Which Hamilton Beach juicer is best?
If you want to enjoy fresh juice but don't want to spend hundreds of dollars on a high-end juicer, a Hamilton Beach juicer is a great option. Hamilton Beach produces reasonably priced midrange small kitchen appliances that offer great value.
The company makes both centrifugal and masticating juicers, and some are more powerful than others. The Hamilton Beach Masticating Juicer is a great choice for anyone looking for a slow juicer.
What to know before you buy a Hamilton Beach juicer
Centrifugal vs. masticating juicers
You'll find two main types of juicers: centrifugal and masticating. Both have their positive and negative points, so it's important to know more about each before making your choice.
- Centrifugal juicers: Using blades to chop produce into tiny chunks and centrifugal force to separate juice from pulp, these juicers work quickly. They also tend to be affordable. On the downside, they are noisier than masticating juicers, are worse at juicing leafy greens and cause some loss of nutrients due to the heat produced by friction during juicing.
- Masticating juicers: Also known as slow juicers, masticating juicers have rotating cog-like augers that crush fruit rather than chop it. They produce more juice overall from the same amount of produce and can juice fruit and vegetables that centrifugal juicers struggle with, such as herbs and other leafy greens. Juice from masticating juicers retains more nutrients and is smoother and less likely to separate. However, masticating juicers cost more than centrifugal models and take significantly longer to make the same amount of juice.
Ease of cleaning
Hamilton Beach generally makes its juicers easy to clean. You can expect your juicer to have some dishwasher-safe parts, making cleanup easier. Most parts that aren't dishwasher-safe simply require rinsing, so there's no scrubbing involved.
That said, there will still be one or two parts that require scrubbing, but Hamilton Beach provides a brush that's up to the task. Cleaning a juicer will never be anyone's favorite part of the day, but it doesn't need to be nightmarish.
Wattage
As a general rule, more wattage means more power, but because centrifugal and masticating juicers work so differently, you shouldn't compare the wattage of the two.
Hamilton Beach centrifugal juicers have motors between 400 and 850 watts. Lower powered options between 400 and 600 watts are fine for juicing softer fruits, but they will struggle with most vegetables and hard fruits. Ideally, choose a model between 800 and 850 watts, as it should be powerful enough to juice almost anything.
Most masticating juicers, on the other hand, have motors of around 150 watts but have the same juicing power as high wattage centrifugal juicers, if not more.
What to look for in a quality Hamilton Beach juicer
Wide mouth chute
The chute is where you feed in produce during the juicing process. Some juicers made by Hamilton Beach have extra-wide chutes that are up to 3 inches in diameter. These large chutes mean you don't need to chop most produce before juicing it.
Foam separator
Juicers tend to create foam as they make juice, which isn't always pleasant to drink. You can expect to get a foam separator jug with most Hamilton Beach juicers to keep the foam out of your glass.
Speed settings
Some juicers have more than one speed setting. In this case, you should use the lower speed for soft fruits and the higher speed for hard fruits and vegetables.
How much you can expect to spend on a Hamilton Beach juicer
The cheapest centrifugal juicers from Hamilton Beach cost less than $50, while masticating versions for home use cost up to $150. The company also makes commercial juicers that cost over $500.
Hamilton Beach juicer FAQ
Is a juicer the same as a blender?
A. No. Juicers extract juice from fruits and vegetables, separating out the pulp, whereas blenders puree whole produce, including all the fibrous pulp. When you blend fruit and vegetables, you get a smoothie, rather than juice.
Should I add water when juicing?
A. There's no need to add any water to the juicer while it's running or to your juice. Juicers are designed to work without any added liquid, and mixing in water will simply dilute your juice. Of course, if you want diluted juice, you can mix water into your finished juice.
What’s the best Hamilton Beach juicer to buy?
Top Hamilton Beach juicer
Hamilton Beach Masticating Juicer
What you need to know: Thanks to its masticating design, this juicer makes smooth, flavorful juice from all kinds of produce.
What you’ll love: It produces twice as much juice from leafy greens than an average centrifugal juicer. It's well-built and easy to clean. The juice from this juicer is smooth and doesn't separate easily.
What you should consider: It produces more foam than some users would like, but it does come with a foam separating jug.
Where to buy: Sold by Amazon
Top Hamilton Beach juicer for the money
Hamilton Beach Juicer Machine
What you need to know: Despite its affordable price, this model does a great job of juicing most produce.
What you’ll love: The 800-watt motor easily tackles most hard fruits and vegetables, such as carrots and beetroot. It has a large 3-inch feeding chute, which means you won't have to chop most ingredients before juicing them.
What you should consider: It is loud and has a tendency to move around the counter while it runs, so you'll need to hold it in place.
Where to buy: Sold by Amazon
Worth checking out
Hamilton Beach Two Speed Juicer Machine
What you need to know: This powerful juicer has two speeds, so you can more easily juice both soft fruits and hard produce.
What you’ll love: It's easy to switch between the two speeds. The large chute makes it simple to add fruit and vegetables without chopping. With its 850-watt motor, it's powerful enough to take on the toughest of vegetables.
What you should consider: The remaining pulp is quite wet, which means some juice goes to waste.
Where to buy: Sold by Amazon
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Lauren Corona writes for BestReviews. BestReviews has helped millions of consumers simplify their purchasing decisions, saving them time and money.
