What is the difference between the Breville Plus and cold juicer?
Juicing has become an incredibly popular way to get more fruits and vegetables into your diet. Fresh, homemade juices are packed with vitamins, minerals, and other nutrients that can provide health benefits. There are two main types of juicers – centrifugal juicers like the Breville Juice Fountain Plus and cold press juicers.
Overview of the Breville Juice Fountain Plus
The Breville Juice Fountain Plus is a centrifugal juicer. It uses a fast spinning metal blade to grind fruits and vegetables, then spins the juice through a strainer at high speeds to separate the liquid from the pulp.
Here are some key features of the Breville Juice Fountain Plus:
- Centrifugal juicing technology
- 850 watt motor operates at 6,500 RPM for fast juicing
- 3″ wide feed chute fits whole foods like apples
- Stainless steel cutting disc surrounded by Italian made micro mesh filter
- Extra large pulp container
- Overload protection prevents overheating
- Safety locking arm
- Cord storage
- Dishwasher safe parts
Overview of Cold Press Juicers
Cold press juicers (also known as slow juicers or masticating juicers) work by crushing and pressing fruits and vegetables to squeeze out the juice. They operate at much slower speeds than centrifugal juicers, typically around 80 RPM.
Here are some key features of cold press juicers:
- Masticating technology squeezes out juice by crushing produce
- Slow speeds of around 80 RPMs minimize heat and oxidation
- Generates less foam and separation
- Quieter operation
- More juice and higher yield, especially from leafy greens
- Juice can be stored for up to 72 hours without degradation
Juice Quality
One of the biggest differences between these two types of juicers is juice quality.
Nutrient Retention
The slow speeds of masticating juicers minimize heat buildup and oxidation, preserving more nutrients and enzymes in the juice. Centrifugal juicers generate heat from their high speed motors and introduce air into the juice, which can degrade nutrients and enzymes.
According to a study published in the Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry, juices from masticating juicers had substantially higher antioxidant activity than juices from centrifugal juicers.
Foam and Separation
The high speed grinding of centrifugal juicers whips air into the juice, creating foam on the surface. The juice also tends to separate into layers with the foam on top. Juices from cold press juicers contain less air and tend to be more homogenous without separation.
Fiber and Pulp
Cold press juicers are generally more efficient at squeezing liquid out of fruits and vegetables, producing drier pulp. This results in higher juice yields, especially for leafy greens. The juices may have slightly more fiber and pulp, which some people find beneficial.
Shelf Life
Juice made with a cold press juicer can be stored for up to 72 hours without substantial degradation. The juice contains less oxygen and enzymatic activity. Centrifugal juices are best consumed right away, otherwise the separation becomes more pronounced.
Juicing Speed
One of the biggest advantages of the Breville Juice Fountain Plus is the fast juicing speed. The powerful motor and spinning blade can quickly power through large amounts of produce. Cold press juicers have much slower extraction and dripping speeds that require more time to make a juice.
Here’s a comparison of juicing speeds from different tests:
| Juicer | Juicing Speed |
|---|---|
| Breville Juice Fountain Plus | Up to 1 pound of produce per minute |
| Typical Cold Press Juicer | 1/2 to 1 pound of produce per minute |
The Breville can juice most fruits and veggies in a matter of seconds. Cold press juicers may take a minute or longer for the same amount of produce. If you need to make juices for the whole family quickly in the morning, a centrifugal model like the Breville can save a lot of time.
Juice Yields
Cold press juicers are generally able to extract more juice and liquid out of fruits and vegetables. This is especially true for leafy greens like kale, spinach, and wheatgrass. In tests, cold press juicers achieved anywhere from 10-25% higher juice yields.
Centrifugal juicers are still efficient at juicing most produce, but won’t fully squeeze out all liquid from drier ingredients. Expect to get pulpier juices with less liquid from a centrifugal model.
Produce Handling
The Breville Juice Fountain Plus has a 3 inch wide chute, allowing you to juice whole produce like apples, beets, and small oranges without pre-chopping. This makes juicing fast and convenient. Cold press juicers have smaller chutes that require cutting produce into smaller pieces before putting through the juicer.
On the flip side, cold press juicers are better at juicing leafy greens like kale and wheatgrass. Their slower crushing and pressing action is more effective for soft and flexible produce. Pieces of greens can sometimes fly right through a centrifugal juicer’s strainer without getting fully juiced.
Ease of Use
Centrifugal juicers like the Breville Plus are generally quicker and easier to setup, use, and clean. Their fast speeds make juicing itself very quick. The parts come apart and reassemble intuitively for cleaning. Some cold press juicers have more parts to disassemble and complicated assemblies.
However, cold press juicers produce less oxidation, foam, and separation, resulting in juices that store better. This makes it convenient to juice in batches and store juices to drink later. With a centrifugal model, it’s best to drink juice right after making it.
Noise
Centrifugal juicers operate at very high RPMs, making them substantially louder than cold press juicers. The Breville Juice Fountain Plus produces up to 98 dBA of noise according to some tests. This is quite loud, equivalent to a motorcycle passing by.
Cold press juicers have much slower and quieter motors operating around 80 RPMs. They produce 60-70 dBA of noise, allowing quiet operation any time of day.
| Juicer | Noise Level |
|---|---|
| Breville Juice Fountain Plus | 98 dBA |
| Cold Press Juicer | 60-70 dBA |
Cost
Centrifugal juicers like the Breville Juice Fountain Plus tend to be more affordable, with a typical price range of $100 to $200. Cold press juicers come at a premium, usually between $300 to $400. However, their slower juicing can lead to higher yields and savings over time from getting more juice out of produce.
| Juicer | Typical Cost |
|---|---|
| Breville Juice Fountain Plus | $100-$200 |
| Cold Press Juicer | $300-$400 |
Easy of Cleaning
The Breville Juice Fountain Plus is designed for quick and easy cleaning. All detachable parts are dishwasher safe. The components are intuitively shaped and assembled so it’s easy to scrub and rinse the surfaces.
Some cold press juicers have more parts to disassemble and clean. Produce fibers can get stuck in small crevices. However, the pulp produced by cold press models tends to be drier, which makes cleaning easier. Centrifugal pulp still contains a lot of wet fiber.
Conclusion
The Breville Juice Fountain Plus is ideal for fast juicing and convenience. It can quickly power through large amounts of fruits and vegetables with easy setup and cleanup afterwards. Cold press juicers take more time but produce higher quality juices that store better. They get more juice yield, especially out of leafy greens.
For most people, the speed and convenience of a centrifugal juicer like the Breville Juice Fountain Plus is worthwhile, especially if making juices for the whole family. Cold press models make sense for juicing enthusiasts who want to maximize juice quality and yields.