Skip to Content

What is better centrifugal or masticating?

Juicers are an essential tool for any health-conscious kitchen. With the ability to extract vitamins, minerals, and other nutrients from fruits and vegetables, juicers allow you to easily incorporate nutrient-dense juices into your diet. But with two major types of juicers on the market – centrifugal and masticating – it can be tough to determine which type best suits your juicing needs.

Centrifugal Juicers

Centrifugal juicers are the most common and affordable type of juicer. These juicers use a fast spinning metal blade to grind fruits and vegetables against a mesh basket. The centrifugal force generated separates the juice from the pulp.

There are several advantages to using a centrifugal juicer:

  • Affordable price point – Centrifugal juicers are the least expensive models, making them accessible for most budgets.
  • High speeds – The fast spinning blades produce juice rapidly.
  • Large chutes – Many centrifugal models have feeding chutes large enough for whole fruits and veggies.
  • Simple to use – Centrifugal juicers typically have only an on/off switch and require little prep or cleanup.
  • Compact size – The vertical design takes up minimal counter space.

However, there are some downsides to centrifugal juicing:

  • Loud operation – The high speeds produce a lot of noise.
  • Foam and oxidation – Air gets whipped into the juice, causing foaming and oxidation.
  • Not great for leafy greens – The blades struggle to break down fibrous greens.
  • Yields less juice – Centrifugal models tend to leave more juice behind in the pulp.
  • Heat buildup – Friction from the blades generates heat that destroys some nutrients.

Centrifugal juicers are best suited to occasional juicing or for those new to juicing looking for an budget-friendly option. The fast speeds allow you to quickly make juices from hard fruits and veggies. But centrifugal models won’t produce the highest juice yields, especially for greens.

Masticating Juicers

Masticating juicers, also known as slow or cold press juicers, crush produce through a spiral auger at slow speeds. They generate little heat, minimizing oxidation and preserving nutrients. Masticating juicers offer several benefits:

  • Higher juice yields – The slow crushing maximizes moisture extraction from produce.
  • Reduced oxidation – Juice has a longer shelf life with minimal degradation.
  • Versatile – Most can make nut butter, baby food, sorbets, and more.
  • Juices leafy greens – The auger is efficient at juicing tough, fibrous greens.
  • Quiet operation – The slow motor produces little noise when running.

The drawbacks of masticating juicers include:

  • Higher price – Masticating juicers come with a higher price tag.
  • Slower juicing – It can take a couple minutes to create each cup of juice.
  • Trickier to clean – The auger and screen have small nooks that require scrubbing.
  • Smaller chutes – Produce needs to be chopped to fit.
  • Prone to jamming – Too much produce at once can clog the auger.

Masticating juicers work best for serious juicing fans who want high-quality, nutritious juice, especially from leafy greens. The slower speeds and cold press method maximize nutrient retention in your juices.

Centrifugal vs. Masticating Juicers

So should you choose a centrifugal or masticating juicer? Here’s a comparison of the key factors to consider:

Centrifugal Masticating
Cost $$ $$$
Juicing Speed Very fast Slow
Juice Quality Good Excellent
Oxidation Moderate Minimal
Noise Level Loud Quiet
Versatility Juicing only Juicing, nut butter, sorbets, etc.
Ease of Use Simple More complex

As you can see, centrifugal juicers are generally more affordable, fast, and simpler to use. But this comes at the cost of noise, oxidation, and lower juice yields. Masticating juicers are pricier and slower, but deliver higher quality juice with less oxidation and waste.

Recommendations

Here are some recommendations on which types of juicers best suit different juicing needs:

  • Beginner juicers – Centrifugal juicers are the best choice for newbies. Models like the Breville JE98XL provide affordable entry to juicing with fast juice output.
  • Everyday juicing – For those juicing daily, a masticating juicer like the Omega J8006 offers efficient, high-yield juicing with extended juice life. Their versatility is also great for making nut milks, sorbets, etc.
  • Juicing on a budget – If money is tight but you still want fresh juice, a centrifugal juicer like the Hamilton Beach 67650A fits the bill with low cost and easy juicing.
  • Juicing for nutrients – For maximum nutrient retention, a slow masticating juicer like the Tribest GSE-5000 is ideal to minimize oxidation and extract more vitamins.
  • Juicing leafy greens – The Omega NC900HDC masticating juicer efficiently juices tough greens like kale and spinach for nutrient-packed green juices.
  • Juicing and food prep – If you want one appliance to cover juicing and food prep tasks, choose a versatile masticating juicer like the Tribest Slowstar SW-2000.

The Bottom Line

When deciding between centrifugal vs masticating juicers, consider your budget, juicing frequency, and types of produce you’ll juice. Casual juicers will do well with an affordable centrifugal model for simple whole fruit and veggie juicing. But serious juicers or those juicing lots of leafy greens should invest in a masticating juicer to maximize nutrients and juice yield. Test out different types of juicers to find the best match for your healthy lifestyle needs and goals.

Juicer Type Best For Example Models
Centrifugal Newbies, occasional juicing, hard produce Breville JE98XL, Hamilton Beach 67650A
Masticating Frequent juicing, leafy greens, versatility Omega J8006, Tribest Slowstar

Whichever type of juicer you choose, aim to incorporate fresh, homemade juices into your daily nutritional regimen. Drinking juice made right at home allows you to maximize the vitamins, antioxidants, and enzymes from garden-fresh fruits and veggies. So unlock the full benefits and find your perfect juicer match today.