Best juicer for orange juice

Orange Juicer Buyers Guide

What attributes make a quality orange juicer?

Juicer type

The average juicers fall into either the masticating or centrifugal category. 

Masticating juicers are typically slow speed between 45-110rpm, low power generally 100-200w, and use an auger to squeeze or grind produce. 

Centrifugal juicers are of the fast and usually loud category with a powerful motor (typically between 600-1000w) that spins a flat blade quick enough to break down firm fruit and veg for juicing. 

Both of these methods can work for oranges, but they are not the most efficient. In both cases, you require more prep work through cutting and peeling, and due to the very soft texture, a lot of juice ends up mixed with the pulp leaving a lower overall orange juice yield.

Juicers specifically for oranges.

There are two main juicer types for oranges that produce less waste and higher yields.

Electric juicer (with cone/reamer)

Electric orange juicers use a reamer where the half the fruit is placed on top of, a cover is placed over the top of the fruit, and once the fruit is secured in the reamer will spin extracting the juice out without you having to peel the skin off. 

This makes electric juicers a brilliant option for maximizing orange juice extraction without much fuss.

The power of an electric juicing machine can range from the low 20’s to around 200watts in power. The higher wattage will generally be found on the more premium models.

Lower power will mean the length of time that it can exert its full power will be shorter, resulting in more breaks during the juicing process. It also means the juicer will have to work harder to extract juice from tougher oranges, making juicing times longer when making big batches.

When juicing a large batch of oranges, we recommend an orange juice machine with a power output between 100-200 watts of power. 

Premium electric orange juicers will have the major advantage of having universal reamers allowing you to juice oranges of all sizes without having to change parts. The best orange juice machines will use a stainless steel reamer for juicing longevity.

Manual juicer/ squeezer

Manual juicers rely on you, and not electricity to generate the juicing power. This can be seen as a plus or a negative as some may like the hands-on element without the need for an external power source where others may see it as an unnecessary drain and waste of time.

The great benefit of manual juicers is the cold-pressed element allowing you to avoid nutrient degradation.

The most basic form of a manual orange juicer is a handheld citrus squeezer or the small plastic reamers with the cover that we have all seen before where you continuously rotate till your arms are sore and your biceps fail.

The more modern forms of manual juicer have a sturdy hand lever that uses leverage to squeeze out as much nutrient-dense juice as possible without needing much muscle power from you.  

The commercial manual orange juicers can be great for smoothie shops/stalls or for those trying to be more environmentally friendly.

The main downside is the juicing time since manual extraction will generally be longer than an electric orange juicer.

Pulp control and filtration

Not every orange juicer is built equally, and this becomes evident when trying to find ways to control how much pulp ends up in your orange juice. For the best orange juice quality, you need good pulp control. The cheaper orange juicers tend to have minimal to no pulp controls, which can be a bit of a nuisance if you prefer pulp-free juice. 

Most premium electric juicers will have pulp control functions that allow you to filter how much pulp is let through, which ends up being a brilliant feature for those who want total control of the pulp in their juice.

Ease of use

Key things to consider:

Extra features like universal reamers, spout cover, safety locks, and pulp filtration are valuable extras to look out for when trying to find an orange juice machine that is right for your needs.

Reverse spin function

This is a great feature that allows for more efficient orange juicing and the extraction of a higher yield. The extra spin that occurs in reverse ensures maximum juice extraction from any pieces that were missed on the initial forward rotation.

Clean up

One of the most time-consuming parts making orange juice is the cleanup. How difficult a juicer is to clean can be the make or break factor that affects your healthy juicing discipline.

Main things to consider are:

Size and Accessories 

How much space does the juicer take up, and do you have the countertop space available for it to fit into your kitchen counter?

Take note of your kitchen counter dimensions to ensure your choice of juicer can comfortably fit without being knocked and causing an unnecessary mess

Juice jug size/ Juice container capacity

Some juicers will come with a jug that allows you to juice many oranges without stopping to change cups. This can be very handy for those with multiple mouths to feed

Value

The main things to consider when trying to determine value are price, parts, and warranty. 

You may be able to find a cheap juicer that looks like a brilliant deal, but if the warranty is short and doesn’t cover all product parts, you may spend much more in the long run.

Warranties will vary depending on brand and can range from 0-3 years. We recommend to aim for 1 year at a minimum but always weigh up whether you feel the price paid correlates to the warranty length before making a purchase.

Questions to ask yourself before purchase:

The more stainless steel parts, the more durable and long-lasting the product will be. If the juicer comprises of mainly plastic parts, it will tend to be cheaper, which can be a plus when trying to save money but may not last as long if not looked after.