If you’re looking for new ways to enjoy fruits and vegetables, a juicer and blender are worth your attention. They look similar, but their function has a key distinction, so there are instances where it’s better to use one over the other. It’s a good idea to have both to diversify what you can make with fruits and vegetables.
In this article: Vitamix Professional G Series 750, Ninja Mega Kitchen Food Processor and Breville Juice Fountain Cold Plus Juicer.
Blender vs. juicer
To determine when it’s better to use a blender or a juicer, you need to recognize the difference between them. Blenders are more versatile and can chop down ice and all kinds of foods and mix them into one recipe. Juicers, on the other hand, are strictly for fruits and vegetables. However, instead of chopping them down, the juice is extracted from fruits without any extra skin or pulp.
When to use a juicer
Juicers are great if you’re looking for a way to get your daily fix of fruits and vegetables in the form of concentrated juices. Concentrated juices are loaded with nutrients and absorbed more rapidly by the body than smoothies. Juicing is also great if you want to make a refreshing drink such as orange juice, lemonade or beet juice, all of which provide essential nutrients and minerals for a healthy lifestyle.
What can I make with a juicer?
You can experiment with different fruits and vegetables, but the most common ingredients used for juicing include pineapples, apples, ginger roots, carrots, beets, celery, oranges, lemons, cucumbers, kale, kiwis and watermelon.
When to use a blender
A blender is ideal for mixing favorite fruits and vegetables into one delicious smoothie. With a blender, you can experiment with recipes and create tasty frozen drinks and smoothies, all while retaining the fiber typically lost when using a juicer. However, the smoothies’ consistency is unappealing to some people, and if you make a drink you don’t end up liking, you may have wasted a significant amount of fruits of vegetables.
What can I make with a blender?
Since they’re more versatile than juicers, blenders let you make various foods and drinks. You can play around with ingredients to come up with your own recipes, but here are some of the most popular concoctions you can whip up using a blender:
- Fruit and vegetable smoothies.
- Alcoholic beverages, such as margaritas, pina coladas and strawberry daiquiris.
- Dressings.
- Pesto.
- Dipping sauces.
- Soups.
- Homemade peanut butter.
- Homemade almond milk.
- Pureed squash.
- Pizza sauce.
FAQ
Q. Are blenders and food processors the same?
A. They perform many of the same functions, such as chopping and dicing, but blenders can also pulverize and grind.
Q. Are blenders more expensive than juicers?
A. It depends on the features of each and how powerful they are. Some blenders and juicers can cost up to $500, but you can find something for starters between $50 and $200.
Best blenders
Vitamix Professional G Series 750
This high-end blender is expensive, but it offers several premium features, including automated blending with five pre-programmed settings, variable speed control and Pulse for fine-tuning the texture of any recipe. It has stainless steel blades and a 64-ounce container.
Where to buy: Sold by Amazon
Ninja Mega Kitchen Food Processor
With a powerful 1,500-watt motor, this blender is excellent for making smoothies. It has an 8-cup food processor bowl, a 16-ounce to-go cup and a blade that can make up to 2 pounds of dough in under 30 seconds.
Where to buy: Sold by Amazon and Home Depot
This compact blender uses a Crush Pro 4 blade to pulverize ice and chop down fruits and vegetables with precision. It offers 16 speed settings ranging from pulse to puree, and it has a 5-cup glass jar that’s dishwasher-safe and easy to clean.
Where to buy: Sold by Amazon
Best juicers
Breville Juice Fountain Cold Plus Juicer
With a space-saving design and simple operation, this juicer offers high performance and makes delicious fruit and vegetable juices. It has an extra-wide chute feed and uses Cold Spin technology to extract juice without sacrificing essential nutrients
Where to buy: Sold by Amazon
For those who want an affordable juicer with a straightforward design, this is an excellent bargain pick and works great. It has an extra-large pulp bin, a 3-inch feed chute that can fit a whole apple and removable parts that are dishwasher-safe.
Where to buy: Sold by Amazon
Omega Juice Extractor and Nutrition System
This juicer produces a high juice yield without losing essential vitamins and minerals from fruits and vegetables. It uses cold press technology and operates at 80 revolutions per minute to minimize heat buildup and oxidization.
Where to buy: Sold by Amazon and Wayfair
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