Why masticating juicers are better?
Juicing has become an incredibly popular way to get more vitamins, minerals, and nutrients into your diet. With the array of juicers on the market, it can be tough to decide which type is best for your needs. Centrifugal and masticating juicers are the two main styles, and each has its own pros and cons. In this in-depth article, we’ll look at why masticating juicers reign supreme over centrifugal models for most applications.
How Masticating Juicers Work
Masticating juicers, also known as cold press or slow juicers, work by using a single auger to crush and press produce to extract juice. The auger spins slowly at around 80 RPM, which doesn’t generate much heat. This preserves more nutrients compared to centrifugal juicers that spin very fast at 1,650 to 15,000 RPM.
The auger crushes produce against a screen to squeeze out juice. The pulp remains inside the juicer and is continuously compressed as the auger turns. Masticating juicers extract more juice than centrifugal models, leaving behind drier pulp.
Benefits of Masticating Juicers
Here are the main benefits of using a masticating juicer:
Higher Juice Yields
The slow crushing action and powerful motors of masticating juicers let them thoroughly extract juice. You’ll get up to 20% more juice from the same amount of produce compared to centrifugal juicers. This gives you more bang for your buck.
Less Oxidation
Because masticating juicers work at slow speeds, they cause very little oxidation. Centrifugal juicers expose juice to high speed blades and air, which causes oxidation. This breakdown results in some loss of nutrients and shorter shelf life.
Versatility
Most masticating juicers can also be used to make nut milks, grind coffee, extrude pasta, mince herbs, and churn out baby food and nut butters. You can expand what you make beyond just juices.
Quieter Operation
The slow crushing of produce makes these juicers much quieter than centrifugal models. If you need to make juice early in the morning or don’t want to disturb others, this is ideal.
Juice Quality
The gentle squeezing action keeps heat low. This results in fresh, living juice that is rich in vitamins, minerals, and enzymes. With less exposure to oxygen, the juice has a longer shelf life up to 72 hours in the fridge.
Downsides of Masticating Juicers
While masticating juicers have some clear advantages, there are a few downsides to consider:
Higher Price
These juicers come with a higher price tag, ranging from $200 to $400. Centrifugal juicers are widely available for under $100.
Slower Juicing
It takes longer to make juice with a masticating model compared to centrifugal juicers. Expect juicing to take at least a couple minutes per cup of juice. For larger batches, have some patience.
Trickier to Clean
With small mesh screens and a compact design, masticating juicers can be a bit tricky to clean thoroughly after each use. Take your time disassembling and scrubbing all the parts.
Masticating vs. Centrifugal Juicers
To highlight the differences between these two styles, here is a comparison of masticating and centrifugal juicers:
| Features | Masticating Juicer | Centrifugal Juicer |
|---|---|---|
| Juicing Mechanism | Single auger crushes produce | Fast spinning blade shreds produce |
| Juicing Speed | Slow – 80 RPM | Very fast – 1,650 to 15,000 RPM |
| Juice Yield | 15-20% more juice | Lower juice yield |
| Oxidation | Minimal oxidation | Moderate oxidation |
| Heat Generation | Runs cooler | Generates more heat |
| Shelf Life | Up to 72 hours | Up to 24 hours |
| Versatility | Makes nut milks, baby food, etc. | Mainly for juicing |
| Noise Level | Quieter operation | Louder operation |
| Price Range | $200 – $400 | $50 – $150 |
As shown in the table, masticating juicers excel at minimizing oxidation and heat to produce higher quality, nutritious juice. The trade-off is slower juicing speed and higher cost.
Best Masticating Juicers
If you’re convinced that a masticating juicer is right for you, here are some of the top models to consider:
Tribest Slowstar
The Tribest Slowstar stands out with its vertical single auger and handy mincing attachment. It juices leafy greens exceptionally well and is easy to use and assemble.
Omega NC800
The Omega NC800 is a best seller that performs very well with veggies, fruits, and leafy greens. It has a larger feed chute than most, but still juices slowly to minimize oxidation.
Kuvings CS600
The Kuvings CS600 is one of the most affordable masticating juicers. It makes nutrient-rich juice and comes with a 10-year warranty. Excellent for those on a budget.
Hurom H-AA
The Hurom H-AA is on the pricier side, but excels at juicing greens and comes with handy smoothie and tofu nozzles. It has a compact, sleek design.
Getting the Most Out of a Masticating Juicer
Follow these tips to maximize the juicing potential of your masticating juicer:
- Alternate hard, dense produce with softer and leafier items
- Chop produce into small, uniform pieces before juicing
- Rinse parts immediately after juicing and clean thoroughly
- Frozen ingredients should be thawed before juicing
- Watch for jams and reverse to clear if needed
- Mix up produce – don’t just juice one item at a time
Taking a little extra time to prepare your produce and properly care for your juicer will help it run efficiently and deliver the highest quality juice.
Conclusion
When it comes to nutritional quality, versatility, juice yields and enzyme retention, masticating juicers are clearly the better choice for most people. The slower crushing speeds keep oxidation low and nutrients high. Yes, they require a higher upfront investment and take a bit longer to juice. But for the health-conscious juicer looking to maximize nutritional benefits, masticating models can’t be beat.
