What is a cold press juicer? Everything you need to know about this on-trend kitchen appliance

If you want to be a bit healthier or are looking for ways to add more fruit and vegetables into your diet, you might have considered buying a juicer. Not only does having your own juicer save you from having to fork out on expensive juices and shots at the supermarket or your local health food store, but it also allows you to control exactly what goes into your drinks.

However, it can be tricky to know exactly which juicer to buy. For example, should you opt for a cold press juicer or a centrifugal one? If you're already baffled and wondering what is a cold press juice? We’ve put together a handy guide to explain what a cold press juicer is to help you choose the best juicer for your kitchen.

What is a cold press juicer?

A cold press juicer, or what is sometimes referred to as a masticating juicer, is a type of juicer that works by slowly squeezing and crushing fruit and/or vegetables without affecting the final taste or freshness of the final product. 

‘Pressing uses a process that minimises the friction between produce items and their oxidation, which preserves the nutritional contents of fruits and vegetables,’ says David Miloshev, Fantastic Services' Appliance Technician. Because it doesn’t generate heat, the final juice product doesn’t have a change in temperature, which is what ultimately takes away from the nutritional content of the fruits and vegetables when you use a traditional or centrifugal juicer.

If you tend to buy a lot of juice or juices at the supermarket, you will typically see that cold-pressed juices are more expensive than those made using other juicing techniques. So, to make your own at home can significantly reduce what you're spending in the long run.

What is the difference between a regular juicer and a cold press juicer?

A regular juicer, or what many refer to as a centrifugal juicer, 'uses a cutting blade which rotates at between 10,000-25,000 rotations per minute,' explains Brian Johnson, Appliance Expert at MyJobQuote.co.uk. 'This finely shreds the produce and the centrifugal force pushes the juice out through a fine mesh filter, separating it from the pulp which is deposited into a waste container on the side of the machine.'

But because centrifugal or ‘regular juicers use fast-spinning blades to extract juice,  this method means that most of the essential nutrients are lost,’ reveals HomeSupply's Appliance Expert, David Rees. ‘As the blades move at a fast speed, they can blend fruit without it needing to be chopped into smaller pieces first. However, the speed of the blade generates heat, which can oxidise and destroy the enzymes and nutrients in the produce used.’ And this can ultimately affect the shelf life, or how long your juice will last, even once refrigerated.

This ‘means it needs to be consumed almost immediately,’ David Rees warns. So, if you’re a fan of batch juicing or like to make several days’ juice at once, a regular juice might not be the best option for you. ‘Regular juicers also do not handle leafy greens very well, as most of these vegetables end up as pulp waste when added to the juicer,’ David continues. So, this is something else you should consider if you routinely add vegetables to your juices.

Cold press juicers, on the other hand, extract juice at a much slower speed by grinding and masticating fruits and vegetables by using 'an auger, like a large screw, rather than a blade,' Brian explains. And this 'auger rotates at a much slower speed than a regular juicer, typically between 40 and 150 rotations per minute.'

'It crushes and grinds the ingredients rather than shredding them and then pushes the produce through a conical sieve which separates the juice from the pulp,' he continues. With this pulp being compacted and dropped into a separate container. 

‘As the blades in cold press juicers do not generate any heat, the nutrients are preserved and the juice will taste stronger,’ David Rees asserts. And when you compare it to juice made from a traditional or centrifugal juicer, the ‘juice produced is of a higher quality,’ according to David, with it also having less pulp and having a longer shelf life, allowing you to store it in the fridge and enjoy it days later.

The only real disadvantage of picking a cold press juicer as opposed to a traditional one is the fact that ‘cold press juicers typically work a bit slower than traditional juicers and are a bit harder to clean,’ David Miloshev explains.

What is the advantage of a cold press juicer?

Cold press juicers come with a range of benefits. From producing juices that stay fresher for longer, to them retaining more nutrients and having a more concentrated flavour, the slower extraction definitely has a number of pluses.

While 'a centrifugal juicer produces a more watery juice which is less dense and lacks the rich colour of cold press juice, due to the way the juice is extracted in a cold press juicer, the end result tends to be more concentrated, richer in flavour and colour,' Brian outlines. 'A cold press juicer provides a better-quality juice which has a deeper colour, is denser and doesn’t separate after a few minutes of sitting in a glass.'

And ‘if you’re concerned about waste, keep in mind that traditional juicers produce more food waste because they leave behind more pulp from the produce they process,’ says David from Fantastic Services. So, cold press juicers are ideal if you’re looking to be less wasteful and get the most out of the produce and in turn, your money.

‘While they may come with a higher price tag upfront, the long-term advantages tend to justify the initial investment,’ says Dean Harper, Chef and Director at Harper Fine Dining.

Is it worth buying a cold press juicer?

It all depends on how often you plan on juicing. For example, ‘if you consume a lot of juice, it may be better to buy a cold press juicer as you will have more nutritious juice and you can also juice leafy greens,’ David Miloshev suggests.

Or, if you’re looking for a significantly quieter juicer than a traditional one, ‘cold press juicers are also quieter than regular juicers as their blades are slower, so this may be appealing if you do not want a noisy kitchen,’ he concludes.

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Summer is the perfect time to start making your own refreshing juices, so take the time to choose the right one for you.