What is the difference between low and high on Breville juicer?

Juicing has become an incredibly popular way to get more fruits and vegetables into your diet. Fresh fruit and vegetable juices provide vitamins, minerals, and plant nutrients in a convenient, easy-to-digest form. Juicing also allows you to consume produce that you might not normally eat a lot of, like kale, beets, or wheatgrass.

Breville makes some of the best juicers on the market, but if you’re new to juicing you may be confused by the low and high speed options. Keep reading to learn the key differences between low and high settings on a Breville juicer and how to decide which is best for your needs.

What is a Low Speed Juicer?

A low speed juicer, also known as a cold press or masticating juicer, operates at around 80 RPM. This low spinning speed gently crushes produce to squeeze out juice. The slow crushing creates very little heat, preserving more nutrients compared to high speed juicers.

Low speed juicers work in a similar way to how you would manually squeeze juice from produce. An auger inside the juicer churns and presses the produce against a screen to squeeze out juice. The slower speed results in minimal oxidation, meaning less foaming and separation.

Some key benefits of low speed juicers:

• Produces higher yield of juice from produce
• Minimal oxidation means longer lasting juice with more nutrients
• Juice can be stored for up to 72 hours
• Quieter operation

Breville’s low speed juicer options include the BJE200XL Compact Juice Fountain and BJE430SIL Juice Fountain Cold.

What is a High Speed Juicer?

A high speed or centrifugal juicer operates at a much faster speed, typically between 10,000 to 14,000 RPM. At these fast speeds, a flat blade shreds produce, then spins the juice away from the pulp through a mesh filter.

The fast spinning results in oxidation and heating of the juice. Juice from a high speed juicer must be consumed right away before nutrients degrade.

Benefits of high speed juicers:

• Very fast juicing
• Lower cost options available
• Easier to clean

Breville high speed models include the BJE200XL Compact Juice Fountain, BJE430SIL Juice Fountain Cold, and BJE510XL Juice Fountain Multi-Speed.

Key Differences between Low and High Speed

Here is a comparison of some of the main differences between low speed and high speed juicers:

Factor	Low Speed Juicer	High Speed Juicer
Speed	80 RPM	10,000 – 14,000 RPM
Juicing Method	Crushes and squeezes	Shreds and spins
Heat Generation	Minimal	Moderate
Oxidation	Minimal	Moderate
Nutrient Retention	Very high	Moderate
Juice Storage	Up to 72 hours	Immediate consumption recommended
Juice Yield	Very high	Moderate
Types of Produce	All produce	Best with hard fruits and veggies
Ease of Use	Slower juicing	Very fast juicing
Cleaning	More parts to clean	Fewer parts, easier cleaning
Price	Higher price points	Lower and higher price options

Factors to Consider When Choosing Between Low and High Speed

When deciding between a low or high speed Breville juicer, here are some key factors to consider:

• Types of produce – Low speed is great for all produce. High speed works best with harder fruits and veggies.
• Juice storage – Do you want to make juice in batches to store? Low speed allows up to 3 days refrigerated. High speed is immediated drinking.
• Nutrient retention – For maximum vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants opt for a low speed juicer.
• Juicing speed – High speed juicers work much more quickly if you’re short on time.
• Mix of produce – For the most versatility, low speed can juice leafy greens, sprouts, herbs, fruits, and more.
• Juice yield – Low speed results in a higher overall juice yield.
• Budget – High speed has more lower cost options, low speed come at a higher price.
• Ease of cleaning – High speed models tend to have fewer parts and quicker rinsing.

Best Uses for Low Speed Juicers

Here are the best uses and situations for selecting a low speed juicer like the Breville BJE430SIL:

• You want to maximize nutrients and enzyme retention.
• You plan to juice leafy greens, sprouts, herbs, or wheatgrass.
• You want to make larger batches of juice to store for up to 3 days.
• You desire high juice yields from your produce.
• You juice a wide variety of produce, not just hard fruits/veggies.
• You don’t mind spending more time juicing for maximum results.

Best Uses for High Speed Juicers

Here are the ideal uses and situations for selecting a high speed juicer like the Breville BJE200XL:

• You want faster juicing to save time.
• You plan to only juice hard fruits and veggies.
• You will drink juice immediately, not store it.
• You want a more budget-friendly option.
• You don’t mind some oxidation or nutrient loss.
• You prefer easier juicer cleanup with less parts.

Recommendation for the Average Juicer

For most home juicers who want a mix of versatility and convenience, I typically recommend a mid-range centrifugal juicer like the Breville BJE430SIL. It offers helpful features like a large chute, cold spin technology to reduce oxidation, and a high/low speed option. The low speed can be used for softer produce to maximize nutrients, while the high speed is great when you’re short on time.

The BJE430SIL balances nutrient retention, juice yields, speed, and price fairly well. And it can still handle leafy greens moderately well on low speeds. For the true juicing enthusiast who juices daily, the top-end low speed Breville juicers may be worth the investment. But the BJE430SIL hits the sweet spot for the average healthy kitchen.

Conclusion

Low and high speeds on Breville juicers cater to different needs and produce different results. Low speed juicers are ideal if you value maximum nutrients, enzyme retention, and juice yields. High speed options are best for fast juicing and hard fruits and veggies. For versatility at a moderate price point, a mid-range model like the BJE430SIL can offer the best of both worlds.

Experiment with the speeds and produce combinations to see what works best for your juicing goals. Becoming knowledgeable about the differences between low and high speeds allows you to use your Breville juicer optimally for health-filled juices.