We think this kid had too much pulp in his juice... and we get it.
All you want from a citrus juicer is something that can get you juice without making a mess, without cutting your hand off, and without feeling like you just had a workout. And without too much pulp!
Below is a list of just such juicers, at a range of budgets.
Table of Contents
What is a Citrus Juicer? What Can You Make With It?
A citrus juicer is, you guessed it, a juicer which has been designed especially for the extraction of juice and pulp from citrus fruits. Oranges, lemons, limes, grapefruit, and tangerines are all fruits that offer a high juice yield and aren’t difficult to juice. However, it’s pretty tough on the old wrists and hands if you’re juicing manually.
Different to more expensive cold press juicers, most citrus-only blenders have a rounded, ridged dome that fits into a cup-like part, jamming the halved citrus in between, forcing the pulp and juice out.
Many will have a motor that spins the ridged dome, drawing and mashing the juice out of the fruit. There will likely be a filter to catch the pulp, letting the juice fall into the vessel waiting below.
Some citrus juicers require you to press down on a lever to begin the spinning/juicing process, while others are totally automatic and hands-free. Some are super old-school and require you to manually spin a small handled-dome into the fruit.
Most citrus juicers are only suitable for citrus fruits due to the size, shape, and design, so you’re looking at citrus drinks only. (However, you can buy juicers which are designed for various fruits and veggies).
The reviews below will give you a good idea of the different kinds of citrus juicers out there.
What are the Key Features to Look for?
- Durable materials i.e. high-quality stainless steel
- An easy-to-use construction with comfortable parts, (for manual or hand-held citrus juicers)
- Simple clean-up and dishwasher-safe parts
- A high yield, i.e. lots of juice and very dry pulp/citrus rinds
- Safety features for automatic juicers - i.e. the juicer switches off when the cover is removed
Great but not crucial:
- Some juicers have an option for pulp control. This is a good feature, but it's not crucial unless you have very specific pulp preferences. Otherwise, a good filter for keeping pips, seeds, and pithy chunks out of your juice is fine.
What are the Best Affordable Citrus Juicers?
Now we arrive at the winners for the best budget citrus juicer. These juicers are all super-high quality, they have great ratings, and are the best citrus juicers for the little money spent.
Cuisinart CCJ-500 Pulp Control Citrus Juicer
To me, this is definitely the best cheap citrus juicer, and thousands of customers would appear to agree, judging by the rave reviews. It has a tidy, compact construction with a silver base and black "juicer portion" at the top.
All you do is place halved citrus onto the reamer, press down, and it will spin. You can choose how much pulp you want, with three settings: low, medium, and high.
If you want to get more out of the remaining pulp, you can pop the clear lid on, and give it a "final spin," which rigorously forces the last drops of juice out of the pulp. Rinse the parts out, and chuck them into the dishwasher...easy.
Top Features
- Super affordable
- Dishwasher-safe parts
- "Final-Spin" feature makes the most of the remaining pulp
- Small, compact, attractive design
- Easy to use
- Pulp control levels, (low, medium, high)
- Snap-up spout prevents dripping
- Great for all citrus fruits, large and small
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The CJ650 from Black and Decker is a humble-looking juicer, but it's actually really well designed and extremely cheap. It has a pressure-activated, motorized reamer that spins as you press the fruit into it, using auto-reverse motion. It looks like a little food processor, due to the pourable jug that the reamer and filter sit upon.
This is great as it means you get a jug full of fresh juice, without having to put a cup or vessel below a spout. The parts are dishwasher safe, so clean-up is easy as pie.
Top Features
- The juice is caught in a 32 oz pitcher jug with measurement markings, a handle, and a spout
- Motorized, pressure-activated spinning reamer
- Super affordable
- Comes with a cover to keep the juice fresh in the jug
- Dishwasher-safe parts
- Great for all citrus fruits
Proctor Silex 66331 Alex’s Lemonade Stand Citrus Juicer, 34oz
This bright yellow juicer has an inspiring story behind it, supporting Alex's Lemonade Stand which supports children with cancer. It is an electric juicer that is activated by pressing the fruit onto the reamer. There are large and small reamers to cater to large and small citrus fruits. It has a pulp-control feature, great for catching seeds, pips, and large chunks of pulp.
The juice flows down into the 34 oz jug with pour spout and handle, so you don't need to transfer the juice into another vessel once it has been juiced. Great price, great value.
Top Features
- 2 reamers, a small and large one, for different fruits
- Detachable pitcher for storing and pouring juice (34 oz capacity)
- Dishwasher-safe parts for easy clean-up
- Proctor Silex supports Alex's Lemonade Stand which supports research and care for child cancer
- Pulp control dial for a little pulp, or a lot
- Power cord wraps around the power base for neat storage
- Really affordable
What are the Best Automatic Citrus Juicers?
An automatic citrus juicer will peel and juice the citrus for you, without you having to grind, press, or feed the fruit into the machine yourself. They're generally large, expensive, and more suitable for commercial needs. In saying that, if you've got an abundance of citrus at home, and fresh juice is a part of your daily routine, then why not go for the big guns and get an automatic juicer?
Many of the automatic, large-yield juicers on Amazon are extremely similar, have the same features, and by the looks of it, the same manufacturers. So we've chosen the best one to review.
VEVOR Commercial Auto Feed Orange Juicer
This large juicer follows the same general design as most automatic juicers. It has a rack at the top where the citrus is stored before the fruit falls into the inner compartment where it is halved and squeezed. The juice pours into a vessel, the pulp is collected in a tray, and the squeezed citrus halves are collected in a vessel at the side.
Up to 30 oranges are squeezed per minute, and it really makes the most of the fruit, leaving minimal pulp or waste behind. While this would be awesome for cafes and restaurants, there are comments raving about how great it is for home use, for juice fanatics with lots of citrus fruit to get through.
What's more, it's actually kind of mesmerizing to watch, as the cover is transparent so you can see the mechanisms turning and the oranges being squeezed.
Top features
- High-quality stainless steel construction
- Halves and juices up to 30 oranges per minute
- Simple to clean
- Gets the maximum amount of juice out of each piece of fruit
- Safety features which ensure machine shuts off whenever the cover is off
What are the Best Hand-Held Citrus Juicers?
Now we get to the little guys. These are the little juicers you have stored in your drawer, which you pull out for small amounts of juice for cooking or baking. They require a little bit of elbow grease, but the juicy result is entirely satisfying.
Chef’n Citrus Orange Squeezer and Juicer
This neat little contraption has been designed especially for manually squeezing oranges. It's made of high-quality nylon and stainless steel, and is dishwasher safe. It has been designed to get the absolute most out of each orange halve, with dual-gear mechanisms so each squeeze is power-packed.
The juicer does a lot of the work, thanks to the smart design, so you only need to squeeze the handles together and the fruit will be squeezed dry. There are hundreds of positive comments attesting to the durability, ease, and effectiveness of this affordable little orange juicer. (It also comes in smaller sizes to suit lemons and limes).
Top features
- Made from high-quality stainless steel and nylon for durability and strength
- Dual-gear mechanism so each squeeze is extra-powerful
- High yield of juice, with very dry orange halves left over
- Dishwasher-safe
- Long-lasting and durable
- Great for using for baking, dressings, cooking, adding citrus to drinks
Bellemain Stainless Steel Lemon Squeezer with Silicone Handles
This unassuming-looking little squeezer is very, very highly rated thanks to high-quality materials, comfortable design, and easy cleanup. The parts have been designed with strength and durability in mind, with "reinforced hinges and thick casting" to withstand even the most vigorous of squeezing sessions.
You can tell just by looking at it that the reamer and the "bowl" with filter holes are super thick and strong. The handles have been covered with silicone, which makes for comfortable, slip-free squeezing. And, like all awesome kitchen accessories, it is safe to go in the dishwasher.
Top features
- Made from thick stainless steel for strength and durability
- Reinforced hinges so it can squeeze and squeeze without wearing
- Silicone-coated handles for comfortable usage
- Dishwasher-safe
- Small and easy to store in the drawer
- Really affordable considering the great quality and durability
What are the Best Small Electric Citrus Juicers?
Now we get to the citrus juicers which are small yet powerful, with electric mechanisms for tireless juicing. These are great for at-home juicing a high volume of fruit when a hand-held juicer just won't cut it, but an automatic juicer is a wee bit too much.
Breville Die-Cast Stainless Steel Motorized Citrus Press
This is a very sleek, attractive-looking machine, with a brushed stainless steel outer and simple lines. You place a citrus half onto the reamer, press the arm down, and the motor will be activated, spinning the reamer to get maximum juice out of the fruit.
The pulp will be caught by the filter, allowing the juice to pour out of the spout. You can pop the parts into the dishwasher once you're done. It's great for at-home use, and won't take up too much room in the kitchen.
Top features
- Drip stop juice spout
- Brushed stainless steel housing for durability and attractiveness
- Quiet motor
- Strong spinning reamer fits all citrus fruits, from limes to grapefruit
- Dishwasher-safe parts
- "Active Arm system" comfortably and effectively presses bowl into the reamer
Gourmia EPJ100 Electric Citrus Juicer
The Gourmia EPJ100 Electric Citrus Juicer offers awesome value for money, as the price is low and the quality is high. It follows the same basic design as the Breville model above, with a reamer, a press-down handle, a filter, and a spout.
This is a great citrus juicer for people who don't like pulp, but want the most juice possible, as it has been designed to filter all of the pulp out of the juice. It has a neat, tidy, and compact construction which will fit nicely in most kitchens.
Top features
- Affordable
- Zero-pulp design
- Anti-drip spout
- Quiet, 160-watt motor
- Suitable for small and large citrus fruits
- Dishwasher-safe parts
- Easy to use (just pop the halved fruits onto the reamer and press down the handle)
Tribest CS-1000 CitriStar Electric Citrus Juicer
Here we have another low-priced electric citrus juicer. The Tribest Citristar Citrus Juicer is priced low, and for that, you get a pretty solid citrus juicer indeed. It's not as flashy-looking as other juicers, as it has a plastic outer and reamer, as opposed to stainless steel. However, it does have a stainless steel spout and filter.
Instead of using a handle, you simply press the halved citrus onto the reamer, activating the 50-watt motor. Some customers have noted that it does keep most pulp out of the juice, but there's no adjuster for the level of pulp. Take this into consideration if you like very pulpy juice.
Top features
- Affordable
- Stainless-steel filter and spout
- Small, compact, tidy construction sits nicely and neatly on all kitchen benches
- Adjustable cord can be extended or shortened, and stored neatly under the base
- Lockable spout
What are the Best Professional Citrus Juicers (for a Bartender or a Restaurant)?
You could certainly go for an automatic juicer for your restaurant or bar, but these commercial juicers are a little smaller, sleeker, and extremely durable.
Hamilton Beach 932 Commercial Citrus Juicer
The Hamilton Beach 932 Commercial Citrus Juicer is a very hard-wearing, high-yield professional juicer with so much leverage built into the lever-press design, that 2000 pounds worth of force squeezes every last drop of juice from the fruit. It is a manual machine, with a lever that you press down, thus pressing the major force (thanks to the high leverage) onto the fruit.
There is a handy little cup that catches small amounts of juice from lemons and limes, then swings out to the side to make room for larger vessels to gather orange or grapefruit juice. The parts are easily removed so you can rinse them after each usage. It's a slick-looking machine and would look great in any restaurant or bar.
Top features
- Presses 2000 pounds worth of force onto the fruit for maximum juice extraction
- Made from hard-wearing metal, with acid-resistant chrome and enamel coatings
- "Sure-Grip" feet hold the juicer firmly and stably to the counter surface
- Swing-out cup catches small amounts of juice and drippage, then swings to the side to make way for larger vessels
Breville 800JEXL Juice Fountain Elite 1000-watt Juice Extractor
This Breville Model is a very highly rated commercial-grade juicer made from the very best materials including a die-cast housing and stainless steel filter. It's a little different from the others, as it is a centrifugal juicer, designed for fruits and veggies. It runs with a 1000-watt motor and has a chute that fits whole citrus fruits, so no chopping required.
Inside the mechanism, the fruit is cut, spun, and filtered, the juice flowing out of the chute into an awaiting vessel.
You can choose between high and low speeds, according to what you're juicing, but the low speed is recommended for citrus fruits. It's a good choice for businesses that juice other produce as well as citrus. The pulp gets spat into a vessel at the back, ready to be discarded.
The only thing to note with a model like this is that the cleaning is a little more complicated, as there are a few more parts to deal with, such as cutting disks and mesh filters. Only some of the parts are dishwasher-safe, and even then, some customers have noted that parts such as the pusher were ruined by the dishwasher.
Top features
- Die-cast, stainless steel, and titanium-plated materials for durability
- High and low speeds for different produce (high speed for hard produce, low speed for soft produce such as citrus)
- Large chute for fitting whole fruits and veggies
- The pulp is gathered into a neat and tidy vessel at the back of the machine
- Comes with a brush for cleaning the parts
Conclusion
If you own a citrus tree, (I know the stress of trying to make use of an over-productive orange tree), a citrus juicer is a great purchase. You can make the most of vitamin-rich citrus by juicing the heck out of the abundant fruit daily. To decide which one to get, have a think about these points, they can help you to narrow down the choice:
- What’s your budget?
- What kind of clean-up routine do you want to deal with?
- How much space do you have in the kitchen for storage?
- How often will you be using the juicer?
- Do you mind a manual citrus juicer or do you prefer an automatic one?
Once you’ve figured out these simple considerations, you can match the answers up to the citrus juicers on the market to find the most suitable one for you.
If I had to recommend one to you right here right now, without knowing your needs, I would go for the Cuisinart CCJ-500 Pulp Control Citrus Juicer. It’s super affordable, attractive, compact, easy to clean, made of good-quality materials, and has a great track record for customer satisfaction.
Happy juicing!
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