Electric Fruit and Vegetable Juicers

[andiesenji]

Oliver, I juice "paste" tomatoes, the Roma or similar varieties and I make my sauce by sauteeing the "pulp" in oil after I have sweated onions and garlic and after this has been cooked over low heat until it is caramelized, I add the tomato juice and cook that down.

This process produces a much more complex sauce than just cooking the whole tomatoes. I can't explain why, but someone showed me this way a few years ago and it worked so well I have continued to use it.

[OliverB]

hmm, interesting idea, I might have to try that!

Maybe you get more caramelization working with the thick pulp first? Like working with tomato paste in the pan first, then adding water. You add tomato juice (water) and then cook it down, intensifying the taste even more. Actually makes sense once I think about it, I really have to try this!

[Kent Wang]

Can anyone confirm (as in, tested for themselves) the disadvantages of the centrifugal type juicer, that it heats and oxides the product? I'm interested in using both the juice and pulp. The pulp I'm going to infuse with liquor.

Andie, what do you use your pulp for?

[nickrey]

I used to have a centrifugal juicer and know from personal experience how it heated up the product. My non-centrifugal one does nothing of the sort.

These findings have also been found in independent tests carried out by the Australian Consumer Association, Choice.

As part of their review they looked at oxidation in apple juice. Here is a part of their findings:

"The apple juice from the centrifugal juicers separated and went brown a few minutes after juicing. After two days it was noticeably deteriorating, didn’t smell fresh, had a hard froth on top and a layer of sediment at the bottom — indicating a higher level of oxidation.

By contrast, the juice from the non-centrifugal juicers didn’t separate, smelt fresh and looked palatable and green after 48 hours in the fridge, indicating less oxidation." (Choice website, review 2009).

[HungryC]

I have same model as Andie...the external pulp container means you can do a whole lot of stuff without taking the machine apart. Bed Bath & Beyond stocks the model, and its ubiquitous 20% coupons can be used on Breville items. I didn't spring for the top of the line Breville--it purees soft fruits as well as juices. I decided that my little smoothie blender (a "magic bullet" type thing) was sufficient for soft fruits.

The juice fountain is plenty powerful enough to juice carrots, sweet potatoes, fresh ginger, etc. The only drawback for me: oranges must be peeled first. If you're juicing a couple dozen fruits, it's a pain to peel first. So I'm probably going to spring for the citrus juicer/reamer attachment for my KitchenAid mixer.

[pkeibel]

I too have the Champion and do not find it hard to clean but then I am comparing it to my 20 year old Braun (which luckily died), now that was a pain to clean. The Champion does a much better job, extracts more juice, juices leafy veggies and in my untested opinion yields a better juice

[Darienne]

I too have the Champion and do not find it hard to clean but then I am comparing it to my 20 year old Braun (which luckily died), now that was a pain to clean. The Champion does a much better job, extracts more juice, juices leafy veggies and in my untested opinion yields a better juice

We have a Champion and forgot to mention in my first post that DH put through it bushels of apples last fall. It did a great job and we just finished (alas!) the last of the apple juice this week. It tasted freshly made.

Drawback: it is unwieldy and weighs a ton. We keep it in its original box, down in the cellar.

Edited March 18, 2011 by Darienne (log)

[andiesenji]

Can anyone confirm (as in, tested for themselves) the disadvantages of the centrifugal type juicer, that it heats and oxides the product? I'm interested in using both the juice and pulp. The pulp I'm going to infuse with liquor.

Andie, what do you use your pulp for?

I use the carrot pulp in carrot cake, muffins, etc.

I use fruit pulp, cooked down a bit, as a fat substitute in quick breads, muffins, etc.

I add it to smoothies for fiber.

I cook it with a sweetener (I use the Splenda/sugar "baking" mix, Agave syrup, etc. because I'm diabetic) until it is like a "butter" for a spread and even pastes.

I make some "jellies" with it using plain gelatin or even Jello - the next time I will take photos. Can't use fresh pineapple, papaya or mango - they have to be cooked first or the gelatin won't set.

It still has a lot of the original flavor and nutrition, it just isn't as wet.

If you think about it, it is a way of removing most of the liquid in the fruit that would have to be cooked away in the regular preserving process.

Just consider it as a component and not something to be discarded.

I core apples and pears and remove the pits from cherries, plums, peaches and so on because they would damage the machine.

There is really no waste product in the pulp. The skins contain a lot of nutrients and lots of fiber.

My philosophy is not to waste anything edible and nourishing.

Edited March 18, 2011 by andiesenji (log)

[Kent Wang]

Is Champion the cheapest good quality masticating (or non-centrifugal) juicer at $225-255?

Best Juicers has a reasonable-sounding guide about juicers. They favor the Green Star for highest quality juice, but it starts at $450.

[andiesenji]

Discount Juicers has a comparison chart that is fairly informative

I've owned several juicers - I had a commercial Champion years ago and it was such a bi**h to clean that I rarely used it.

I bought another commercial juicer, I think it was a Kempo, it was twice the price of the Champion but I wasn't too happy with it and returned it - It did have a long warranty, but it was slow and again was messy to clean.

I can't remember which others I had. One was a complete bust - the others were merely adequate.

I think I even bought one of the "Juiceman" QVC offerings. Gave it away.

None did as good a job as simply liquifying the stuff in my VitaMix and straining it, until I got the Juice Fountain. It's easy to use and easy to clean and I use it two or three times a week, sometimes daily - in the summer when my garden is producing well.

[earlgrey_44]

I've got a Champion that also has the grain grinding attachment. I use it for pulping (good for potato pancakes for example), juicing, and grinding flour.

To clean it after juicing, you:

1. turn the nozzle and pull it off

2. slide off the chute to release the screen.

3. pull the cutter head off the motor arbor

4. rinse these items and the plunger under a running tap

5. wipe off the counter and the motor head

6. Done

Not a very onerous procedure IMHO.

While I'm not a daily user, the thing has been sitting in my kitchen since 1983. Still has all the original parts and functions 100%.

P.S.

Gee, what a great thread - The French Laundry soup and Andies tomato sauce approach give me two things to try...

Edited March 19, 2011 by earlgrey_44 (log)

[Kent Wang]

I've had a Philips HR1861 for about a month now and love it. Easy to use, easy to clean, performs well. A local juice shop chain, I Love Juice, uses it. It only cost around $120 here, making it a lot cheaper than the Champion.

I've been putting entire fruits like honeydew melons in, not removing the skin or seeds, and the juice turns out fine. But should I worry that maybe the seeds and other hard stuff are putting excessive wear on the machine?

I still might get the Champion later. Do you think you could put a sugar cane stalk through it? Here in China lots of hand-crank (some even motorized) presses for sugar cane.

[Darienne]

While the Champion is not fun to clean, I don't find it all that difficult. Many kitchen appliances are not 'fun' to clean...food processors are my special dislike.

Asked the DH about putting sugar cane stalk through and he replied that he had never tried but didn't think it was a very good idea. The Champion is tough...but he suspects that the cane is tougher. But, that's just based on conjecture as noted.

Edited May 15, 2011 by Darienne (log)

[tangaloor]

Has anyone tried steam juicers? For example: http://www.juicer-steamer.com/10litmehstea.html

They seem to be very suited to certain types of tasks.

[Anonymous Modernist 283]

Hi Everyone,

First post from a very happy new owner of MC...

An area of particular interest to me is juicing. My interest culminated in taking on Australian distribution of a new design juicer a couple of years ago called "Hurom" which is made in Korea.

This machine is a wonderful design that for my money (and by the way, I have no commercial interest or association with this machine anymore) is better on most accounts than the MC referenced Champion.

When I was the distributor for the Hurom (which is also marketed as the Omega VRT330 in the USA) I performed many head-to-head "juice offs" against the Champion and other brands and the Hurom always came out on top. I've listed a couple of quick benefits the Hurom has and also a couple of videos I put together which I think would be of interest to any MC owners. The first video is making raw nut milk (yes, that's refined sugar free guys!!) and also utilizing it for the MC recipe "Cauliflower Creme Anglais.

Benefits:

Very easy to clean (this is a big stumbling block for most juicer owners)

Versatile - can juice soaked nuts, soft fruits, leafy greens, ginger, garlic, cooked products such as cauliflower (see video)

Small footprint - most of us don't have an MC sized kitchen (I wish!!) so footprint is a consideration - the Champion has a footprint about 5x that of the Hurom

Quick - the Hurom has a faster output than the Champion but still operated at a slow 80rpm which means minimal damage to the product you are extracting the juice from

Video samples:

Almond, vanilla and fig milk

MC Caulflower Creme Anglaise

Again, I must stress that I no longer sell these machines - but that doesn't stop me from appreciating their awesome design and capabilities. If you have any further questions I'm happy to answer them.

Cheers,

Adam

Bondi Beach, Australia

[Anonymous Modernist 502]

as far as juicers go my dream is a Norwalk.http://www.norwalkjuicers.com/

[Anonymous Modernist 8820]

I currently own a Vitamix 750 but it seems like some of the recipes would benefit from a dedicated juicer. I am leaning toward the Omega 8006 over the vertical model. Any insights would be appreciated.

[Judy Wilson]

There are pros and cons to different kinds of juicers. A food press compresses food, rather than ripping it apart, but also costs much less. In the Modernist Cuisine lab, Champion-style juicers are preferred, but of course they can cost up to $300. We go over the different styles in Modernist Cuisine at Home.

[Anonymous Modernist 10865]

I purchased the omega 8004 about a year ago, after extensive research on different models. I have used it almost exclusively for vegetable juicing, not modernist cooking, however. Because I wanted a vegetable juicer, low-speed-masticating styles are the only way to go. I have made frozen fruit sorbet, and the machine is capable of making nut butters, milks, and pasta, but I can't speak much to any additional uses. I highly recommend the 8004 as a vegetable juicer, though I would have gone with the vert model if price was not an issue (for the wider mouth and self-feeding functionality).

[Anonymous Modernist 17811]

Juicer is very good for my family. My kids want to drink juice daily and me too

So I use Juicer

Breville Juicer Reviews

[Anonymous Modernist 18304]

The Omega 8006 juice has a powerful commercial motor, this juice extractor thoroughly chews up plant fibers to fully extract vitamins, enzymes, and minerals from fruits and vegetables.Go for it,