One of the most enduring wellness trends today is using a juicer to make freshly squeezed juice at home. There are two main categories that types of juicers fall under: manual or electric. We go over all of your options below so you can choose the best juicer for your needs.

Manual

If you're interested in a juicer that will help you produce a modest amount of fruit juice rather than bottles of juice at a time, we recommend shopping for a manual juicer. Though this type of juicing can typically only accommodate one citrus half at a time, they are far more effective at extracting juice than squeezing the fruit by yourself. There are four main types of manual juicers: handheld squeezer, hand-press juicer, simple citrus juicer, and steam juicer.

Handheld Squeezers

Handheld squeezers require you to squeeze a citrus half between two handles. This type of juicer is optimal for recipes that call for small amounts of citrus juice.

Pros:

• Budget-friendly
• Easy to store/portable

Cons:

• Can only squeeze small amounts of juice at a time
• Requires a degree of hand/wrist strength

Hand-Press Juicers

Hand-press juicers have presses that descend on a citrus half (or carefully placed fruit of a different kind) while you pull the handle.

Pros:

• Allows you to juice citrus in half the time it would take another manual juicer – and with half the effort
• Handle mechanism is easy to operate and causes less strain compared to handheld squeezers
• Relatively budget-friendly

Cons:

• May not be able to juice large fruits (you may have to cut them down to fit)
• May not have as much control over juice spray

Citrus Juicers

You're probably most familiar with the classic manual citrus juicers that require you to squeeze and rotate a citrus half on a ribbed central spike. These are most often used with oranges, but you can also use them with lemons, limes, grapefruits, and more.

Pros:

• Budget-friendly
• Compact and easy to store
• Usually comes with an attached jar to catch the juice

Cons:

• Can only juice one half of a citrus fruit at a time
• Requires a degree of hand/wrist strength

Steam

Steam juicers are considered manual juicers because they don't run on electric power, however, they operate a little differently than the manual juicers outlined above. These large stove-top pots have multiple levels within: at the bottom, a pot in which water boils; above that, a pot that collects juice; next up, a perforated pot that holds the fruit; and at the top, a sturdy lid. When the water in the lowest pot boils, the steam rises and breaks down the fruit in the perforated pan. The juices then drip down into the collection pot and pour out of an attached spout.

Pros:

• Ideal for canning or fermenting
• Perfect for juicing large batches of fruit at a time
• Good for juicing berries
• Don't need to peel or remove seeds before steam juicing (except citrus)

Cons:

• Can take 1–2 hours to produce juice
• Requires a stovetop

Electric

To put it simply, electric juicers are powered by electricity rather than elbow grease. Most electric juicers are large, powerful devices that allow you to juice all kinds of produce at a much higher volume than manual juicers. Some electric juicers resemble simple citrus juicers with one distinction– they spin, juicing citrus halves without you having to squeeze and rotate them yourself. The two other types of electric juicers – centrifugal and masticating – are excellent for mass juice production of all kinds (not just citrus). Learn more about these types of juicers below.

Citrus

Similar to the manual citrus juicer, these are meant specifically for citrus fruits. However, these are electric and require no manual power. They are best used if you make a large volume of juice often.

Pros:

• Good at juicing citrus halves at a faster pace than manual citrus juicers
• Limited strength required – just place the citrus half on top of the cone and press downward, letting the electric rotating mechanism do the rest of the work
• Comes with a built-in jar or pitcher to catch the juice

Cons:

• Only suitable for juicing citrus fruits

Tip!

Interested in juicing strictly citrus? Shop for manual and electric juicers designed specifically for citrus fruits.

Centrifugal

These electric blenders are some of the most common and affordable models available. They spin rapidly and shred produce with rotating blades at the bottom of their mesh produce baskets. Centrifugal force pushes the shredded produce against the mesh basket, straining out the juice, which then pours out of a small spout into an attached juice collector. The pulp is retained and collected in a separate bin. Learn more in our guide on What Is a Centrifugal Juicer?

Pros:

• Budget-friendly and countertop-suitable
• Produces large quantities of juice, fast
• Has wide feed tubes which can fit many different sizes of fruits and vegetables
• Can accommodate fruits and veggies of all toughnesses thanks to high-quality rotating blades

Cons:

• May produce lower-quality juice due to the oxygenation of liquids from the juicer's high rotating speed (limiting nutrient content)
• Tend to be a bit louder than other juicers
• Requires more frequent cleaning to operate effectively

Cold Press & Masticating

If you're a juice savant, a masticating juicer (also called a cold-press juicer) is the juicer for you. Masticating juicers pulverize produce with an auger. The auger grinds and presses the produce matter into a mesh strainer, extracting the juice. The pulp is either extruded out of the front of the machine or collected in a separate compartment, depending on the model. Just like centrifugal juicers, masticating juicers have an upper opening in which the produce is fed before it is juiced. Check out What Is a Cold Press Juicer? A Detailed Guide for more on this juicer option.

Pros:

• Produces higher quality juice because the juicing process doesn't include heat or (too much) oxygen
• Has a longer shelf life and is more nutritious than juice produced by other types of juicers
• Can process leafy greens better than other juicers due to the effective auger mechanism

Cons:

• Have narrower feed tubes compared to centrifugal juicers, which means you have to chop fruits/vegetables more to fit inside
• Are more expensive than other juicers
• Produce juice at a slower rate than other models (but the quality is unmatched)

Additional Features to Consider

In addition to juicer types, there are a few additional features to consider that can make clean-up quicker.

Dishwasher Safe: Juicing can be a messy process. There's no need to worry about manual cleanup with a dishwasher-safe juicer!

Removable Pulp Bin: If you'd like a juicer that allows you to remove the pulp container for easy emptying and cleaning, check out our selection of juicers with removable pulp bins.

Pulp Ejecting: If you'd rather your juicer extrude pulp as it juices, look for pulp-ejecting juicers instead of juicers with removable pulp bins.

Wheatgrass: Because it is so fibrous, wheatgrass can be a challenge to juice. Some juicers are specially equipped to handle wheatgrass; others simply have enough power to do the job. If you're interested in reaping the nutritional benefits of wheatgrass, look for a juicer that can handle it.

Tip!

Get a side-by-side comparison of juicers and blenders with our guide Juicer vs. Blender: Which One is Best for You?

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