Centrifugal vs Masticating vs Cold Press Juicers

If you’ve been researching different types of juicers, you’ve probably seen the terms “masticating”, “centrifugal” and “cold-press”.

In this article, we’ll cover the pros and cons of these juicers. By the end, you’ll know exactly which one best fits your needs.

Maybe you want to start juicing at home, open a juice business, or upgrade your equipment, but you aren’t sure what the differences are between masticating, centrifugal and cold press juicers.

Whatever your intention is, understanding the best juicers on the market is critical to your juicing success. Keep reading to help determine which juicer type is right for you! 

Table of Contents:

• Quick Juicer Comparison
• Centrifugal Juicers
• Masticating Juicers
• Juice Presses (and why they’re the best)

Quick Juicer Comparison

Masticating and Centrifugal

Because of their relatively low price points and accessibility, masticating and centrifugal juicers have been the most common types of juicers used in homes over the years.

Here’s how these common types of juicers work:

Both of these juicers extract juice from produce by forcing it against a sharp screen. A centrifugal juicer uses centrifugal force (by spinning very fast). Masticating juicers use a slow turning screw to force the produce against the screen.

Juice Press

A much better alternative, and becoming more and more accessible to juice businesses and consumers, is the juice press. These juicers produce cold-pressed juice, done in a two-step grinding and pressing process. This method produces the highest quality, most nutrient dense juice.

Only an actual juice press produces “cold-pressed juice”, even if the term is often used to describe other types of juice.

Centrifugal Force Juicer 

The centrifugal force juicer, which is also known as the “fast juicer”, is one of the most popular juicers on the market. This machine is typically used in households because it provides the user with juice instantly and is cheap to buy.

So, how does it work? This juicer takes fruits and veggies through a feeding tube and forces them against a fast spinning metal blade where they will be cut and spun against a sharp screen at a high speed of 6,000-14,000 RPM.

This juicer is great for people who are just getting into juice at home, don’t need large batches of fresh juice, are not really concerned about getting all the juice extracted from the produce, and want to drink their juice as soon as it’s made. This option is typically the cheapest on the market and provides consumers with the great benefits of juice, without the extra cost of higher quality methods.  

Masticating Juicer 

These juicers are also known as slow juicers, gear, or auger juicers, and the produce is crushed at a slow speed. When using this juicer, the produce is crushed at around 80-100 RPM, then pushed through a sharp screen.

Since the juicing process is much slower and does not introduce as much heat and oxygen as with a centrifugal juicer, it provides you with a more nutritious juice. Masticating juicers typically have a pretty decent juice yield which is great for the pocketbook (get more out the produce you are purchasing) as well as the planet (reduces waste).

Although these juicers are a step above centrifugal, they aren’t the best solution for those who are trying to make very high quality juice. Similar to a centrifugal juicer, the juice made from a slow juicer contains a lot of “solids” and separates quickly. It should be consumed soon after making it.

Additionally, the overall taste and mouthfeel of the juices made on a slow juicer leave a lot to be desired. The action of crushing the produce between two hard surfaces and then pushed through a very small space through a screen results in much of the produce getting broken down so small that it makes it way into the juice as part of the juice, resulting in a thicker, pulpier juice than produced on a real cold press juicer (one with an acutal press).

This forcing through a screen action also has a lot to do with the flavor of the juice not being the same or as good as when I make the same recipe on a cold press juicer. 

If you’re looking for a piece of equipment that will create great tasting, nutrient dense, longer-lasting juice that can be sold over time or stored in your fridge for several days, the cold press juicer is what you’re looking for. 

Juice Press 

A hydraulic (or sometimes pneumatic) cold press juicer is the best type of juicer on the market that you can buy. These are commonly referred to as two-stage juicers since there are two stages in the juicing process:

1. The produce chopped (also referred to as grinding) into the consistency of chunky salsa. This is just cutting the produce into small pieces, and is not where the juice extraction occurs.
2. The juice is slowly extracted by pressing the pulp under thousands of pounds of pressure.  

You may see the term, “cold-pressed juice” thrown around in the juicing industry. A traditional juice press is where the term “cold-pressed” came from. A juice press is the only type of juicer that actually contains a press, therefore, it’s the only true cold-press juicer. A real juice press makes the smoothest, best tasting juice you can make with the least amount of separation.

Juice presses are able to extract the most nutrients possible from your fruits and vegetables. It also provides the longest shelf life (around 3-5 days, depending largely on the recipe ingredients) with minimal separation or breakdown of nutrients and taste. It creates the purest juice with around 99% liquid and less than 0.3% pulp. Our commercial machines at Goodnature require a lot less produce prep time and have a much faster and easier clean up compared to other consumer-focused juicers.

It is the most expensive type of juicers on the market, but if you’re looking for the best juicer that produces the highest quality, best tasting juice, this is the one for you. To learn more about how to choose the right juicer for your business, read our blog here. If you’re interested in learning more about our industry-leading juice presses, view the Goodnature juicers here!

It’s important to understand the different types of juicers on the market before making a decision for your household or business. Regardless of what you’re looking for, juicing is a great way to cleanse your body and maintain a healthy lifestyle.

Got Any Questions About Juicers?

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Note: Our blog is packed full with great juicing resources for you to use. View our juicing blog here or our juicing recipes here!