Can you buy a juicer and blender together?
Having both a juicer and blender in your kitchen can be extremely beneficial. Juicers extract the juice from fruits and vegetables, removing the fiber. This allows you to get a concentrated dose of vitamins, minerals and nutrients from fresh produce. Blenders process whole fruits, vegetables and other ingredients into smoothies and purees, retaining all the fiber. Each appliance serves a different purpose, so having both allows you to maximize the nutritional benefits. But can you buy a single appliance that combines both juicing and blending functions? Let’s take a closer look.
Standalone Juicers vs Blenders
Traditional juicers and blenders are separate appliances designed for different functions.
Juicers
There are several types of juicers to choose from:
- Centrifugal juicers: These are the most common and affordable models. They grind produce using a high speed spinning blade and strain the juice through a mesh filter.
- Masticating juicers: Also known as cold press or slow juicers. They crush and press produce to extract juice.
- Triturating juicers: The most high-end and efficient. They have twin gears that press and grind produce.
- Citrus juicers: Designed specifically for juicing citrus fruits like oranges, lemons and grapefruits.
Juicers are ideal for making nutrient rich juices from a wide variety of fruits and vegetables. But they cannot handle thicker ingredients or create smoothies.
Blenders
Common types of blenders include:
- Countertop blenders: The most versatile option for blending a range of ingredients.
- Personal/single serve blenders: Compact models designed for individual smoothies and shakes.
- High performance blenders: Heavy duty for blending tougher ingredients.
- Immersion blenders: Handheld stick that can blend in pitchers, bowls, or pots.
Blenders excel at breaking down whole foods and pulverizing ingredients into smooth, creamy textures. But they cannot separate juice from the pulp.
Benefits of Juicing vs Blending
Let’s compare some of the key differences between juicing and blending:
| Juicing | Blending |
|---|---|
| Extracts only the juice from fruits/veggies | Retains all the fiber and pulp |
| Concentrated nutrients and vitamins | Nutrients remain intact but less concentrated |
| Quickly absorbs into the bloodstream | Slower nutrient absorption |
| Leaves behind fiber and pulp | Contains the full fruit/veggie ingredients |
| Lower calorie and sugar | Higher calories and natural sugars |
| Thinner, juice-like consistency | Thick and smoothie/puree texture |
As you can see, juicers and blenders have distinct advantages. Juicing is great for a quick nutrient boost while blending helps you get the complete nutritional profile of whole foods.
Combination Juicer-Blenders
For ultimate functionality, some appliances combine both juicing and blending into one machine. There are a few different types of juicer-blender combos.
All-in-One Appliances
Some blenders come with attachments that allow you to convert the machine for juicing. For example:
- NutriBullet Pro: Comes with a juicing attachment.
- Ninja Fit: Includes a food processor bowl and juice extractor.
- Oster Versa Pro: Features a blender jar and spout for juices.
The main blender pitcher is used for making smoothies and purees. Then you swap on the juicing attachment to extract fresh juice. The attachments typically work best with soft fruits and veggies rather than hard or stringy produce.
Juicer-Blender Combos
Dedicated juicer-blender combo machines are also available. These have separate juicing and blending functions built into the same appliance. For example:
- Breville the Juice Fountain Cold Plus: Offers a blender attachment.
- Tribest Slowstar: Can switch between mincing and juicing modes.
- Omega VSJ843: Includes a blank juicing screen for making nut butters and smoothies.
The key benefit of these types of juicer-blenders is being able to make both juices and smoothies from one machine. The downside is that they take up more counter space than a standalone juicer or blender.
Smoothie Makers with Juicing Capability
There are also some blender style smoothie makers that offer limited juicing capabilities:
- Cleanblend Commercial Blender: Has a spout to dispense separated juice.
- Hamilton Beach Personal Creations Blender: Marketed as a 4-in-1 with a no pulp option.
- Cuisinart CBT-2000: Features 3 juicing attachments for citrus, apples, and pomegranate.
With these types of blenders, you can make a basic juice or smoothie without pulp. But they won’t extract juice as efficiently as a true juicer. You also can’t juice leafy greens, wheatgrass, and other tough produce.
| Type | Pros | Cons |
|---|---|---|
| Blender with attachments | – Don’t need 2 appliances – Attached parts are compact |
– Can’t juice tough produce – Smaller juice yields |
| Dedicated juicer-blender | – Makes both juice and smoothies – Specialized juicing function |
– Takes up more space – Typically expensive |
| Smoothie maker with juicing | – All-in-one functionality – Typically affordable price |
– Not a true juicer – Mainly handles soft produce |
Factors to Consider
Here are some things to keep in mind when deciding between buying a combined juicer-blender or separate appliances:
Frequency of Use
If you will be juicing and blending every day, a combo machine makes sense. You’ll get more use out of the all-in-one functionality. But if you only juice or blend occasionally, two separate specialized appliances may work better.
Types of Recipes
Consider what kinds of produce you’ll be using. Can you stick mainly to soft fruits and veggies that are easier to juice and blend? Or will you regularly be juicing leafy greens and hard root vegetables? The latter requires a more heavy-duty standalone juicer.
Budget
Good juicers and blenders come at a cost. An efficient combo machine that can handle tough produce will be pricier. Buying a blender and juicer separately may cost less depending on the models and features you need.
Available Counter Space
Dual function machines take up more real estate than a simple blender or juicer alone. Make sure you have room to house the larger combo appliance, especially if it has multiple parts and accessories.
Ease of Cleaning
Juicers and blenders both require cleaning after each use. Machines with more parts can take longer and be more difficult to clean. Simple streamlined designs are much easier to maintain.
Top Rated Juicer-Blender Combos
Here are some top rated options for juicer-blender combination appliances:
| Juicer-Blender Combo | Key Features |
|---|---|
| Breville 3X Bluicer Pro | – 1100 watt motor – Juices with cold spin technology – Makes nut milk and sorbet |
| Mueller Austria Juicer Ultra | – 1100 watts with 2-speed options – 3″ extra large feeding chute – BPA free materials |
| Ninja Foodi Power Pitcher System | – 1400 peak watts – Smoothie bowl maker and dough blade – Dishwasher safe pitcher |
| Dash Chef Series Blender + Juicer | – 64 oz blender jar – Auto-clean juicing attachment – 6 pre-programmed cycles |
| Hamilton Beach Juicer+Blender | – 800 watt motor – 3″ feed chute fits whole foods – Dishwasher safe parts |
| Cuisinart 3-in-1 Juicer Blender | -1000 watts with 5 speeds -64 oz BPA-free pitcher – 3 juicing cones |
Finding the Best Juicer and Blender
The right juicer-blender for you depends on your individual needs and preferences. Here are some final tips for buying the perfect combo appliance or separate juicer and blender:
- Look for versatile machines that offer multiple speeds and functions.
- Juicers should have powerful motors and quality strainers.
- Blenders should crush ice easily and handle frozen ingredients.
- Choose durable containers made of Tritan plastic or stainless steel.
- Look for generous warranties and customer service support.
- Read reviews and watch demo videos to see the machine in action.
- Consider your counter space and budget constraints.
- Think about your largest batch sizes for juicing and blending.
- Make sure blades, filters, and parts are easy to clean.
Finding the right juicing and blending equipment can make it easy to whip up nutritious drinks at home. With so many options available, focus on your own needs and usage to select the best appliance setup for your kitchen.
Conclusion
Purchasing a combined juicer-blender or buying separate appliances both have their own pros and cons. All-in-one machines take up more room but provide ultimate functionality. Having a dedicated juicer and blender gives you specialized performance in more compact units. Consider how often you will use each function and the types of recipes you want to make. This will help determine if a combined appliance or individual juicer and blender is the best choice for your needs and kitchen setup.