Are you looking for the best masticating juicer on the market for your money? See these recommended models, pros and cons to buying a masticating juicer under $200 – $300 dollars, and why I think the Omega J8006 is a better buy over the Green Star for most people looking for an affordable slow auger juicer. By the end of this article, you’ll be able to decide which masticating juicer is best for you!
What Is The Difference Between Centrifugal And Masticating Juicers?
I’m assuming you already know the difference between masticating and centrifugal juicers if you’re looking for the most affordable masticating model for the money, but just in case, the main difference is the slow auger style VS the high speed centrifugal.The slow auger juicers (masticating) are much better for leafy greens, herbs, etc… But still give you the ability to juicer larger and harder veggies like carrots, beets, etc… Centrifugal juicers on the other hand, will barely extract any juice from greens like kale and spinach, compared to the crushing and squeezing action of the masticating juicer. No matter what type of produce you’re juicing, the yield is much higher on a masticating juicer than a centrifugal.
Masticating juicers also preserve more enzymes, since they’re slow speed juicers, and aren’t heating up your produce from operating at a high speed like a blender. You get better quality juicer, MORE juicer per pound of produce, and overall it’s much more versatile for the money.
Related Reading: Joe Rogan Kale Shake Recipes (blending over juicing)
Auger Juicer VS Masticating Juicer (slow Juicers)
Most people referring to an auger juicer compared to a masticating juicer are basically saying the same thing… kind of like SUV and sport utility vehicle. The only difference would be that most of the twin gear masticating juicers (like the Green Star I use in my videos) aren’t referenced as single auger juicers in the traditional sense, and usually have a double auger style grinding/extraction assembly.
The #1 Masticating Juicer Model For Your Money (for leafy greens and hard veggies too!)
The best juicer for the money is hands down the Omega J8006 or the Omega J8003 if you’re on a budget. The 8003 is more affordable, but cheaper isn’t always better. The 8006 comes with a larger chute, longer warranty, and bigger juice extraction container. Not to mention a sharper look in chrome vs all white if you plan to leave it out on the kitchen counter all the time. Either one will work awesome for everything, including fruits, veggies, and hard vegetables or leafy greens alike. Consumer Reports also rated these Omega juicing models, the best juicers for novices and nutrition nuts in their reviews. If I were going to replace my juicers today (I have 3, including both centrifugal and masticating), I would buy the Omega J8006. In my opinion, this is the best masticating juicer you can buy because it can do everything other juicers that are twice the price can do, plus it’s easier to clean than a Green Star.
Related Reading: The Best Juicers For Wheatgrass (top 3 best rated)
Top Rated Vertical Masticating Juicer Brand
Kuvings hit the market with a vertical slow auger juicer, complete with a big mouth chute to drop in whole apples and carrots, just like a high peed centrifugal juicer. Only it’s a masticating slow juicer, but uses a different extraction assembly, and your produce is automatically gravity fed into it. I like this idea, but after watching a bunch of youtube videos, I don’t like the reports of ginger and other dense produce potentially clogging the drain holes in the collection tray. They may improve these over time however, and we might need to revisit these for a real world review. (one other caveat about the vertical masticating juicers I don’t care for, is more parts to clean. The nice thing about the single gear slow augers like the Omega’s, is how easy they are to clean.)
The Most Reliable & Affordable Masticating Juicer Under $300 Dollars
The best quality, yet still inexpensive masticating juicer on the market today, is definitely the Omega J8006. With it’s powerful motor, ultra hard auger system, and 15 year warranty, this thing will take anything you can throw at it. It juices soft leafy greens and fruit like a dream, as well as hard vegetables like carrots and beets like a champ. It is the best all around masticating juicer on the market, and looks great in chrome also! My favorite thing about the J8006, is how easy it is to clean. It has very few parts compared to say, a twin gear Green Star, and is quick and easy to disassemble and clean. Overall this is the best masticating juicer buy for your money hands down at under $300 bucks.
Really Good Less Expensive Masticating Juicers Under $200 Dollars
If you’re looking for a slightly cheaper, that’s still easy to clean, and still delivers high quality juice from a slow auger setup, the Omega J8003 and Omega J8004 are the little sister and little brother of the J8006. If you absolutely MUST be under $200 dollars, the J8003 is the ticket. It has a slightly smaller collection try and feeder chute, but is still one of the best juicers you can buy that delivers pulp free quality juice. It’s the same slow auger design and setup as the big brother above, but it has a 10 year warranty instead of 15. Aesthetically it’s also white, instead of the chrome finish if that matters to you.
A good compromise if you can afford to spend just a hair more money, is the Omega 8004, which is identical to the 8006 except it’s white. In my opinion, this is the best masticating juicer model on the market today in terms of value versus cost. It has the larger chute and collection trays, the longer warranty, and the more powerful motor with higher quality auger system. It is a little over budget if you need to stay under $200 however, but not by much, and is worth the extra few bucks if you’ve got them!
Masticating Juicers Under $100 May Not Be Worth It
Masticating slow juicers under $100 are going to be hard to come by at this price point. There are a few companies that make single auger slow juicers, but they aren’t going to be quite the same quality as the ones above, or last quite as long. That’s okay though, any juicer is better for your health than no juicer at all!
Von Chef, Nutri Chef, and Big Boss are all brands that manufacture masticating juicers for under $100 dollars. I personally haven’t used these, but some of them even have good reviews on Amazon, with positive comments from users talking about their experience juicing all types of produce successfully. If I were going to pick one of these masticating juicers based on the ratings I’ve seen, I’d get the Big Boss but I wouldn’t expect it to last for years and years like I would the Omega J8003. If you can afford it, I’d go ahead and spring for the Omega so you won’t have to worry about anything breaking for the next couple of years, and it’s a better buy for your money.
Where To Buy Your Masticating Juicer
I get my stuff from Amazon these days, and most items are Prime if you’re a member… which means free shipping both ways if you don’t like your juicer for some reason, and full manufacturers warranty is still honored. If it were me replacing one of my juicers today, I’d buy the Omega J8006 for it’s versatility and affordability, and because it has a 15 year warranty and is super easy to clean compared to my Green Star. (not to mention half the money!)
Here’s a package deal I found on Amazon that comes with a nut milk bag, juicing recipes, and more for a great price. Best of all, it comes with the tried and true best masticating juicer on the market today… The Omega J8006 single auger slow juicer with free shipping!