I'm a fairly intelligent person with lots of life experience. I still got my finger caught in this thing. When you read the reviews about the handle not staying up, believe them, test it out, maybe put a hot-dog in the juicer and "accidentally" bump the handle so it falls down and you can see the result. Whatever you have to do to avoid the brainless accident I caused myself even though I knew it could happen. Luckily it was just bandage worthy and didn't require any trips to the ER. Having said that, I still love this thing. I love making margaritas with fresh lime juice and used to use a hand juicer. By the time I had enough juice, I didn't have the hand strength left to actually make the drinks. With this thing, not only is it fast and easy, it actually gets more juice out of each lime so I don't have to use as many. I'll do a bag of limes in the morning, easy peasy, and put the juice in the fridge for drink time. Cleaning is really easy. The bits that get juicy just pop out of the stand and can be washed separately. I tend to get a little juice spray on the stand so I'll just give it a quick rinse and wipe off with a towel. It's very sturdy and will probably be around for my grandchildren to make margaritas, if I ever have any and if there is still citrus that far in the future. It's really big. Plan for some cupboard or counter space for this thing. It's not ugly so if you're someone who is allowed to keep things on your counter, I'm not, you could just keep it on display and ready for the next party. Apparently it also juices oranges and grapefruit and such, but who knows. Read more
This is a very good juicer, with some specifics that are important to know if you're considering buying this. I bought this after a long search for a juicer for citrus fruits, because I was sick of using a stationary hand juicer for so much work and mess, and so little yield. Unlike an electric juicer, there's no motor in these to risk burning out, and all the reviews, for general juicing and citrus juicing alike, talked about what a pain they were to clean. Several months in, this purchase is absolutely well worth it. It makes juicing any citrus fruit a breeze, and now I can make so much juice that I just freeze the excess for my convenience. I've juiced oranges, blood oranges, lemons, and limes, and this tends to work a little easier with large citrus fruits, because of how the pressing part and the metal grate against which the fruit is pressed are shaped. I find that the squeezed halves of limes, the smallest citrus fruit I've pressed with this, sometimes need to be taken out, put back in sideways (one wide peel side down, other wide peel side facing up) and pressed again to get the most juice. The strainer will also need to be stirred, gently agitated with a spoon or other implement, or cleaned every so often when you're juicing large quantities of citrus. Make sure to have a suitable vessel under the strainer - I found a two-cup wide mouth Ball mason jar to be the perfect height for this. Before using this, clean it! There appears to be some manner of lubricant or other substance on it, including the pressing component that will touch the fruit skin. However, it's easy to clean with a warm, wet cloth or paper towel and a little soap, which can then be cleaned off easily. The funnel and grate also come out of the press, which helps both cleaning and storage. You may want to use an Allen key/hex key to re-tighten some components as time goes by, as the amount of force inevitably slightly loosens things. This is mostly well weighted, as it should be for its size, but be wary of the press rocking as you bring the handle down. Additionally, the handle may fall from its own weight if you leave it in the upright position - be careful when you are close to it. Overall, I am very happy with my purchase. I use it every week and enjoy fresh or frozen home-squeezed citrus juice whenever I please. Read more
This replaces my electric reamer juicer, and it works so much better and easier, and is easier to clean. It's a smart design, and the strainer cup lifts out easily for cleaning, or for clearing the pulp if you're juicing a large amount. The long lever arm gives good pressure with minimal effort. I just juiced 3 bags of limes, and it was a breeze to use and clean. Full disclosure, I've only used it with lemons and limes. Oranges should be fine. Grapefruit might be a little awkward due to their size, but this would still be easier than a reamer. PRO TIP: read the instructions. You don't have to remove the upper juicing cap with the allen wrench in order to clean it; just wipe it down. My only complaint, and this isn't even worth docking a point for, is that the black rubber feet leave marks on my countertop. They come off, but it's a little annoying. Easy to resolve by placing a tray under it. Read more
This product is made of heavy cast iron, very good! Simple mechanical operation, works as it should. Read more
Wish we had bought this years ago. It mashes the fruit flat and gets just about all the juice. Fast and easy. Here are a few comments. Some of the oranges I juiced were larger in diameter than the juicing press surfaces, resulting in a fringe of less than fully squeezed segments. So, it's more efficient with fruits that fit more exactly. The process is a bit messy, so drips on the floor should be anticipated. Want pulp? Just scrape or chew it off the rinds and add it back to the juice. The only small gripe is that the though stainless parts sort of lock into the base, it's not a good solid lock that requires repositioning things occasionally. This rig is SO MUCH easier than using a juicer that requires any wrist action other than pulling the lever. Read more
