Most of us strive to be as healthy as possible. Making healthy decisions means living longer, happier lives. But making healthy diet choices every day isn't always as easy as we'd like it to be. I think we all can attest to that. While I rarely advise anyone to take shortcuts, juicing is a practical and effective way of getting your vitamins & minerals without gobbling down mountains of raw vegetables.
What happens during the juicing process? Aren't nutrients lost?
Unfortunately yes, just about all processing has some negative effect on food's nutrient content. That is why it is imperative to find a juicer that is engineered to preserve the nutrients in your food.
Here are the 12 best juicers for greens available in 2020. I've also included a detailed guide to finding a juicer to fit your particular lifestyle.
Enjoy!
Recommended Products
1) Tribest GSE5000 GreenStar Elite
Masticating Juicer
- Twin Gears
- 110 RPM
- 15 Year Household Use Warranty
- Food Processor and Homogenizer Accessories
2) KOIOS Slow Masticating Juicer
w/ Reverse Function
- 80 RPM
- Less than 60 Decibel Sound
- BPA Free
- 10 Year Motor and 3 Year Parts Warranty
Aobosi Slow Masticating Juicer
- 80 RPM
- Less than 60 Decibel
- 1 Year Warranty (18 months if registered online)
- Extremely Reasonable Price
Breville BJE430SIL Cold Spin Juicer
- 2 Speeds
- Large Pulp Catching Bin
- 70 Oz Juice Jug
- 3" Chute
- 1 Year Warranty
Tribest Low RPM Slow Juicer and Mincer
- 47 RPM
- Duo-blade Technology
- Mincing Attachment
- 10 Year Warranty (non-consumable parts)
Aeitto Slow Mastication
Juicer
- 3.2" Large Chute
- 47-60 RPM
- Dishwasher Safe Parts
- 60 Decibels or Less
Super Angel DELUXE Juicer
- Twin Gears
- 10 Year Motor and Gear Warranty
- 5 Years Wear and Tear Warranty
- 0.304 18-8 High Grade Stainless Steel
Aicook Slow Masticating Juicer
- BPA Free
- Below 60 Decibel Sound
- Under $100
- 2 Year Warranty
Mueller Ultra Juicer Machine
- 60 RPM
- BPA Free
- 2 Year Warranty
- Under $100
Aicok Slow Masticating Juicer
- 3 Strainers
- Dishwasher Safe Parts
- As low as 55 Decibels
- Vertical Design for Easy Storage
Mueller Manual Masticating Juicer
- Budget Item
- BPA Free
- Versatile (easily stored)
- No Electricity Needed
TEC Portable Masticating Juicer
- 40 RPM
- Less than 60 Decibel Sound
- 2 Year Warranty
- Compact and Lightweight Design
The Three Major Nutrient Killers
While alive and in the ground, plant nutrients are heavily protected by their cell walls (amongst other things), but the minute these cell walls break open, the precious cargo is exposed to the degradative nature of the elements:
1. Light
2. Oxygen
3. Heat
These 3 variables have the largest effect on nutrient oxidation and should be taken into consideration when looking for the right juicer. The most nutrient preserving juicers are those that offer a low rpm motor (produce lower amounts of heat), low turbulence (less foam), but can still take on the tougher vegetables.
So, the question becomes:
Which type of juicer works best to preserve nutrients?
2 Types of Juicers and What to Know
There are 2 major types of home juicers. Each has its own qualities that make it advantageous (or disadvantageous) for certain food types.
1) Centrifugal Juicers
Centrifugal juicers work by pushing food through a spinning blade into a high RPM centrifuge. The food is pushed through the spinning blade which creates tiny fragment known as pulp. This pulp is pulled down into the approximately 60 mph spinning saucer (centrifuge) that is surrounded by a sieve. This sieve catches the pulp, and the acceleration of the centrifuge forces the juice through the tiny holes in the sieve. Here's a video that breaks it down fairly well.
Great for large quantities of food for fast juicing.
Terrible for nutrient preservation, flavor and juice yield. Creates a lot of heat and turbulence.
2) Masticating Juicers
To masticate means "to chew," and that's exactly what masticating juicers do. Just like your jaw, masticating juicers work by forcing food in between two strong objects. This forces the juice to separate from the pulp without the high heat created, such as with centrifugal juicers.
There are two types of masticating juicers:
a) Single Auger: Single auger masticating juicers work by one moving and one stationary object crushing the food. This is the equivalent of the human jaw. The bottom teeth move up and down, but the top teeth are stationary.
b) Twin Gear: Twin gears augers work by two spinning gears. Food is forced in between the gears and separated from the pulp. If engineered correctly, these juicers can effectively juice better than any on the market (besides commercial grade cold presses).
Great for greens! Preserves nutrients and has the highest juice yield.
Terrible for large amounts of food. Juicing takes time and energy.
***Video: Masticating Vs Centrifugal Juicers
Best Juicers For Greens
1) Tribest GSE5000 Green Star Elite
Dimensions
Unique Features
Pros
Cons
Summary:
It always brings me great satisfaction when companies are able to bridge the gap between the cheaper and more expensive products. Companies who can create products comparable to high-end models, and somehow sell it for a fraction of the price, are the true innovators. If you're looking for a high-end green's juicer but want to avoid spending thousands of dollars on an Angel model, I highly recommend looking into the Tribest GSE5000.
I'm not going to sugarcoat it. Looking through amazon reviews can be super boring and monotonous. But some products are different. People were willing to write essays on how much they enjoyed their Tribest model, and I enjoyed listening. Let's be clear on who this unit is for, because the price is still higher than your typical budget item.
If you juice once a month or have sporadic juicing needs, I wouldn't buy this Tribest model. There are plenty of cheaper juicers that will get the job done without complaint. This unit is for those who juice frequently and yield becomes more important. The most frequent customer responses were how long this unit lasted and how dry the pulp was (the dryer pulp means more juice per measured food).
2) KOIOS GSE5000 Slow Masticating Juicer
Dimensions
Unique Features
Pros
Cons
Summary:
This is undoubtedly the Best Greens Juicer on the list in terms of price, longevity and performance. After over a thousand amazon reviews, this unit has maintained a 4.6 out of 5 star (as of 4/9/2020). If you're having trouble justifying the $500 for the Tribest model above, don't get discouraged. This KOIOS unit is under $200 and continues to get 5 star reviews from the vast majority of its users.
The only place the Tribest seems to outcompete this model is in juice yield. While I wouldn't be so hasty to say the KOIOS has a low yield, its pulp won't be as dry as the Tribest unit. To most of us, this won't constitute spending $300 more, but I'll let you be the judge.
If juice yield is of the utmost importance and $500 is in your price range, go with the Tribest.
If highest yield is important, but not vital, and $500 is not in your budget, go with the KOIOS.
3) Aobosi Slow Masticating Juicer
Dimensions
Unique Features
Pros
Cons
Summary:
While you might assume that I'm overly biased and don't supply enough "cons" on my list, these are simply high quality machines that customers are having trouble finding any faults with. Go to any of my other review pages and you will quickly find that I do not hold back on exposing products for their faults. These manufacturers have taken the time to make juicers that do their job, meeting the criteria of even the most critical.
So, why would I invest in this model and not the ones before it? Well, for one, it's cheaper. Averaging out at $100, you can't beat the price. On top of the attractive price, the Aobosi has maintained a 4.6 out of 5 stars with over 450 amazon reviews (as of 04/9/2020). The only noticeable difference between this model and the KOIOS above is the warranty. Aobosi isn't as clear with their warranty, whereas the KOIOS explicitly displays their guarantee. Warranty is a VERY important value, and it always rubs me wrong when companies don't advertise it.
4) Breville BJE430SIL Cold Spin Juicer
Dimensions
Unique Features
Pros
Cons
Summary:
Leading the Masticating juicers in overall review count, this Breville model has really impressed me. Functioning similarly to a centrifugal juicer, the Breville Cold Spin Juicer works by running the objects through a quick spinning blade. This one is able to run at a much lower RPM, and therefore stays much cooler than other centrifugal juicers by incorporating an extremely sharp blade. It also contains a large 3" chute for larger quantities of veggies and fruits, as well as a large catching pitcher.
While I do love this unit, there are some drawbacks. Unfortunately, the Breville warranty is only for 1 year. The only reason I'm recommending this unit in the face of such a short warranty period is because it has received over 500 five star reviews. A few people also commented on the moist pulp after juicing.
5) Tribest Low RPM Juicer and Mincer
Dimensions
Unique Features
Pros
Cons
Summary:
If you read the Tribest review above, then you already know the perks of buying a juicer from this company. They ask a higher price, but they match it with their unparalleled customer service and extensive warranty period. The only real perk of this unit over the Tribest above is the mincing attachment. If you want to add a super easy mincer to your kitchen arsenal, on top of the juicer function, I would highly recommend the Tribest Low rpm Juicer and Mincer.
6) Aeitto Slow Masticating Juicer
Dimensions
Unique Features
Pros
Cons
Summary:
Despite having only 70 amazon reviews, the Aeitto Juicer has continually surprised people with its performance. I say "surprised" not to say people expected this model to be less than adequate, but because people had their expectations set for a juicer that was far cheaper than most of its competitors. Review after review, verified customers had their expectations surpassed by this masticating juicer.
Besides the low price point and overall positive customer responses, the defining quality of this unit is its larger than average chute size. At 3.2", the large opening allows you more versatility as far as type and quantity of fruits/veggies. One customer also stated this unit works a little slower, so if you need your juice in a hurry, maybe continue on down the list.
7) Super Angel DELUXE Juicer
Dimensions
Unique Features
Pros
Cons
Summary:
Angel models are the best commercial juicers, period. They're high tech, super versatile, and built to last forever. While far from cheap, customers consistently report Angel juicers to be the best in the industry. Deciding whether this unit is for you is pretty straightforward.
Are you juicing daily? Are you juicing large quantities for long periods of time? If so, this unit was designed for extreme conditions. Built with an automatic cooling system, safety sensors and high grade stainless steel, you really can't get more heavy duty. The price tag is relatively high, so if you don't think you'll need all the fancy gadgets, the Tribest GSE5000 Green Star sells for a fraction of the price and has a similar warranty period.
But if you want the best of the best, I highly recommend researching into the Angel Deluxe Model.
Best Budget Juicers for Greens
8) Aicook Slow Masticating Juicer
Unique Features
9) Mueller Ultra Juicer Machine
Unique Features
10) Aicok Slow Masticating Juicer
Unique Features
Best Manual Juicer For Greens
11) Mueller Elite Masticating Slow Juicer
Dimensions
Unique Features
Pros
Cons
Summary:
For those in the market for a small, portable, manual juicer that is undoubtedly the cheapest juicer on the market, I would highly recommend this Mueller model. Glancing through a few of Mueller's products pretty extensively, they receive consistently positive feedback in terms of product quality and customer service. They also offer lower prices than competing juicer companies.
Just have realistic expectations. This model has plastic gears and turns with a manual hand crank. It won't juice for hours on end, and it probably won't last a lifetime with consistent use. It is, however, a nice substitute for the bulky electric units when traveling or low on kitchen space.
Best Portable Juicer For Greens
12) TEC Slow Masticating Portable Juicer
Dimensions
Unique Features
Pros
Cons
Summary:
The most common response to this TEC model was the ease of assembling, disassembling, cleaning, and overall use. If you're looking for something EASY, then I would highly recommend this juicer. Its vertical design also makes it extremely convenient to store for those with space constraints.
Don't be misled by the small design. This juicer has received consistently positive reviews in terms of its dry pulp and juice yield. Just know that it does not function well with longer vegetables. To ensure best results, cut carrots and celery into smaller pieces.
Frequently Asked Questions
Will I Still Get Nutrients if I Juice Greens with a Centrifugal Juicer?
Yes, by and large you will still be making a healthy decision for yourself. While it's hard to validate exactly how much nutrition is lost, we do know there are many vitamins that are sensitive to the environment (vitamin C especially). I HIGHLY recommend going with a masticating juicer if you plan on juicing greens for this reason.
Are There Any Greens I Shouldn't Juice?
People rave about juicing vegetables everyday. But truth be told, plants contain a lot of protective molecules that can be harmful to the body in high doses. I suggest avoiding using excessive amounts of any one type of green. I also suggest mixing it up as much as possible to keep from overdoing it.
Spinach, for example, is one of the highest oxalate foods on the planet. Eating high oxalate foods over a long period of time may increase chance of kidney stones.
Can I still Juice Fruits with a Greens Juicer?
Yes, but if you plan to juice fruits as well, I highly recommend looking for a larger chute size. Models 4, 6, and 9 above all have a larger than average chute size and will make juicing fruit far more user-friendly.
Do I Have to Cut My Veggies Before I Juice?
It's usually recommended, but take it on a case by case basis. Some of the longer, skinnier chutes work better with the celery still intact. Watching several videos, it seems that cutting the longer vegetables up (kale, celery, carrots) is far easier when chopped beforehand. While this may be inconvenient, it's still a piece of cake compared to eating the same amount of raw vegetables. I'll let you be the judge.
Conclusion
Some people consider all juicers to be universal, but this just isn't the case. In order to preserve nutrients and ensure fresh juice for as long as possible, certain variables must be taken into account.
I hope this guide was helpful. Please leave a comment below if you have any questions or comments.
Cheers,
Michael
Founder of Robust Kitchen