The best juicer/method of preparation

[Jon Bischke]

I know there have been a few threads on here already but I still haven't been able to reach a decision so I thought I'd throw this out there again. For years I have been using an Omega juicer and while I liked it the fact that it had a narrow opening for fruits and vegetables caused me to use it less and less. Then, about six months ago I discovered this juicer from Hamilton Beach on Amazon and totally fell in love. Big, wide opening for fruits and vegetables, super easy to clean up...and cheap! ($70 or so).

The love affair last until recently when we tried juicing watermelon with rind and burnt the engine out. :)

Did some research here (and elsewhere) and am thinking that the HB probably wasn't producing the best quality juice so the fact that we're moving on probably isn't a bad thing. I'm looking around at other options and it seems like the Green Star is the one that is talked about most highly. I'm leaning in that direction right now but wasn't sure if how big of an opening the Green Star has for fruits and vegetables. If it's too small I wonder if it might end up suffering the same fate as my Omega...

Also, I do have a Blendtec so I'm thinking maybe I'll just try the blend and squeeze thing that so many others here have raved about. If that works then maybe I don't need to shell out for another juicer.

A final few questions:

#1 - Where do you get nut mylk bags?

#2 - Difference in the Green Star juicer models appears to be just attachments?

#3 - Any inexpensive places to find the Green Star if I go that route?

Thanks all!

[Jon Bischke]

Also, the Breville's get very good reviews on Amazon:

http://www.amazon.com/Breville-BJE510-900-Watt-Variable-Speed-Extra...
http://www.amazon.com/Breville-800JEXL-Fountain-1000-Watt-Extractor...

Here's the link to the HB I bought. Very good reviews as well, apparently most people don't try juicing watermelon w/the rind! :)

http://www.amazon.com/Hamilton-Beach-67650-Extractor-Chrome/dp/B000...

[Suely Teixeira Menezes]

You can also find the nut mylk bags at www.rawfoodworld.com.
Have a great day!!!

[Suely Teixeira Menezes]

Ah! also you can use chhese cloth from Whole Foods Market. It works as well.

[Suely Teixeira Menezes]

I meant - Cheese cloth.

[Aussie Feaster]

Hi Jon,
I believe the best method is to use both! I know it takes a bit more time, but the taste is so much better. I use the Breville Juice fountain and it makes heaps of juice. You can put it in the dishwasher too, so it cuts down allot of washing time. I use an old blender at the moment, but can't wait to get the vita-mix. Using the Breville for fruits/celery etc and blender for the leafy greens has produced excellent flavour. Hope that helps a bit!
K

[Jon Bischke]

That sounds great Kate. Which model Breville do you have?

[Aussie Feaster]

Umm, I'm not sure if they have anything but the Juice Fountain? The latest one I guess? I bought it about 4 months ago. K

[wayne]

Here's some of the best info I've ever read. http://www.discountjuicers.com/information.html It was a link on the "marketplace" in www.rawfoods.com, this site is chock full of lots of good information.
I have a champion, a vita-mix, and a Radiant Health Unit (Fred Flintstones juicer).
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The BEST Juicer, Is there one?
by John Kohler
Often times, we are asked, "which is the best juicer?". Choosing a juicer is like a choosing an outfit to wear. If your going swimming, you will wear a bathing suit. If you are going to a formal occasion, you will wear an tuxedo. Choosing a juicer is much the same. You must match the juicer to what you intend to do with the juicer. There are several "styles" of juicers available on the market today. Some are better suited for juicing certain kinds of produce than others. There is no "perfect" juicer that will perform every juicing operation with equal quality. Please evaluate your needs carefully before purchasing an appliance. This article is based on our experience, and is accurate as possible, if you have any questions, please visit the FAQ.

Before purchasing a juicer, you should ask yourself, what considerations are important to you, when making your choice? Some factors you should take into consideration are: ease of cleaning
noise level
speed of juicing
length of warranty
types of produce you will be juicing


One of the reasons why there is not a "perfect" juicer is because fruits and vegetables have vastly different properties. The juicing method that is effective for one may not work while juicing the other. Fruits, have soft cell walls, and therefore require a gentle extraction method. Apples, pears, watermelon, cantaloupe, pineapple are some of the fruits that can be juiced peel and all. Citrus fruits, such as oranges, grapefruits, tangerines, have a bitter outer rind, and juice from a "whole" orange would be too bitter to drink. It also contains indigestible chemicals. One solution is to grate away the outer rind (the orange coloring on the orange - it is best to leave the white "pith", as valuable nutrients are contained within the white area). The more common method, is to slice the fruit in half, and then using a "reamer" style juicer or a citrus press to press out the juice.

* I always recommend people purchase organically grown produce whenever possible, especially when juicing produce items, skin and all.

Vegetables on the other hand have fibrous, "tough" cell walls, requiring more aggressive mechanical juicing action than fruit. Due to their low acid content, it is recommended that vegetable juices be consumed within 15 minutes of their preparation, since it has been demonstrated that enzyme activity in juice 30 minutes old is one-half that of freshly made juice. When apple or carrot juice turns brown, it has oxidized.

Juices that are not made fresh, and sold in the store that are bottled or canned will NEVER oxidize. This is because the juice has been heated to kill all the enzymes. The enzymes are one of the key reasons why making fresh juice with your juicer can be so beneficial.

I will attempt to explain they various styles of juicers on the market today, how they work, and a brief overview of their advantages and disadvantages.
Please visit http://www.discountjuicers.com/bestjuicer.html

Hope it helps,
WaW