Lidl's cheap juicer: loud, and mostly gathering dust

Lidl's juicer: cheap, loud and mostly gathering dust

Lidl's juicer is back on the shelves, and with it the same ritual every season: someone asks whether it's worth it, and the majority answer is no. The pattern has repeated for years. The appliance is bought on impulse, used for two weeks and ends up at the bottom of a cupboard. The low price doesn't make up for what comes after.

The problem isn't just the noise. Those who have owned a low-end centrifugal juicer describe a machine that uses as much power as a hairdryer, forces you to clean awkward parts and leaves the pulp soaking wet, a sign that some of the juice is going in the bin. A recurring calculation in these debates: almost all the fruit in the container comes out ultra wet. That means throwing away juice that no one drinks.

Slow press vs centrifugal: the battle that never ends

Against cheap centrifugal juicers, one camp defends slow-press juicers. They spin at 40 or 60 revolutions per minute, don't heat the juice, make less noise and make better use of the fruit. The price, though, goes up: there are models at 250 to 300 euros. Those who have tried them say the pulp comes out practically dry and the juice keeps for two days in the fridge.

The counterpoint is always the same: the hassle of cleaning. Several users admit that even with an expensive machine, daily use is abandoned. The novelty wears off and the gadget stays.

Is a cheap Lidl juicer worth it?

It depends what for. For watery fruit like oranges or apples, a basic centrifugal juicer does the job. For carrots or hard vegetables, budget models clog up. The advice that keeps coming up: if use will be occasional, a countertop blender is better. If the goal is daily green juices, you'll have to spend more.

One health argument always appears: drinking juice with the fibre removed spikes blood sugar levels. Whole fruit is more filling and provides fibre. A juice made from three oranges concentrates the sugar of three pieces without the fibre that slows its absorption. It's not alarmism: it's basic physiology.

The problem of space and real-world use

Size matters. Centrifugal juicers take up a lot of room and are heavy. Several accounts agree: they ended up in the bin or the storage room. A monstrosity, they call it. The alternative gaining fans is the immersion blender with a measuring cup, or simply chewing your fruit.

Years on, the conversation still isn't settled. Those who bought a slow-press juicer are happy but use it less than expected. Those who bought the cheap one regret it. And those who bought nothing probably made the best decision.