If there is one downside to leading a healthy lifestyle by starting with eating healthy, it is the reality that it can be quite expensive. Organic food products certainly do not come cheap, and you will find that even the utensils and similar tools used in the preparation of healthy food often come attached with hefty price tags.
However, that is not always the case. As more and more people are becoming conscious about their diets and getting serious about preparing their own healthy food and beverages, more reasonable and affordable options have also started to arrive in the market. If you have been on the lookout for a good masticating juicer, but you just can’t seem to get yourself to spend hundreds of dollars on it, you’re in for a treat.
This website is supported by readers. As an Amazon Associate we earn from qualifying purchases.
Not Your Ordinary Juicer
The masticating juicer is not the first juicer ever created; it certainly isn’t the most known, either. In fact, more people are unaware of what a masticating juicer is. However, that is starting to change, as this type of juicer is starting to become more affordable and, therefore, accessible to more people.
A masticating juicer is a kitchen device that extracts the juice from fruits and vegetables. It does sound like your average juicer, doesn’t it? However, there is a difference, and it is something that is sure to affect your decision on what juicer to buy.
What makes the masticating juicer different from your conventional juicer is the extraction technique. Conventional juicers usually fall under the centrifugal category, and these types utilize a spinning blade that grinds the fruits and vegetables. During the grinding process, the juice drips and is collected, leaving the remaining pulp to be placed in another chamber or section of the juicer.
A masticating juicer, on the other hand, extracts juice differently. It starts by slicing the fruit or vegetable into small pieces and then, instead of a spinning grinding blade, it has an auger that presses into the fruit or vegetable and crushing it against a strainer. The crushing action then squeezes the juice out, leaving only a dehydrated pulp behind.
Usually, conventional juicers require that you throw in the fruit or vegetable pieces into a container, then it will do its thing. In the case of masticating juicers, you’d have to slowly insert the fruit or vegetable into the machine. This is why masticating juicers are also sometimes referred to as “slow juicers.”
Why is a Masticating Juicer Better than a Centrifugal Juicer?
There is nothing wrong with conventional juicers. They are convenient, generally user-friendly, and many models are on the affordable side. However, there are several reasons why masticating juicers are preferred and highly recommended by many over conventional centrifugal juicers.
While it is true that masticating juicers extract juice at a much slower rate, you get a better guarantee that it is extracting more vitamins, fiber, enzymes, and trace minerals from the fruit or vegetable being juiced. The slow crushing action of masticating juicers is seen to be more effective and efficient in juice extraction; just try comparing the remaining pulp and you’ll find that the pulp left in a masticating juicer is much drier than the one left in a centrifugal juicer. This means you are getting every last bit of juice and nutrients from the fruit or vegetable, down to its pulp.
Obviously, this also means that masticating juicers offer higher juice yield. You get less waste and a whole lot more juice.
What Can a Masticating Juicer Juice?
When it comes to extracting juice from fresh produce, the usual suspects are fleshy, often hard, fruits and vegetables. This is because they tend to have more juice to be extracted. When juiced using a masticating juicer, you can be sure that you will be able to extract from produce such as apples, pears, oranges, and the like, to the very last drop.
What if you want to extract juice from leafy, often dry, vegetables?
A masticating juicer can do that, too. If there’s a particular leafy green you want to include in your detox drinks, a masticating juicer is capable of juicing it. Good examples include kale, broccoli, and even wheatgrass.
Can a Masticating Juicer Eliminate Oxidation?
Oxidation in fruits and vegetables is the process of their cells breaking down while undergoing juice extraction. A clear manifestation of your juice oxidizing is the amount of foam that gathers on the surface of your juice. You cannot really drink this foam, and it often doesn’t taste that good, either. When your juice oxidizes, that also means the nutrients, vitamins, and minerals contained in it are also losing their efficacy. If left alone for too long, by the time you drink it, your juice would be nothing more than fluid, with none of the benefits you were aiming for in the first place.
Juices extracted using centrifugal machines tend to oxidize faster since the fast spinning action also speeds up the oxidation process by forcing air through the juice. Since a masticating juicer extracts through a crushing action, oxidation is actually slowed down greatly.
So does a masticating juicer prevent your juice from oxidizing? Not completely, no. But it can definitely slow it down so you can still get a big chunk of the benefits of the juice.
Does a Masticating Juicer Have to be Expensive to be Effective?
There is a popular phrase that goes “You get what you pay for,” implying that, if you want to get the best results, you have to spend more money on it. There is a grain of truth to it, but it’s not conclusive.
In the case of masticating juicers, there are models that can set you back for more than a hundred dollars, and that is mostly because they have more advanced features, or they simply carry a premium brand name. However, those are not the only considerations when buying a masticating juicer for your needs.
You will be surprised to find many well-performing masticating juicers that cost below $100. In fact, many of these cheaper models prove to be just as good as – and sometimes even better than – their more expensive counterparts.
The Top 5 Masticating Juicers Under $100
You don’t have to break the bank to get a masticating juicer that provides great results. We looked into the many masticating juicer models below the $100-mark and compared them to see which options are the best. Hold on to your wallets and consider including any of these five on your shopping lists.
5 SimpleTaste Electric Masticating Juicer Extractor
This multi-functional unit from SimpleTaste works on practically all types of fruits and fibrous vegetables, as well as leafy greens. It also pushes the envelope further by working just as well in extracting juice from wheatgrass and barley grass, so you can get your superfoods fix using just one machine. The 80-rpm motor is powerful enough to crush and extract juices from fresh produce while preserving the healthy enzymes and trace minerals contained in them.
At the same time, oxidation is prevented, allowing the juice to be stored for up to 3 days or 72 hours before the health benefits are lost. It is very easy to use and even easier to clean, thanks to its detachable and dishwasher-friendly parts. Since it has a reverse function, there are no clogging problems, which makes the cleaning process even easier.
4 SuperPostman Slow Masticating Juicer Extractor
This slow masticating juicer from SuperPostman guarantees higher juice yield and drier pulp from various fruits and vegetables, even leafy greens, tubers, and wheatgrass. Even if it is a slow juicer, it is still noticeably faster than most in extracting juices.
Right out of the box, it is very easy to assemble, and operation is also very user-friendly, even beginners can easily get the hang of it. Oxidation is kept at a minimum, so you can be sure that you are getting more vitamins, minerals and healthy enzymes in every drop of juice extracted. To aid the cleaning process, it also comes with a cleaning brush.
3 Doctor Hetzner Juicer, Slow Masticating Juicer Extractor
Being able to extract juice from all kinds of fruits and vegetables means that you and your family will get to enjoy higher nutritional value from your juices using this 80 RPM slow juicer from Doctor Hetzner. There is less foaming, low heat build-up, and minimal oxidation while preserving the flavor of the juices for a longer time.
It works quietly, not even going past 60 decibels when at the height of the extraction process. All parts are 100% BPA-free, so you are assured safe juicing and safe drinking. Since all parts are also dishwasher-friendly, it takes mere minutes to wash, clean and store it.
2 Homgeek Juicer Slow Masticating Juicer Extractor
Although the speed of this vertical slow juicer from Homgeek is lower than the others (at 70 rpm), this increases assurance that heat build-up and oxidation are kept at a minimum while ensuring that all the nutrients are kept intact. It has been tested and proven to extract up to 30% more juice and 40% more nutrients than other juicers, both centrifugal and masticating ones. Its compact design is a definite plus since it doesn’t take up too much space on your kitchen countertop.
Many people always dread the cleaning-up part, but that’s not too much of a worry with this extractor. Aside from having dishwasher-friendly parts, it also comes with a cleaning brush. They were also smart enough to equip it with a drip-free smart cap, which effectively prevents spills and leaks on your countertop during the juice extraction.
1 Mooka Slow Masticating Juicer Extractor
Get way more than your money’s worth with this masticating juicer from Mooka. It is so versatile that it can be used to extract the juice from various fruits and vegetables, even the dry varieties, and keep the nutritional content of the extracted juice intact.
At 80 RPM, it extracts up to 80% of the juice, so you can enjoy more of the flavorful juices and benefit from the vitamins, minerals and other healthy enzymes they contain. This affordable unit also happens to be a quiet worker, barely registering 60 decibels, so you can make – and enjoy – your health juice drink in peace. Since oxidation is very low, you can store the juice for up to 72 hours without worrying about the degradation of the nutrients.
A Buyer’s Guide to Choosing a Masticating Juicer Under $100
At this point, you probably already have a list of potential masticating juicers that you can buy for under $100. However, there are so many available options that it may get confusing and, as such, you’d end up closing your eyes and randomly picking a number or pointing at anywhere on the list, then you just hope that you made the right choice.
Why leave it to chance when you can be smarter about it? Here are things you should keep in mind when shopping for a masticating juicer that costs less than $100.
Juicing Speed
The first thing to look at is the RPM of the masticating juicer. Slow juicers usually have an average of 80 RPM, and that’s a good place to start. However, there are models with speeds of 70 RPM. Generally, the ones with the lower RPM are preferable if you are particular about the quality of the juice and its resulting nutritional content. However, this also means a slower process.
Juice Yield
In relation to the speed, you have to take into consideration the juice yield, and how much of the fruits and vegetables can be extracted. You do not want your fresh produce to go to waste. As much as possible, you want them to be juiced to the very last drop, so you can also take advantage of as much nutritional benefit as possible.
Build and Design
In some cases, in order to put a lower price tag on their masticating juicers, manufacturers make use of low-grade and poor-quality materials in their construction.
Avoid units made from cheap plastic material because this will have effects on the durability. Look for masticating juicers with high-grade, BPA-free materials (yes, even if they are plastic), so you won’t end up with a juicer that is easily damaged and can even pose hazards to your health. Similarly, the auger should be durable and not break down the first time it tries to crush an apple.
Compact masticating juicers are also in demand because of their space efficiency. Fortunately, you can now find a lot of small-size masticating juicers that cost less than $100. The clean-up stage after you are done with the juice extraction process should not be such an ordeal. Steer clear of units with many parts that need washing. Instead, look for a masticating juicer with detachable parts that are dishwasher-friendly, so you won’t have trouble cleaning up afterward.
Also, if assembly and disassembly of the masticating juicer take you more than 10 minutes, it means that you should look for a unit that is much simpler to deal with. You might end up spending more time putting it together and dismantling it than the actual time it takes to extract juice.
Quiet Performance
You don’t want a masticating juicer that sounds like a blender, do you? Save your ears from that annoying, grating noise that usually comes from conventional juicers, and look for a masticating juicer extractor that works quietly or, at least, with the minimum noise levels.