How to choose a centrifugal juicer
A centrifugal juicer is an appliance designed to extract juice from all kinds of fruit and vegetables. It will produce juice from tomatoes, carrots, apples, pineapple, blackcurrants, etc.
41 K 4.4/5 (22 reviews)
Keywords for this post:CentrifugeJuiceExtractionChoiceUtensilEquipmentLast modified on: April 1st 2011
How to choose a centrifugal juicer
The principle is very simple: the chosen fruit is fed into the top of the machine through a pipe called a "chimney".
The fruit is washed, but not peeled as this is not necessary. They are pulverized by a grater which rotates at very high speed (green arrow), the pulp obtained is thrown against a very fine grid where the juice is extracted by centrifugal force (hence the name), the "dry" pulp is ejected at the rear into a collection tray (blue arrow), and the precious juice is collected in a pitcher (red arrow).
Note that the resulting juice is very, very frothy, and you'll need to wait a few minutes for it to settle before the froth rises to the top and the (clear) juice settles to the bottom.
Selection criteria
There are all sorts of centrifuge models and brands to choose from, and having hesitated a great deal before taking the plunge, I'd like to give you the points I consider important, or not, in making your choice.What's important
- Power and speed: these determine the machine's capacity and efficiency. To be efficient, it needs to turn very fast (8,000 rpm minimum), and be powerful (500 watts minimum) to avoid jamming during operation.
- The recovery pitcher: This essential element receives the juice that flows from the centrifuge, and is designed so that when you pour, the foam remains in the pitcher and only the juice flows out.
- The pulp tank or pulp selector: A tank at the back of the centrifuge that receives the pulp from whatever you're juicing, it allows you to juice large quantities of fruit before having to clean the machine.
- The size of the chimney: The larger the chimney, the better, as it allows you to process whole fruits (apples, for example) without cutting them.
Not essential
- Centrifuge parts are dishwasher-safe, but cleaning by hand is easier and more effective.
- The centrifuge's spout can be raised to avoid dripping onto the work surface, which is just handy.
- Several rotation speeds, although we always use the maximum speed.
- Citrus juicer function, but of little interest.
To sum up
- 500 Watts, 800 rpm minimum
- Recovery pitcher
- Pulp bin
My choice
Based on these criteria, I opted for a Philips HR 1858, which I bought for around €150 in 2010. I'm very happy with it, although it broke down after 1 month and was sent to the after-sales service for 3 weeks...
But since then, it's been a real pleasure to use: Grany apple juice, for example, made in 1 minute, is simply divine!
Lasts posts
Travel cakes
You may have come across the term "travel cakes" ("gateaux de voyage" in french) for certain pastries, so let's take a look at what they're all about.January 27th 20252,353
The aromatic power of sugar
In the kitchen, sugar doesn't just sweeten, it also has an exceptional ability to capture flavors. Combined with aromatic ingredients, such as citrus zest, it acts as a veritable sponge for aromas. By taking the time to let the sugar soak up the flavors, you can transform your desserts, making...December 25th 20242,7175
The little trap of thick cream
When you need to add cream to a recipe, you might be wondering: thick (heavy) cream or liquid cream? In most cases, there's no big difference: you can use either. But there is one exception, and that's when the cream needs to be cooked, for a sauce for example, and here the difference between...December 13th 20243,1965
Sauce and salad: When and how to mix them?
When dressing a salad, there's a kind of golden rule: add the dressing very shortly before serving, especially if your salad contains crunchy elements such as croutons or fresh vegetables, which will retain their crunchiness or crispiness. But, as is often the case in the kitchen, there are...November 29th 20243,3355
No need to boil gelatin
Gelatin is a magical ingredient for making light, creamy, structured desserts, yet it's often misused in the kitchen. A common mistake in some recipes is the idea that it needs to be boiled for it to work properly, but this is a mistake indeed: gelatin melts at a much lower temperature, around...November 21th 20243,2895
Other pages you may also like
How to choose a good password
These days more and more websites ask you to create a user account, so that you can be identified before being allowed to access some service or other. To create an account you need to choose a user identity. This is simple, as your email address is used in most cases (ann.other@gmail.com, for...March 29th 201317 K4.1
Making the most of seeds: Dry roasting
In cooking, and particularly in baking, there are a lot of seeds we can use, such as linseed, sesame, poppy, etc. Usually, recipes simply say to add them just as they are to the mixture or dough. To make a seeded loaf, for example, prepare a plain bread dough as usual, then, towards the end of...January 30th 201558 K4.0
How to avoid lumps
You've probably come across this unpleasant phenomenon where, when you try to incorporate an ingredient (usually a solid or powder) into a preparation (usually a liquid), the mixture doesn't mix properly and you end up with little "balls" or little lumps of the solid part that refuse to mix with the...October 9th 202017 K4.8
The 3 kinds of meringue
Meringue – what could be simpler? Just beaten egg whites with sugar added. This makes a fairly stiff mixture which can then be cooked in a cool oven to create those lovely, light confections. But in the world of professional patisserie, meringue comes in three different kinds. Even if the...June 14th 201359 K4.5
How to zest a fruit?
You will have no doubt noticed that many recipes call for the zest of citrus fruit. The zest is that outer layer of the skin which adds so much flavour to a dish. There are many different ways to peel off the zest and various tools are available. Here is a summary of the “dos and don'ts” of...November 5th 201343 K3.8
Post a comment or question
Follow this page
If you are interested in this page, you can "follow" it, by entering your email address here. You will then receive a notification immediately each time the page is modified or a new comment is added. Please note that you will need to confirm this following.
Note: We'll never share your e-mail address with anyone else.
Alternatively: you can subscribe to the mailing list of cooling-ez.com , you will receive a e-mail for each new recipe published on the site.