Omega Juicer

Juicing is more popular than ever, as consumers grow increasingly interested in living a healthy lifestyle. But the nature of juicing is evolving. Today’s juicers are more interested in organic ingredients for overall health or to support multi-day cleanses. An important first step in juicing is finding an appliance that will provide the healthiest juice yield while still being easy to use.

When you’re looking for a juicer, you’ll quickly discover there are three major types: centrifugal, masticating and triturating. Masticating and triturating juicers are very similar in that they can do both juice extraction and food processing. These juicers are ideal for chopping up leafy green vegetables. Centrifugal juicers lack the food processing element, which means you’ll likely need to steer clear of juice recipes incorporating leafy greens.

The key to these juicers is the process they use to grind food. A centrifugal juicer uses sharp blades to shred the material, then spins extremely fast to separate the juice from the pulp. A masticating juicer, on the other hand, uses an auger to crush the food. The separation happens through the use of a mesh, with the pulp being pushed into a different part of the unit.

In addition to types of ingredients, the juicing style also impacts the juice itself. A masticating juicer produces a very high-quality beverage with dryer pulp and less foam. Centrifugal juicers provide a foamier juice with pulp that becomes wetter over time. You’ll need to drink the juice from a masticating juicer within a few hours of producing it because it degrades rather quickly. Juice from a centrifugal model can be refrigerated to enjoy later.

Even within centrifugal and masticating juicers, you’ll find wide variations in performance and operation. The model you choose will rely heavily on what you hope to get out of a juicer. If speed is most important, there are juicers that are best known for that, while others excel at being easy to use and clean. Once you’ve taken all of the features into consideration, you’ll be able to pinpoint the juicer that works best for your needs.

• If you’re looking specifically for a masticating juicer, the Omega J8006 is the one to beat. You’ll get very consistent juice amounts and more live nutrients than other juicers. The Omega promises to overcome the degradation problem by using a low speed of only 80 RPMs. This minimizes heat buildup while also reducing oxidation.
• The Omega J8006 is best if you want to incorporate leafy greens into your juicing. It’s also great as a backup food processor, pasta maker and coffee grinder. You can even use the nutrition center feature to turn nuts into nut butter or make baby food from fresh ingredients. This multifunctionality may make the extra cost worth it to you.
• When it comes to juice yield, the centrifugal Breville model impresses. When compared to other juicers, it produces 30 percent more juice yield, although you may have to run it for more than one cycle to get all the juice out. As with most centrifugal juicers, though, it struggles with leafy greens, and it can’t extract juice from wheatgrass.
• If you prefer your juice as froth-free as possible, consider the Cuisinart, also a centrifugal juicer. Because of its lack of froth, you can drink it straight out of the machine.
• The Breville impresses for one major reason: You don’t have to slice ingredients into small pieces. The larger feed tube means that you can insert larger ingredients, saving you prep work. The Cuisinart and Omega models require quite a bit of slicing and dicing before you can fire up the machine.
• Despite all of its other benefits, the Omega takes longer to produce juice than centrifugal juicers, due to its slow speed. If you’re looking for a quick glass of juice before heading off to work in the morning, this could be a problem, and you won’t be able to juice the night before and have it ready in the refrigerator due to its quick degradation.
• If speed is a priority, the Breville promises only five seconds for an 8-ounce cup of juice. The Hamilton Beach juicer also has speed on its side, providing results in seconds.
• In addition to the taste of the juice, capacity is a top consideration. The Breville provides one of the tallest pitchers, holding more than a quart of juice. The Cuisinart is impressive in this area as well, offering a one-quart container.
• Once your juice is ready to drink, it’s time to clean up the mess. The Omega’s auger can be difficult to clean if you let the juice sit for a while, so it’s important to wash it immediately. The Breville is easy to clean, thanks to dishwasher-safe parts, aside from the cover. With the Hamilton Beach juicer, you’ll find you need a scrubbing brush for the strainer basket, as well as a cup to collect the excess liquid that comes out.
• If price is an issue, the Hamilton Beach juicer is by far the cheapest, retailing well below $100. The Omega is on the higher end, at more than $250. Both the Breville and Cuisinart juicers retail for under $150.
• Juicers can be noisy, so if you want a peaceful operation, you may like the quieter Cuisinart. The Breville may be relatively quiet, but it vibrates while it juices.
• If you’re choosing the Hamilton Beach model, pay close attention to the warranty. The switches and motor have a tendency to burn out over time. Hamilton Beach offers a three-year limited warranty that includes U.S.-based customer support.