What Commercial Juicer is Best?

Would you like to start offering fresh juice at your restaurant or cafeteria? If so, you’ll need a quality commercial juicer. There are several types of juicers available, and it can be confusing to pick the right one. Think about why you’re introducing juicing to your business. Do you want to make nutrient-dense cold press juices? Or do you just want to add fresh orange juice to your breakfast menu? We’ve laid out three of the main types of juicers below to help you narrow down your search. 

Know Your Commercial Juicer Types 

There are many juicers on the market, and each one serves a special purpose. It’s crucial to understand the types of juicers available before you commit to buying one. 

Citrus Juicers 

As the name implies, a citrus juicer extracts the juice from citrus fruits like lemons, limes, oranges, and grapefruits. It extracts the juice using a reamer, which is the conical part that you press the fruit into. These juicers are ideal for breakfast menus, bars, cafeterias, and any other foodservice business that wants to add simple, yet popular juices to their menus. Citrus juicers are also great for use in concession stands to make orange or lemon shake-ups, which are high-margin beverages sold mostly at fairs and festivals. 

Key considerations to remember about citrus juicers include: 

• Easy cleaning and maintenance
• Simple design – little training required to juice
• Perfect for smaller operations
• Can only be used with citrus fruits 

Centrifugal Juicer 

Centrifugal juicers use heavy-duty blades to chop up fruits and vegetables into small pieces. Then these pieces pass through a strainer to produce delicious juice without any pulp. They are an ideal commercial juicer for continuous use in larger operations. They are sometimes referred to as juice extractors. 

Here are some things to consider about the centrifugal juicer:

• High-volume capability – some electric models can produce up to 265 lbs. per hour
• Can juice large fruits and vegetables allowing for more menu variety
• Deposits pulp into a separate container to allow for continuous use
• Heat and friction from the blade oxidize juice, reducing the number of nutrients 

Masticating Juicers 

Masticating juicers crush and press fruits and vegetables for the highest yield of juice. These juicers take longer to produce juice but create little to no foam or froth, making for a more enjoyable drinking experience. They are also called manual juice presses. 

Here are other factors to remember: 

• Ideal for use with almost any fruit, vegetable, or herb
• Produces little to no heat or friction, which limits oxidation
• Also useful for making nut butter, pureeing baby food, mincing herbs, and more 

Comparing Popular Types of Juicer 

Every type of juicer has its specifics strengths. In commercial settings, some juicers stand up better than others to heavy-duty use. Whether you’re a first-time juicer looking for a starter model, or you’re experienced and need a professional-grade machine, there is a juicer that’s right for you. Check out the graph below for more information. 

Once you’ve picked out the perfect commercial juicer for your business, you should know some of the basics of juicing. These tips and tricks can save on food costs and juicer replacement parts. 

What’s the Best Produce for Juicing? 

The combinations of fruits and vegetables that you can juice are practically endless. Think about what customers would want to drink and start with the basics. Once you’ve mastered the basics, consider adding unexpected ingredients such as herbs added taste and health benefits. Here are a few ideas to get you started. 

• Citrus fruits including oranges, grapefruits, lemons, and limes
• Other popular fruits like apples, berries, pineapples, and mangoes
• Common vegetables such as carrots and celery
• Nutrient-dense veggies like kale, spinach, or wheatgrass 

Which Foods Should I Avoid Juicing? 

Don’t juice anything that needs to be cooked first. Think potatoes, peas, squash, and corn. Remember to remove any pits, tough skins, and peels from the fruits you’ll be juicing. Finally, don’t use especially soft fruits like bananas or avocados as they tend to clog the filter in your juicer.

Avoiding these foods will keep your machine running efficiently and ensure the highest-quality final product.  

How to Prepare for Juicing 

1. Wash your produce to remove dirt and preservatives.
2. Cut any large or dense produce into smaller pieces to make it more manageable for your juicer.
   Tip: Produce can turn brown or lose nutrients when exposed to air, so make sure to cut the product right before it’s time to juice.
3. Find a container that’s big enough to collect the juice after it’s made.
4. Read the juicer’s instruction manual to ensure correct setup, operation, and cleaning.
5. Serve it! Try serving the juice immediately after it’s made. The longest it should sit is 24 hours in an airtight container. 

Some of Our Best-Selling Juicer Brands 

• Sunkist: a renowned manufacturer of juicers, sectionizers, and juicer parts
• Hamilton Beach: offering reliable commercial juicers and other equipment for the foodservice industry since 1932
• Robot Coupe: producing innovative juicers and other food prep solutions from their French headquarters for over six decades 

For more information about juicing and related topics, check out some of these articles. 

1. Juice Bar Ideas for Your Restaurant
2. Choosing the Right Food Truck Equipment
3. Food Safety 101