A good juicer is able to squeeze out all the juices from apples, carrots, beets and celery, but a bad juicer can squeeze out its owner, who will not understand why he gave his money. A juicer is exactly the kind of device, the quality of work of which is immediately visible, with which there are no results such as “once for all”. Either a lot of juice or not enough. Either the cake is dry or it is wet. Universal rules for choosing this device have not been invented yet, too: you may not be lucky with a well-known brand device, and an old Soviet model will work like a workhorse. Therefore, today’s story about the main trends on the market, new technologies and design solutions, and the main pitfalls that await the consumer when choosing a juicer, is only meant to help navigate in the sea of these devices.
To cut or not to cut
On today’s market there are two types of models: with an enlarged round intake designed to load whole fruits the so-called “whole apple” format , and standard models, which require cutting fruits and vegetables into pieces. “Wide-format” juicers are more convenient, they have a higher speed of operation not to be confused with the productivity : a glass of juice from two or three fruits can be obtained in seconds.
However, when buying be careful: most of these models have a standard neck diameter – 75 mm, which corresponds to the “format” of an average apple, but there are models with a diameter of only 65 mm, and it is suitable only for a whole carrot, or small apples. There are also models with 80 mm neck, but they are few for example, Philips HR1871, Bork S801 and they cost more.
There is a special design throat – semicircle, it is convenient for loading the fruit halves for example, models Aksion SC 22 .
The loading format has no influence on the quality of juicing, which depends more on the motor power. Often it happens that juicers with a standard load that requires slicing fruit, juicing is not worse: there are time-tested models among them, in addition, they are significantly more compact.
Real and imaginary power
From the portal Yandex-market: “If you’re going to make juice in buckets, then buy a big juicer, and do not blame the small one, designed for a couple of glasses. And it is 250 watts, the claimed 600 – this is with a blocked shaft why did not anyone write this. I learned about it only after buying. “
In general, manufacturers indicate for their models only the maximum power consumption, which the motor can show in case of critical operation for example, something got into it . Experts call it the power when the shaft locks, and witty users of the network – the Chinese watts.
Specifying maximum capacity and hiding the real one is a tricky PR move, which plays into the hands of not very honest manufacturers and underestimates the advantages of very good devices whose manufacturers specify the operating power.
For example, the Panasonic MJ-M171 juicer has 230W power, and the driest pulp, according to numerous reviews on the Yandex-market resource, is produced there. Domestic models Axion specified power from 200 to 250 watts, but this does not prevent them to be proven assistant gardeners with consistently good results and excellent performance. When buying it is worth specifying the working capacity.
Faster, cleaner, brighter
Most modern models have two speeds: the first – for hard fruits carrots, beets, apples , the second – for soft tomatoes, berries . The amount of pulp that goes into the juice depends on the chosen speed. Higher speed – drier cake and less waste, but less transparent juice with pulp. Slower speeds result in cleaner, clearer juice and more waste.
There are several models on the market with more speeds: Rolsen RCJ-815, Polaris PEA 0515, Saturn ST-FP8080 – with three speeds, SUPRA JES-2040, Bork S700, S801, S810, Fritel JE 3877, Bimatek JM310, Redmond RJ-M905 – with five speeds, Redmond RJ-M904, ProfiCook PC-AE 1001/1002 – with nine, but this, of course, is an excess, only raising the cost.
Notice, that none of the respectable old and “hackneyed” brands Bosch, Moulinex, Tefal, Braun, Philips, Zelmer increase number of speeds, moreover, you still can find on sale their old, time-proven small models with one speed for example, Braun MP80 Multipressautomatic, Tefal ZN2501, Zelmer 377 – budget option for a small family.
And we throw the pulp on the automatic..
Processed fruit pulp either goes into a container this is automatic pulp ejection or stays in the cylindrical centrifuge.
Automatic pulp ejection is a must when you process crops or make more than two or three glasses of juice at a time, because if the pulp accumulates in the centrifuge it must be cleaned, interrupting the juicer’s work.
The latest models with an enlarged neck are often equipped with very large two-liter containers for pulp, but a smaller from a liter volume will suffice as well.
The most common complaint when using a device with such a container: most of the pulp falls not into it, but stays under the lid – sticking to it from the inside.
So far not many manufacturers know how to fight this. But, for example, Aksion brand juicers have a clever device – pulp ejector – a lever to be clamped during the squeezing process and which guides the pulp exactly into the container.
Where the juice falls?
If the juicer has a pouring spout, it goes directly into a cup, glass or the included glass. Ideal – a jug or a glass for juice with a lid, skimmer foam cutter for clean juice , a spout for pouring. From it, large quantities of juice can be poured out for the whole family or into jars for preservation, and the excess can be put right in the refrigerator.
Advanced models are equipped with a “drop-stop” system, it can be a button to block the juice flow or a special spout design that prevents even a couple of juice drops to spill on the table after the spinning ends: the spout can be raised. Many users complain about the lack of this feature in the selected devices, but the system is not so good in practice: in case you forget to lower the spout for the next spin, the splash of juice affects not only the table but also the entire surrounding area.
Protection and safety
The motor can suffer from overloading, so if you need to cope with a large crop, it is worth choosing a device with an automatic circuit breaker that will block the motor in case of overheating. When the motor cools down, the appliance comes back on.
The vast majority of models are equipped with an automatic lock in case of improper assembly, that is, the device will not turn on if the lid is not closed tightly, not fixed all the parts, etc. d., So it is safe to use this juicer from this point of view. But everything is not so simple with the neck, in it not only the width and diameter are important, but also the height. The higher, the safer: sometimes we get so carried away that we push the fruit with our fingers. When buying check that the height of the mouth is from 11,5-12 cm, then even the longest fingers will be safe.
A seemingly trivial thing – a place to store the cord, what does this have to do with safety? However, this design feature came into use after several companies lost courts, when people overturned devices on themselves because of the slack cord and were injured. In juicers it is necessary: after all these appliances with powerful motors and steel parts are quite heavy.
Know-how
Screw juicers were invented a long time ago, but it is nowadays that they have become actively promoted. The principle of operation of such a device is as follows: inside the juicer there is a screw similar to that used in an ordinary mincer, but more rounded. It is inserted into a mesh cone, almost the same as in conventional juicers.
The auger rotates and the fruits and vegetables move in its groove that gradually tapers and is grinded by the metal mesh. The juice flows out through the first trough, and the cake comes down lower, where it is pushed into the second trough, against the juice penetration the outlet for the cake is protected by a special rubber gasket.
Such juicers have significant advantages, which, according to their manufacturers, should justify the high cost of equipment. Among them in the first place is the very principle of operation – the so-called cold-pressing. The centrifuge rotation speed is a few thousand rpm, and the auger rotation speed is a few tens of rpm.
Producers assure that juice obtained by this method is healthier because it is not heated because of the spinning speed and does not lose vitamins because of it, and can be stored longer, since it is not blown as much when squeezed and therefore less oxidized.
What is the purpose of squeezing out all the juices and is there a specific reason to pay attention to the cake?
What kind of cake are you referring to and how exactly do you squeeze out the juices? Is this a recipe or an instruction for something else? Please provide more context.