This expensive citrus juicer, although fully functional, appears to have been created more for the person who has everything than for the average consumer.
I have never found citrus juicers to be all that helpful, myself, but I use my juicers for a large range of purposes. For the person who is looking to create lemonade, orange juice, or fresh flavored water, a citrus juicer is actually a very good investment. The motorized parts of this type of juicer take all of the difficulty, frustration, and pain out of trying to manually extract juice from citrus fruits with a pitted reamer or a hand press.
This Breville citrus juicer is rather expensive and, despite the potential usefulness of citrus juicers, I don’t believe that it is necessary to ever spend this type of money for one. Again, though, this is just my opinion. This juicer has a lot of positive qualities, but doesn’t appear to be much more functional or effective than many of its less-expensive competitors.
Let’s take a closer look at the Breville 800CPXL to see if its features warrant its elevated price and if it is likely to suit your needs. The big questions here are: Will this juicer assist you in your kitchen the way you hope? Will it help you more than a less expensive juicer?
Compact and Convenient
The Breville Stainless Steel Citrus Press takes up a very small amount of space on a countertop or inside of a cupboard. Centrifugal and masticating juicers, on the other hand, take up considerable space and often force people to relocate other appliances such as toasters and microwaves just to make room for them. It is good to know that placing this stunning machine on your countertop or in your cupboard shouldn’t cause you to have to choose between other beloved small appliances. The compact nature of this particular juicer and many other citrus juicers makes them the perfect choice for people with small kitchens.
Despite the small size of this juicer, Breville has managed to squeeze in some very important extras. First, it is very good to know that all of the removable non-electrical parts are completely dishwasher safe. A huge convenience factor which makes this juicer even more compact and countertop-friendly is its internal cord storage. No more cords dangling from the wall or wrapped around the outside of your juicer in some unsightly mess. Just curl it up inside the bottom of the juicer for a clean and sleek countertop appearance.
Making any citrus-based juice is a breeze with the Breville Citrus Press. Don’t be put off by the large, long handle on the top of this machine. You will not be required to pull down hard on it or place any strain on your muscles. To work the machine, simply pull lightly on the long handle so that it pushes the halved fruit against the built-in reamer. The smart technology of this juicer will sense the pressure and begin to spin the reamer, extracting juices and pulp from your fruit.
One Reamer, Two Filters, Three Options
You may have seen that many other citrus juicers come with a variety of reamer sizes. Those companies claim that the different sizes work best for different sizes of citrus fruits. Think about it – a lime is considerably smaller than a grapefruit; Breville claims that their universal reamer will work just as well with a lime as it will with a grapefruit. I honestly think that is something I would have to try out for myself before I will believe it.
An advantage that this citrus press has over other citrus juicers is that it gives you the option of three different types of citrus juice, thanks to its two different filters. Everyone has their preferences for the amount of pulp they enjoy in their juice. I mean, why else would you be able to buy orange juice of different pulp levels at the grocery store?
By choosing to leave the filter out of the system completely, you can create juices loaded with pulp (although you may end up with a few seeds as well). Each of the two filters included with this juicer allow a different level of pulp to make its way through. One will allow some pulp to get through, creating a less-chunky but still fiber-filled beverage. The other filter will appeal to those who are not fans of pulp – it will hold back most of it, allowing you to enjoy a smooth drink.
Not Just Glam
Okay, let’s talk about why this juicer is so much more expensive than other citrus juicers of similar power levels and abilities. The major reason this juicer is about four to five times more expensive than other juicers is that it is almost 100 percent stainless steel.
I must say, though, it definitely has an aesthetic appeal which cannot be beat. This juicer would make a beautiful addition to any urban, contemporary, or industrial kitchen. In fact, it almost looks a little more like a sculpture than it does a juicer. This aesthetic appeal and the elevated price of this piece are why I say that it is sort of something you would purchase for the person who has everything.
However, the stainless steel exterior and interior offer two important qualities which have nothing to do with style and glam – durability and peace of mind. Stainless steel is, of course, much more durable than any plastic on the market, meaning that this juicer is likely to last you much longer and withstand a lot more wear and tear. Secondly, stainless steel is not known to leech any potentially harmful chemicals into your food. Although many plastics are now being created without BPAs, many people are wary of what other chemicals may lurk within them.
One Glass At A Time
If this juicer had featured a taller juice spout it would have had a major advantage over many other juicers. Unfortunately, this juicer isn’t much different from those other citrus juicers in that it features a rather low juice spout, meaning that you will be required to create only one glass of juice at a time. Theoretically, you could create multiple glasses and pour them into a larger pitcher, but you will not be able to fit a large pitcher beneath the low-sitting spout. For this kind of money I expect more options and less work, but that does not seem to be the case.
Concluding Remarks
My overall opinion is that this juicer is a good buy if you are purchasing it for someone who has everything else they could desire or someone who is very concerned about the possibly harmful effects of plastic. I really cannot find many negative things to say about this juicer, although it would be nice if its juice spout sat higher. The problem with this juicer is not its quality, but that its quality is not that markedly different from other similar juicers, although its price is.
