Durability and price are the most crucial factors when choosing the best masticating juicer. But before we dive deep into these exceptional machines, let me briefly explain what a masticating juice extractor is and why is it the best juicer for greens.
Feel free to skip this part and go straight to the top ten masticating juicers list.
What is a Masticating Juicer?
A masticating juicer is a type of juicing machine which slowly crushes fruits and veggies as it passes along its multiple-stage auger. This slow process is often associated with the way we chew our food, hence the word masticating.
There are two designs to choose from, vertical and horizontal. For this guide, we will be sticking with the traditional horizontal design since it’s way more efficient with green leafy vegetables.
Why is it the Best Juicer for Your Greens?
Masticating juicers takes a slow approach in extracting juice from fruits and vegetables. On average, the horizontal type spins at around 80 revolutions per minute (RPM), and the upright design ranges from 30 to 40 RPM. These figures are miniscule in comparison to centrifugal juicer’s 10,000 RPM average speed.
The slow juice extraction process makes it more efficient at extracting juice, particularly for leafy vegetables. You can juice leafy greens on its own with a masticating juicer, but this is not possible with a centrifugal juicer. The masticating type produces a higher yield and retains nutrients for a longer period due to low oxidation levels, 72 hours to be exact.
Now let’s shift our focus to the traditional horizontal design. For some reasons, it outperforms its vertical counterpart in terms of juice extraction efficiency. However, newer upright models are starting to catch up. Until they become equal, horizontal masticating juicers will remain the best juicer for leafy greens.
Top 10 Masticating Juicers of 2019
- Omega 8006 HDS – The Best Masticating Juicer
- Aicok AMR 521 – Budget Pick
- Omega NC900HDC – Premium Pick
- Samson Advanced Series
- Omega Juice Cube
- Aobosi Masticating Juicer
- Tribest Solo Star 4
- Omega CNC80 Series
- KOIOS Masticating Juice Extractor
- Champion Elite 4000
Masticating Juicer Reviews
#1 Omega J8006 HDS – The Best Masticating Juicer
Omega owns the world of horizontal masticating juicers and the 8006 HDS rules over it. The classic Omega 8006 was so successful back then topping the Amazon bestseller for quite a while. That is until cheaper alternatives made their debut in the slow juice extractor market.
The Omega J8006 HDS isn’t that expensive though. In fact, nothing on this list will cost you more than four hundred bucks.
What made 8006 HDS the best masticating juicer is being highly functional without being too expensive. Backed by a 15-year full product warranty, you’ll have a reliable machine that will help you make your favorite healthy drink for over a decade.
Since it’s an Omega, you’ll get all the signature extra features the brand takes pride in. With the right accessory, you can mince, grind, homogenize, extrude pasta, make non-dairy milk alternatives, and prepare healthy frozen treat with your juicer.
You can read the full review of Omega J8006 HDS here.
#2 – Aicok AMR 521 – Budget Pick
If you’re not willing to shell out a couple of hundred dollars, Aicok AMR 521 will best suit your financial mindset. You’ll be surprised how cheap it can get if you’re opting for a non-branded product. To give you a rough idea, you can buy two AMR 521s with the current retail price of Omega J8006 HDS.
It’s cheap, but it does the job as far as juicing is concerned. It doesn’t have any fancy features like Omega, but it can juice dense produce, citrus fruits, and leafy greens. It’s good enough for beginners and for those looking for a bargain on their next juicing machine.
You can read the full review of Aicok AMR 521 here.
#3 Omega NC900HDC – Premium Pick
You don’t need to make a significant investment to get your hands on this premium masticating juicer. Unlike the Kuvings EVO820, it’s just in the mid-five hundred dollars (at the time I’m writing this). Despite being Omega’s top of the line product, it’s still pretty much within the range of affordability.
It’s a bigger and a more powerful machine compared to Omega 8006 HDS coming in with an elegant chrome finish. It has a bigger feeding chute, a more powerful motor and offers a more fine-grained pressure control. These upgrades will make your juicing process faster and even more efficient.
You can read the full review of Omega NC900HDC here.
#4 Samson Advanced Series
My very first juicing machine was a Samson, the Samson 6-in-1 Juice Extractor to be exact. It was an efficient and dependable machine that can take on any type of fruits and vegetables. I even sold lots of juice cleanse packages with my small juicing business back then. I only had one issue with it. The auger gets badly stained with highly pigmented produce like beets and carrots.
Thankfully, the Samson Advanced Juicer doesn’t have that nuisance anymore. The juicing screw is now made of Ultem plastic, dyed in solid black. Apart from making the auger more durable and stain-free, it’s backed by a 15-year warranty coverage. And, it also has a diverse range of non-juicing functions like Omega.
You can read the full review of Samson Advanced Juicer here.
#5 Omega Juice Cube
I’m not sure if you like things neat and tidy. If you do, then Omega Juice Cube is going to be a perfect addition to your clutter-free kitchen. It’s designed in such a way that you can tuck all the parts, including the motor in a cute square box.
And that’s just icing on the cake. Juice extraction efficiency and nutrient retention are its main advantages. Since it’s an Omega, it’s equipped with all the bells and whistles you’d expect from the company. The price is pretty reasonable too. In short, it has all the qualities of a perfect masticating juicer.
You can read the full review of Omega Juice Cube here.
#6 Aobosi Masticating Juicer
In terms of affordability, the Aobosi Masticating Juicer has a winning chance. It’s even cheaper than the Aicok AMR 521, but not by a wide margin. Other than juicing, you won’t be able to do anything with it, just like more expensive brands offer. The bottom line is it does the job for a fraction of the price.
It can work well for leafy greens, dense produce, and citruses. To be honest, these are the only type of fruits and vegetables that any juicer will be able to extract juice from. Soft-mushy items like banana, avocado, mangoes are basically none-juicable.
You can read the full review of Aobosi Masticating Juicer here.
#7 Tribest Solo Star 4
Tribest Solo Star 4 is an offspring of the leading twin gear juicer manufacturer which surely beats Omega’s outdated design language. It has a more minimalist futuristic modern look having a slight resemblance to a Stormtrooper.
Not only does it excel cosmetically but it’s also as efficient and as durable as any Omega juicer. The best thing about this product is it uses less electricity. At only 135 watts, it is undoubtedly going to pay for itself over time. To complete the package, it can also perform other food processing tasks besides juicing.
You can read the full review of the Tribest Solo Star 4.
#8 Omega CNC80 Series
If you’re holding on to your hard-earned savings but still want to invest in a quality product, the Omega CNC80 Series might just fit your budget. It’s the cheapest machine the company has in its horizontal masticating juicer line-up. You won’t save as much as those Chinese brands we’ve discussed above, but it retails just a little over two hundred bucks at the company’s website.
It’s still a bargain, taking into account that it’s a branded juicer. In comparison to the #1 best masticating juicer, it’s smaller and may contain the BPA compound. Aside from those, it’s pretty much identical in terms of features and functionality. It can take on any type of produce, and it can also perform all the extra food processing tasks offered by the brand.
You can read the full review of Omega CNC80 Series here.
#9 KOIOS Masticating Juice Extractor
We’ll never run out of cheap juicers to recommend in this list. This is the third and one of the cheapest masticating juice extractors you can buy today. The shape of this product seem strange, but it’s better than the triangular Aobosi machine, coming in three finishes—red, white, white/black.
It’s apparent that the manufacturer of this product went the extra mile in building this affordable machine. If you noticed, this is the only masticating juicer with a digital pressure dial. You won’t see that feature in any Omega juicer. It may not have all the quirks of an expensive juicer, but it can help you make the best tasting and nourishing juices.
You can read the full review of KOIOS Masticating Juicer here.
#10 Champion Elite 4000
I consider Champion juicers as pseudo-masticating juice extractors. Its 1,725 RPM motor is quite far from the 80 RPM average. I wouldn’t call it a slow juicer nor a cold press juicer. It surely doesn’t belong to this class.
According to the company, Champion Elite 4000 is a high-speed single auger juicer.
In their previous models, the Champion 2000 series, that speed is quite understandable. You can strap a grain mill attachment to it and process whole dry grains into flour. Apparently, that’s not the case for newer models.
This speed is not going to perform well for leafy vegetables despite the complimentary greens auger. It’s an exciting product, but you’re limited to basic juice recipes. And, that’s why it’s sitting on the last spot.
You can read the full review of Champion Elite 4000 here.
What To Consider When Buying a Masticating Juicer?
Price
A decent masticating juicer ranges between $300 to $500, but there are new players in the market that are way below that price point. At a little over a hundred bucks, you can get your hands on a new shiny masticating juice extractor. Take a look at our budget pick.
On the other hand, if you are the type of person who likes top end, branded products, you are not alone. Established manufacturers have a lot more to offer, and these are the type of businesses that won’t disappear overnight.
When you are in a position to invest in a heavy-duty machine, go for it. However, if you’re just starting out or you simply want the best bang for your buck, pick a more affordable option.
Durability / Warranty
Most of the slow juicer’s juicing screen and auger are now made of ULTEM, a sturdier plastic which can withstand higher amounts of pressure. Back then, not all masticating juicers are fitted with this type of polycarbonate, which makes it easy to break. Thankfully, it’s no longer an issue nowadays.
When we talk about durability, look for a juicer with long warranty coverage. Let me break it down for you. Here’s the average warranty period for some popular juice extractor manufacturers.
Omega – up to 15 years full warranty
Hurom – 2 years on parts, 10 years on motor
Kuvings – up to 10 years full warranty
Other brands – 2 to 3 years
The longer the warranty, the sweeter the deal.
Design: Horizontal vs. Upright
Masticating juicers are originally horizontal, akin to a meat grinder. This design is highly efficient at extracting juice from any type of produce. It performs exceptionally well for leafy greens. However, there’s just one problem—it’s bulky.
This problem gave birth to vertical masticating juicers, a more compact and elegant alternative to traditional slow juice extractors. The very first iteration of this machine didn’t do well with leafy greens and tended to produce a pulpy juice. Luckily, newer models don’t have this issue.
For this guide, we’ve solely focus on the horizontal as I’ve already extensively covered upright slow juicers in this post or in this article/.
Aside from being highly efficient, horizontal masticating juicing machines can also perform a whole lot of other food processing tasks apart from juicing.
Other Food Processing Functions
If you’re looking for something more in a juicer, the big names in the juicing industry got you covered. If you want to homogenize food, extrude pasta, mince sauces or grind coffee beans with your machine, then pick an Omega, Tribest, Kuvings or Samson.
Don’t expect to get these extra features if you’re getting a cheap juicer. Most of the less expensive models that I’ve reviewed are solely built for juicing. Period.
Maintenance and Usability
Since we’re talking about horizontal masticating juicers, they are all equal in terms of maintenance and usability. If you want to make your life easier, just pick something that is dishwasher friendly.
Over To You
Masticating juice extractors can take on the most challenging produce like kale, spinach, wheatgrass, peppermint, lettuce, basil, beet leaves, parsley, moringa, etc. To put things into perspective, it is the best juicer for leafy greens. Period.
Not only it’s the perfect machine for crafting nutrient-rich green juices, but it’s also an all-arounder. It can extract juice from virtually any type of fruits and vegetables. It’s highly efficient and retains nutrients longer than its high-RPM counterpart.
To top it off, the most exciting part about it is its ability to perform non-juicing tasks. As I’ve discussed above some models can mince, grind, extrude pasta, homogenize, make soy or almond milk, and even help you prepare a healthy frozen treat.
Now it’s your turn to pick the best masticating juicer. If you’re still unsure what to get, I’m leaving you with our top-rated machine—Omega 8006 HDS.
