Masticating vs Centrifugal Juicer (A Detailed Comparison)



Last updated: March 30, 2021

One would think that buying a juicer is as simple and easy as looking at prices and reading reviews, but the world of juicers is a bit more complicated than that.

Masticating juicers and centrifugal juicers are the two most popular types available. They both function very differently with varying performance results.

Let’s find out what the differences are between a masticating juicer and a centrifugal juicer so you can work out which type of juicer is best for you.

Read my comprehensive juicer buying guide to learn more about the different types of juicers that exist and which ones are the best for your needs.

What Is a Masticating Juicer?

Also known as slow juicers, masticating juicers use a single gear (otherwise known as an auger) to crush your produce into pulp before extracting the juice.

This masticating process breaks down the cell walls of fruits and vegetables, resulting in more nutritious juice and less pulp. Mastication essentially means grinding, chewing and crushing.

In general, there are two types of masticating juicers: vertical and horizontal juicers. The main difference between these two is the amount of space they claim on your kitchen counter.

Vertical masticating juicers are typically more expensive because of they way they are designed, but they don’t necessarily perform better or worse.

What Is a Centrifugal Juicer?

The most common and most popular type of juicer is the centrifugal juicer. They are typically more affordable than masticating juicers.

Centrifugal juicers use a cutting blade to chop up the fruits and vegetables before spinning at high speed. The centrifugal force then separates the juice from the pulp. The juice and pulp end up in two different containers.

The centrifugal mechanism generates heat, which can have an impact on the nutrients of the produce you are juicing.

There are typically two types of centrifugal juicers: with external container, or without external container. The ones with an external container are usually more expensive, but the extra investment is certainly worth it.

The extra container makes it easier juice in large batches and you can also use the container to store the nutritious pulp for later use, for example in recipes.

Masticating vs Centrifugal Juicer

Let’s dive deeper into the typical differences between masticating and centrifugal juicers.

1. Juice Yield

One of the most important things to consider when selecting a new juicer is the actual juice yield. In other words, how much juice can a specific juicer get out of fruits and vegetables?

Typically, masticating juicers achieve a higher juice yield than centrifugal juicers. You will often see that the pulp left behind by a masticating juicer is very dry. That’s a good thing, because this means more juice has been abstracted.

The pulp left behind by a centrifugal juicer is usually a bit more wet, meaning there is still juice left behind in the pulp. Realistically though, the difference in juice yield is usually not that ground-braking.

2. Quality of Juice

Masticating juicers are known to produce better quality juice than centrifugal juicers. The juice produced by a good masticating juicer is completely free from any foam and pulp. In other words, the juice is very pure.

Another thing to consider is that centrifugal juicers introduce oxygen into the juice that they produce. This process of oxygenation results in a shorter shelf-life for your juice which means you can’t store it for too long.

Masticating juicer
Masticating juicer

3. Speed of Juicing

Centrifugal juicers are definitely faster than masticating juicers. The centrifugal mechanism simply requires less time than the masticating process.

But in the grand scheme of things, a few more seconds or minutes doesn’t really make much difference in a day.

4. Heat Generation

A centrifugal juicer generates heat, whereas a masticating juicer does not.

Some argue that this heat can negatively impact the nutrients and that the juice produced by a centrifugal juicer is less nutritious.

While I’m not a scientist, I personally don’t believe the impact is all that big.

5. Leafy Vegetables

A masticating juicer is better able to deal with leafy vegetables than a centrifugal juicer.

If you’re planning to not only juice fruits but also vegetables, a masticating juicer may be the better choice for your needs.

6. Versatility

Most people would use a juicer to really just create a juices. But did you know that a good quality masticating juicer can also prepare nut butters and sorbets?

Personally though, I would prefer to use a strong blender to create things like nut butters, as the results are much better.

Centrifugal juicer
Centrifugal juicer

7. Noise Levels

Centrifugal juicers definitely generate more noise than masticating juicers do, because of the centrifugal mechanism. A masticating juicer is actually very quiet and pleasant to use in that respect.

So if kitchen noise is an issue for you, then this aspect is definitely something to consider when choosing between a masticating and centrifugal juicer.

8. Cleaning

The general consensus is that masticating juicers are a bit harder to clean as their design is a bit more complicated with different parts that need cleaning.

However, juicer manufacturers understand that ease of use is important and part of that is cleaning. If cleaning a specific juicer is a pain, no one is going to buy that juicer.

In other words, while it may be true that it takes a bit longer to clean a masticating juicer than it takes to clean a centrifugal juicer, you would find it difficult to find a masticating juicer that is a pain to clean.

9. Price

Masticating juicers are usually pricier than centrifugal juicers. This is because the design of a masticating juicer is more advanced and the juice is typically of better quality with less pulp and less oxidation.

This is not to say that the juice produced by centrifugal juicers are bad. Not at all, a good centrifugal juicers can make excellent juice, as long as you set the expectations right.

So if you have the budget available and you want the best quality juice, it’s definitely worth investing in a masticating juicer.

Different vegetable juices

Masticating or Centrifugal Juicer?

Let’s summarize this comparison between masticating and centrifugal juicers so you know which type of juicer is best for you.

Pros of Masticating juicers:

  • Better quality of juice
  • Better juice yield
  • Better suitable for leafy vegetables
  • Longer shelf-life for juices
  • Quiet operation

Pros of Centrifugal juicers:

  • Usually much cheaper
  • Easy to clean
  • Faster performance

Happy juicing!


Masticating juicers vs centrifugal juicers

Donna Harrison


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