To Find the 5 Best Juicers, We Drank So Much Kale, Carrot, and Apple Juice

A juicer can seem like an overwhelming purchase, especially considering some models cost upwards of $500. And on the other hand, are the $50 juicers any good? We've been testing juicers since 2021. Our most recent round of evaluations had us juicing all manner of produce, including fibrous apples and leafy kale.

But which juicer is right for you? There's a lot of marketing speak to wade through when shopping, especially because so many juicer manufacturers make health and wellness claims. In our tests, we focused on performance, design, and flavor. (After all, nobody wants to drink gritty, bitter juice.)

As you research the best juicers, one term you'll want to know is centrifugal vs. masticating—a.k.a cold press. These two types of juicers use different mechanisms to process produce. We have recommendations for juicers in both categories. Our top-performing juicers represent a variety of prices and styles and can handle any kind of produce. We confidently recommend five models, including a Breville juicer we've championed for years.

The Winners, at a Glance 

The Best Centrifugal Juicer

Breville BJE200XL The Juice Fountain Compact

$100 $80 at Amazon $100 at Target $82 at Best Buy

This model has a sleek and compact design, a user-friendly interface, a built-in pulp container, and a juice cup with a froth catcher. It pumped out over 12 ounces of carrot juice in 26 seconds. During our tests, the carrot, kale, and ginger juices all came out at a consistent temperature and with minimal graininess, and they maintained their texture after sitting in the fridge for a day.

The Best Cold Press Juicer

Omega VSJ843QS Vertical Masticating Cold Press Juicer

$400 at Amazon $400 at Walmart $423 at Home Depot

Despite its low wattage, this Omega model succeeds in producing cold, smooth-tasting, and quality juices. It performed the best in our leafy green tests, while other models left noticeable chunks of kale in the pulp base. 

The Best Budget Juicer

Magic Bullet MBJ50100 Mini Juicer with Cup

$60 at Amazon $70 at Wayfair $80 at Jcpenney.com

This model isn’t as pricey as other juicers, which proves our hypothesis that a steep price tag doesn’t always equal a high-performing machine. In our tests, The Magic Bullet delivered high-quality apple, carrot, and leafy green juice. It comes with a portable juice cup, so once you’re finished using this machine, you can take your beverage on the go. It takes little effort to clean or assemble. 

The Best Large-Capacity Juicer

Breville 800JEXL The Juice Fountain Elite

$270 at Amazon View on Breville.com

Everything we love about the Breville BJE200XL is amplified in this 1000-watt model. It aced our performance tests, producing larger quantities of pulp-free, cold juice—even juice made from leafy greens. It’s easy to assemble and straightforward to clean, and its sleek stainless steel design will look beautiful on any countertop.

The Best Splurge Juicer

Kuvings REVO830 Whole Slow Juicer

$700 at Williams Sonoma View on Kuvingsusa.com

This juicer is supremely quiet and has a feeding tube large enough to handle whole apples. It's a streamlined, large juicer well worth the investment for serious juice people.

The Tests

• Carrot Juice Test: To determine how well the models handled hard, dense produce, we tested them by squeezing two pounds of carrots. We timed how long each machine took to complete the task and then measured the amount of juice and pulp left behind. We took the juices' temperature using an instant-read thermometer and judged the taste and texture. Lastly, we stored the juice in an airtight container in the fridge overnight to observe if it separated or oxidized the next day.
• Apple Juice Test: We replicated the above methodology with apples to determine how the machines performed with high-water-content fruits and vegetables that oxidize quickly. We examined the juice each model produced, looking at its final temperature, weight, texture, and quality after sitting overnight. 
• Kale and Ginger Test: We made kale and ginger juice to determine how the machines performed with leafy greens and fibrous produce. We examined the juice each model produced, looking at its final temperature, weight, texture, and quality after sitting overnight. 
• User Experience and Cleaning: While conducting the performance tests, we took notes on the overall user experience, design, ease of cleaning, and noise level.

What We Learned

What’s the Difference Between a Centrifugal Juicer and a Masticating Juicer?

The most common types of juicers are centrifugal and masticating juicers, the latter of which are also known as cold press juicers. Centrifugal juicers use fast-spinning disks with tiny blades that turn at high speeds and break ingredients down. Masticating juicers crush produce using an auger that turns slowly enough that the machine does not get excessively warm (hence the name cold press).

Juicers Have Many Parts

Juicers have a lot of parts—more so than many countertop appliances. Here's a brief overview:

• Feed Chute: The chute is where you insert produce. These tubes work best when they have wide openings.
• Pusher: A pusher is a long plastic baton—included with most juicers—that helps guide produce to the auger or blades. (A pusher is similar to a blender's tamper.)
• Auger: Augers are corkscrew-shaped pieces that slowly crush produce against the chamber walls. They're found in cold press or masticating juicers.
• Juicing Strainer: Strainers are another cold press juicer-specific part. This screen fits over the auger and separates pulp from juice. Cold press juicers have a screen-like piece that fits over the tip of the auger to separate the pulp from the juice.
• Strainer Basket and Cutting Disc: Centrifugal juicers process produce with tiny blades that turn rapidly. These blades are contained within a basket; they separate juice from pulp as they move.

Assembly Time Mattered

Some of the juicers, like the Nutribullet NBJ50300 Slow Juicer, took a lot of time to set up and break down. During tests, we spent a few minutes trying to lock in this model’s parts, and when it came time to clean up, we had difficulty twisting the base and feed chute off of the machine due to its poor design. Instead, look for a model like the Breville BJE200XL The Juice Fountain Compact, which has a simple-to-use safety latch that makes it uncomplicated to secure and disassemble the machine, or the Magic Bullet MBJ50100 Mini Juicer with Cup, which comes with few pieces that connect together easily.

Speed Was Not as Important as Juice Quantity and Quality

No doubt about it: Centrifugal juicers were faster than masticating juicers. For example, the Breville BJE200XL squeezed 12 ounces of carrot juice in 26 seconds; it took the Omega VSJ843QS over two minutes to complete the same job. But speed didn't translate to consistently better quality (or quantity!). The two aforementioned juices tasted exactly the same, and both had minimal froth and pulp. So instead of speed, we favored juicers that produced bright-colored juice and lots of totally dry pulp without chunks of produce (that was a clear indicator that all of the available juice had been extracted).

Cold Press Juicers Didn't Always Produce Colder Juice

It seems natural that cold press juicers would produce, well, colder juice. But that wasn't what we found. We used an instant-read thermometer to take the temperature of every juice we pressed, and the readouts spoke for themselves. Some of the most tepid juices were from masticating models. For example, the kale juice from the Hurom H310 Easy Clean Slow Juicer topped out at 78°F, while the Magic Bullet Mini Juicer and the Breville The Juice Fountain Compact produced carrot juice at a low 54°F. If having cold juice is important to you, you're better off processing it and popping it in the refrigerator for about 30 minutes: We didn't find a reliable correlation between juicer type and the temperature of juice.

Which Type of Juicer Was the Quietest?

After testing for noise, we found that cold press juicers—that use an auger—were much quieter than centrifugal models. We much preferred a pick like the Omega VSJ843QS Vertical Square Low-Speed Juicer that had just a soft mechanical buzzing. That said, some of the centrifugal machines that emit a buzzy hum, like the Magic Bullet MBJ50100 Mini Juicer, work so quickly (it produced over two cups of apple juice within 49 seconds!), so you won’t have to keep the model running for too long. 

Are Centrifugal and Masticating Juicers More Versatile?

Brass tacks: The super fast blades found in centrifugal juicers are great at pulverizing all produce, including dense and hard veggies, fibrous fruit, and leafy greens. (The Breville BJE200XL was a consistent top performer in every test.) The slow-moving augers found in masticating juicers were better performers when it came to dense, tough produce. (The Omega VSJ843QS excelled at the carrot juice test.) All that said, though, any of our winning juicers will get the job done. You may just have to wait a bit longer, depending on the model you choose.

The Criteria: What to Look for in a Juicer

First things first: A good juicer should get as much juice as possible from produce. It should separate pulp from the juice, and that pulp should be dry and in small pieces. (Large chunks indicate that the fruit or vegetable was not processed well.) Our top models had removable pulp containers that made cleanup easy. Of course, the motor should not short out or strain. The feed chute should have a wide opening, so you don't have to spend lots of time chopping produce. The best juicers are easy to assemble and clean.

Our Favorite Juicers

The Best Centrifugal Juicer

Breville BJE200XL The Juice Fountain Compact

$100 $80 at Amazon $100 at Target $82 at Best Buy

What we liked: This centrifugal model is easy to assemble, straightforward to clean, and user-friendly, offering just one button with an on-and-off setting. It contains a 700-watt motor, which helped it excel in juicing rock-solid carrots, fibrous kale and ginger, and apples with a high water content. In all of our tests, the juice came out with a consistently low temperature and minimal pulp or foam (thanks to its built-in froth separator!), and it didn’t lose quality after sitting in the fridge for 24 hours. In all of our experiments, it took less than 40 seconds to squeeze the juice from the fruits and vegetables during each round. We loved that it has a pulp container attached to the base, so you don’t have to compromise on counter space.

What we didn’t like: Large apples had to be cut up to fit in the chute, but other models like the Breville 800JEXL The Juice Fountain Elite can fit big pieces of fruit. The machine emitted a slightly noisier sound than models like the Omega VSJ843QS Vertical Square Low-Speed Juicer.

Key Specs

• Weight: 9.68 pounds
• Warranty: 1 year
• Wattage: 700 watts
• Care instructions: Non-electric parts are dishwasher-safe
• Dimensions: 9.1 x 9.8 x 15.7 inches

The Best Cold Press Juicer

Omega VSJ843QS Vertical Masticating Cold Press Juicer

$400 at Amazon $400 at Walmart $423 at Home Depot

What we liked: This almost-silent masticating juicer didn’t take much brain power to set up or operate. It has an on-and-off switch, so you don’t have to deal with a complicated interface. While it has a lower wattage compared to models like the Breville BJE200XL The Juice Fountain Compact or Breville 800JEXL The Juice Fountain Elite, it still managed to powerfully juice carrots, kale, ginger, and apples—though it took a little longer to do so because it doesn’t have fast-processing disks. Overall, the Omega delivered smooth-tasting juice that was cool in temperature, with little pulp or foam, and the juice held its quality after chilling in the fridge overnight. It also aced our kale test, being one of the few models not to leave pieces in the pulp chamber. As for its design, we loved the no-drip tap, which allows you to operate the machine while multitasking without worrying about juice spilling out.

What we didn’t like: When we tried to clean this model, it was difficult to detach the base from the machine. The juice cup does not come with a froth separator like the Breville BJE200XL The Juice Fountain Compact. When juicing bigger fruits like apples, you have to chop them up before pushing them down the chute, unlike with the Breville 800JEXL The Juice Fountain Elite, which can process them whole. Additionally, since it’s a masticating juicer, squeezing the liquid from fruits and vegetables takes a few minutes. 

Key Specs

• Weight: 11.5 pounds
• Warranty: 15 years
• Wattage: 150 watts
• Care instructions: Non-electric parts are dishwasher-safe
• Dimensions: 9.14 x 15.67 x 9.49 inches

The Best Budget Juicer

Magic Bullet MBJ50100 Mini Juicer with Cup

$60 at Amazon $70 at Wayfair $80 at Jcpenney.com

What we liked: You may be tempted to add the priciest juicer, like the Tribest Greenstar 5 Masticating Juicer, to your cart, but there are drastically less expensive models that can do the same job (if not a better one!). The Magic Bullet aced our carrot, kale, ginger, and apple tests, delivering cold juice with minimal froth and pulp in under a minute during each experimental round. This quiet centrifugal juicer doesn’t have a powerful 700-watt motor like the Breville BJE200XL The Juice Fountain Compact, but it still could handle the pressure of tackling pounds of hard, fibrous, and watery produce. We liked that this model processes juice directly into a portable juice cup so that once you’re done using the machine, you can just clean it up (which doesn’t require a lot of effort with this model) and hit the road.

What we didn’t like: Unlike the Breville 800JEXL The Juice Fountain Elite, this model requires you to cut up large fruits like apples before placing them in its chute; otherwise, they won’t fit. During our apple test, we also recorded noticeable chunks of apples left over in the pulp bin. 

Key Specs

• Weight: 3.5 pounds
• Warranty: 1 year
• Wattage: 400 watts
• Care instructions: Non-electric parts are dishwasher-safe
• Dimensions: 7 x 6 x 11.5 inches

The Best Large-Capacity Juicer

Breville 800JEXL The Juice Fountain Elite

$270 at Amazon View on Breville.com

What we liked: Everything that we love about the Breville BJE200XL The Juice Fountain Compact is amplified in this Breville model. Case in point: During our carrot and leafy green tests, the 800JEXL produced much more juice. This machine is ideal for folks who plan on meal-prepping batches of juice for the week and are looking for a model that can produce a large output. It has a 1000-watt motor, allowing it to crush fruits and vegetables in nearly 30 seconds during our carrot and apple experiments. Plus, it was the only model that could successfully fit an entire apple in its chute without chopping it up. It has a sleek stainless steel design, is equipped with a juice cup and pulp container attachment, and, overall, is very easy to set up, break down, and clean.

What we didn’t like: After the apple test, we found pieces of apples in the pulp container. During our leafy greens test, a bunch of kale got stuck in the chute when we tried to juice on the low setting. We processed the kale with no issue once we switched the juicer to the high setting.

Key Specs

• Weight: 10.7 pounds
• Warranty: 1
• Wattage: 1000 watts
• Care instructions: Non-electric parts are dishwasher-safe
• Dimensions: 13.1 x 12 x 10.6 inches

The Best Splurge Juicer

Kuvings REVO830 Whole Slow Juicer

$700 at Williams Sonoma View on Kuvingsusa.com

What we liked: What we liked: The Kuvings Whole Slow Juicer was one of the quietest juicers we tested and, even when processing denser produce, the motor was never overworked. This model featured a large ingredient chute capable of processing whole apples. A flow control flap held the juice in the machine until we were ready to dispense it, a real plus. Overall, this is a streamlined, reliable juicer for those looking to make the investment. 

What we didn't like: What we didn’t like: This juicer was the priciest model we tested. The carrot and apple juices were not as bright in color and flavor as the competition and lost a lot of flavor to heavy oxidation overnight. At over 16 pounds, this juicer is bulky. Adding more work to the process, the Kuvings had only hand-wash parts.

Key Specs

• Weight: 16.5 pounds
• Warranty: 15 years
• Wattage: 240 watts
• Care instructions: Hand wash all parts
• Dimensions: 10 x 8 x 19 inches

The Competition

• Hamilton Beach 67951 Cold Press Masticating Slow Juicer: We named this a winner in our previous review, but it is unavailable through many retailers.
  
• Beautiful by Drew Barrymore Electric Juice Extractor: This model felt cheap, and the remaining pulp was very wet.
• Nutribullet Juicer Pro: This juicer had a large feed chute, but the strainer produced huge bits of food. 
• Kuvings Centrifugal Juicer: This machine couldn't handle leafy greens—kale caused the blades to short out.
• Hamilton Beach Big Mouth Juice Extractor: We were disappointed that this model didn't come with a juice container—it splattered all over. 
• Mueller Ultra-Power Juicer: We liked that this juicer offered two speeds, but it wasn't recommended for fibrous veggies.
• Gourmia 6-Speed Digital Wide Mouth Juicer: This juicer had lots of speed options, but it didn't produce enough juice for the amount of produce we put in it.
• Dash Compact Centrifugal Juicer: This mini juicer was easy to store, but it made gritty, pulpy juice.
• Dash Compact Cold Press Power Juicer: We could not get this juicer to make smooth apple juice.
• Elite Gourmet Compact Slow Juicer: This machine rocked around during processing.
• Hurom H310 Easy Clean Slow Juicer: The Hurom was blissfully quiet, but it didn't have a pusher. That resulted in kale constantly getting stuck.
• Nutribullet NBJ50300 Slow Juicer: This Nutribullet couldn't process carrots without requiring multiple restarts.
• Shine Kitchen XL Cold Press Juicer: The pusher with this juicer has a poor design, making it difficult to force ingredients like carrots, apples, ginger, and kale down the chute. Additionally, while juicing apples, the pulp from the fruit began to overflow, causing a mess. The apple juice came out with a thick, overly-pulpy consistency. 
• Tribest Greenstar 5 Masticating Juicer: This model costs $850, nearly eight times the price of our winning model from Breville. Additionally, this juicer struggled to squeeze two pounds of apples successfully during our tests. 

FAQs

What kind of juicer makes raw juice?

All juicers produce raw or unpasteurized juice, which is juice that has not been heat-treated. If you visit a juice shop and spot a bottle with this label, it likely means the beverage wasn’t heated at 135°F to kill off any bacteria. 

What is cold pressed juice?

Masticating or cold press juicers have an auger that slowly transforms fruits and vegetables into liquid. While there are claims that masticating juicers crank out “lower-temperature” or cold-press juices, our tests showed that if you invest in a quality centrifugal model like the Breville BJE200XL The Juice Fountain Compact, you won’t have to worry about your juice coming out warm.

How do you clean a juicer?

Some juicers have dishwasher-safe parts, but if you clean your juicer as soon as you're done using it, all you need is warm water and a soapy sponge.

Should you buy a used juicer?

There are plenty of used or refurbished juicers that you can invest in. If you decide to take this approach, we recommend purchasing one from a reputable supplier—or buying directly from trusted brands. We also recommend buying one with a warranty so that you can return it and get a full refund if there are any issues.

Can you use a blender in place of a juicer?

Though it is a bit more cumbersome, you can get some juice by using a blender in combination with a fine mesh strainer. The amount of juice will be far less than that of a juicer, it will be messier, it will take more time, and it might retain more fine bits of pulp.

Why We’re the Experts

• Ashia Aubourg is a writer with experience researching cooking appliances and working in kitchens (and farms!).
• Her work with Serious Eats spans gift guides, educational pieces, and product reviews. She recently compared every blender we’ve ever tested to find the best ones for smoothies and churned out pounds of noodles to find the top pasta extruder. 
• Rochelle Bilow is an editor at Serious Eats. Previously, she worked at Bon Appétit and Cooking Light. She has been reviewing items for Serious Eats since 2022, including blenders and maple syrup.
• For this review, we tested 19 juicers—evaluating their juice quality, ease of use, and more.