Juicer Vs Blender – Which Is Better And Why?

17/12/2022

I have often observed a lot of people needing clarification on the differences and usefulness between juicers and blenders which I have used in many juice bars.

Therefore, finally, I feel it is essential to share a detailed explanation of both with all of you so that you can be better informed. Through the course of this read, you will be able to understand the purpose, uses, pros and cons of juicer vs blender.

How Can A Juicer Help You?

Juicing is popular among customers because they boost the intake of vitamins and minerals, improving overall health. Unlike blenders that can make smoothies, shakes and purees, juicers are intended to obtain juice from fruits and veggies. The majority of juicers could be used to produce fruit cocktails.

Juicers can also come useful for a quick lunch or snack because it is quick and very simple, particularly if you keep fruits and vegetables on hand. If you face trouble feeding fruits to your children, there is no better alternative than a juicer. A high-efficiency juicer is undeniably a very helpful addition to any kitchen.

Juicers for juicing fruits and vegetables

The Types of Juicers

With the advancement of technology over the last decade of my career as a mixologist, I have witnessed numerous juicers being introduced in the market every few years, and each of them has been better with time! Let me give you a better idea of the different juicers you can get in the market.

Centrifugal Juicer: This is the most widely available juicer for home use for its easy and fast juicing process with 10000 RPM or more speed. A centrifugal juicer that look like a countertop blender, is also the least expensive electric juicer available. The fruits and vegetables are crushed when they come into contact with a whirling blade, and their juice is driven through a razor sieve by a centrifugal force.
Cold Press Juicer: A cold press juicer is also known as a masticating juicer or a slow juicer for its slower speed of juicing (40 to 100 RPM). The juice is produced when the pulp is slowly squeezed through a filter is thick and frothy. The juice made with a cold press juicer is more nutritious and thicker (close to what blenders make) than the juice produced in a centrifugal juicer.
Twin Gear Juicer: Triturating juicers are another name for twin gear juicers. Of all the numerous juicers, those have have two augers to crush the ingredients. Twin gear juicers also run with a slow speed like cold press juicers.
Hand-operated Manual Juicer: Unlike electric juicers, hand-operated juicers need manual operations. In this regard, you have several options available- hand-squeeze juicers, hand-crank juicers, manual citrus juicers and squeezers.
Specialty Juicer: Some fruits and vegetables like oranges, mosambis (sweet lemons), wheatgrass and pomegranate require special attention for juicing. For this reason, you can now find specialty juicers like citrus juicers in the market.

Among those juicers, only cold press juicers and centrifugal juicers can perform some functions of blenders. There are also other options available in the market. You can check the full list of difference types of juicers with the pros, cons and uses.

The Benefits Of Juicers Over Blenders

Unlike blenders, juicer helps you in squeezing out all the juices from the fruits and vegetables and delivers a perfect juice-like consistency. It is not too thick and neither too thin.
The pulp and the juice are properly separated when you use a high-yield cold press juicer. Therefore, you don’t have to worry about any additional steps of straining.
Since the fiber gets separated, with a glass of fresh juice, you are getting a more nutrient-dense drink that will aid your overall health.
A good quality juicer is capable of giving you a better juicing yield than blenders while keeping most of the nutrients intact.
The fresh juice extracted from a juicer is beneficial for you since it can be digested quicker than a fiber-rich smoothie or a puree of fruits and vegetables.

Drawbacks Of Juicers Compared To Blenders

Electric juicers are not very compact appliances and will take up more space in your kitchen. Blenders, specifically hand blenders or immersion blenders are more compact and take less space.
Although the juice extracted is full of nutrients, the fiber-rich pulp gets left behind. This way, the process of juicing results in some amount of wastage of the fruits and veggies.
If you are trying to lose weight, keep in mind that although the juice extracted is rich in glucose levels, it may also spike up the sugar levels in your body, and since the fiber is extracted, the juice will not keep you feeling full for a very long time. Therefore, blenders are better than juicers if you are a weight-watcher. However, as recommended by Healthline.com, you can still make and drink those juices to lose weight.
Though some juicers can make smoothies, most of them are not the best options if you are trying to prepare a shake.

Can You Use A Juicer As A Blender?

Well, it honestly depends on the type of juicer that you purchase and the functionalities it offers. Some cold press juicers allow you to blend smoothies and some juicer mixer grinders can help you making purees and chutneys. However, you will not be able to prepare good quality shakes in them.

Most juicers will separate the pulp and give you a consistency that is not too thick or too thin. Therefore, if you are looking for a thicker consistency, I would not recommend using a juicer as a blender. So, consider your requirements and then make the decision.

How Can A Blender Help You?

Unlike a juicer, a blender is an electric kitchen appliance mostly used to emulsify, liquefy, or puree food. Although you can use it to mince or slice ingredients, you cannot produce consistent results for those activities that a hand mixer can. According to the speed level chosen, motor-driven blades shred, mix, or liquefy food to make puree, smoothies and shakes.

The Types of Blenders

In today’s market, you can find multiple types of blenders available to choose from. I am going to list down the most important ones for you.

Countertop Blender: A countertop blender will be useful for bulk mixing requirements for a large family or on special occasions. Even though there are more pieces on these to clean, they are more adaptable and have a bigger capacity. Just like centrifugal juicers, countertop blenders have adjustable speeds that range from shredding action to liquid mixture.
Single-Serve or Bullet Blender: These are usually small, potent blenders designed to produce a single serving of a smoothie or shake. Simply turn the container over after blending is complete, add a spout cover, and the beverage is prepared for consumption. High-quality bullet blenders can make juice.
Immersion or Hand Blender: A handheld blender works well for a rapid electric mix, reducing soft fruits or vegetables, yogurt, protein supplements, and nut butter into purees or smoothies. However, most hand blenders are not ideal for blending large chunks, for which you can use countertop blenders.
Portable Blender: This is the quickest and easiest method for blending protein shakes and nutrition smoothies on the go. This battery-operated blender is an ideal option for traveling.

Benefits Of Blenders Over Juicers

The best hand blenders are more compact and don’t take up a lot of space compared to juicers. These are easy to store and can fit into small spaces as well.
There is hardly any wastage as blenders blend the fruits and vegetables in a puree form. As long as you take care of the spillage, using a blender is mess-free!
The blended puree is not only consisting of the rich nutrients from the fruit of the vegetable, but it also contains the healthy fiber, therefore, making the liquid truly healthy.
For someone who is trying to lose weight, a blender is ideal as the thick smoothies will keep you full for a longer time curbing your hunger and stopping you from consuming more calories.
A blender not only serves you the best smoothies or shakes but also saves you a lot of time as these are easy to handle and clean.

Limitations Of Blenders

One of the major areas of concern while using a blender, and especially a hand blender, is that there is always a possibility of spillage. Therefore ensure to use a covered container while blending.
Blenders are not very effective on stiff or frozen food that can be crushed in a centrifugal juicer; therefore, you will need to wait to thaw any frozen fruits or vegetables before blending.
Another issue with a blender is the limited tasks that you can perform with it. While juicer mixer grinders and cold press juicers come with multiple functions, blenders are often built with a limited blending function.
When it comes to the output, blenders are great for serving you smoothies and shakes in the perfect consistency. However, if you are making a glass of juice, you will definitely be disappointed with the consistency.

Can You Use A Blender As A Juicer?

No! If you are looking for a glass of juice, then using a blender might end up delivering you a smoothie or a shake. Though some bullet blenders can serve as juicers, I would not suggest using a countertop blender or a hand blender as a juicer.

Juicer Vs Blender : Comparison Table

Point of Difference	Juicer	Blender
Purpose	To obtain juice from fruits and vegetables by separating the pulp.	To obtain a smoothie, puree or a shake that contains the nutrient and fiber both.
Drink Quality	The consistency of the produced liquid in a juicer is neither too thin nor too thick.	Liquids produced with a blender has a thicker consistency, more than what juicers produce.
Health Benefits	More nutrients present in a glass of juice however, fiber is discarded. The nutrition quality varies for different juicers.	More nutrients are contained along with the healthy fiber in a blender.
Weight Loss	High sugar content and makes you feel hungry easily, which may increase the weight gradually if not controlled.	The rich fiber content in the smoothies and shakes made by a blender keeps you feeling full for a long time.
Food Waste	A juicer discards the pulp after juicing which is a waste if not reused.	A blender blends in all pulp smoothly resulting is zero wastage.
Ease of Use	Most juicers are fairly simple to use.	You need to be careful of spillage in case of a hand blender.
Cleaning & Maintenance	Cold press and centrifugal juicers have more parts to clean therefore can be tedious at times.	Cleaning and handling a blender is simple and take a lesser storage.
Pricing	Depending on the features of a juicer, the price range can vary anywhere between ₹2000 to ₹10000.	Blenders are comparatively cheaper in comparison to juicers. However, a countertop blender is costlier than a hand blender.

So, a juicer and a blender most significantly diverge on how they handle fruits and vegetables. Juicers remove the pulp, skin, and fibers from fruits and vegetables, leaving only the produce’s thin liquid behind. All components, including their pulp, are processed and combined in blenders to create richer drinks like smoothies.

Hopefully, by now, you all have a clear understanding of the differences between juicer and blender, and it will be easier for you to choose the more suitable option.

Both have similarities as well as differences, and as long as you can consider them, both can be beneficial in their own way. Just keep in mind your needs and convenience, and you will be able to make the better choice.

Besides knowing about blender vs juicer, you can also watch Jason Vale’s visual guide to know more about the different processes of juicing and blending.