Last Updated on April 16, 2022
Best Masticating Juicer Reviews: Top Rated Cold Press and Slow Juicers
The best masticating juicers or cold press juicers are great when you’re a super serious juicer. These “slow juicers” maximize juice production and minimize nutrient loss by slowly squeezing juice out of fruits and vegetables, instead of grinding or shredding them.
They’re perfect for saving you money, because they will give you the most juice for your money out of your fruits, vegetables, and leafy greens! You’ll use less fruit, and end up with more juice!
Plus, in scientific tests, masticating machines produced higher levels of vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants by crushing the cell walls of produce. The slow motors also reduce the oxidation process which can degrade nutrients in centrifugal juicers. So you’ll get the greatest amount of nutrition out of masticating options. Even the very best blenders can’t do that!
At Here 2 Serve, we’ve helped tons of people purchase machines they use every day, and we want to help you find the one that’s right for you.
We researched dozens of masticating juicers. We looked for versatility, ease of use, and, of course–maximum juicing power! We’ve compared product features, manufacturer warranties, and read hundreds of reviews from customers like you. We’ve done the legwork so that you can feel confident buying the one that’s right for you.
On this page, you’ll find our top recommendations for the best in masticating juicers. We’ll take you through the important features of each model, and show you why we’re loving these slow juicers! Keep reading for the juicy details!
First, take a quick look at our current most popular recommendations:
Our Top Picks for the Best Masticating Juicer
Lexen Manual Juicer
“Easy to use, easy to clean, easy to travel with. What is not to love?”
Pros:
The Lexen, priced at about $40 at the time of writing, is great for leafy greens, wheatgrass, and more. The special grooved auger chamber wrings juice out of all of your greens, leaving a dry pulp which you can throw in the compost. The juice comes out smooth and rich, with deep color and excellent flavor. We all want our juice to taste as good as possible, right?
Reviewers said it’s simple but effective. One buyer wrote, “This baby is very well made and works terrific on wheatgrass. Pulp is dry and the juice is without froth.”
Lexen advertises this model as having a 30-second cleanup time. We’re not guaranteeing it’ll be quite that easy every time, but reviewers appreciated how simple and easy it is to clean. You can simply rinse off the auger and feed tube, without having to scrub or soak them in water.
Cleaning is especially easy because there are only three parts. We also love that Lexen has eliminated the pulp screen–that’s one of the hardest parts to clean on a masticating machine. Anything that saves cleanup time is a plus to us!
It uses a combined suction base and metal clamp to make sure it stays on your counter–no matter how hard you juice.
And best of all, the Lexen comes with a 1-year warranty on all parts.
Cons:
It’s not so good for bigger vegetables. Because it’s designed specifically for greens, you also won’t have much success with chunks of juicy fruit like citrus or pears. Buyers said the Lexen makes great juice from carrots and beets, but you’ll have to shred them before running them through the juicer.
It’s mostly plastic. The clamp is one of the only metal parts. However, that’s expected for its price.
Bottom Line:
If you’re just starting out in juicing, the Lexen is a nifty choice with low overhead. We love it because it takes a lot of the hassle out of juicing. It’ll allow you to get more juice out of leafy greens than you’ll get from a blender, and It’s also a good budget option for people who want to start juicing wheatgrass or leafy greens without making a big investment yet still getting the best cold press juicer here. We’d recommend it if you’re interested in juicing for the first time, or you’re looking for a travel juicer!
Champion Commercial Heavy Duty Juicer
“Besides being efficient and relatively quiet, it blasts through any type of veggie or fruit with ease.”
Pros:
Priced at around $300 at the time of writing, this one is powerful, and it’s built to last. The motor packs the punch of a full 1/3 horsepower, and is built by General Electric. The drive shaft is built from stainless steel, and the auger is made from a special nylon composite.
The nylon is shatterproof, and it adapts better to stress than most plastics. The auger also has built-in stainless steel cutting blades. They’re cast directly into the nylon composite, so they’ll never separate or come loose. Best of all, it’s built in the USA, by a family-owned company.
The Champion is also very versatile. You can use this machine as a homogenizer for making nut butters, baby food, sorbets, ice cream, and frozen drinks, and even sauces. This will make it more than worth the price, even if you only use two of the functions!
It’s easier to clean than many other models. The auger and feed tube will simply rinse clean, and the pulp screen comes with a brush for scrubbing pulp debris out of the holes.
You’ll have everything you need in the box: the juicer, tamper, funnel, sieve, bowl, and an instruction book/recipe guide.
There’s a long warranty period: 5 years on all the juicing parts, 3 years on the motor, and 1 year on the blade and pulp screen. Previous buyers said that Champion’s customer service team is prompt and helpful. So you’ll have the peace of mind that comes with being able to get help when you need it.
Online reviewers came back frequently to update their juicer reviews. Most have been using their Champion for years without issues! There’s a reason this machine has been a best-seller since the 1970s!
Cons:
Reviewers said it doesn’t work very well with leafy greens. Users who fed straight greens into the machine found that it clogged, and that the motor heated up the juice. We’d recommend alternating vegetables and fruits as you juice, to prevent clogging.
The company makes attachments for leafy greens, tomato sauces, and grain milling separately. We’re a bit disappointed that these attachments don’t come in the box.
It produces a fair amount of foam. Since it’s a masticating juicer, it’ll still produce less than centrifugal machines. However, if you’re concerned about oxidation, this might not be the machine for you.
Bottom Line:
With nearly 75% of reviewers giving this model 5 stars, we can’t help but recommend the Champion. It has a long legacy of quality, and you can use it for a wide variety of foods. We love that it’s so versatile–and for a great price! And we’d also recommend going with a company that stands behind their products so firmly.
Omega VRT350
“The difference in quality and yield was astounding.”
Pros:
The vertical design takes lots of the work out of using this one (priced at around $300 at the time of writing). While most masticating models require you to push all the vegetables and fruit into the auger, the Omega uses the auger to actually pull fruit and vegetables down and in. We’re big fans of any features that make your life easier! And, of course, gravity is on your side!
We also love that because it’s a vertical model, it takes up less counter space in your kitchen, making this model perfect for smaller spaces.
The motor runs at 80 RPM, which keeps your juice from being affected by heat or oxidation.
The Omega has a self-cleaning wiper feature which keeps the pulp screen clear of clogs. It also does a phenomenal job of filtering out dry pulp, while leaving flavor and color intact.
Omega also recommends running water through the machine to flush out the system between ingredients. This makes cleaning easier, and keeps flavors from mixing unintentionally.
Omega says that juice can be stored for 72 hours without separation or degradation.
There’s a reverse function, so you can eject any vegetables that get stuck in the auger. This is great for leafy greens, or any tricky bits of pulp that get stuck.
It has a neat ejection system, with two spouts at either side of the machine. One produces fresh juice, and the other deposits pulp into the included collection jars. This also prevents pulp from backing up into the juicing chamber.
It comes with a 10-year warranty. That’s a huge plus for us, especially at this price!
Cons:
It produces a fair amount of froth. This is a matter of personal preference, but the Omega definitely adds more air than other masticating options.
Some reviewers found that the juice contained too much pulp for their taste, so if you’re not a fan of pulp, this may not be the one for you. The pulp ejection spout also has a tendency to get clogged. We’d love to see a few more pulp level options as well.
Users also had some issues with leafy greens. When running them through the machine, Omega and many other manufacturers recommend alternating ingredients, cycling from hard vegetables like carrots or apples to greens.
Bottom Line:
We love how this vertical machine makes the improved juicing function of masticating models a bit more user-friendly. It’s great for most fruits and vegetables, and produces results comparable to higher-priced masticators at a much lower cost.
KitchenAid Maximum Extraction
“An outstanding option that provides fresh, healthy juices, is very well designed, easy to clean, and very efficient.”
Pros:
This crossover model (priced at about $400 at the time of writing) combines the best of a centrifugal machine with the efficiency and nutrient preservation of a masticating version. There’s a spinning blade which chops fruits and vegetables for you before feeding them through a masticating auger.
With the combined juicing technologies, the machine reduces your prep time and also allows for a larger feed chute. You can fill it to the top with chunked-up vegetables and fruits, letting the machine do the heavy slicing work for you. If you have arthritis in your hands or want to save time, this would be a very helpful feature for you.
It’s all-metal. Reviewers overwhelmingly praised its build quality. One wrote, “The solidity and excellent construction of this heavy duty machine truly impressed me.”
It includes 3 pulp screens, for high- and low-pulp juices and sauces. There’s also a cleaning brush included with the screens, for scrubbing out stubborn pulp debris.
Previous buyers were pleased to find that KitchenAid had a U.S.-based, helpful customer service program. We love that the company stands behind their products!
KitchenAid has done a great job approaching this product from a usability standpoint. We love all the thoughtful details of the design, like the removable drip tray, the included recipes and helpful guidebook. KitchenAid also put thought into the safety of the design, including finger holes in the blade assembly, so you don’t have to worry about cutting yourself while cleaning.
This machine blends right in with your coffeemaker and other kitchen appliances. Unlike many old-fashioned, practical models (Green Star, etc.), it’s not an eyesore.
Cons:
Some reviewers felt that the pulp wasn’t quite as dry as it would have been from a purely masticating option.
Like most masticating machines, the pulp screen is a pain to clean. KitchenAid has included an easy cleaning brush, but honestly we found that cleaning the whole machine took a fair amount of time.
Bottom Line:
The KitchenAid is a great solution if you’re a person who is serious about juicing, but doesn’t have the time to make a whole day out of it. It has the convenience of a traditional slice-and-dice model, with the efficient extraction and higher nutritional output of a masticating model. It’s a crossover with great results we love!
Tribest Green Star Elite Review
Pros:
This machine uses not one, but two masticating augers to squeeze juice out of your fruits, vegetables, and greens. Priced at about $550 at the time of writing, it’s designed for maximum power and efficiency.
Unlike other masticating versions, the Green Star uses special augers with integrated blades. This allows for better breakdown of plant matter, and a more thorough mastication or “chewing” of the greens. These blades reduce motor strain, and prevent clogs. And they do a heck of a job at juicing greens.
One reviewer wrote, “We’re getting twice as much juice per-veggie than we did with the centrifugal one.”
At 110 RPM, this motor won’t cause too much oxidation. It also minimizes heat-related destruction of enzymes and micronutrients.
Green Star advertises between 50-200% higher levels of key nutrients such as calcium, iron and zinc over leading centrifugal models. This is because the double augers thoroughly crush the cell walls of fruits and vegetables, while maintaining low levels of motor heat and oxidation. This is a great model if you’re wanting to get the maximum amount of nutrients from your juice.
This model features automatic pulp ejection. We love this feature, since it’ll allow you to keep juicing without pausing to empty a compartment. It takes a lot of the effort out of using a masticating model, as you won’t have to keep pushing the pulp through!
It’ll juice any fruits, greens, herbs or vegetables. Plus, you can use it to make nut butters and grain pastes. You can even use it to make juice you freeze for a frozen treat, or add it to the best frozen drink machine and make some healthy treats the whole family will love. Perfect for a hot summer’s day! All the attachments come right in the box!
It also comes with a 12-year warranty.
There are two pulp screens included in the package. One’s a finer screen, which reduces pulp levels. The second allows more pulp through, for a thicker, more substantial juice.
Cons:
Some reviewers found that the plastic parts stained when juicing carrots and beets. This is where the lemon juice trick comes in handy! (See more in our Tips section.)
Reviewers were a bit disappointed to find that most of the parts were made of plastic, even at this price. The outer casing and framework are all plastic, and not particularly attractive for sitting on your counter.
Bottom Line:
The Green Star is a customer favorite with a loyal following. Most buyers agree that it’s the closest you can get to a Super Angel without shelling out $2,000. We love how versatile the machine is, and recommend it if you’re serious about juicing.
It also comes with everything else you’ll want. There’s a blank screen for using the machine as a food processor, as well as a special screen for making breads. Plus, it comes with cleaning brushes, plungers, and a glass juice pitcher.
You can also adjust pressure with a handy gauge.
Super Angel Deluxe Review
“The Angel is a pleasure to use, easy to clean and creates delicious drinks with 2-3 times more juice (and nutrients) than any I have owned.”
Pros:
Priced at around $2,000 at the time of writing, the Super Angel is a splurge, but it’s incredibly powerful. The twin impeller system is powered by a full 3 HP electric torque motor on this stainless steel beast. This is one of the lowest-impact motors on the market, which means that oxidation is very low.
It also uses automatic cooling and speed adjustment. With an 85 RPM top motor speed, your juice won’t be damaged by heat in the slightest.
It’s built to last. Aside from the juice drip containers, all the parts are made from solid stainless steel. This lets it handle anything from leafy greens to carrots with ease. And you won’t have to worry about flimsy plastic augers twisting or snapping.
It’s easy to clean, and all the parts are made from surgical stainless steel. Reviewers said the metal auger parts rinse clean without scrubbing.
It’s versatile. You can use it for leafy greens, wheatgrass, and all sorts of fruit and vegetables. The Super Angel can also be used to make nut butter, tofu, and other homemade treats.
It’s very, very efficient. We were amazed at how dry the pulp was. The juice is amazing. Because there’s very little oxidation, you won’t have any foaming. Reviewers praised the deep, rich colors and incredibly fresh taste.
There’s a 10-year warranty on the motor and parts. The warranty excludes “wear and tear” parts, but we and most buyers didn’t report any problems.
After 2 years of daily use, one reviewer wrote, “incredibly resilient…The original parts are still going strong.”
Cons:
It’s heavy. At 30 pounds, this isn’t one to bring on the road. It’s also not going to be fun to haul this one in and out of storage. You’ll want to plan on keeping the Super Angel on the counter.
Reviewers said that the pulp screen is a bit finicky, and takes awhile to clean. They recommended using a wire brush.
Bottom Line:
The Super Angel is far and away our top quality pick. With its rugged construction, easy usage and versatility, we have a hard time recommending against it to anyone. If you’re a serious juicing enthusiast, you just can’t do better. However, it’s not a light investment, and is probably overkill if you only juice once in awhile.
Why Buy A Cold Press or Slow Juicer?
To masticate means to chew. Masticating machines “chew” food almost like a meat grinder, and extract all of the nutrients for maximum nutritional output. They work much like our own digestive systems. Instead of spinning and slicing the juice, masticating machines use an auger to crush the fruit, and squeeze the liquids from out of the pulp. People have come to prefer masticating versions because they’re more efficient and produce more nutritious juice over fast juicers.
There are two types of masticating machines: single auger and double auger.
Most masticating options are single gear, horizontal designs. This was actually the first one ever invented, way back in the 1930s. They’re inexpensive, but have limitations. They require more prep work, and need to be force-fed.
You’ll also find upright masticators, which also use single augers. These are easier to feed, and generally require less prep work.
Double auger machines are called triturating juicers. They’re even better than masticating juicers, because they force the produce between twin augers, chewing up everything without relying completely on a pulp screen. Check out our full reviews of the best triturating juicers.
Efficiency
Centrifugal juicers usually work much like a blender with a strainer. Blades chop and mash up all the fruits and vegetables, and then juice drips out into a container. Masticating versions work a bit differently. They actually wring juice out of fruits and vegetables.
Under the hoods is a single auger that works like your teeth. It mashes up the food into a fine pulp. Next, the pulp is forced against a fine screen. Your drink of choice drips from the bottom spout, and the pulp is propelled out into a different chute into a bag or other container. Because juice is squeezed rather than spun, masticating options tend to waste less juice, giving you more for your money.
In general, costlier masticating machines are more effective at squeezing most of the juice from produce. While the initial price may be steep, your grocery bills will be lower as a result!
Simplicity
In general, masticating juicers are much simpler to clean than centrifugal juicers. They have fewer parts, and a simpler design. As you probably know, the circulating blades on centrifugal juicers can be very hard to clean! Plus, centrifugal juicers can have up to 8 or even 10 different components, all of which have nooks and crannies. Masticating juicers tend to have as few as 4 parts.
Another advantage is that masticating juicers use augers that do not have sharp edges. This makes cleaning your juicer much safer. You also do not have to worry about children being around the parts.
Nutrition
One of the biggest problems with centrifugal juicers is nutrient loss through oxidation. By slicing and grinding up all your fruits and vegetables, these machines introduce a lot of air into the juice. You can see it in the froth at the top of the juice. The oxygen can degrade delicate nutrients before you even drink the juice.
Because the motors in centrifugal blenders spin at such a high rate, they cause the juice to heat up as it’s processed. This damages vitamin and mineral content. They also introduce a lot of air into the juice (that’s why it comes out foamy).
Masticating juicers reduce the effect, and the results are apparent–less foam, more juice. Plus, there’s less motor heat. Oxidation will occur in any scenario, but we think that any way of decreasing the effect is worth a shot.
And that’s not just a marketing ploy–science has shown that Vitamin C alone can be greatly compromised by heat and oxygen. Enzymes and micronutrients are also very susceptible to damage in the process. In a 2013 study, Australian researchers found that juicing machines provided up to 2X more nutrients than blenders!
Masticating juicers also leave more pulp in the mix. This means you’ll get more protein out of your leafy greens, and supplement your fiber intake at the same time. Plus, this allows your body to process the juice in a more holistic way. When you eliminate pulp, your body processes fruit and vegetable juice as simple sugar, and you miss out on all the nutrients in the pulp matter.
Masticating juicers also crush the cell walls of plant matter, which gives your digestive system easy access to vitamins, minerals, and enzymes locked inside. Since they’re not endangered by heat or oxygen, they all go straight to your body!
Buying Guide: How to Choose Which Juicer is Best?
Budget
As we’ve said, masticating juicers have a wide price range. Single auger machines can cost as low as $25 for manual models, up to $500. Double auger or triturating models can cost between $500-$2,000+.
You’ll notice that we recommended products from some of the most popular brands in the market. While brand names do tend to cost a bit more, we think it’s a safer bet to buy your product from an established brand, because it will be easier to get replacement parts. These juicers also have longer warranties.
Masticating juicers definitely cost more than centrifugal models. However, they’re much more efficient. So, make sure you take into consideration how much produce you’ll be saving by spending a bit more on a better juicer. Over time, this can easily make up for an extra few hundred dollars!
Versatility
If you are looking for a juicer, it helps to think about what you are going to want to juice most often. If you like wheatgrass, for instance, some of the masticating juicer machines will struggle, yet others will excel. The same goes for other leafy greens. Some juicers are better with greens, but won’t do so well with other vegetables.
Some masticating juicers even allow you to process dry goods to make tofu, nut butters, flour, cornmeal, and more. If you have someone in your family with special dietary needs, you can make your own ingredients for your favorite recipes.
These machines give you the power to know every ingredient that makes it onto your plate and into your bloodstream. It’s an easy way to cut unnecessary preservatives and sugars out of your diet, while allowing your body to reap the full benefits of the nutrients with every use.
Durability
Masticating juicers take a lot more stress than centrifugal juicers. Since they’re not using a blade, they need to have the physical strength to crush fruits and vegetables. You’ll want to look for as little plastic as possible. Metal parts are ideal, but you’ll also do well with nylon composites such as you’ll find on the Champion.
You’ll also want to keep an eye out for motor and auger warranties. Some parts are cheap to replace, like a clamp or the feed tube. The motors and augers found in masticating juicers aren’t cheap, so you’ll want to make sure you’re covered in case anything goes wrong. Systems with multiple gear settings, cooling systems, and pressure adjustment also help with motor life.
Tips For Using Your Juicer
-Alternate textures and density. Most juicers will tell you that leafy greens can be a real pain. They can clog many juicers, and be a pain to push through even the best masticating juicers. A good tip for these is to alternate leaves with a harder vegetable like carrots or beets. This helps the juicer to perform better, and prevents clogs.
-Alternate fruits and vegetables. As well as helping your juicer out, you’ll be coming up with exciting flavor combinations! Alternating produce is a great way to get the nutrition of kale with the taste of an orange!
-Try rolling or folding leafy greens. The friction between leaves can help the juicer break the greens down even more effectively. Plus, they’re less likely to bunch up or clog.
-Take your time. Some masticating juicers require you to push vegetables and fruits into the feed tube. You’ll definitely want to apply pressure,but you don’t want to push the machine too hard. If the motor sounds like it’s working hard, try easing up. You’ll prevent motor burnout and prolong the life of your juicer.
-Make sure you do the prep work. Most masticating juicer manuals will tell you to chunk or slice produce before juicing it. When this happens, I use my nicer dicer plus. While this can be annoying, it’s better to spend an extra few minutes. You’ll get better juice results, and a longer life out of your juicer.
-We recommend that you finish every juice you make with a quarter of a lemon or lime. This will help clean any stains that beets or carrots leave on the auger, and maximize the nutrients of your beverage!