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Cold-Press vs Centrifugal Juicers

Test: Juicers

The claims are true: non-centrifugal models do produce juice that lasts longer and contains more nutrients.

Online October 2007


Test results for 12 centrifugal and non-centrifugal juicers from $100 to $749


We've scored the juicers for:    
  • Performance
  • Ease of use

We also tested the manufacturers' claims that juice made by cold-press-style machines is more nutritious and that it’ll stay fresh and tasty for up to 48 hours.

Key findings:  
  • All the juicers performed reasonably well, with even the worst getting a good score.

  • Our tests showed that non-centrifugal juicers do extract more nutrients — in some cases double or even three times as much!

  • Juice from the non-centrifugal juicers still looked and smelt palatable after 48 hours.

  • All the centrifugal juicers have large, bulky parts that are hard to fit into a domestic sink for cleaning.
          Brands tested
          • Breville Ikon Juice Fountain BJE510
          • Breville 800 Class 800JE
          • Delonghi JE 850 M
          • Sunbeam Café Juice JE7600
          • Sunbeam Café Series JE8900
          • Kambrook Twin Speed Juicer KJE40
          • Morphy Richards 48951
          • Magimix Le Duo Plus
          • Greenpower Hippocrates GPT-E1303
          • Oscar 900 VitalMAX (Chrome)
          • Champion 2000+
          • Healthstart Compact

        What to buy
        Brand Price
        Centrifugal
        Breville Ikon Juice Fountain BJE510 $249
        Breville 800 Class 800JE $530
        DeLonghi JE850M $199
        Sunbeam Café Juice JE7600 $199
        Sunbeam Café Series JE8900 $299
        Kambrook Twin Speed Juicer KJE40* $100
        Non-centrifugal
        Greenpower Hippocrates GPT– E1303 $749
        OSCAR 900 VitalMAX (Chrome) $540

        *While the Kambrook’s score isn’t quite as high as the others, it works well and we think it’s great value at half the price of some other models which gained similar scores.
        About the rest
        • Although the Morphy Richards has a large chute and produces reasonable-quality juice, you only get a relatively small amount. It’s also large and bulky.

        • The Magimix’s juice had a higher level of calcium than juice from the other centrifugal juicers, but the model scored the lowest for ease of use. It doesn’t come with a juice jug, has a small chute, the motor unit has cracks and crevices where dirt can accumulate, and the filter’s difficult to clean thoroughly.

        • The Healthstart and the Champion produced juice containing high levels of calcium. Apple juice from both looked and smelt palatable after 48 hours. Although easy to clean, they’re expensive, have a small chute, no cord storage and no dishwasher-safe parts. The Healthstart scored the lowest for the juice produced because its carrot juice was a little grainy and it produced a lower quantity.


                    Results Table


                      Performance Features Specifications
                      Brand/model
                      (in rank order)
                      Type
                      Overall score (%) Performance score (%) Ease of use score (%) Speeds Dishwasher-safe Dimensions (cm, H x W x D)* Weight (kg) ** Price ($)
                      Centrifugal juicers
                      Breville Ikon Juice Fountain BJE510
                      www.breville.com.au
                      Centrifugal
                      83 85 80 5 • (B) 44 x 35 x 20 5.1 249
                      Breville 800 Class 800JE
                      www.breville.com.au
                      Centrifugal
                      81 83 78 2 • (C) 43 x 35 x 20 6.6 530
                      Delonghi JE850M
                      www.delonghi.com.au
                      Centrifugal
                      80 85 74 2 • (C) 46 x 36 x 21 5.8 199
                      Sunbeam Café Juice JE7600
                      www.sunbeam.com.au
                      Centrifugal
                      80 83 76 2 • (B) 41 x 32 x 22 5.3 199
                      Sunbeam Café Series JE8900
                      www.sunbeam.com.au
                      Centrifugal
                      80 83 76 2 • (B) 41 x 32 x 22 5.7 299
                      Kambrook Twin Speed Juicer KJE40
                      www.breville.com.au
                      Centrifugal
                      75 80 70 2 • (D) 38 x 30 x 22 3.7 100
                      Morphy Richards 48951
                      www.asko.com.au
                      Centrifugal
                      75 80 70 2 ns 40 x 24 x 34 5.6 199
                      Magimix Le Duo Plus
                      www.cambur.com.au
                      Centrifugal
                      71 83 58 1 • (E) 33 x 21 x 20 5.4 399
                      Non-centrifugal juicers
                      Greenpower Hippocrates GPT-E1303
                      www.sprout.net.au
                      Cold-press, twin-gear
                      80 90 70 2 (A) 32 x 20 x 39 6.5 749
                      Oscar 900 VitalMAX (Chrome)
                      www.sprout.net.au
                      Cold-press, single-gear, two-step auger
                      78 90 66 2 (A) 22 x 18 x 26 6.1 540
                      Champion 2000+
                      www.sprout.net.au
                      Single auger, masticating
                      74 85 62 1 30 x 20 x 49 9.7 590
                      Healthstart Compact
                      www.tohealth.com.au
                      Similar to cold-press, single auger
                      72 78 66 2 (A) 24 x 18 x 25 4.3 349
                       

                      Table notes
                      Price Recommended retail price, correct at September 2007.
                      * Doesn’t include juice jug.
                      (A) On/reverse.
                      (B) All parts on the top shelf only.
                      (C) All plastic parts except the pusher on the top shelf only.
                      (D) Pulp container and juice jug on the top shelf only.
                      (E) All removable parts on a short program at 50°C.
                      Scores
                      The overall score is made up of:
                      • Performance score: 50%
                      • Ease of use score: 50%


                      How we tested
                      Performance Our tester processed a kilogram each of carrots, apples, oranges and a combination of watermelon and pineapple. From these, she evaluated each juicer's abilities across a range of textures and consistencies. She was looking for juice that was smooth rather than pulpy, grainy or frothy.
                      Ease of use included how easy it was to 'feed' the juicer (affected by the size of the chute and how small the contents had to be chopped before it would fit), assembly and disassembly of parts, cleaning, use of controls, collecting juice, and removing pulp.
                      Safety Each juicer was also assessed to see how easy it was for hands of various sizes to come into contact with the blades through the food chute, when it was fully assembled. Safety wasn't scored, but you'll find comments in the profiles.

                  What to Look For
                  The basics
                  • A juicer should have as few parts as possible, which fit together and dismantle easily.

                  • Parts should be easy to clean, with no corners or crevices to trap food and shelter bacteria.

                  • It’s best if the blade/sieve and pulp surround or pulp container can be removed together, so you don’t drip pulp or juice over the bench.

                  • Make sure the pulp container is a practical size, so you don’t have to keep stopping the machine to empty it.

                  • If the juicer doesn’t come with a juice jug, check that the spout is positioned to fit over a decent-sized jug.

                  Useful features
                  • Make sure the blade assembly can’t be easily touched through the chute, especially for little fingers.

                  • Cord storage is handy for keeping your bench uncluttered.

                  • A control switch at the front is easier to reach quickly than one at the back.


                  Different Types of Juicer
                  There are two main types of juicer:
                  • Centrifugal juicers are the most common, popular and affordable type. They use a rotating blade to cut fruit and vegetables, which is then pushed against a strainer at very high speeds.

                  • Non-centrifugal juicers can be either a masticating (chewing) or a cold-press style.

                  Masticating juicers Although still fast, masticating juicers run at a slower rate than most centrifugal juicers. Makers of masticating juicers claim they break down fibre more thoroughly than centrifugal juicers, to release more nutrients. The Champion 2000+ is the only masticating juicer we tested. It uses a combination of tooth-like blades and a fine sieve.
                  Cold-press style juicers These use a slow-turning auger (a screw-like device), also called a gear, to crush or squeeze the fruit or vegetables. They push the pulp through a tight cap and the juice filters through a sieve into a bowl. The Healthstart Compact and the Oscar 900 VitalMAX are single-gear cold-press-style juicers.
                  Twin-gear juicers The most expensive juicers on the market are twin-gear juicers like the Greenpower Hippocrates GPT-E1303. These juicers have two gears that rotate inwards, leaving a very small gap between them. They crush and grind produce to extract its juice.
                  Benefits of non-centrifugal juicers The non-centrifugal juicers we tested are mostly more expensive than centrifugal models. Despite this, they have a smaller chute size and no dishwasher-safe parts or cord storage. They’re also slower at processing and you sometimes need to give the fruit and vegetables a good shove to get them down the chute. However, there are several advantages to non-centrifugal types.
                  • If you store your juice rather than drinking it soon after making it, one of these machines may suit you.

                  • You can also use some of them for food processing, mincing, grinding coffee beans and for making sausages, pasta/noodles, seasonings, nut butter, soy milk, baby food and ice cream.

                  • They have fewer parts and are easier to clean.

                  • Cold-press ones can juice wheatgrass and herbs.

                  • Their warranties are generally longer than those for centrifugal juicers.

                  • They’re much quieter than centrifugal models.
                  Also, as our test shows, the juice from these machines contains more nutrients than most centrifugal models, and it lasts longer.
                  Health Claims Tested

                  Manufacturers claim cold-press-style machines’ juice is more nutritious and that it’ll stay fresh and tasty for up to 48 hours. According to the makers, the gentle, slow-turning action of a cold press machine produces a greater quantity of juice, which retains more vitamins, minerals, enzymes, phytochemicals and fibre than that produced by other methods. Their argument is that high-speed centrifugal juicers heat up the juice, allow air to enter and therefore cause damage to some of the perishable nutrients.
                  Nutritional analysis
                  We tested the nutritional claims, by sending a sample of carrot juice from each juicer to a lab to be analysed for minerals (potassium and calcium), Vitamin C and the phytochemicals alpha and beta-carotene, to see if the non-centrifugal juicers did extract or retain more nutrients.
                  • The juice from all the non-centrifugal juicers contained about double — in some cases triple — the calcium of the juices produced by the centrifugal juicers (bar one, the Magimix).

                  • The Greenpower Hippocrates’ juice contained well over double the beta-carotene and alpha-carotene of the juice from every other juicer in the test.

                  • Potassium was much the same for all juices tested.

                  • Vitamin C quantities were too low to measure accurately.

                  How long did the juice stay fresh?
                  A sample of apple juice from each juicer was refrigerated for 48 hours, then evaluated for colour, overall appearance, smell and texture, to test the claim that juice from non-centrifugal juicers holds up longer. The apple juice from the centrifugal juicers separated and went brown a few minutes after juicing. After two days it was noticeably deteriorating, didn’t smell fresh, had a hard froth on top (except juice from the Magmix) and a layer of sediment at the bottom — indicating a higher level of oxidation. By contrast, the juice from the non-centrifugal juicers didn’t separate, smelt fresh and looked palatable and green after 48 hours in the fridge, indicating less oxidation. And the reason why? It’s possible that the oxidation or friction from higher-speed centrifugal juicers turns the juice bad faster than the slow-turning machines.

                  Profiles - Non-Centrifugal Juicers
                  Greenpower Hippocrates GPT–E1303
                  Price: $749 Good points
                  • Excellent result for orange, carrot and combined pineapple and watermelon juice, and very good for apple juice.
                  • 12-year warranty on the motor and five years on parts and labour.
                  • Very good instructions with DVD.
                  • Large pulp container and good-sized jug.
                  • Can process wheatgrass, barley grass, alfalfa, and seeds such as sesame and pumpkin.
                  • Can be used as a food processor, meat mincer, soy milk and tofu maker, frozen dessert and baby food maker, and pepper and coffee grinder.
                  • You can buy an attachable pasta and noodle maker.
                  • Quiet.
                  • Juice still looked and smelt palatable after 48 hours.
                  • Good levels of tested nutrients in juice.
                  Bad points
                  • Narrow chute, and no cord storage.
                  • Hard vegies take more time and effort to process.
                  • Some cracks and crevices trap dirt.

                   
                  Oscar 900 VitalMax (Chrome)
                  Price: $540 (On the Sprout Shop, it's $489)

                  Good points
                  • Excellent result for orange, apple, carrot and combination pineapple and watermelon juice.
                  • Other uses include mincing, chopping, sausage making, noodles/pasta, nut butters, fruit ice creams, purées and desserts.
                  • 20-year warranty on the motor, five years on parts and labour.
                  • Different strainers for different functions, such as juicing and mincing.
                  • Juices wheatgrass, barley grass, alfalfa.
                  • Quiet.
                  • Easy to clean.
                  • Juice still looked and smelt palatable after 48 hours.
                  • Good calcium levels.
                  Bad points
                  • No parts are dishwasher-safe.
                  • No cord storage.
                  • Narrow chute
                  • Small juice jug and pulp container.
                  • Hard vegies take more time and effort to process.

                  Profiles - Non-Centrifugal Juicers

                  Breville Ikon Juice Fountain BJE510
                  Price: $249

                  Good points
                  • Excellent result for carrot, and for combined pineapple and watermelon juice, and a very good result for orange and apple juice.
                  • Large chute.
                  • Very clear controls.
                  • Large juice jug and pulp container.
                  • Very comprehensive instructions.
                  • Parts are dishwasher-safe.
                  Bad points
                  • Large and bulky, can be difficult to clean in a domestic sink.
                  • Blade is accessible.

                   
                   
                  Breville 800 Class 800JE
                  Price: $530

                  Good points
                  • Excellent result for combined pineapple and watermelon juice, and a very good result for carrot, orange and apple juice.
                  • Large chute.
                  • Large juice jug and pulp container.
                  • Very comprehensive instructions.
                  • All parts are dishwasher-safe except the pusher.
                  Bad points
                  • Large and bulky, can be difficult to clean in a domestic sink.
                  • Expensive.
                  • Blade is accessible.

                   
                   
                  DeLonghi JE850M
                  Price: $199

                  Good points
                  • Excellent result for apple and combined pineapple and watermelon juice, and a very good result for orange and carrot juice.
                  • Large chute.
                  • All parts are dishwasher-safe except the pusher.
                  • Large juice jug and pulp container.
                  Bad points
                  • Fiddly to assemble.
                  • Large and bulky, can be difficult to clean in a domestic sink.
                  • Blade is accessible by smaller hands.

                   
                   
                  Sunbeam Café Juice JE7600
                  Price: $199

                  Good points
                  • Excellent result for combined pineapple and watermelon juice, and a very good result for carrot, apple and orange juice.
                  • Large chute.
                  • All parts are dishwasher-safe.
                  • Large juice jug and pulp container.
                  Bad points
                  • Large and bulky, can be difficult to clean in a domestic sink.
                  • Blade is accessible.

                   
                   
                  Sunbeam Café Series JE8900
                  Price: $299

                  Good points
                  • Excellent result for combination pineapple and watermelon juice, and a very good result for carrot, orange and apple juice.
                  • Large chute.
                  • All parts are dishwasher-safe.
                  • Large juice jug and pulp container.
                  Bad points
                  • Large and bulky, can be difficult to clean in a domestic sink.
                  • Blade is accessible.

                   
                   
                  Kambrook Twin Speed Juicer KJE40
                  Price: $100

                  Good points
                  • Very good result for carrot, orange, apple and pineapple and watermelon juice.
                  • Large chute.
                  • Pulp container and juice jug are dishwasher-safe.
                  Bad points
                  • No cord storage.
                  • Small hands can touch blade.
                  • Cracks and crevices trap dirt.
                  • Small juice jug and pulp container.
                  • Bulky parts are hard to clean.

                   


                   
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