Best Centrifugal Juicers Reviews & Fast Juicer Buyer's Guide

Everybody has to start somewhere. Few of us want to make a big-money investment in something unless we’re confident it’s the right choice.

It’s why a centrifugal juicer is often the best choice for a first-time buyer. They’re also known as fast juicers. These types are affordable and easy to use.

One of the top questions people have about these devices is, why is it called a centrifugal juicer?

Centrifugal is the type of force generated by the juicer blade’s spinning motion. The spins super-fast to cut up and break down food. The power also separates the juice from the solid material, known as pulp.

The blade spins at tens of thousands of revolutions per minute (RPM). This process is less complex than other types of juice, which allows for creating less expensive juice machines.

Centrifugal juicers are the most popular types you can buy, but they are not the most efficient. Masticating juicers do a better job. But centrifugal juicers are faster. People with busy lifestyles are willing to trade efficiency for speed.

Because they’re so popular, there is a growing number of manufacturers offering models. You have many options.

What is a centrifugal juicer?

Let’s be precise. The questions we want to answer is, what does it do and how does it work?

These types of juicers extract juice from produce using a spinning technique known as centrifuge. The high speed uses the force of gravity to separate the liquid from solids. How fast? Between 3,000 to 16,000 RPMs.

Centrifugal juicers have a rotating chamber, a sharp blade, and a strainer at the bottom. The flat cutting blade resembles the same kind found in a blender.

Ingredients are fed into a chute at the top, while the juicer spins. The combination of the cutting blade and the centrifugal force shreds the produce and extracts the liquid. Think of your washing machine during the spin cycle.

The extracted liquid flows through tiny holes in a strainer basket, and the juice is collected in a container at the bottom. The solids remain in the strainer basket which you’ll discard.

Some models eject the solids (also called pulp) automatically. Then you won’t have to stop to empty the juicer when it’s full.

The main benefit of this juicing is that it’s fast. There’s usually less prep work. The design also keeps the price affordable.

Centrifugal juicer excel at extracting liquid from fruits and vegetables. They’re less effective with leafy greens.

Why do you need a centrifugal juicer?

Nutritionists and health experts say we need 4 to 5 servings of fruits and vegetables daily. Are you meeting that goal to stay healthy?

Don’t feel too guilty.

A study by the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) determined that only 1 in 10 adults meet this daily requirement. Let’s face it, eating that much produce is a lot of work.

A growing number of people have made it easier to meet this serving requirement by juicing. Drinking fresh juice extracted from fruits and vegetables has a crucial benefit. It provides you with the nutrition this product contains, and your body quickly absorbs nutrients.

Health experts say it’s a way to help your body remove toxins. Studies indicate it aids in digestion and can contribute to weight loss.

What makes centrifugal juicers different from others?

We’ll cut to the chase.

Your washing machine uses centrifugal force to remove the water (juice) from your clothes (produce). Before washing machines at a spin cycle to create centrifugal force, we pressed clothes with mechanical force to remove water.

In the world of juicing, appliances either use centrifugal force or some kind of press.

Now you know the main difference between these types of juicers. Centrifugal juicers are ideal for home use because they’ve removed many of the preparatory steps.

Many people prefer the juice from a centrifugal juicer. The process produces minimal pulp and it does very well with produce that has a high liquid content. You may be disappointed if you try to juice leafy greens or wheatgrass.

What to look for in a great centrifugal juicer

These are the important factors to keep in mind when choosing the best centrifugal juicer:

• Juice yield: This is where you may have to weed through some marketing confusion. Pay close attention to what the manufacturer is comparing if they talk about yield. It may have a higher yield compared to another centrifugal juicer but less yield compared to a masticating cold press juicer.
• Motor wattage: A watt is a measurement of power for an electric motor. The most popular centrifugal juicers have between 700 to 800 watts in power. You’ll find more powerful models that produce higher wattage. It’s not wise to go below 700 watts. The juicer will struggle to work. It likely won’t last long.
• Juicing speed: This refers to how fast the blades spin, and not how quickly the appliance juices. Most centrifugal juicers run between 6,000 and 14,000 RPM. A faster speed rating will extract juice at a quicker rate, and it will help to tough juice produce. Look for faster juicing speeds if you want to spend less time obtaining your drinks.
• Juicer Size: A powerful motor makes it impossible to shrink these appliances any smaller. How much room do you have on your kitchen counter? This should determine the research you do about appliance size and dimensions. Many centrifugal juicers are tall. Make sure you have room to fit it on the counter if you have overhead cupboards.
• Noise: We’ve talked about the power of the motor and the RPM of the blades. There’s no getting around it. Most centrifugal juicers make a lot of noise above 80 decibels (dB). For perspective, normal conversation is about 60dB. It’s not going to be whisper-quiet even if the juicer has “whisper” in its name! Some high-end centrifugal juicers feature noise suppression technology or design. Check the manufacturer’s documentation. They should provide you with the noise level measured in decibels.
• The capacity of the jug: The juice jug is where you find the liquid extracted. If it’s undersized, you’ll have to stop and transfer what’s been collected. You’ll find models with juice jugs that can hold up to 1 liter.
• Blades material: The blades are the heart of your juicer. Don’t sacrifice quality in this area. Pass on a juicer that features plastic blades. The most popular juicers feature quality stainless steel blades. They’ll remain sharp longer. Stainless steel resists corrosion, even from the acidic juices of some fruits or vegetables.
• Size of the chute: The size of the feed chute determines how much prep time you’ll need. You’ll have to reduce the size of produce pieces to fit the diameter. Online reviewers say the optimal size is 3 inches or more. Even so, it’s unlikely you’ll be able to feed whole fruits or veggies. A bit of prep chopping often helps the juicing process. A manufacturer will often design the chute size to prevent you from overloading the juicer.
• Safety features: Most kitchen appliances today are made to offer safe operation. A centrifugal juicer’s motor is turning those blades at tens of thousands of RPMs. Look for models that feature protection from overheating. Many higher-end models will have an automatic shut off feature that will activate if a problem with the motor is detected.
• Pulp collection and filtering: Centrifugal blades finely chop up produce, so there are fewer solids to discard. But there will be pulp that remains when the juice is extracted. A quality juicer will do an efficient job of separating juice from the pulp.
• Ease of operation: Here’s some good news. Most centrifugal juicers are easy to prepare for extracting. They also are easy to use with straightforward operating procedures. Often, you’ll only have to concern yourself with speed selections. That may not even be necessary for some models.
• Ease of cleaning: We love our dishwashers. If you’ve got one of these appliances, why not use it? Many centrifugal juicers feature removable parts that can be cleaned in your dishwasher. But don’t assume all parts are dishwasher-safe. Read the instructions. Centrifugal machines generally have few parts to clean. The feed chute and the screens tend to need the most attention. The screen may need to be hand-washed.
• Home or commercial use: Most noncommercial centrifugal juicers simply won’t stand up to continual use. I’d not recommend them for business use. They’ve been made affordable by using a less powerful motor, for starters.
• Warranty policy: A manufacturer confident in its product will promise that it will perform for you for a reasonable amount of time. That’s the idea behind a warranty. Generally, a high-quality appliance offers a more extended warranty. The quality parts and the powerful motor will be free of defects and provide reliable performance. Less expensive juicers will have a shorter warranty. You get what you pay for. Be sure to register your appliance to activate any warranty.

Centrifugal juicers: pros and cons

Nearly all of the most popular juicer brands have a centrifugal model. They’re generally less expensive and easier to use than other types of juicers. Here are the most popular benefits:

• They are faster than a masticating juicer.
• You can assemble it quickly.
• They’re ideal for beginners because they’re easy to use and relatively inexpensive.
• You don’t have to chop up produce into tiny pieces. Many models have generous feeding chutes.

There are a few downsides to owning a centrifugal juicer:

• They can be loud. Some models are very loud.
• They are not as efficient at extraction.
• The high speed of the appliance introduces heat and oxidation. It can reduce the potency of nutrition extracted.
• The high speed also may quickly dull the sharp blade and strainer disk.
• The pulp can clog up the machine quickly if it does not have an automatic ejection feature.
• The juice can be foamy or bubbly because of the trapped air.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q. How fast is the rotation speed of a centrifugal juicer?

A. There are outliers. Generally, speeds range from 3,000 to 16,000 RPM. It can get the juicing job done fast.

A. Does a centrifugal juicer work on vegetables?

A. Absolutely. Nearly all centrifugal juicers will extract juice from vegetables. This type of juicer may not be the best choice if you want to juice leafy greens like kale.

Q. Should you pay attention to comparing pulp ejectors?

A. This feature is a time saver. The solids have to go somewhere to make room for more. Ejecting it is preferable to having to stop the juicer from removing it.

Q. Does a centrifugal juicer remove all the pulp?

A. Some pulp remains. Many people prefer the smooth texture of juice made from this type of extraction.

Q. Why are centrifugal juicers less expensive than masticating juicers?

A. These types of juicers need less powerful motors even though they spin much faster. Besides the motor, masticating juicers have parts that are more expensive to produce.

Q. Are centrifugal juicers easier to operate than other types of juicers?

A. The centrifugal juicer is a better choice if you have a busy lifestyle. You can make a glass of juice in much less time. There are fewer adjustments to make to the appliance. Often you just turn it on and feed it produce.

Q. Is juicing the same thing as making a smoothie?

A. There’s a big difference. When you make a smoothie, you’re just combining all the ingredients into a drinkable liquid. With juicing, you extract the liquid and discard the remaining solid parts of the produce.

Q. Can you juice fruits and vegetables at the same time?

A. Many people prefer to do this. Combining the flavors of some fruits enhances the taste of vegetable juices.

Q. Do you have to peel a fruit or vegetable before you juice it?

A. The peels of many fruits and vegetables are highly concentrated with nutrients. It often comes down to how a peel will affect the flavor of your juice. Apple or cucumber peels wouldn’t make much of a difference. An orange peel might make your juice too bitter to drink.

Your takeaway

Now you have a better idea of why you might choose a centrifugal juicer.

It extracts juice faster, it’s easy to clean, and t’s less expensive than other types of juicers.

It might be fair to say that you’re extracting the maximum amount of convenience with this type of juicer!

Like any appliance for your kitchen, you’ll pay more for quality and craftsmanship. Centrifugal juice machines tend to be less expensive than other juicer types. But getting the cheapest one you can find is likely a mistake.

The more satisfied you are with your new juicer, the more often you’ll use it, and that’s the whole point.