OmegaJuicers 8005

I bought the 8005 as my first juicer. It was a serious decision when you consider that I had first been looking at a LaLane model for $100. The more I read the more I drifted away from a centrifugal type machine. I spent a lot of time researching the pros and cons of a masticating juicer, and finally bought this.
I had never juiced before, and my real concern is that as my wife and I try to eat well, the fruit and veggie is where we always slack first. I read some reviews that talked about the expense of juicing, and while I agree that $60/week in produce for 2 people can seem like a lot, the fact of the matter is that we should be eating that much fruit and veg to meet our "minimum requirements". So my feeling was if I am supposed to eat this much each week, is it an added expense? If it is healthy, am I spending more than I would for normal groceries? And, if I truly reap the benefits of having healthy diet than is $60/week really a lot? My answer: no. If I could maintain a daily intake of 7 servings of fruit and veg by eating it over the course of the day, that would be great and cost the same $60. However, this isn't easy, and I tend to gravitate to the same 5-6 things: apples, carrots, bananas, romaine lettuce, green beans, and broccoli. In short, it gates time consuming and boring. Now I am able to consume about a full days worth of fruit and veg in one glass. It hasn't stopped me from trying to eat it during the day - in fact I eat about as much produce as I used to before. The difference is that now I am getting about a full supply each day. This helped me convince my wife to join me in this, and although she doesn't enjoy the juices as varied as I do, we both feel better and healthier for it - even if it is just psychosomatic (I can't be certain until I go away and stop juicing for a few days).

I picked a masticating juicer for a number of reasons. Whether you believe the hype or not, there is some sense to be made in avoiding heat and oxidation when juicing. If you're going to do something, do it right - right? So after looking at centrifugal juicers and deciding that they might degrade the juice, I spoke to someone who juices with one. His complaint is the cleanup. Most reviews I read on this model compared it to cleaning a blender. That helped convince me, too. Remember that centrifugal juicers don't handle lettuce or spinach very well. Based on what I read I wanted something that handled primarily veggies, and when I read it had a 10 year warranty, I ordered it.

I think I addressed the juice or not to juice discussion that lead me to finally buy the juicer.
I've been using it for just over two weeks now. I have not really done anything other than juice (I tried grinding coffee - don't make my mistake - add the beans a few at a time, not all at once or it will cause the machine to jam).

As advertised, cleaning is relatively easy. The juice stays away from the body which just needs an occasional wipe to remove smudges and fingerprints. The rest of the juicer can easily be rinsed. I soap it up with a sponge. The plunger and the auger have a tendency to stain, but with use I am noticing it stains less. The plastics are very hard and durable, and while I haven't done so, the claim is top shelf dishwasher safe. I can't vouch for this, but do believe it. This is a sturdy beast.

As far as the process:
From start to finish, the entire process takes between 20 and 30 minutes, which doesn't seem too bad.
Step 1: prep: I set up a cutting board with a sturdy paring knife and lay out my victims. I have taken a liking to the following recipe: 1/2 an apple, a few pieces of broccoli (stems and heads), a handful of green beans, a small tomato, 1/3 sweet potato, 1 celery stalk (greens and all), 2-3 carrots, 1/3 a green/red pepper, a sprig of rosemary, and a small piece of ginger. The flavor varies daily depending upon the sizes of the produce, and freshness. The chute on this model isn't very large, and almost everything needs to be cut down in diameter. You get frustrated watching Jack LaLane throwing a whole apple in his juicer as you cut your apple into 8 logs. It's the nature of the auger - the chute can't be any wider than the largest gap in the auger, and the wider the gap is made the longer the auger would need to be. With softer things, apples and tomatoes, I put in a few pieces and follow it up with a harder item, like a carrot. The problem is that with wet fruits that don't have firm pulp it gums up the works. Adding something with firm pulp helps move things along. Berries are another example of something with soft pulp, while cantaloupe goes through like a champ. The unit comes with 2 baskets, one for juice and one for pulp. The dry pulp is actually pretty dry. A celery stalk goes in measuring about 1-1/2 by 12 inches and comes out looking like a wad of chewing gum. It feels damp (it just had juice pushed out of it), but it's not wet, and most pulp tastes cardboard-like because it has so little juice left. If the screen gets jammed, you don't have to take the whole thing apart to clear it. The end collar unlocks and there is the screen. A quick wipe-down and you're back in business. The machine is pretty quiet. In fact, I think it could run and not wake someone nearby. What is loud is the sound of crispy veggies literally being chomped away. Still, it's not like a blender but more like a rotisserie as far as volume of the machine.

Step 2: Drink: There is a screen that fits over the juice container that strains out missed pulp and foam. Some veggies are foamier than others. The pulp in the juice is way less and much finer than a home-style OJ, almost a soft grit. You screen as you pour into a glass, but it's not catching everything. You are still getting some fiber here, just not enough to really notice. Then it's drink away. The receipt I mentioned before provides about 2 12/16-oz glasses (depending on the freshness and size of produce). Before you strain and pour, I mix - the juice doesn't mix in the container, it sits in layers (green, orange, green) and once mixed it looks pretty unappetizing - greenish orange. Let it sit for any length of time and you'll see it start to brown as the apples oxidize. So drink right away. It's like something out of Charlie and the Chocolate Factory - you taste each flavor separately and together. Each sip overwhelms your mouth with splashes of flavors that you are already familiar with. It's really amazing.

Step 3: Cleanup: Simple. I take the juicer-part off the machine and put it in the sink. I've started putting the pulp in an empty litter container to use as mulch in the spring - heck, it seems wasteful to throw it out. It comes apart into: Main body, collar, auger, screen/grinder, plunger, chute collar, plunger, and 2 containers. Rinsing gets everything but the screen/grinder clean if you plan to juice again right away (I recommend using a sponge and some soap, just to be sure you got any stuck-on bits away). It comes with a toothbrush for cleaning the screen, and it works very well and quickly.

Finally, while I think there are many pros, I think there are a few cons, although I think they are minor:
1. small chute. I mentioned why, and while it's a pain to have to slice up most everything, it's a small trade off.
2. clogging. Apples, pears, tomatoes, berries. These all give the machine a hard time. You need to add firmer things to the mix to work this through or it will eventually process the stuff lake a paste - as it breaks the fibers down enough you end up with applesauce coming out. Remember, though, that if you only juice fruits, you are elevating your blood-sugar, so while this is a pain, it's sort of a means of keeping you from straying away from the veggies. I've juiced a few oranges, cantaloupe, and even pomegranate and it did okay - no problems with clogging.

Overall, if you are looking for a high quality juicer that conforms to the standards set by the strict juice-gurus, this is definitely one to consider. Low speed and low heat in theory keep the juice as fresh as possible, it's easy to clean and use, and can quickly become a part of your daily routine. Just start slow and keep an open mind in the beginning. And remember, unless you already eat all your servings of fruit and veg every day, juicing the balance doesn't make it an expensive hobby, but a nutritious one.