With festivities ahead, there’s nothing like the best juicer to make sure that your glass is topped up with delicious fresh juice. From a glass of zesty OJ to start the day off right, to healthy and cleansing celery juices, the best juicer can keep your diet topped up with vitamins and healthy nutrients.
There are two main types of juicers: masticating, and centrifugal. A centrifugal juicer is often cheaper, and mimics the best blender in shredding fruits and vegetables using blades. The is then strained away from the pulp, and poured directly into your glass. A masticating juicer, also known as a cold press juicer, will slowly remove the juice from fruits by replicating a hand-juicing motion. This can be more expensive, but it will leave the fibres in your drink intact, which means they are often seen as a healthier choice.
We have also included a citrus juicer in our guide to the best juicers. A citrus juicer is only suitable for those who want fresh-squeezed oranges, grapefruit, and lemons, but they have a spinning reamer that will take all of the hard work out of making fresh juice. When testing the best juicers we checked for key indicators of a good juicer. The main one is how dry the pulp is, because this means that the maximum amount of juice has been extracted from your ingredients. Juicers are known to be quite hard to clean, so we also considered the cleaning process and the setup process.
How much does the best juicer cost?
It might not be as essential as the best kettle or toaster but add a juicer to your worktop and you’ll find yourself using it almost as much as blenders out there. As well as creating exciting drinks to boost your breakfast, the same machine may be able to make frozen desserts, smoothies and even dairy alternatives, such as almond or rice milk.
Many of the best juicers come from brands you’ll recognise for other kitchen must-haves. Smeg, Philips, Nina, and Nutribullet all feature in our guide. There are also top picks from Kuvings and Braun, with a price range of £100 to well over £500. A basic model can be bought for as little as £30, but for reliable operation and better build quality, it’s advisable to spend more. Budget from £70-£180 for a centrifugal model and at least £125 for an entry level masticating design, with more advanced models costing £200 upwards.
A machine that suits your daily routine is the best way to encourage you to make juicing a habit, so it’s a good idea not to buy on price alone. Instead, consider how much value different features will add to your new juicing regime.
Best juicers 2021
1. Nutribullet Centrifugal Juicer
Best juicer overall
Type: Centrifugal
Reasons to buy: Smart design, two speeds, excellent recipe book
Reasons to avoid: The pulp chamber is a little small
Nutribullet is making home juicing easy with its new juicer. Simply named the Nutribullet Juicer, it comes with a central column for extraction and an external pulp container. The recipe book is glorious, with plenty of inspiring suggestions for health shots and even recipes to use up the pulp once you’re done, which is a fantastic touch for those who hate waste.
We found that our juice was mostly froth-free and packed with delicious flavour when testing. There are two speeds, high and low, and the instruction book guides you through which setting to use on which fruits and vegetables to help you improvise your own recipes.
The outer pulp container fills up a little fast if you’re doing juice for a crowd, but it’s easy enough to clean thanks to the angled brush that is designed to scrape all the excess away and scrub the centrifugal mesh. Most parts are dishwasher-safe, which is a real relief when it comes to home juicing. Oh and did we mention, this juicer is under £100?
Ideal Home’s rating: 5 out of 5 stars
Read our full Nutribullet Juicer review
2. Philips Viva Cold Press Masticating Slow Juicer
Best slow juicer
Type: Masticating
Reasons to buy: Reasonably priced, easy to use, not too large
Reasons to avoid: Extraction could be better
There are probably three things that can stop juicing from becoming a habit – extensive food prep, more hassle than juice and cleaning up afterwards. Fortunately, these are all points that the Philips Viva Cold Press Masticating Slow Juicer can help with.
All detachable parts are dishwasher safe, and the machine is designed to be cleaned in 90 seconds for repeat usage. The feeding chute is wide enough to fit a whole apple, although we found it was still better to cut up large apples as the 70mm feeding chute is not wide enough for everything.
This juicer isn’t too expensive given that it’s a masticating juicer with a sturdy design. The footprint is also not too expansive, which is great news for smaller kitchens. The Philips Viva Cold Press Masticating Slow Juicer also comes with a container that can fit up to a litre of juice, but the pulp collector is a little on the small side. We found that the pulp was a little damp on testing, but the 80% extraction claim generally holds true.
Ideal Home’s rating: 4 out of 5 stars
Read our full Philips Viva Collection Masticating Juicer review
3. EVO820 Evolution Cold Press Juicer by Kuvings
Best juicer for serious juicing fans
Type: Cold press
Reasons to buy: Superior quality
Reasons to avoid: An expensive option
Getting the most out of your fruit and veg isn’t always easy but this is the cold press juicing machine to solve all your yield issues. It’s ideal for tackling the trickiest ingredients, such as green leafy veg, as well as being able to make dairy-free milks from nuts and purées for baby food and sauces.
Bolt on the separate citrus module and it’ll also function as a reamer so you can juice limes, lemons and oranges without peeling. The secret to its success is in the clever design. Where it differs from many slow juicers is that it has an 82mm feed chute equipped with a flip gate rather than a fin to protect your fingers.
No fin means it can handle the larger chunks of fruit and veg (including small whole apples) most slow models can’t – so there’s less food prep and waiting around for your morning juice medley.
Other features we found useful include the drip-stop spout (so you can mix juice in the machine as well as protect your worktop from mess) and wrap-around brush for the filter, so clean up was straightforward (although it’s not dishwasher-safe).
In tests, we found it performed well with hard fruit, such as apples, as only dry pulp was ejected, while one piece of fruit produced a good 100ml of juice, and the same with oranges – three fruit yielded 250ml. Pineapple also processed efficiently, although mango and ginger root were trickier and tended to leave pulp wrapped around the inside.
It also made smooth almond milk – thinner than pre-made but with the bonus of being able to use the waste pulp in recipes. The only elements to be aware of is that it’s heavy, so best as a permanent worktop resident, and it’s pricey, so a more suitable choice for juice devotees rather than those who enjoy an occasional glass.
Ideal Home’s rating: 5 out of 5 stars
4. Stellar Electricals Juice Extractor
Best budget juicer
Type: Centrifugal
Reasons to buy: Great value for money and good extraction
Reasons to avoid: A tricky machine to clean
Budget-friendly and surprisingly high quality, the Stellar Electricals Juice Extractor is a great centrifugal juicer. It has two speeds, which is great for different types of fruit and veg, and there’s a handy guide that breaks down which foods to juice at which speed. The lid locks tightly into place using the panels at the front and back, and when plugged in the switch glows blue, indicating that it’s ready to juice.
This juicer comes with a handy jug that’s marked with measurements at the side. We used it to make a mix of smooth and more frothy drinks, from celery juice (not a favourite) to apple and ginger. When we encountered a lot of foam this wasn’t a concern, because the clever central panel in the 1.25 litre jug catches any froth as you pour, meaning you’re left with a smooth fresh drink. This is a noisy option and we found that it juices incredibly fast, even with solid veggies such as carrot.
As with most juicers, it’s a nightmare to clean. All the attachments can be placed in a dishwasher but because the lid of the jug can’t be removed we found that it’s easier to clean this part by hand. Another plus is that you can place apples and oranges in this juicer completely whole, which cuts back on prep time significantly.
Ideal Home’s rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars
5. Smeg CJF01 Citrus Juicer
Best citrus juicer
Type: Citrus
Reasons to buy: It’s a beautiful machine that’s easy to use and clean
Reasons to avoid: Not so versatile
The Smeg CJF01 Citrus Juicer is no multi-tasker, but it is a beautiful appliance that we would never want to take off the kitchen counter. It’s larger than most citrus juicers (about the size of a small kettle) but immensely easy to use and set up. The electric juicer starts to spin as soon as you apply the pressure of lemon or orange, and this is strained by a removable pulp filter.
Simply click down the side spout to fill a cup with fresh OJ or lemonade, and enjoy. As the name suggests, you can’t juice anything other than citrus in this option, but it’s a fantastic brunch companion that comes in a massive range of colours.
The body is made of die-cast aluminum which feels classy and high-quality, and the attachments are all dishwasher safe.
Ideal Home’s rating: 5 out of 5 stars
6. Sage SJE830BSS The Nutri Juicer Cold XL
Best juicer for beginners
Type: Centrifugal
Reasons to buy: Wide feeding chute and not too noisy
Reasons to avoid: No anti-drip spout
The centrifugal Nutri Juicer Cold XL is easy to assemble, feels reassuringly robust, cuts down on chopping with its 88mm chute (which can accommodate whole apples) and everything can go in the dishwasher, with the exception of the pusher, or be rinsed in seconds.
All of which means you can make juice quickly and with minimum mess. There’s also a quiet option for processing soft fruit, so you don’t have to let everyone for miles around know that you’re juicing, and a boost option for tackling hard veg.
Besides its speeds, there are smart design features, such as its large pulp container and two-litre juice jug with an airtight lid, meaning that you can juice a batch and it’ll keep for up to three days in the fridge, and a flexible nozzle that allows you to juice straight into a glass.
However, it’s worth noting a few downsides, such as the lack of recipes included and the fact that there’s no anti-drip spout, so it’s wise to keep a glass in place after you’ve finished or face cleaning up splashes.
In our tests we used the quiet speed to juice citrus fruit, which worked fairly well, although there was more moisture left in the pulp than we would have liked. Two oranges made about 100ml of juice, which was quite foamy and would have benefited from a separator within the jug. Spinach leaves produced a lot of waste with not much juice.
However, we had more success with apples on boost, which created a clear, sweet juice with no visible residue, and pears using the fast speed. Both produced minimal dry pulp and a good amount of juice for the fruit used.
As long as you’re not juicing wheatgrass, this is a great all-rounder of a machine, though you may need to experiment with the speeds to get the best results.
Ideal Home’s rating: 4 out of 5 stars
7. Braun Multiquick 7 Juicer
Best for value juicer for money
Type: Centrifugal
Reasons to buy: Fast to use and an impressive yield
Reasons to avoid: Noisy
Efficient, easy to assemble and packed with features, the Identity Spin juicer delivers plenty of bang for your buck. Not only will it whizz through large pieces of fruit and vegetables in seconds, with even whole apples fitting down its 7.5cm chute, but the anti-drip and anti-splash spout also ensures your worktop stays spotless throughout.
A 900W motor and two speeds help it adapt to hard and soft fruit, while a 1.25-litre lidded jug with a foam separator allows you to store juice. The machine is especially noisy in operation. In testing, it produced a glass of juice in around 15 seconds, a good yield that was only slightly less than more expensive machines.
Where the Identity Spin may not appeal to everyone is in its equally efficient design – it’s rather chunky, and at a weighty 6.2kg, not as suitable for lifting in and out of a cupboard. However, clean-up is a big win for fans of low-maintenance kit – all the parts are dishwasher-safe and there’s a cleaning brush for whisking away stubborn fibres from the micro-mesh filter.
Ideal Home’s rating: 4 out of 5 stars
8. HR1947 Avance masticating juicer by Philips
Best juicer for small kitchens
Type: Masticating
Reasons to buy: Easy to store
Reasons to avoid: Prone to surges
If the idea of yet another appliance cluttering your kitchen fills you with horror, you’ll love this clever compact juicer. Measuring a mere 11cm wide, it’s skinny, stylish and a doodle to stash away thanks to dedicated cable storage and parts that fit inside the pulp container. It’s simple to assemble and afterwards can be cleaned by hand in less than a minute.
The Avance has a few quirks, however. One is a narrow feed tube, so while you might save time on cleaning up, you’ll spend some of that chopping beforehand. It’s also prone to surges when food needs a firm push through, so it may splash the worktop. The recipe book would benefit from some extra guidance amongst the ideas, too.
Those things aside, the juicing yield is high, it’s near-impossible to clog as there’s no sieve, and it’s quiet enough to maintain a conversation while it’s in use. Pricey for a machine that only produces juice, the Avance’s diminutive size and minimal maintenance makes up for this.
Ideal Home’s rating: 3 out of 5 stars
9. Smeg SJF01
Best juicer for style
Type: Masticating
Reasons to buy: Gorgeous design
Reasons to avoid: That price tag
Start saving up now for this gorgeous, design-led masticating juicer. In contrast to all the contemporary versions on the market, this machine combines retro curves with modern technology – but it comes with a premium price tag.
Available in four colours, it’s not only impressive to look at on the kitchen worktop, it’s also fantastically functional. Inside it boasts a 43rpm squeezing system with a choice of two strainers – fine and coarse – for creating silky smooth or thicker juice with pulp.
These were more difficult to clean than some but the included brushes were invaluable. Another notable feature is its density regulator lever that helps to get the last few drops out at the end. The slow juicer performed well in testing, producing a high yield quickly from both hard and soft fruit and vegetables, but that’s not the only good reason to buy.
What’s just as convincing is its impressive construction: combining an auger made from durable material Ultem, a 150W induction motor and a sturdy base, this feels every inch a machine that’ll be happily juicing for years to come.
Ideal Home’s rating: 4 out of 5 stars
10. Ninja Cold Press Pro
Best budget slow juicer
Type: Centrifugal
Reasons to buy: An entry-level option
Reasons to avoid: Low yield
If you’re thinking of starting a fresh juice habit and aren’t willing to budge from a cold press model, this is a good pick. For starters, there are two filters, so you can choose from a variety of different pulp levels.
The whole thing slots together very easily, and it’s certainly appealing for its compact dimensions. The feeding chute is small though, so it’s best to chop up fruit in advance.
Because it’s a cold press juicer this machine works very slowly. It also has a sensitivity to seeds and skin, so we found that there was a lot of prep needed to get a quality glass of juice.
On the plus side though, it’s a very quiet machine, and most of the parts can go in the dishwasher. The price is also very reasonable for a cold press juicer.
Ideal Home’s rating: 3.5 out of 5 stars
Black Friday juicer deals 2021
Black Friday 2021 juicer deals are closer than you might think, and if you want to head into the New Year with a healthy diet and lifestyle, a juicer is the perfect investment to make. Last year we saw juicer deals with as much as £150 off top models from Kuvings and Hurom. Cheaper models, like the NutriBullet juicer, will also see discounts at retailers like Amazon and AO.com.
What are the different types of juicer?
There are two types of juicer, which are known as centrifugal and masticating. They use different methods to extract the juice and are sometimes referred to as fast and slow juicers.
Centrifugal juicers are high-speed machines that extract by shredding the fruit or vegetables with spinning blades, before straining it against metal mesh to separate seeds and pith from juice. As well as being speedy, centrifugal juicers are well suited to handling hard fruit and vegetables, such as ginger, apples and carrots. They’re also good for cutting down on food prep time as many have large feed chutes that can accommodate whole apples and veggies.
However, as the process adds more air into the juice, you may find that it doesn’t store for more than a day or two and discolours quickly. Centrifugal juicers can also be quite noisy although it won’t be for long. If you plan to use your juicer mostly for OJ, you may want to consider a straightforward citrus press instead.
Masticating juicers are also called slow juicers or cold press juicers, and work by ‘chewing’ fruit and vegetables before crushing or squeezing out the juice at a gentle rate. This provides a high yield and maximum nutritional content plus the juice may have a longer shelf life. Many ‘slow’ juicers have almost caught up with centrifugal juicers in terms of speed and they’ll also be quieter while in use.
Masticating juicers can tackle a variety of vegetables, soft fruit and nuts, so they’re worth spending a bit extra on if you plan to juice every day. Most have a smaller chute than a centrifugal machine, so food requires a bit more chopping and prep to prevent clogs. You’ll find horizontal machines, which are perfect for tucking at the back of worktops below wall cabinets, and upright vertical models, which take up less space on a worktop.
What are the main features to look for?
It’s key to choose a machine that’s easy to use and maintain. Time spent assembling and cleaning can become a reason not to juice regularly. Look for those that can be put together easily and have a non-drip spout. Ideally, they should have dishwasher-safe parts or dedicated brushes for clearing fibres and residue from mesh filters.
Power is another consideration. If you’re opting for a centrifugal machine, its wattage should be at least 400W so fruit hitting the blades won’t slow it down. More than one speed, or automatic adjustment, will also be useful as centrifugal juicers handle hard fruit at high speed. but need a slower one for soft fruit. Masticating machines will be lower wattage, usually between 150-240W as the slower juicing process doesn’t require the extra power. One speed should do for all, with a reverse to clear blockages.
Look for models that can make more than smooth juice if you’re keen to get extra mileage out of your purchase. Additional filters that blend smoothies, make fruit coulis or juice with pulp, and solid inserts that can process frozen fruit into sorbet will make your juicer really earn its place on the kitchen worktop.
Other things to consider when buying a juicer
A recipe book is essential for getting the most out of your juicer. They’ll often include ideas for mocktails, desserts, savoury dishes, nut milks and more.
Choose a model that suits your lifestyle. For example, if you want to juice straight into a glass, check the spout is high enough for one to fit below. Similarly, if you want to spend minimal time chopping up fruit, pick a juicer with a wide feed chute.
The best juicers will have a good guarantee. Choose one with at least two years on parts and several on the motor.
Other useful accessories include a lidded jug for making and storing juice ahead of time, and storage for spare parts.
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