This week’s post is a bit of a continuation from last week. A part two, perhaps.
At what point should you stop shelling out $6, $8, or upwards of $10 for fresh- or cold-pressed juice and start making your own? It depends.
I thought that I would be saving massive amounts of money if I bought a juicer and started making my own juice. Reality is that juicing is costly whether you’re buying it or making it. I’ve heard several complaints about the price of the juices at Green Carrot Juice Company. Come on, it’s a business! Good produce ain’t cheap. I mean, you can go for all the deals all the time, but you’re probably compromising your health at some point. I can’t trust a $3 six-inch sub, Subway. No thanks.
Sometimes, the adage is true– you get what you pay for. Juicing is expensive, but the benefits out weigh the cost (of good produce and a juicer).
So, if you’re considering buying a juicer, I have a few tips for getting started.
Why Juice at Home?
It’s fresh. And it can be slightly cheaper in the long run. During the summer months, farmer’s markets are a great option to find an abundance of fresh, affordable produce. In winter, juicing at home is on the pricier side. Someone should start a green house and supply me fresh fruit and veggies. Thanks!
I like having a juicer purely for the convenience. Before Green Carrot, the options were pretty slim in Winnipeg.
Lastly, I like having the creative control over what goes into my juice. Juice and smoothie bars don’t generally offer customizable bevys in the Starbucks sense. I like making weird combinations. Just don’t try juicing an avocado or a banana; that’s not a thing. It will also destroy your juicer. Not that I’ve tried, but the Internet told me so.
Tips on Buying a Juicer:
I’ve mentioned this a multiple times: I’m frugal. I perused the Internet a lot before deciding on my current juicer. I’ve owned two juicers in the past four-ish years. A relatively cheap ($90) Kenmore juicer that lasted almost three years and my current Breville Juice Fountain Plus. I spent around $170 with taxes on the ‘ole Breville and I’ve been extremely happy with it. It usually retails for closer to $200 before tax, but I obviously waited for a sale. Shout out to Bay Days!
I’ve also used the world’s shittiest juicer and a friend’s $350+ juicer. However, I don’t remember the brand of these. The important thing is, that as a newb, I would strongly suggest that you don’t spend a billion dollars on a juicer. The difference between a $75 juicer to a $150ish juicer is way better than going from a $150 juicer to a $300+ juicer. Shoot for something at a mid-range price.
According to my research, and partially my experience, super pricey juicers create less foam and (maybe) slightly more juice. I don’t really get the point of having less foam. I like a good fruit and veggie latte!
The last (and most important) tip: look for a juicer with more than one speed. Any single-speed juicer is probably one of the rare $75 breed that can’t juice anything harder than a lemon. Steer clear. Or just buy a cheap citrus juicer.
Quick N’ Dirty Juicing Tips:
1) (Too much) citrus peel tastes gross juiced. Remove it. No need to peel apples, though, just wash ’em.
2) Go gingerly with the ginger. A 1-2″ piece is plenty for a single serving. Also, if you’re going to juice raw garlic, go easy on that, too. A clove will suffice.
3) When juicing leafy greens, or herbs, put them with a soft fruit (or veggie) to maximize your juice extraction. Think kale + oranges, or basil + berries.
4) Don’t force produce into your juicer, especially anything of a hard variety. Beets can kale your vibe, let me tell ya!
Pro tip 4.5: for hard fruit and veggies (apples, beets, carrots, etc) make sure you have your juicer set on “high” or power level two… we’ve already been through this, no using a one-speed juicer!!
5) Clean your juicer, or at least the filter, immediately after use. This may seem annoying, but trust me, dried on fruit and veggie pulp is way more annoying.
The Life of Lucky 