What Is a Slow Juicer?

On this page (8 sections)

1. How does a slow juicer work?
2. Is a slow juicer the same as a masticating juicer?
3. Why does the slow speed keep more nutrients in the juice?
4. Who should choose a slow juicer?
5. Do you have to cut produce for a slow juicer?
6. Is a slow juicer hard to clean?
7. Slow juicer vs centrifugal: which suits you?
8. What should you know before you buy a slow juicer?

A slow juicer crushes produce at low speed with an auger instead of shredding it with fast spinning blades. The slow crush limits heat and oxidation, so the juice keeps more of its fresh flavor and nutrients.

That single difference drives everything else. Speed, the amount of foam, the texture of the juice and the way you clean up all follow from how a slow juicer works.

How does a slow juicer work?

It works by grinding and pressing, not by flinging. A single auger or a pair of gears turns slowly inside a screen, crushing produce against the drum so juice flows out one side and pulp out the other.

The speeds are gentle by design. Omega puts the NC1000HDS at 80 RPMs, and Tribest rates the Greenstar twin gears at 110 RPM.

A centrifugal juicer spins its basket thousands of times a minute.

Because nothing spins fast, there is little air whipped into the juice. That means less foam and a slower color change in the glass, which matters if you like to sip a green juice over the morning.

The trade-off is pace. A slow juicer feeds produce through gradually, so a big batch of carrots takes longer than it would in a fast machine.

The motor and gear design also affect how long a session you can run. The Cuisinart CSJ-300 draws 200 watts and runs a single auger with a mesh-free filter, while the Tribest GS-2000 uses 190 watts to turn its twin gears.

Both are built for steady, unhurried pressing rather than short bursts.

Is a slow juicer the same as a masticating juicer?

Yes, in everyday use the two names mean the same thing. A masticating juicer chews up produce at low speed, and that is exactly what a slow juicer does, so shoppers see both labels on the same machines.

The word "masticating" describes the chewing action of the auger. "Slow juicer" describes the speed.

Cold press juicer is a third name for the same low-heat approach.

The three names do differ slightly in marketing. Some makers stress cold press when the point is temperature, and stress masticating when the point is the chew.

The machine underneath is the same class.

One more label sits inside this family. A single auger machine, like the Cuisinart and the Omega, uses one turning screw.

A twin gear machine, like the Tribest Greenstar, uses two interlocking gears. Both are slow, cold press juicers, and both are sold as masticating models.

If you want help picking one, our guide to the best slow masticating juicer breaks the choices down by need.

Why does the slow speed keep more nutrients in the juice?

The low-speed crush builds up less heat, and heat is the main enemy of fresh juice. Fast blades can warm the produce as they shred it, while a slow auger presses it without that sudden temperature spike.

Less heat also means less oxidation, the reaction that turns cut fruit brown and dulls the taste. Omega says the low speed of its machine keeps heat and oxidation to a minimum to protect healthy enzymes.

Treat nutrient talk with care. Juice is food, not medicine, and no juicer replaces a balanced diet.

What the slow machine does is give you a fresher-tasting glass with more body than a fast one leaves behind.

Many people also notice the texture. A slow juicer leaves more natural fiber in the drink, so it feels thicker than the thin, watery output of a centrifugal machine.

The same gentle press lets the machines handle produce a fast juicer would struggle with. Cuisinart says its auger extracts the essence of nuts, wheat grasses and sprouts, and Tribest lists wheatgrass among the tough greens its twin gears handle.

Fibrous material like that is where the low speed earns its keep.

Who should choose a slow juicer?

You should choose one if you juice leafy greens, wheatgrass or nuts, or if you care about flavor and shelf life more than speed. It suits people who make juice in a steady routine rather than a rushed one.

It is also the better match for anyone who dislikes foam or the loud whine of a fast machine. The slow models run quietly enough that you can juice early without waking the house, as we cover in are cold press juicers quiet.

The Cuisinart CSJ-300 presses fresh produce, nuts and greens slowly, and its maker says the motor runs with quiet efficiency.

Pick it if you want a simple press for greens and nut milks and you like the idea of a mesh-free filter you can rinse under the tap. The 1.5-liter capacity and two collection bowls keep a juicing session tidy, and the included lid and base make up the rest of the set.

Skip a slow juicer if you mostly juice a quick glass of orange or apple for a crowd. A fast machine handles soft fruit in seconds, and the slow press would only make you wait.

Which slower juicer suits a full kitchen system?

The Omega NC1000HDS suits readers who want one machine for more than juice. It runs at 80 RPMs and doubles as a nutrition system for nut butters, baby food, soy milk and frozen desserts.

Choose it if you want a juicer that also grinds coffee and spices, extrudes pasta or minces garlic. Omega backs the parts and performance with a 15-year coverage term.

The set arrives with a juice cup, pulp cup, adjustable end cap, blank cone and nozzles for the wider jobs, so the extra functions are ready without buying more.

Skip it if you only ever juice. You'd be paying for a lot of functions you never switch on.

The Tribest Greenstar GS-2000 is the choice for tough greens and hard roots in one press. Its twin gears run at 110 RPM, and the maker says they handle carrots, ginger, celery and kale with high yield.

It also works as a food mill for baby food, sorbet and nut butters, and the set includes a fine screen, a coarse screen, a glass juice pitcher and a drip tray.

Do you have to cut produce for a slow juicer?

Usually yes. Most slow juicers have a narrow feed chute, so you cut apples, carrots and beets into pieces that fit.

That prep is the main time cost of slow juicing.

The payoff comes on tougher produce. Cutting fibrous stalks like celery and rhubarb into short lengths lets the auger grip them cleanly instead of wrapping them around the screen.

If your machine jams often or the drum fills faster than the juice cup, the cause is usually prep or feed rate. Our guide to why does my juicer keep clogging walks through the fixes.

Is a slow juicer hard to clean?

It takes a few minutes, and the design of the machine decides how many. Fewer parts and a mesh-free screen make the job quicker, while twin-gear machines with more pieces take longer.

Cuisinart calls the CSJ-300 filter mesh-free and easy to clean under the tap, and its removable parts are top-rack dishwasher safe. Tribest includes cleaning brushes with the Greenstar, and Omega rates the removable parts top-rack dishwasher safe on a cold cycle.

Rinse the screen before pulp dries on it, since dry fiber clings harder. If you want a full routine for one popular model, see how to use the kuvings whole slow juicer.

Slow juicer vs centrifugal: which suits you?

A slow juicer wins on greens, nuts, quiet and flavor, while a centrifugal juicer wins on speed and simple soft fruit. The right pick depends on what you actually put in the chute.

Pick a slow model if greens and root vegetables make up most of what you juice, and pick fast if your habit is a glass of apple or orange on the way out the door.

The Tribest Greenstar suits readers who juice hard roots and tough greens and want the freshest possible glass. Its twin gears run at 110 RPM with automatic pulp ejection for continuous juicing.

Choose it if you want a machine built around greens and roots first, and you don't mind cutting produce to fit. Tribest backs it with a 5-year warranty, and the optional pasta and breadstick makers add kitchen jobs later.

Skip it if counter space is tight or you rarely juice greens. It is the heaviest and most task-specific press of the three.

At 24 pounds and with a footprint of 6.1 inches deep by 18.5 inches wide, it asks for more counter room than the single auger models.

What should you know before you buy a slow juicer?

Buy on produce, not on the label. Decide what you juice most, then check that the machine handles it: a nut and grain press for mixed jobs, a twin gear for greens and roots, or a simple quiet press for everyday produce.

Check the height and footprint against your counter too. The Cuisinart stands 18.27 inches tall on a base 6.97 inches deep and 10.24 inches wide, so it needs headroom under a cabinet, while the Omega runs 18.5 inches wide and 12.3 inches tall on a shallower base.

Think about cleaning time as well. A machine you dread washing is a machine that sits in the cupboard, so favor fewer parts if washing is the part you dislike.

The best way to settle on your answer to what is a slow juicer is a short trial. Feed a handful of carrots and a few kale leaves through one, and you'll know within a minute whether the slow, quiet crush fits how you like to make juice.

Frequently asked questions

Can a slow juicer make nut milk?

Yes, several slow juicers handle nuts. The Cuisinart CSJ-300 presses nuts, wheatgrass and sprouts, and the Omega NC1000HDS works as a nutrition system for nut butters, almond milk and soy milk.

Does a slow juicer need more prep than a fast one?

Usually yes, because most have a narrow feed chute, so you cut produce into smaller pieces. That extra prep is the trade-off for the gentle crush and the drier pulp.

Do you have to cut the fiber out of the juice?

No. A slow juicer leaves some natural fiber in the juice, and many people prefer it that way.

Strain it through a fine sieve if you want a clearer, thinner drink.

Is slow juicing worth it for leafy greens?

It is the better choice for greens. The low-speed auger presses kale, spinach and wheatgrass without shredding them into a hot, foamy mess the way a fast centrifugal juicer can.