Should I Buy a Citrus Juicer or an Extractor?

Some people like to start their day by gulping down a glass of vegetable or fruit juice. Apart from that, most people also desire to sip a glass of fresh juice on a scorching hot day. No matter how you like to enjoy your freshly made healthy juice, it is pretty hard to find from the market. This is because most ready-to-drink juices contain excess sugar and chemicals that can be dangerous to your health. That is why the best way for you to have a healthy and fresh glass of fresh juice is by making it yourself – getting a citrus juicer or juice extractor can be a perfect solution for this problem. 

However, you might stop and ask if there’s any difference between a juice extractor or a citrus juicer. The answer is yes. This is why in this article, we are going to differentiate a citrus juicer and a juice extractor to help you pick which one suits your needs the best. 

Difference Between Juice Extractor and Citrus Juicer

Generally speaking, a juice extractor and a citrus juicer are quite the same in many aspects, but they are not exactly alike. There are actually notable differences between these two. A juicer gives you juice or liquid from citrus fruit, and it does not separate between the pulp, shell seeds, and juice. It also does not crush the whole fruit during the process of juicing. 

On the other hand, a juice extractor helps you chop fruits and vegetables into small parts, and it has rotating blades that rotate fast so that it can separate the juice from the husk, pulp, or seeds of the fruit or vegetables. 

When it comes to the price, a juice extractor is a bit expensive compared to a citrus juicer, and it also has some extra features compared to a citrus juicer. 

Citrus Juicer and its Different Types

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A citrus juicer is specifically made for citrus fruits. It has one cone-shaped spinning head that rotates slowly to help get the juice from the fruit. Please note that before you can start juicing your citrus fruits, you need to cut them in half and press the spinning head over them.

After you extract the juice, you can either separate the pulp from the juice or retain it. A citrus juicer only has a few parts that you can easily take away if you’re going to clean them. Some of the fruits that you can juice in a citrus juicer are sweet limes, grapefruits, oranges, lemons, tangerines, and many more. You can buy several citrus fruit juicers, and here are three types of them. 

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  • Manual Citrus Juicers– If you want a simple but reasonable juicer, then this is the one for you. It is less costly, doesn’t make any loud noises, does not require any electricity to operate, and is also lightweight. The downside is you need to use force to get the juice from the fruit, and with all that force, you will only end up with a small amount of juice. This is why it is not suitable if you’re going to make large amounts of juice. 
  • Electric Citrus Juicer– This type of citrus juicer has a motor to help the juicer cone spin then crush the fruit when it’s pushed with force. An electric citrus juicer needs less preparation time than manual citrus juicers, and it takes less time to create large amounts of juice. However, it makes a loud sound while operating, and it can be a bit expensive compared to manual citrus juices. Also, the juice that you end up with using the electric citrus juicer does not always taste the way it should because some of the peel can be mixed with the juice during the process.

Juice Extractor and its Different Types

If you want a kitchen appliance that can help you juice both fruits and vegetables, then the juice extractor might be the one that you’re looking for. A juice extractor can slice vegetables and fruits into small pieces. It has blades that rotate quickly to help detach the skin and seeds from the fruit or vegetable. 

Basically speaking, it is pretty easier to make juice using a juice extractor than a juicer. However, it is quite costly compared to a typical citrus juicer. 

If you’re the type of person who does not want pulps or seeds mixed into their fresh juice, then the juice extractor is the product for you. Here are the two common types of juice extractors:

  • Centrifugal Juice Extractor –This type of juice extractor is the most common type of juice extractor. It can separate the juice from the fruit or vegetable very fast, and it has a filter for refining the juice before it flows down to your cup. Not only that, but it also has a container for collecting waste. A centrifugal juice extractor rotates at a very high speed of about 6,000 to 14,000 RPM, which is why you should be prepared for a loud noise when you’re juicing. Aside from that, a centrifugal juice extractor cannot juice green leafy vegetables. 
  • Masticating Juice Extractor – This type of juice extractor mashes vegetables or fruits with the help of an auger. After crushing, the fruit or vegetable is pushed against a filter. The juice that’s produced by a masticating juice extractor is usually bubbly, thick, and sour to the taste. If you also want to make butter or nut milk, this juicer is perfect for you. 

A masticating juice extractor works slower compared to a centrifugal juice extractor, and it only rotates 80 to 100 RPM. It is also quite bigger in size, and it’s more expensive compared to a centrifugal juice extractor. It is also hard to clean, and it takes more time when juicing.