The Complete Guide to the Commercial Juicers How to choose and get the most out of your new juicer
Learn how to choose the best juicer for your needs with this in-depth guide. In the food and beverage industry, convenience is an asset that can t be overlooked. But sometimes, the convenience of a product can overshadow its true potential. One example of this is juice. While you can always buy juice that s ready to pour and serve, there s no contest when it comes to freshly expressed juice from a commercial juicer. If you re looking for the best commercial juicer for your establishment, you re already moving in the right direction. This in-depth buying guide will explain the different types of juicers, what features to consider before making your purchase, and how to get the most out of your new appliance In this Guide: 1. Types of Juicers 2. Features to Look for in a Juicer 3. Juicer Supplies 4. Juicer tips 5. Juicer Maintenance 6. Brands
Types of Juicers
Centrifugal Juicers Centrifugal juicers quickly produce great tasting juice. Produce is placed into the chute on the machine where it is then pushed down and shredded by a spinning plate at the bottom. The rotation is fast enough to cut through tough produce, like celery. If you don t have a ton of time to prep your produce, a centrifugal juicer can drastically shorten your prep time with its power. This type of juicer can produce a lot of pulp which can fill up the basket quickly. Clog aren t uncommon with centrifugal juicers. Oxidation can also be an issue because of the speed and heat of the machine. It can also be difficult to find a centrifugal juicer that isn t terribly loud but if this isn t an issue with your setup, a centrifugal juicer will provide you with the juice you need faster than most other designs.
Citrus Juicers Manual Feed Just as the name suggests, citrus juicers are used exclusively for citrus fruits like oranges, grapefruits, and lemons. You ll come across two types of citrus juicers, each with their own benefits and setbacks. See which is best for you. Manual citrus juicers are also known as reamers. If you re not looking to spend too much on a juicer, this is your best option. You ll need to cut your citrus in half and then manually press it onto the reamer and twist. The juice is collected below. This can get messy and time consuming but you ll end up with delicious juice that can be stored and enjoyed for longer than juice made by a motor.
Citrus Juicers Automatic Feed Just as the name suggests, citrus juicers are used exclusively for citrus fruits like oranges, grapefruits, and lemons. You ll come across two types of citrus juicers, each with their own benefits and setbacks. See which is best for you. If your establishment s juice needs make using a manual citrus juicer impractical, consider an automatic citrus juicer. The concept and setup are similar to a manual but instead of having to hold onto the citrus and twist it on the reamer, you ll use a handle to press down on the fruit which activates a motorized reamer. Juice collects below while you manually remove pulp as you go. If you really want to boost your juice production, consider an automatic commercial citrus juicer that takes care of all the work. Simply load your produce into the basket and sit back while the machine moves them through.
Masticating Juicers If you re worried about oxidation or have a little more time to put into the juicing process, masticating juicers are a great option. These work by using a slow rotating auger that crushes produce against a stainless-steel screen. The rotations areslow (typically about 80 RPM) so your juice can be stored for longer without breaking down. You ll enjoy a great yield, especially when working with leafy greens. But you ll need to do more prep and have the patience and time in your schedule to wait for your juice. If you re not a fan of pulp, you might need to invest in a strainer to use before serving as well since it s easier for pulp to sneak through a masticating juicer. These types of juicers are also usually quite large and higher in price.
Features to Look for in a Juicer
Fruits Per Minute Output/Intake Every establishment will have different fresh juice needs. A breakfast restaurant will need to produce orange juice quickly while a bar will have more time to prep their juice for an evening rush. Knowing how much juice a machine can produce within a certain timeframe is crucial to choosing the best commercial juicer for your needs. Make note of the yield notation when searching. A high yield will of course provide you with more juice but you might not be able to store it for as long as you would with a machine that has a lower yield. If you re looking at commercial automatic citrus juicers, you ll also want to know its fruit intake. For example, a machine that can process 20 oranges a minute can provide you with at least one liter of juice during this time.
Motor Power The wattage of your juicer can influence the taste of your product. Juicer wattage varies, with some units utilizing as low as 40 watts with others featuring over 1,000 watts. The more power your juicer has, the faster it will juice. This also means that the juice will be exposed to more oxygen and oxidation can quickly alter the taste and quality of your juice. If you re making large amounts of juice that are consumed quickly, high wattage shouldn t be an issue. But if you go through your juice slowly and can get away with using a slower juicer based on your demands, a lower wattage juicer could be better suited for your needs.
Style Once you have the type of juicer picked out, you might need to choose a style. For example, there are two main types of citrus juicers. The manual gets you as close to drinking juice straight from the fruit as possible while an automatic can save you time. Your prep availability and individual juice demands should make the choice easy. Centrifugal juicers are popular because of how fast they work but they re also known for exposing juice to a lot of oxygen, killing off enzymes and making the juice less advantageous for our health. There are two types of centrifugal juicers, including a basic model and a centrifugal ejection model which ejects and stores the remaining pulp. This provides a higher yield but a more oxidized juice. If you re leaning towards a centrifugal model, speed is probably your biggest determining factor. Now consider how fast your juice will be consumed to determine which is more ideal.
Space Juicers are usually one of the smaller appliances found in a commercial kitchen. But this doesn t mean you don t need to put some thought into the space it will take up. Make sure you have not only room for your juicer but also prep space around it. Make sure that it s easy to get to for cleaning and that an employee using the machine won t be in the way of other team members. If you re looking at an oversized automatic juicer, make sure that the machine will have the space it needs to not just operate but serve as a visual conversation piece for customers who see it.
Feeder Capacity The size of your feeder directly determines your prep work. A larger feeding tube could equate to virtually no prep. You can simply grab, feed, and juice. A smaller feeding tube could require you to cut, peel, and dice as needed. You ll find that centrifugal juicers usually have larger feeds (which can lead to more clogs) while masticating juicers have smaller tubes (whole produce rarely fits). Knowing how much time you have for prep should help you decide which is best.
Juicer Supplies Your commercial juicer will provide you with everything you need to make juice. But there are a few supplies that can make the process easier. Consider stocking your workspace with the following.
Types of Fruits Not all juicers are made for all types of produce. While centrifugal can handle just about anything you throw in it, masticating can struggle with harder produce like carrots and celery. Masticating are great at extracting juice from leafy greens while centrifugal tend to leave a lot behind. If you plan on using a wide variety of produce for your juices, this might not be the most crucial feature to consider. But if you plan on working with mostly greens or mostly tough produce, you ll need to keep this feature in mind. Of course, if you re only working with citrus produce to make orange juice or lemonade, a citrus juicer will provide you with a better product than any other type of juicer.
Cutting Boards and Knives Special Tools Pitchers Storage Juicing is easy. It s the prep that can get tiresome. Make sure you have enough space to chop and prep your produce, along with knives that can make the process go as quickly as possible. If you work with one type of fruit on a regular basis, investing in a tool designed to speed up the prep process is a great idea. Consider pineapple corers, rotating apple peelers and corers, or strawberry stem removers. If you re serving fresh juice directly to guests at their table, glass pitchers are ideal. Glass is best for preserving the fresh taste of your juice and looks professional. Make sure that you have enough not just for serving but to be used while other pitchers If you re storing juice overnight, you ll want to invest in plenty of glass storage containers with tight closing lids to prevent oxidation. are being cleaned.
Juicer Tips Now that you have your juicer selected, you ll probably want to start enjoying and serving juice sooner than later. While the extraction process is easy to understand, take a look at these tips to get the most out of your juicer and the expressed juice.
Finalize Recipes While throwing whatever produce you have nearby can create a truly unique juice, it s best to not only have a plan but a detailed one at that. If you re juicing a single fruit to use behind the bar or to serve during breakfast, this is easy. But if you re trying to come up with a few custom drinks, knowing exactly what you need (and how much) will ensure that you never run out of a guest s favorite beverage.
Prep When Possible Some produce doesn t do well if left to sit overnight after being prepped. But if you re able to, prep what you can before you open the doors. This includes peeling, cutting, and washing produce. Be sure to store them in a closed container in the refrigerator until you re ready to use them. Avoid cutting vegetables too far in advance as they begin to lose their nutrients as soon as they re cut open.
Pulp Basket Care To make clean-up a breeze, line your pulp basket with a plastic bag. This will prevent tiny pieces of pulp from becoming stuck. To get the most out of your produce, remove the pulp in the basket after juicing and put it through the juicer once more if it still feels damp.
Storing Your Juice Freshly expressed juice doesn t have preservatives, likepre-packaged juice does. It won t last very long, even when properly stored. Most juice will last up to 72 hours but consuming it within the first 24 hours is ideal. To store your juice, pour it into a clean glass container as close to the top as you can to prevent excess nutrient depletion. Keep it in the refrigerator, preferably in the back, until ready to use. You can also freeze your juice to extend its shelf life. Just make sure you freeze it as soon as possible after making it and consume it within a week.
Selecting Products Not sure what to produce to gather for your juicing? Here s some of the best and worst. Perfect Spinach Kale Citrus fruits Parsley Carrots Celer Broccoli Berries Pineapples Ginger Mango Pears Less Than Ideal Apples Bananas Beets Eggplant Anything not organic
Juicer Maintenance
Cleaning Your Juicer A clean juicer is a happy juicer. You ll want to clean your juicer after each use, unless you re making the exact same recipe immediately after. The thoroughness of your cleaning will vary though. For a quick clean, unplug your juicer and disassemble it. Dump the pulp, scraping the excess out with a spatula. Rinse each component under water and then use a small brush to clean hard to reach areas. If needed, soak the removed pieces in warm, soapy water. Make sure you remove any debris from the mesh strainer. Wipe down the outside of the machine and reassemble it once all the pieces are dry. If your juicer sat for a bit and is now caked with debris, you ll need a little more than soap and elbow grease. Unplug the machine, disassemble it, and place the components in a sink or container. Cover them with water and then dissolve several denture tablets in the water. This should remove the bulk of the buildup. If there s still more, try scrubbing witha mixture of white vinegar and milk. Remember that the faster you clean your juicer after using it, the easier it will be to remove any pulp and build up in the machine.
Juicer Won t Start Pulp Problems After checking to make sure the unit is plugged in and that there are no issues with the outlet, make sure that everything is in place and locked. Certain juicers will only operate once properly set up for safety reasons. If your juicer still won t start but was recently used, there could be a chance it s overheated. Give it a few minutes and try again. If it still won t start, a call to the provider might be in order. Don t attempt to fix the unit yourself as this could void any standing warranties. The residual pulp that comes out of your machine should be mostly dry. If it s overly wet, check the speed of your juicer, slowing it down if necessary. Next, check the filter basket. If you notice a clog or excess fibers, clean the basket. Finally, if you can t find a clog and don t believe speed is an issue, try simply pushing the produce down slower.
Juicer Providing Low Yield If it seems like your juicer isn t producing enough liquid for the solid produce you ve put in it, there are a few things you can check. First, look at the produce you re using. Some, like kale and spinach, don t have nearly as much juice as berries or pineapples. To combat this, roll your greens to make them denser. Also, certain fruits are less juicy when not in season. It s not uncommon to get a batch of dry oranges from time to time or grab a box of strawberries that haven t reached their full potential yet. If your produce seems to be normal, there could be an issue with your juicer. Check your filter basket and consider replacing it if it s too dirty or overused. Examine the juicer for a leak or clog. If all else fails, clean the entire juicer and see if there s an improvement.
Brands Because of the large variety of juicer types and all the different features to consider, having to decide on a brand as well can be nearly exhausting. Look at some of our favorite brands, organized by juicer type, to make the process easier.
Centrifugal Juicers Robot Coupe When it comes to centrifugal juicers, Robot Coupe is one of the leading producers thanks to its universal presence and commitment to combining top features in single machines. The company has been honored several times for its superior products and outstanding customer service. Zumex Zumex has been leading the juicing industry since it opened its doors over 30 years ago. Their products can be found in hotels, restaurants, and catering businesses around the world.
Automatic Citrus Juicers Zumex Zumex is known They re known for the Original System, which provides maximum juice without bitterness or contamination from the peel. This is crucial when it comes to juicing citrus fruits. Their automatic commercial citrus juicers are like no other and are sure to impress customers and staff alike.
Manual Citrus Juicers Sunkist Manual juicers don t have to produce a low yield, demonstrated by Sunkist s models which can produce over 10 gallons of juice in an hour, all without the noise of an automatic juicer. Whether you re juicing oranges, grapefruits, or lemons, you ll find a high-quality option from Sunkist. Santos Founded in 1954, Santos has grown into a leading company in the food and beverage industry. While they produce a variety of appliances, their juicers are innovative, eco-friendly, and reliable. The company is represented in over 130 countries, providing a strong network of support.
Masticating Juicers Omega Omega has kept up with the changes in juicing demands over the years. While they offer a variety of juicers, their masticating juicers are ideal for wheatgrass and leafy greens. The company has been recognized for their commitment to quality and consumer satisfaction.
Skip the sugary, preservative-filled juice imitators and introduce real juice to your establishment with the best commercial juicer for your needs. Even though feeding produce into your appliance will require more effort than opening a bottle, the taste, health, and presentation benefits will be well worth it. Once you go fresh, it can be nearly impossible to go back. Should you have any questions regarding selecting or using a commercial juicer, feel free to reach out to us. Cheers! ekuep team
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