Best Juicer for Cleanse
There are tons of juicers on the market. If you’re thinking of doing a juice cleanse or if you like to juice regularly, you’ll want to see the options for the best juicer.
Juicing has been rising in popularity over the past few years, with specialty juice bars planting themselves in almost all cities. The surge in popularity of celery juice has brought juicing even more to the forefront.
Depending on the juice you consume, it can have some pretty amazing benefits. Keep in mind that “juicing” refers to juiced whole vegetables with a small amount of fruit, not packaged fruit juice.
In short, some of the benefits may be a healthier gut microbiome, increased detoxification, improved digestion, and increase intake of nutrients.
What is a Juice Cleanse?
There is no one way to do a juice cleanse. Most people think of a cleanse as a strict diet where you only drink juices. This is the most extreme version and should only be done under the supervision of a qualified healthcare provider. See my article on the dangers of fasting for women.
For some people, even adding one vegetable juice to your diet a day can have benefits. Other people may choose to replace one meal a day with a juice. Again, there is not one way to do a juice cleanse and you can adapt it to meet you individual needs and goals.
Disclaimer: Please consult your healthcare provider to see if juicing is safe and appropriate for you. You may also want to read my article on the benefits of doing a juice cleanse.
Best Juicer
If you believe juicing will fit into your lifestyle and could be beneficial to your health, it’s best to invest in your own juicer. Buying pre-made juices at the grocery store or specialty shops can get expensive and it’s always best to drink juice fresh, ideally within 24 hours of making it.
Making your own juice also means you can control what’s in it and allows you to choose organic produce.
There are several options to choose from, from basic to all-the-bells-and-whistles. Here are some to consider, listed from the least expensive types to the most expensive types.
1. Centrifugal Juicer ($50-$100)
Centrifugal juicers have three main advantages: they’re affordable, quick, and easy to clean. For these reasons, centrifugal juicers are best for people who want to juice only occasionally or for those on a budget. By spinning quickly, a centrifugal juicer separates the pulp from the juice.
The disadvantages of centrifugal juicers are that they are very loud and are less able to process greens or softer produce.
Due to the heat generation of a centrifugal juicer, your juice is also more likely to oxidize. Oxidation is the process of juice being exposed to oxygen, which can decrease its nutrient content.
However, if you are doing a very short juice cleanse (1-3 days), you may want to stick with a centrifugal juicer.
Recommended centrifugal juicers:
2. Masticating Juicer ($250-$400)
The advantages of masticating juicers are that they yield fresher, tastier juice, low oxidation, and give you the ability to juice both hard and soft produce (which means green juice). My vegetable juicer of choice for regular juicing including doing a juice cleanse is a masticating juicer.
A masticating juicer slowly crushes fruits and veggies between a screen and an auger, discarding the pulp and leaving behind the juice. Due to its slow pressing, there’s no heat to oxidize the juice. This type of juicer is popular with people who want to juice at least once a week.
There’s a smaller chute on this type of juicer, though, so prepping your produce is necessary. In other words, you’ll have to cut your vegetables into smaller pieces to help fit them into the feeding tube. Masticating juicers are also slower and pricier than centrifugal juicers.
Masticating juicers can come in both vertical and horizontal types.
Recommended masticating juicers:
- Omega Masticating Juicer (this is the one that I have)
- Tribest Greenstar Elite Masticating Juicer
3. Juicing in a Blender
You can make juice using a blender. If you’ve got a high speed blender and a nut milk bag, you’re all set to juice. This technique works well for the occasional juice consumer or those short on time. If you are going to do a juice cleanse for any length of time, you may not want to use a blender for juice.
Keep in mind that this works best with high speed blenders, such as a Vitamix or Blendtec.
See my full list of the best juicer blenders.
Here’s how to make juice in a blender:
- Add produce to a high powered blender. It’s best to prep produce beforehand to reduce the strain on your blender.
- Add about 1/2 cup of water to help get the blender blades moving.
- Blend until mixture is smooth and no chunks remain.
- Place a nut milk bag over a pitcher and pour juice over it.
- Squeeze juice through the bag with your hands to strain out any pulp.
See my dedicated post (including a recipe) for juicing in a Vitamix.
4. Cold Press Juicer ($1,800+)
Cold press juicers are for the ultimate juice enthusiast. They can run into the thousands of dollars and should only be considered for commercial enterprises or if you have a medical reason that you need to have only cold press juices for the absolute optimal nutrition.
I do not recommend a cold press juicer simply because it is outrageously expensive.
Note: many juicer manufacturers have started labeling their juicers “cold press” when they aren’t actually a true cold press juicer. What you really want to look for in a juicer for cleanse is that it is a “masticating” juicer.
FAQS
For green juice, you’ll want to go with a masticating juicer. These juicers can successfully extract juice from softer produce like greens. I recommend an Omega masticating juicer because it is more affordable than many masticating juicers and is a cult favorite for green juice.
Wheatgrass has a reputation for being even more difficult to juice than almost anything else. If you’re needing a juicer for wheatgrass specifically, check out this manual wheatgrass juicer. Your masticating juicer can also do the trick in a pinch, but for wheatgrass-only juices, it may be worth investing in a separate juicer. See my article with the best wheatgrass juicers.
If you’re looking for celery juice recipes, go ahead and invest in a masticating juicer. This Omega juicer in particular operates at a slow speed, meaning your juice is as slow-pressed, cold-pressed, and minimally oxidized as possible.
Other masticating juicers are able to juice celery as well, but if you’re looking to get the health benefits of celery juice, it’s best to be sure your juice is as fresh and nutrient-dense as possible.
This Breville centrifugal juicer is touted for its easy clean-up. It has only a few parts (which also makes it easy to assemble!), which are also dishwasher-safe.
For an easy to clean masticating juicer, consider the Omega that I have (also the top choice for greens!) Clean-up is easy due to the fewer parts and easy assembly/disassembly. This is the juicer that I own and I love it.
For a compact juicer, this Breville vertical juicer will help you save on space and money.
Great question! There are certainly some veggies that lend themselves better to being juiced than others. See my list of the best vegetables to juice.
Best Juice Recipes
Here are my favorites:
- Beet Juice
- Carrot Juice with Orange & Ginger
- Celery Cucumber Green Juice
- Celery Juice
- Detox Veggie Juice
Or, check out my round-up of the best juicing recipes for beginners.
Don’t Miss These Juicing Resources!
Conclusions
When picking a juicer, it’s best to take your individual needs into consideration. For most people, a masticating juicer is the best and most efficient type of juicer for a cleanse. But, you may want to consider a centrifugal juicer, a cold press juicer, or a juicer blender.
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About the Author: Carrie Forrest has a master’s degree in public health with a specialty in nutrition. She is a top wellness and food blogger with nearly 10 million annual visitors to her site. Carrie has an incredible story of recovery from chronic illness and is passionate about helping other women transform their health. Send Carrie a message through her contact form.
Note: this post is for informational purposes only and is not intended as medical advice. Please consult your healthcare provider for recommendations related to your individual situation.
Thanks for the great recipes