I have been enjoying fresh, organic juices quite frequently this Summer. Something about warmer weather makes me crave the liquid fruit/veggie combo!
In case you haven’t noticed, fresh juice is not cheap. For as much as I love consuming it, I am realizing that going to a store for the finished product may not be the most economical choice! It is entirely cheaper to buy the produce and do it yourself…especially if you plan on making it a regular thing in your home.
For that reason, I have begun researching juicers. My dream-machine would be the Vitamix, but at $500, I am not certain that I am quite ready for that type of investment. I also wonder if the juice is really that much better from the Vitamix? I have to think that if you are using quality, organic ingredients, there are plenty of others machines that will get the job done. I have used a Vitamix (a friends) and have used a cheap-o juicer and found that the quality of juice was quite similar.
Here are a few of the brands that I have been researching:
Breville ikon 5-speed juicer
This juicer seems to be the best one that I’ve come across besides the Vitamix. It offers the ability to make an 8-oz juice in five seconds! The extra large feed tube allows you to insert whole pieces of fruits, so this eliminates slicing! Pretty awesome 🙂 The juicer is supposed to extract up to 40% more vitamins and minerals than comparable juicers. I like the sound of that!
Cuisinart Compact Juice Extractor
For a fraction of the price of the Breville model above, here is another juicer. The pitcher holds up to 16 oz, which is just about as much just as I’d make it in one sitting. Reviews mention that this is perfect for small counter top areas, and gets the job done. Some recommend using soft fruits first and then doing the harder fruits/veggies (carrots, beets, etc.) as it can take awhile to get the juice out of the firmer produce.
Omega Silver Mega Mouth Juicer
This juicer is made for high capacity juicing (according to Sur La Table’s website). There were no reviews on this product, but it does seem to be a very high powered juicer. Similar in price to the first item listed (the Breville).
Question: Do you own a juicer? Can you recommend one?
I am looking for something relatively inexpensive (when I say this I mean below the cost for a Vitamix), that is still high quality and quick! Any suggestions are appreciated 🙂
e'claire 