Masticating juicers: €300 vs the trusty blender

Masticating juicers: €300 vs the trusty blender

Paying 300 euros for an appliance that only makes juice is, on paper, a hard decision to defend. And yet there is a growing market for masticating juicers — also known as slow press or auger juicers — that promise more nutritious, less oxidised juices capable of handling fruit with skin, leafy greens and even nuts. The question hanging over this kind of purchase is always the same: is it a genuine health tool or a kitchen whim that will end up gathering dust?

The appliance originated in the United States, where it is sold as Hurom, and in Europe it is marketed under the Versapers brand — a name that is not a late-night TV invention but a German acronym: Vers (fresh), Sap (juice) and Pers (press). The factory is the same, as the distributors themselves acknowledge, and the price hovers around 300 euros. The technical promise is appealing: unlike centrifugal juicers, which spin at high estimulante ilegal and generate heat and oxidation, these machines chew the fruit at low revolutions. The result, they say, is a juice that keeps longer without separating or losing its properties.

The oxidation argument

Oxidation is the sellers' favourite talking point. Juice exposed to air degrades, and the question is how long that takes. Some claim that a properly bottled and refrigerated juice can last up to 72 hours without losing its qualities. Others point out that whole fruit already comes wrapped in its own little juice pouches, and that any extraction method breaks that natural barrier. The conclusion that keeps coming up is simple: nothing beats biting into an orange. But for anyone who wants a multicoloured juice with spinach, celery and beetroot, the masticating juicer opens up possibilities that a manual citrus press does not.

Cleaning, materials and price: the real drawbacks

The initial enthusiasm collides with the reality of maintenance. Those who have tried it say cleaning is generally easy, but some residue always remains in the spout where the juice comes out. Always. And with daily use, that gets tiring. Another objection is the material: the extraction roller is not stainless steel but polyetherimide resin (Ultem), something that makes purists wince. The filter, however, is steel.

Price is the other wall. 300 euros for an appliance that only makes juice competes with a 30-euro immersion blender which, according to several users, handles fruit with skin and makes equally decent smoothies. The difference is that the blender does not separate the fibre. And that is where the nutritional debate lies: is fibre-free juice better, or a smoothie with fibre? Manufacturers argue that juicing allows nutrients to be absorbed faster, especially in people with heavy digestion. Sceptics reply that fibre is part of the food and removing it is a mistake.

Alternatives and brands: Saivod, Princess, Omega

The market offers cheaper options. The Saivod from El Corte Inglés and the Princess Vitapure, at around 110 euros, are mid-range centrifugal juicers that some users compare favourably with masticating models. Those who have tried the Princess highlight that the juice comes out with less foam and that the noise is negligible compared with a centrifugal machine. The Omega 8004, at around 280 euros in British shops, is the most recommended option on English-language forums, with a 15-year motor warranty. The price difference between buying in Spain and buying abroad can be more than 100 euros.

Is it worth it?

The answer depends on the use. For those who only want orange juice, a good old manual citrus press does the same job for a fraction of the price. For those who want to experiment with leafy greens, nuts or plant milks, the masticating juicer makes sense. The key is consistency: if the appliance is used daily, the investment pays off. If it ends up in a cupboard, it will have been a 300-euro waste.

The trend suggests the high-end juicer market will keep growing, but with a warning: the juicing fad is more fashion than necessity. Eating whole fruit is still cheaper, faster and, probably, healthier.