments expressing dissatisfaction with customer service and getting replacement parts.
Jack LaLanne Power Juicer Classic: (also referred to as ‘JLPJB Power Juicer’):$99-130, plastic housing, stainless steel blade, 90-day warranty on all parts, wide feed chute. Comments: loud, messy cleanup, does poorly with leafy greens.
Jack LaLanne JLSS Power Juicer Express Deluxe: (also referred to as ‘PJP Electric Juicer Express’): $120-150, ‘limited lifetime’ warranty on motor, stainless steel body, and blade, dishwasher safe. Comments include noisy, cannot handle a host of produce including pulpy fruits, leafy greens, and herb. Motor break-down is a common complaint.
Jack LaLanne PJP Power Juicer Pro (also referred to as ‘PJP Power Juicer Pro Stainless Steel Electric Juicer’): $108-170, 90-day warranty on parts, ‘limited lifetime’ warranty on motor, large round feed chute, stainless steel body and blade. Comments: loud, cleaning neither fast nor easy, poor job juicing leafy greens, and frequent motor failure.
Jack LaLanne 10091 Power Juicer: (also referred to as ‘PJEB or PJEW’ Power Juicer Express’ depending on site). Smaller, cheaper version of the ‘Classic’, $79 (for white plastic housing – $99 for black) – $120, compact version of the ‘classic’. Comments: juice splashes out from spout, creating mess. The Owner’s Manual states that ‘this is normal.’
Hamilton Beach Big Mouth Pro 67650: $50-75, 1yr warranty on manufacturer’s defects only, 3” feed chute, plastic housing, stainless steel micro mesh basket, die-cast metal locking latches, and dishwasher safe. Comments of motor failure soon after purchase, loud, and difficult to clean.
Waring Pro Juice Extractor PJE 401: $165-360, 5yr warranty on motor and 1yr on parts – manufacturer defects only, poly-carbonite plastic motor housing beneath brushed stainless steel, 3 ½” feed chute, stainless steel blade, basket, and juice collector, cover and bowl only dishwasher safe, juicing citrus requires separately purchased attachment, and for softer produce the basket must be lined with paper filters (included). Comments: very loud.
Waring Juicer JEX328: Also sold as Acme Supreme Juicerator 6001, $50-112, 5yr limited on motor – 1yr on all parts, die-cast metal motor housing beneath stainless steel, 3 1/2” feed chute; ‘cushioned feet’, dishwasher safe. Comments: very loud, frequent motor failure, cleanup time consuming, does not juice citrus or leafy greens.
Black & Decker Juice Extractor JE2200B: $35-40, 2yr warranty on motor and parts, made in China, blade and basket stainless steel, dishwasher safe, internal cord storage, ‘non-skid feet.’ Comments: very loud; 1-person juicer only, cheaply made, disassembling parts complicated, cannot juice small fruits (particularly berries).
Kuving Ejection Juicer: $150. In my opinion the best made centrifugal juicer, 3yr warranty on all parts, lightweight yet durable, 2-speed, pulp does not spray out due to superior design, stainless steel and fine mesh basket so you get the least pulp of all centrifugal juicers, and dishwasher safe. As with all centrifugal juicers this does not do greens.
Slow Juicers
For the sake of simplicity I’ve grouped many kinds of juicers into this “slow” category, including masticating and triturating juicers with single or twin augers that slowly grind and strain produce rather than spin as with the above centrifugal juicers. While these juicers are more expensive, they are much better at juicing leafy greens, and their much lower rpm’s mean less heat and oxygen in the juice which means more nutrients. These juicers are also quieter and easier to clean than centrifugals.
Super Angel SAJ 5500 Stainless Steel Living Juice Extractor- Super Heavy Duty Juicer: $1,150-1,200, 10yr warranty, made in South Korea, quiet, includes motor fan cooling system and overheat-sensor to prevent overheating of motor, all stainless steel construction, including parts, ‘anti-bacterial’ twin gears, on/off/reverse, cleans easily, juices all produce including greens and herbs, also makes soy milk, tofu, and seed juice. Most frequent comments involve the high price, filter screens difficult to clean, not good with pulpy produce (a ‘soft fruit’ and ‘nut butter’ attachment can be separately purchased).
Sunkist SK860 Masticating Juicer: produced by Omega (S. Korea) and essentially the same as the Omega single auger 8006. $300 – $400, warranty: some sites and customers claim 15yr, while Customer Service reports 2yr. Dual-stage single auger, housing chrome or white, auger: GE Ultem. Despite info posted on some sites, dimensions appear identical. Note: refer to Omega J8006 for details. While not commonly purchased, of all customer reviews read, only 1 complaint: spout detached during juicing.
Samson 9003-6 (#’s refer to colors): $260-350, 15yr warranty on all parts. Single auger, quiet, durable, very fast, and easier to assemble and clean. Juices everything: fruits, veggies, leafy greens, wheatgrass, even aloe and pine needles. Delivers high yield and drier pulp. Homogenizes. Makes nut butters and frozen sorbets, and minces herbs, spices, meats, and fish.
Omega 8000 series and VERT: these single auger juicers are well made, have the best warranties of any slow juicer, and deliver very high yield with equally dry pulp. $230-300, 10yr warranty on all parts. Ejects pulp and runs at a low (80) rpm. Built to last with powerful motor. Quiet, easy to use and clean, and rated for both home and commercial use. Many experts say the VERT is their favorite of all juicer brands. Most people like the upright single auger juicers (VERT, Hurom, Breville Crush, Kuving Silent) over the horizontal ones (Omega 8000 series, Kuving horizontal, GreenStar) because they process food quicker and are easier to clean. The Omega VERT is John Kohler’s favorite, and I consider John the highest authority on juice machines.
Hurom HU-100: single auger, easy to clean, quiet, and well made. About $400 with a 10yr warranty on motor and 1-year on parts. Juicer parts upgraded to GE Ultem fine juicing screen and Ultem auger, meaning, made to last. Hurom juices fruits, veggies, leafy greens, herbs, wheatgrass, and soaked beans. Interestingly, Hurom and Omega are made by the same company with the same design but in separate factories! I own a Hurom and love it, but John Kohler, who in my opinion is the expert on all juicers, prefers the Omega 8003 due to the better warranty. See a great short video produced by RawFoodWorld comparing 2 of the best slow juicers (many say THE best): Hurom and Green Star. What is great about this video is that the people at RawFoodWorld loved the Greenstar and used it for many years until Hurom came on the market, and the video clearly shows the tremendous advantages of the Hurom – quicker, does fruit better, and clogs less. If you are interested in either juicer RawFoodWorld.com offers a 5% discount if you purchase through them.
Champion: $210-300 with a 10yr warranty. Single auger, durable, and dependable. The shaft is stainless steel and the motor runs at a slower 1/3 horsepower. Cleanup time is longer. Many, including Jim Rubel report poor performance with leafy greens and fruits. Others report ‘heating’ of juices. Rubel points out the cumbersome weight (26 lbs). Champion does offer ‘greens’ attachment at an additional $75-90.
L’Equip Omni: single auger and newest edition to L’Equip series. Compared to others in this category, the Omni is compact, $300-400, 10yr warranty, and has a ‘cold press’ feature which reviewers especially like. Reviewers also rave about its ability to extract oil from seeds. Some complaints about lower juice yield, especially from fruits and leafy greens. The Omni claims to have the fastest cleanup. Able to juice aloe and pine needles. Note: John Kohler does not recommend any L’Equip products due to poor customer service.
Solo Star: $190-300, 5yr warranty. Delivers higher yield than Omega’s. Durable (melamine auger), juices all fruits and veggies, leafy greens, wheatgrass, herbs, minces, mills, homogenizes, and makes pasta. Some reviews complain of pulpy juice. There are, however, many more happy campers than not with this one.
Solo Star II: 5yr warranty, $250-300, new longer auger delivers higher yield than its smaller precursor, the Solo Star. Higher yield compared to Omega 8003/5, but a larger, longer machine. Produces more juice and drier pulp. Cleanup is longer due to more parts – about 3 minutes.
Green Power Juice Extractor KPE-1304: $440-550, 10yr warranty on motor and 2yr on parts. Quiet, easy to use, and easiest to clean. Ease of cleaning refers to ‘twin gear presses’ in general, but there are more parts to assemble, and assembly tends to be trickier compared with most juicers, and thus the cleanup time is longer. Higher yield and drier pulp. Magnetic bio-ceramic twin gear press creates juices with some of highest nutrient and enzyme content. Excellent ‘green’ juicer.
Green Life: According to John Kohler, while Green Life is available and has a 5yr warranty, the manufacturer Tribest has discontinued this juicer. Green Star replaced Green Life. Often referred to as the best green juicer, but not great with fruits. Note: the Green Life can still be bought on the internet (like the original Juiceman II), but reviewers caution that it’s important for your investment to buy a juicer that’s in production otherwise replacement parts may be an issue.
Green Star Juice Extractor GS-1000: twin-gear meaning it runs the pulp through the juicing process twice to extract more juice, easy to assemble and clean, durable bio-ceramic magnetic gears, and quiet. $440-500, 5yr warranty. High yield, very dry pulp, lowest horsepower meaning best nutrient value due to lowest heat and oxygen infusion, yet it juices all vegetables, fruits, wheatgrass, herbs, and spices. Multifunction juicer including homogenizes and makes nut butters and mochi. Note: John Kohler recommends Green Star over Green Power and Green Life because Green Star has a longer warranty, is more durable, and is more compact. Please see comments for the Hurom above for more about this juicer. This is the favorite juicing appliance among many (but not all – see the Omega and Hurom review).
Samson Ultra Juicer Kempo KPE 1301: Note: this juicer has been replaced by the Green Power Kempo KPE-1301, which is $400-500 with a 10yr warranty and 5yr on parts. Samson Ultra/Green Power Kempo is easy to clean with bio-ceramic magnetic gears. Adjustable nozzles (‘inlet caps’) allow for the juicing of a wide range of produce. A multifunctional juicer which can juice even grains. Built-in thermostat prevents overheating. Only complaints (not many) were about plastic parts, but otherwise high ratings especially about fast and efficient customer service.
Breville Crush: $300-600 at Amazon. This is a new addition to the upright single auger juicers and virtually identical to the Omega VERT, Hurom, and Kuving Silent – in fact all the major single auger uprights that are now so popular are made by 2 companies in South Korea! One factory makes the Kuving Silent, Fruitstar, and Breville. The other makes the Omega VERT and Hurom. However the parts are not interchangeable. Each new machine has slightly better features than the one that came before it. Thus this being the latest it has an innovative screen that ‘self-cleans’. Also it is soon to have attachments that can be bought separately to do mincing for garlic and nut butters. However, the warranty is not as good as the Omega VERT.
Press Juicers
Some are manual while others are electric. Produce must be prepared resulting in a time consuming process, but resulting juice has the highest nutrient value due to no heat or oxygenation.
The Norwalk: considered by many reviewers as the best designed manual press, and RawFoodWorld comments that this juicer gives you the least amount of pulp and fiber in the juice. First developed by Dr. Norman Walker in 1993, US made, and combines electric triturating juicer for grinding produce (eliminating prep time) with an hydraulic press which is also electric to eliminate effort required by “manual” presses. Outstanding juice quality, $2000-2500, 12yr warranty, time-consuming cleanup, and as with all manual presses, not fast or easy to use. On the other hand, if you can afford this, the nutrient value of your juice is the best!
Welles Press: $400-500 with a lifetime warranty on frame. The Welles advantage is a hydraulic lever requiring minimal effort to press produce. Much prep work required, but the juice delivered is, again, best quality with driest pulp/highest yield. If time is not an issue, the Welles is considered the best juicer for the price, recommended for years by nutritionist and doctors alike.
K&K: not easy to find because it’s no longer in production, sleek, stainless steel and alloy version of the (white coated metal) Welles, extremely durable, and with a lifetime warranty on everything but the hydraulic handle which can be replaced for $25 and is not likely to fail for a long time. $300-450. The K&K gets very high praise and receives many inquiries as to where it can be purchased.
If you’re interested in a juicer that’s not listed here please let us know and we’ll look into it for you.
