Slow Juicers Are The Hot New Appliance — But Are They Worth The Hefty Price Tag?

Cold-pressed juice usually costs at least $10 a bottle. So if you're obsessed with guzzling this healthy bevy, but the habit's putting serious strain on your wallet, you might want to consider making it yourself. It's easy to recreate the the pricey store-bought stuff at home thanks to the slow juicer — a major upgrade on the noisy models were popularized in the 1980s.

But there's one caveat. Just like the gleaming bottles at the juice bar, slow juicers are expensive. The Chatelaine Kitchen tested the HP Hurom slow juicer to see if it's worth the $380 price tag (that's around 38 store-bought juices).

What's the difference between a slow juicer and a regular juicer?

High-speed, or centrifugal, juicers use blades to grind and liquefy produce. Cold-pressed, or masticating, juicers (like the Hurom slow juicer) use a single gear to crush and then press liquid out of fruit and veggies. Hurom says its juicers "mimic the motion of a hand squeezing." Some claim cold-pressed juice is healthier because there's no heat involved in the juicing process. Cold-pressed devotees (and marketers) say heat, whether through spinning blades or pasteurization, can destroy nutrients — though there's little to no research to support the claim.

Is the Hurom slow juicer easy to use?

The best part of this kitchen device is its compact size. The Hurom also comes in trendy colours, including millennial pink and mint green. Though it wins big in style, it's a bit awkward to assemble and take apart. Cleaning it is a hassle, too — three of its eight parts need to be scrubbed with small brushes that come with the device.

Once you finally set it up, juicing is simple. Just place whole fruits, veggies or herbs in the top and wait for the juice to be extracted. If your produce is big (like a honeycrisp apple), you might need to cut it. You also have to remember to close the extraction seal before you start. And, if you're making a lot of juice at one time, you have to clean out the pulp jug periodically.

How did the juice taste?

The Chatelaine Kitchen juiced a rainbow of fruit and veggies in the testing process and everything was fresh tasting and very flavourful (some varieties, like the pure ginger juice and bright green, unadulterated kale juice, were incredibly potent). Our favourites included pear juice, green grape juice and kiwi juice. You don't need to limit yourself to one type of produce; mix and match your favourite fruits and veggies to create interesting combinations — apple and celery made for simple, refreshing beverage.

So is a slow juicer worth the cost?

If you're a cold-pressed juice fan, you might want to consider buying a slow juicer to curb the cost of your habit. Hurom says juices made with its products stay fresh for up to 72 hours, so you could always prepare a few bottles in advance to keep you fueled throughout the week. However, if cold-pressed juice is an occasional post-gym indulgence, it's probably better to hit up the juice bar. For the price and effort involved, this the type of one-use kitchen appliance we'd take a pass on.

Originally published February 2018; Updated January 2019.

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