Wellness Origin HubThe best juicers, centrifugal and slow masticating
The best juicers depend on what you juice: a centrifugal juicer is fast and cheap for apples and carrots, a slow masticating juicer suits greens. How they differ and three we would buy.
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Our picks at a glance
The best juicer for you depends on what goes into it. A centrifugal juicer spins fast, takes whole apples and carrots, and gives you a glass of juice in under a minute, at a lower price. A slow masticating juicer crushes and presses, handles leafy greens and wheatgrass much better, and usually gives a drier pulp, but it is slower and costs more.
Centrifugal or slow juicer?
| Centrifugal | Slow (masticating) | |
|---|---|---|
| How it works | A fast-spinning blade and mesh basket | A slow auger crushes and presses |
| Speed | Very fast | Slower, more chopping first |
| Leafy greens | Poor | Good |
| Hard fruit and roots | Good | Good |
| Noise | Loud | Quiet |
| Juice | Foamy, best drunk straight away | Less foam, keeps a little longer |
| Price | Lower | Higher |
If you mostly want apple, carrot, orange and ginger juice, a centrifugal juicer is the practical choice. If celery, kale, spinach and herbs are the point, a slow juicer is worth the extra cost.
Juicer or blender?
A juicer separates the juice from the pulp, so most of the fibre goes into the bin. A blender keeps everything, which makes a thicker drink with all the fibre. If you are choosing one machine and care about fibre, our best blenders for smoothies might suit you better. The fibre guide explains why fibre is worth keeping.
What to look for
- Feed chute size. A wide chute means less chopping. Some slow juicers have very wide chutes now; older horizontal models need smaller pieces.
- Cleaning. The mesh screen is the hard part. Look for few parts, a cleaning brush in the box and dishwasher-safe pieces.
- Horizontal or vertical (slow juicers). Horizontal models are often good with greens and can make nut butters; vertical models take up less counter space.
- Pulp container size. A bigger container means fewer stops in a batch.
- Warranty. Slow juicers in particular often come with long motor warranties, a sign of how long they are expected to last.
How we chose
We looked at juicer type, ease of cleaning, chute size, warranty and how long each model has been sold and supported. We have not run our own yield or juice-quality tests. Prices move often, so check before buying.
Best centrifugal: Breville Juice Fountain Plus
Around $150
For quick fruit and root juices on busy mornings. You drop in whole apples and carrots and have juice in seconds. Clean the mesh straight away with the brush and it stays a ten-minute job.
What we like
- Wide chute takes whole apples
- Very fast
- Two speeds for soft and hard produce
- Large pulp bin
Keep in mind
- Loud
- Not good with leafy greens
- Juice separates and foams if left to stand
Best for greens: Omega J8006HDS Nutrition Center Juicer
Around $300
A long-running horizontal slow juicer with a strong reputation for greens. Chopping takes longer and it is slower than a centrifugal machine, but it handles kale, spinach and herbs that a fast juicer just throws into the pulp.
What we like
- Slow horizontal auger handles leafy greens and wheatgrass
- Quiet
- Long warranty
- Can also make nut butters and pasta with attachments
Keep in mind
- Narrow chute means more chopping
- Slower to make a glass
Best vertical slow juicer: Hurom H-AA Slow Juicer
Around $400
A vertical slow juicer that takes up less room than a horizontal one and suits mixed fruit and vegetable juices. It is pricier, but it is quiet enough for early mornings.
What we like
- Small footprint on the counter
- Quiet
- Handles both greens and fruit
- Juice cap lets you mix inside the chamber
Keep in mind
- Expensive
- Still needs chopping into smaller pieces
- Several parts to wash
At a glance
| Juicer | Type | Best for | Prep needed |
|---|---|---|---|
| Breville Juice Fountain Plus | Centrifugal | Apples, carrots, speed | Little |
| Omega J8006HDS | Slow, horizontal | Greens, wheatgrass | More chopping |
| Hurom H-AA | Slow, vertical | Mixed juices, small kitchens | Some chopping |
Tips for better juice
- Wash produce well, and peel citrus, since the peel tastes bitter and the oils can upset some stomachs.
- Alternate soft and hard produce in a slow juicer so the pulp keeps moving.
- Roll leafy greens into tight bundles before feeding them in.
- Add a knob of ginger or a squeeze of lemon for brightness; the same pairing as our ginger lemon tonic.
- Drink juice soon after making it, and clean the juicer before the pulp dries.
Questions people ask
Is fresh juice healthy?
Fresh juice gives you vitamins and other plant compounds, but most of the fibre is lost and the sugar is released from the fruit's structure. In the UK, the NHS suggests counting fruit juice and smoothies as a maximum of one of your five a day and keeping them to about 150 ml a day. Vegetable-heavy juices have less sugar. Our guide to sugar in drinks puts juice next to other drinks.
Do I need a juice cleanse?
No. Your liver and kidneys already handle what people call "detox". A juice cleanse may leave you short of protein and fibre and is not needed for good health.
What can I do with the pulp?
Vegetable pulp can go into soups, stock, veggie burgers or muffins, or into the compost.
Photograph: AI-generated image
