Sunday, September 20, 2009

The Features to Look For When Buying a Juicer

By Layla Smith

With a lot of juicers available in the shops and stores, deciding on one can be quite confusing. I first became aware of the the benefits of juicing after I bought a Power Juicer by Jack Lalanne. A lot of people often buy a juicer that is unsuitable for their needs.

It is important to realize the reason for buying a juicer and then go looking for one. Since fruit and vegetable juicing machines are different from wheat grass juicers it is important differentiate the two. I would advise writing a list of all the features you want in a machine prior to going out and buying one.

There are many varieties of juicers around in the market. It can often be confusing trying to choose between a centrifugal juicer, a masticating machine, and a twin gear juicer. By far the most common and most affordable are the centrifugal juicers. They process fruits and vegetables at very high speeds and are very effective. They are, however, unsuitable for foods like spinach, wheat grass and lettuce.

Single or twin bladed machines are often recommended for avoiding any juice going to waste. For these, special designs of juicers are available. The Miracle-mj 500 electric auger juicer is one of the types widely available in the market today. They contain no aluminium parts, are easy to assemble, disassemble and operate and are usually cheaper. The lower speed units, such as masticating machines, produce less oxidation of the fruit juice and, therefore, produce a higher quality juice.

Before buying the juicer you should properly check the guarantee that is being offered. A warranty of 5 to 10 years is often available on most quality juicers. It is also advisable to check the blades before purchase as they will often require replacing after 2 to 4 months of normal usage.

It is important to consider the percentage yield that the juicer produces because this factor determines the output. Ideally you want a lot less waste and more juice. I would suggest looking for an appliance with a power output of about four hundred and twenty watts. The higher powered motors produce more heat which damages the juice by oxidation.

A branded machine such as the Jack Lalanne Juicer is often a better than a non-branded appliance and will often last longer. This is because, spares and replacement parts are often more easy to find.

Many juicers are multi-functional as they can be used for making different foods besides juicing vegetables and fruit. They can be used to produce pasta, nut butters and ice cream as well as many other foods. They really are quite versatile machines.

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