Masticating “slow” juicers are all the rage in juicing today! They promise improved nutritional content in the juice they produce, thanks to their lack of oxidation and heat from the slow motors.
We set out to find the best masticating juicer for leafy greens on the market. We looked at expert reviews in Consumer Reports, as well as best-of reviews in nutrition magazines and juicing forums. Then, to see how these top-rated models fared in real-world use, we combed through hundreds of user reviews from previous buyers.
We’ve chosen 3 that we know you’ll love! In our in-depth reviews below, we’ve consolidated all our findings from professional and amateur reviews. We’ll walk you through all the key features of these, and help you compare them to each other and to the rest of the market so that you can make a smart purchase.
We’ll help you narrow down the field to the best masticating models available, and figure out which models really suit your needs.
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Why Use A Masticating Juicer?
As we mentioned, they produce juice with a much higher nutrition content than what comes out of a centrifugal juicer!
They also work better on leafy greens and stringy roots that give centrifugal juicers trouble. Since greens are so much more nutrient-dense than fruits and veggies, that means your juice blends can incorporate a wider nutrient profile, and be even more benefit-rich!
Plus, these are more efficient, wringing every drop of juice out of your produce. You’ll get better juice and more of it! In fact, you can get as much as 1/3 more juice from every pound of produce! That’s some serious savings, and that’s why these machines can often pay for themselves in savings.
Their improved efficiency and versatility make masticating juicers the tool of choice for people who are serious about juicing.
However, not all masticating juicers are created equal. Some masticating models can be a real pain to operate and have finicky feed systems which clog or strain the motors. Many of them also take a lot of elbow grease or require you to do lots of prep work. We’ve gone searching for the most user-friendly, intuitive models.
While centrifugal models are generally confined to the $75-$500 price range, masticating versions can cost $200-$2,000+. Since they’re a big investment, you want to make sure you’re getting the perfect one for you!
Read on to find your dream machine!
The Best Juicer for Leafy Greens and Fruits
1. Omega J8006 Juicer
The J8006 is Amazon’s #1 selling masticating juicer. It’s a versatile, powerful kitchen appliance that not only juices, but also works as a food processor, spice grinder, and more. We love it for its versatility around the kitchen, as well as its outstanding warranty coverage.
The motor on the J8006 runs at a very slow 80 rpm. It uses a special gear system to churn with a torque factor equal to 2 horsepower.
The auger is made by GE, from a special compound that’s designed to last 8X as long as traditional plastics. While buyers said that the augers did show some minimal wear on the cutting blades over years of use, they remained intact and effective.
After the auger, the produce goes through a second pressing section. This helps get all the remaining juice out of pulp before it’s despatched to the bin.
The heavy-duty plastic housing has a nice chrome finish that stays free from stains and looks good on countertops. It has a handle built right into the top, which you can hold during juicing as well as for lifting it into storage. Suction cup feet help the whole thing stay in place while it works.
The J8006 comes with a full set of attachments that give it the power to do all sorts of other tasks around the kitchen. There’s a food processor attachment, which lets you chop, mince, and crush garlic, onions, and more. There’s also a homogenizer attachment, for making nut butter, pastes, and baby food. You can also use this attachment to make frozen desserts! We love making sorbets with frozen bananas and strawberries.
The J8006 also comes with multiple pasta nozzles, so you can make different sizes of noodles from scratch.
Everything’s covered by an outstanding 15-year warranty. Compare that to many centrifugal models, which only come with 1-5 years of coverage.
Omega’s customer service has mixed reviews. While some buyers found the company communicative, friendly, and helpful, others weren’t so impressed. They said that there can be long wait periods for replacement parts.
The plastic isn’t BPA-free. That might be a concern for more health-conscious buyers.
2. Champion Masticating Juicer
The Champion has been a mainstay among people serious about juicing for over 25 years. This model hasn’t changed much since the 1970s, and for good reason! It’s sturdy, powerful, and effective. With its powerful motor and metal-edged auger, it’s our top quality recommendation for a masticating juicer.
Champion is one of the only brands still making kitchen appliances here in the USA. They’ve been running out of the same factory in California since the 1970s. This is one of the only models on the market with American build quality!
The Champion is powered by a modified 1/3 horsepower GE motor with huge amounts of starting torque. This means that while it runs slow, it’s practically unstoppable.
One other plus is that the power system can be adapted for use anywhere in the world, thanks to variable voltage capacity.
All of the parts on the body and auger shaft are made from a special nylon composite. Nylon is shatterproof and holds up under stress much better than plastic. It’s FDA-approved. That’s a plus over the Omega, which isn’t BPA-free.
Previous buyers wrote in their reviews that they were very impressed with the quality of all of the Champion’s parts. One reviewer said, “I’m still amazed at the simplicity and durability of its design…As the parts are nylon, they won’t break if dropped. They don’t crack, they don’t deform. They just work.”
The auger has a stainless steel shaft and cutting blades, which are integrated into the nylon auger body. Because the nylon is cast around the metal blades, they can’t break off or come free. We love these metal cutting blades for juicing greens and tricky roots like ginger.
There are ball bearings at the front and rear of the auger/motor assembly for smoother operation. They also help the motor stay cool under pressure.
It comes with a blank attachment for making pastes, butter, and purees. You also get all the basic juicing attachments you’ll need, including a funnel, bowl, and sieve.
It’s easy to clean. Previous buyers said that once you get it down to a system, the whole thing can be scrubbed out in under 5 minutes.
The Champion comes with an impressive 10 years of warranty coverage. The company also has a much better reputation for customer service than its competition. It certainly helps that they’re based in California!
Overall, previous buyers were immensely satisfied by the durability of the Champion and the superior customer service. They said they felt much more confident in this machine than in any others they had owned.
It’s very heavy. Between the all-metal drive system and thick body, you’ll want to keep this on your counter.
Some reviewers said it doesn’t do a great job with wheatgrass as-is. However, the company does make a separate attachment for helping with wheatgrass.
A few isolated reviewers said that the pulp came out wet. We’re going to put this down to poor technique since the vast majority of reviewers didn’t have issues. Remember to alternate products, and give the machine plenty of time to work. If you keep feeding produce through, it’ll push out pulp before it’s completely done masticating!
3. Omega J8006 Masticating Juicer
This latest version of the Omega Nutrition Center series has many of the same great features as the Omega J8006, but with a more durable design and more user-friendly features! It’s a great new option for people who want the nutritional benefits of a masticating version but want a few creature comforts that you won’t find on the Champion or the older Omega.
The motor in this model runs at the same speed as Omega’s J8006, 80 rpm. This slow speed preserves the nutrient and enzyme content in the juice while powering through your fruits and vegetables with ease.
The juicing system is dual-stage, just like the J8006. In the first stage, produce goes through the auger, and gets crushed against the pulp screen. Then, the masticated pulp is squeezed one more time to get all the remaining juice out.
Previous buyers said it produces much more juice than other models they had used in the past.
Even though this is an older model, it has a few smart functions we really like. The pulp ejection system is automatic and clears itself out. That keeps things moving as you juice. You can also reverse the motor to clear out the auger and feed tube.
It comes with many of the same attachments as the J8006. There’s a homogenizer for making nut butter, pastes, and frozen desserts. The food processor nozzle minces, chops, and makes sauces. There are also 4 nozzles specifically devoted to making pasta. In all, you get a set of 6 additional nozzles!
The updated motor on this one has even more torque than the gear-reduction system on the J8006. It’s more balanced, thanks to the redesigned feet. They spread the weight around more widely, which helps the unit stay still as you juice. It’s a lot sturdier overall than the J8006. You also get a larger feed chute to work with! That means fewer clogs and jams, and less prep work for you!
As with the latest version of any product, it’s pretty pricey.
Even though it’s the sturdiest Omega we’ve reviewed, it can’t touch the Champion in terms of rugged design or longevity.
4. Tribest Masticating Juicer
One of the main complaints people have about masticating juicers is that they take a lot of effort to operate. Some manufacturers have offered masticating options in a vertical design, to help out with this.
Vertical masticating juicers pull fruits and vegetables down into the auger, so you don’t have to push as hard or prep as carefully. The modified design also reduces strain on the auger and motor shaft, since you’re not pushing things directly across the system.
These models tend to be a bit more expensive than ordinary masticating versions, but they are more user-friendly.
One of the best vertical masticating juicers on the market is the Tribest SlowStar Vertical
This model uses a special auger with a top blade. This prevents jams and cuts down on your prep work.
The motor runs at a super-slow 47 rpm, which is slower than Omega and other masticating versions. Between the 200-watt motor and 3-stage gear reduction system, this baby packs the equivalent of 9 HP. That’s far and away from the most powerful setup we’ve seen on a masticating juicer.
Its slow, relentless power ensures truly “cold-pressed” juice. All of the plastic parts and housing are BPA-free. You can also use the Slowstar as a mincer, or to make nut butter. That’s our favorite advantage the Tribest has over competing models by Breville and Omega.
Plus, it’s covered by a 10-year warranty. We think the Slowstar is a great choice for people who want the nutritional benefits of a masticating model without all the grunt work!
5. Tribest Cold Press Juicer
Triturating juicers are the next step beyond a masticating juicer. As we’ve said, masticating juicers work by squeezing produce against a pulp screen, with a large, toothed auger.
Triturating juicers work in much the same way but add a second auger. These augers have multiple sets of teeth to mimic the human jaw, in order to more thoroughly chew through produce.
These are the most efficient juicers on the market, period. People who are major fans of juicing swear by them.
While triturating juicers can cost quite a lot more than other masticating models, they recoup some of their initial cost in versatility. Triturating juicers often come with attachments and pulp screens for grinding grains, spices, and coffee, as well as for making nut butter, pastes, and dough.
Plus, these machines tend to be much more durable and have metal augers and driveshafts.
A triturating juicer is not only the ultimate juicer but an all-around useful appliance for your kitchen!
One of our favorite triturating juicers is the Green Star from Tribest.
This model has twin augers with interlocking teeth. They’re built from a combination of stainless steel and nylon composites.
One of the smart features of the Green Star is that the cutting edges vary along the length of the augers. They mimic the different sets of teeth in the human jaw, combining sharp edges with larger ridges.
This juicer can handle anything from carrots to wheatgrass and anything in between!
Our favorite feature of the Green Star is the pressure adjustment knob, which helps you cater the motor and augers to the product you’re juicing. It saves motor strain and means you won’t have to work as hard feeding produce through.
Previous buyers said it’s incredibly efficient and makes great juice from just about anything. It’s our recommendation for people who juice lots of herbs, leafy greens, or wheatgrass.
The Green Star is also a smart choice for people who just want a well-built juicer that’ll last them longer than the cheaper, plastic auger models.
Buying Guide Of Best Masticating Juicer For Leafy Greens and Fruits
Look For Augers With Teeth
The auger in a masticating juicer works just like the teeth in your mouth. While the primary function is to squeeze the juice out of produce, you really want an auger with cutting surfaces. These teeth will help tear into leafy greens and gnaw into stringy roots like ginger. Preferably, they’ll be made of metal. Nylon teeth can also be good. Most plastics will chip, though, so we don’t recommend them for augers.
Consider Durability
When it comes to durability, you want to look at a few key parts of a masticating juicer: the auger, the pulp screen, and the housing.
You want an auger made of high-density plastics. Better still are nylon or stainless steel augers, which are shatterproof and stand up better over time. The key thing to look at is the tooth material since it’ll see the most wear and tear.
You’ll want a metal pulp screen that can withstand the crunchiest root vegetables. Finally, you want sturdy housing that can handle the intense pressure that builds up between the auger and pulp screen in a masticating juicer.
Be Ready For Prep Work
Unlike centrifugal juicers, you can’t feed whole apples and other produce into a masticating juicer. You’ll want to chop everything up into manageable pieces before you start juicing. Strips are the best way to go, rather than chunks. Think of julienning your veggies before you process them.
This is one reason why masticating juicers are considered “slow” juicers. If you don’t do the proper prep work, you’ll end up with a clogged juicer, and risk breaking parts.
Look For Versatile Attachments
Attachments can help you use masticating juicers as grinders, food processors, and much more. You can buy these separately, but we’ve recommended juicers that come with a few key attachments.
If you’re making pasta, nut butter, or other homemade foods, you can use a juicer with attachments rather than having to buy a whole other appliance!
Choosing a machine that comes with a kit is a great way to get more bang for your buck, and to expand your kitchen repertoire at the same time.
Think About Your Budget
As you’re thinking about how much money you want to spend on your new machine, it’s good to keep a few things in mind:
More expensive juicers tend to be more recent–either new models or the latest iteration of a popular machine. They have smarter features than previous iterations, like redesigned feed chutes or other conveniences. These juicers will also have BPA-free plastics and newer, more durable compounds in the augers. So, the more you pay, the better you can expect your machine to be in the convenience department.
By the same token, if you’re looking to save money, you can get an older version of a popular machine for $50-$100 less than the price of the most recent edition. Most models don’t change drastically with each iteration, so if you can live without the newest features, that’s a smart way to save.
Motor With Low-End Heft
While centrifugal juicers are all about speed and high wattage, masticating juicers need a motor that runs slowly and surely.
You’ll want to find a motor that produces serious torque, which can force the auger through tough roots and vegetables. Many masticating juicers achieve this with gear reduction systems just like you’d find in a car. You want to find a balance between high power and low speed.
Conclusion: Which Masticating Juicer Is Perfect For You?
The Omega J8006 is our choice for the average buyer. It’s powerful, durable, and has a very impressive set of attachments. It’ll satisfy most buyers who juice regularly but aren’t doing anything industrial with their juicer.
If you’re looking for a commercial-quality masticating juicer, and don’t need a lot of add-on features, we highly recommend the Champion. It’s the best choice for everyday juicers who need an auger that can really gnaw into greens and roots without wearing down over time. Plus, it’s about the same price as the J8006.
If you’re not on a budget, or are looking for a masticating juicer that won’t be as much of a hassle to use, we recommend the Omega NC900. It includes most of the same functions as the J8006, but with an improved, user-friendly design. While this juicer still isn’t as well-built as the Champion, it’ll hold up very well in the average juicer’s house. Plus, it has a full attachment set to make it even more of a bargain.