Juicer Reviews

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By Peter Watson

The Panasonic Juice Extractor has a low price and works well

The Breville Juice Fountain Plus looks really nice and is an excellent performer for the price

The Sunbeam Fresh Start juicer

I digressed, we now need to take a close look at the machines that you will most probably buy. These will fall into three general price categories, $100+, around $180+ and $500-600.

Your trusty reviewer has tried all three and here are some features.

The $100 plus area will have such offerings as the Panasonic. A machine made in Japan and for many, the first juicer of the modern era they used.

This machine does a good job with a moderately small engine (240w), it requires that the fruit or vegetables be uniformly cut and that in the main skins be removed.

It has features like a hole for a brush that has a water tank attached to clean the metal cutter, claiming that this eliminates the need for daily cleaning.

This is very speculative as it does not remove the build up of fruit pulp and fibers from the rest of the machine and as they tend to rot extremely quickly, it would not be advisable to not clean the whole machine.

In fact the machine is not difficult to clean and can be done quickly with a once a week deep clean through the dishwasher. The down side is that the amount of juice extracted by the slower and less powerful motor tends to be less, where clogging and stalling in the machine are common and the machine struggles a bit on tougher fruits and vegetables too.

The $180+ area will see you looking at such models as Brevilles Juice Fountain Plus (see this for some well aimed hype JuiceVille.com.au). But I must say that this middle-of-the-way machine offers much that you need in juicers. The engine on Fountain Plus is a powerful 850w and juices very quickly with maximum effect and delivery.

The juice, because of the power, has a tendency to come out of the spout in an irregular stream and this may be the reason that the machine is supplied with a jug designed to catch the juice without coating the kitchen. The machine is easy to clean with five components that need to be washed. A once a week wash in the dishwasher is ample.

Sunbeam offers you two models, one with a 1000w engine and three with a 850w engine, these all work on the same principal as the Breville above; the sales pitch is that they will take whole fruits and this is in fact true.

The test models that have been used have performed well. One of the issues that you will get from those who claim great knowledge of the whole juice issue is pulp.

The speed at which these machines work is designed to extract the maximum amount of liquid from the vegetable or fruit and this, many people claim, also includes a high percentage of pulp that is simply made smaller being forced through mesh.

But then you are confronted by the massive amount of pulp that is tossed into the receptacle and it does make you wonder if anything can be done with it and perhaps how much your body is missing out on by not having it.

The stainless steel model is the one with the 1000w engine and is referred to by those in the know as a 'bench trophy'. Sad, since this machine is easy to use, easy to clean and does an all-round good job at just $50 more than the 850w models, it may well be worth considering.

For the deeply committed amongst you, this link will take you to Sunbeams latest offering, it is a machine that is based on the slow methods and is said to release juice from the deep fibers.

The machine is complex and requires dedication and cleaning excellence. There is much that can go wrong, the manufacturers even suggest that this is for the initiated. Once you have gone to this page, follow the download link and get a .pdf file of the machine and read carefully before buying. The machine is priced in the $300 + area.

Now we get to the Captain of the Juice cruiser, the Breville 800 Class. A powerful 1200 watt motor, full stainless steel construction and hugely effective in the delivery of juice with claims of up to 50% more juice. Click here for details on offer by Breville and instructions for use.

This is clearly the model that is styled and designed to go along side your Alessi and other stainless steel appliances of superb quality. The question is whether you would use a machine with this much capacity and this much performance at a domestic level? Perhaps if you have a huge family. This machine will set you back $500+.

Heal Yourself with Raw Juice…

These are some of the combinations:

• Acidity: Grapes, orange, Lemon, carrot and spinach.
  
• Acne: Grapes, tomato, cucumber, carrot, potato and spinach.
  
• Arteriosclerosis: Grapefruit, pineapple, lemon, celery, carrot, lettuce and spinach.
  
• Anaemia: Apricot, prune, strawberry, red grapes, beet, celery, carrot and spinach.
  
• Arthritis: Sour cherry, pineapple, sour apple, lemon, grapefruit, cucumber, beet, potato, carrot, lettuce and spinach.
  
• Asthma: Lemon, pineapple, peach, carrot, radish and celery.
  
• Bronchitis: Apricot, lemon, pineapple, peach, tomato, carrot, onion and spinach.
  
• Colds: Lemon, orange, grapefruit, pineapple, carrot, onion, celery and spinach.
  
• Constipation: Apple, pear, grapes, carrot, beet and spinach.
  
• Colitis: Apple, apricot, pear, peach, pineapple, papaya, carrot, beet, cucumber and spinach.
  
• Diabetes: Citrus fruits, carrot, celery, lettuce and spinach.
  
• Diarrhoea: papaya, lemon, pineapple, carrot and celery.
  
• Eczema: Red grapes, carrot, spinach, cucumber and beet.
  
• Gout: Red sour cherries, pineapple, tomato, cucumber, beet, carrot, celery and spinach.
  
• Halitosis: Apple, grapefruit, lemon, pineapple, tomato, carrot, celery and spinach.
  
• Heart Disease: Red grapes, lemon, cucumber, carrot and beet.
  
• High Blood pressure: Grapes, orange, cucumber, carrot and beet.
  
• Insomnia: Apple, grapes, lemon, lettuce, carrot and celery.
  
• Jaundice: Lemon, grapes, pear, carrot, spinach and beet.
  
• Kidney Disorders: Apple, orange, lemon, cucumber, carrot, celery, parsley and beet.
  
• Liver Ailments: Lemon, papaya, grapes, carrot, tomato and beets.
  
• Menstrual Disorders: Grapes, prunes, cherry, spinach, lettuce, turnip and beet.
  
• Menopausal Symptoms: Fruits and vegetables in season.
  
• Neuritis: orange, pineapple, apple, carrot and beets.
  
• Obesity: Lemon, grapefruit, orange, cherry, pineapple, papaya, tomato, beet, cabbage, lettuce, spinach and carrot.
  
• Piles: Orange, papaya, pineapple, carrot, spinach and turnip.
  
• Prostate Disorders: All fruits juice in season, carrot, asparagus, lettuce and spinach.
  
• Psoriasis: Grapes, carrot, beets and cucumber.
  
• Rheumatism: Grapes, orange, lemon, grapefruit, tomato, potato, cucumber, beet, carrot and spinach.
  
• Stomach Ulcers: Apricot, grapes, cabbage and carrot.
  
• Sinus Trouble: Apricot, tomato, carrot, onion and radish.
  
• Sore Throat: Apricot, grapes, lemon, pineapple, prune, tomato, carrot and parsley.
  
• Tonsilitis: Lemon, orange, pineapple, carrot and spinach.
  
• Varicose Veins: Grapes, orange, tomato, beetroot and carrot.

An Indian perspective on juices and the benefits: Indiangyan.com.

In the end you are going to have to make up your own mind, as it is impossible to draw a final conclusion. I have been spattered with pulp... in most cases the feeding tube is just too big and so much comes back at you before you can get the plunger into place... I have splattered juice all over the bench... the juice tube is incapable in most cases of taking the speed with which the juice is extracted and tend to spurt. Special jugs are provided, but they are clumsy affairs. And every day I clean the machines and think, this is not too hard...

The bottom line for me is that I can see major improvements in my life from juice, I would find the start of the day a duller and less interesting time without it and so come what may I am going to continue. I think it a personal choice, you decide what you can be bothered committing in terms of time and effort, way up the benefits and choose accordingly.

But I do recommend that you have a go. It's a healthy way to enjoy fruit that may be getting a bit overripe, and a great start to the day. If you can find a juicer that suits your lifestyle and price range, then go for it.

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