The 5 Jack LaLanne Power Juicer Machines

If you are interest in the Jack LaLanne Power Juicer machines you may have noticed that there are a several different models to choose from. In fact, there are 5 in total. This guide will explain to you the difference between these models so you can get an idea of which one is best for you. Regardless of which one you buy they all consist of the same basic features. So let's take a look at what you can expect from any Jack LaLanne Power Juicer machine, before breaking down the differences between each model

Every Jack LaLanne Power Juicer is equipped with a powerful motor that delivers 3.600 RPM (revolutions per minute).  This is why you can expect a glass of juice in just 10 seconds! However, to create juice this quickly a motor needs a quality blade to accompany it. The blades in all Power Juicer machines are made with surgical quality stainless steel; there is no rusting and the blades are as sharp as a razor. The 3" wide circular feed chute is the last feature that ties all the models together. This feed chute is big enough to fit some fruits and vegetables whole without any need for halving or quartering. Other fruits and vegetables only require minimal prepping.

The Power Juicer Classic
The Power Juicer Classic is the entry level model, it's the white plastic machine that you see on the famous Jack LaLanne Power Juicer infomercial. You can pick up this great juicer for the very low price of $90 at amazon or eBay. As happy as people generally are with this machine, the basic complaint is that the spout is not 'drip-free'. When you are finished making your juice and you remove the glass or container, the spout will still slowly drip on the counter.

Click Here to learn more about the Power Juicer Classic

The Power Juicer Express
Take the Power Juicer Classic and make it a little smaller and you have the Power Juicer Express. That's it really! It's space-saving model.

Click Here to View the Power Juicer Express in Red, Black or White

The Power Juicer Deluxe
The Power Juicer Deluxe fixes the main issue of the Power Juicer Classic by featuring a 'drip-free' spout that you can hinge upwards to avoid messing dripping. The Power Juicer Deluxe is made of stylish stainless steel rather than white plastic components.

Click Here to Learn more about the Power Juicer Deluxe

The Power Juicer Pro
The Power Juicer Pro is the Power Juicer Deluxe with a different filter. That's the only difference. The filter in the Power Juicer pro is made from pure stainless steel and is extra-fine to deliver extra-fine juice, This is the model for those who don't like even the tiniest of pulp particles making it into their fresh juice.

Click Here to learn more about the Power Juicer Pro

The Power Juicer Elite
The Power Juicer Elite is the top-end model. It is a little bigger than all the other Power Juicers because it features something called 'soy technology'. This gives the Power Juicer Elite the ability to juice beans and nuts in addition to fruits and vegetables. If you like fresh soy milk or fresh almond milk, this is the model for you!

Breville 800Jexl Juice Fountain Elite and Jack LaLanne Power Juicer Comparison

Breville and Jack LaLanne Juicer Comparison
Ok, so the Breville 800JEXL Juice Fountain and The Jack LaLanne Power Juicer machines are two of the most popular centrifugal style juice extractors. Both are best-sellers. So which one should you buy? Well, if you got the money, the Breville 800JEXL is the way to go. It will cost you about $260 which is $170 more than the Jack LaLanne Power Juicer Classic ($90 a piece), but you are getting a lot for the money. If you only got around a $100 to spend, then the Jack LaLanne Power Juicer is still a great option! For more great reviews check out whichjuicermachine.com

So what has the Breville got that Jack Don't?
First and foremost about 4 time as much oomph! The Power Juicers are not short on power, churning out a respectable 3600RPM, but the Breville 800JEXL goes the extra 4000 miles and pumps out 14,000RPM! If you get scared you can switch it to half speed. There is no vegetable tough enough to slow the Breville down, not even close. Potatoes and beets, which are the most tough of produce, don't even cause the Breville to blink an eye. It will juice them as if they are strawberries. The Power Juicer will begin to 'cough' when a potato or beet is thrown its way. You need to be careful, so that the motor doesn't burn out. In fact, it is better to avoid juicing such tough vegetables altogether. However, the Jack LaLanne Power Juicer is strong enough to handle all other vegetables just fine. Carrots, broccoli, celery and the like, are all fair game. All fruits are not problem, with or without peels. You can juice orange in a Power Juicer with its peel on, but it will slow the machine a little, but it will juice it. You put an unpeeled orange in the Breville and it won't even flutter, it can even juice pineapple with its rind on, no problemo.

So that's the key difference between these two juicers. A little powerful compared to outragious power.

The Breville is a bigger machine and a more well-built machine to harbor all that power. Think Mercedez Benz. The stainless steel design is also very attractive and is a true center piece for any kitchen. Check out the Breville in the video below, the guy shows you how easy this machine turns a variety of fruits and vegetables into juice. Below that video, check out the infomercial to see the Jack LaLanne Juicer comparison.



Click Here for more info about the Breville 800JEXL
Click Here to Buy the Breville 800JEXL



Other Comparisons
The feed chute of both these juicers is 3" wide, so they both accept some fruits and veggies whole. The difference is that the Breville can juice as much as you can fit in it, even 5 carrots at a time. You will need to dial that back a little for the Power Juicer. The pulp container on both machines is about the same size, which is pretty darn big. This allows for a lot of continious juicing before you need to empty out the pulp.

Bottom Line
Buy what you can afford! Both are great juicers in their own right. For $90 you will not be dissapointed with the Jack LaLanne Power Juicer. For $260 you will absolutely be loving the Breville.

Update June 19th 2011:
There is another great option here and that is the Breville BJE200XL. This acclaimed juicer is regarded as the best budget juicer with rave reviews and for good reason. For $100 this machine packs way more punch than the Jack LaLanne Juicer machines.

This juicer delivers 13,000 RPM's compared to 3,600 RPM's of the Jack Juicers, that's about 4 times as much! Check out the real world video below to see the Breville BJE200XL at work at home. Notice how 2 whole carrots are ground down with ease, how the apples just need to be sliced in half only to fit, and how a whole lemon is juiced with its tough skin on!

What is a Centrifugal Juice Extractor?

The Jack LaLanne Power Juicer machines are an example of a centrifugal juice extractor. Centrifugal juice extractors use centrifugal force, which means moving away from the center, in combination with a high-speed spinning blade to extract the juice out of fruits and vegetables. First, produce is placed into a vertical feed chute where it drops down and comes into contact with the blade at the bottom. We then need to use a pusher to push fruits and vegetables firmly into the blade.

The blade in a centrifugal juice extractors is essential a round disc, most commonly made of stainless steel. In the disc you normally find one large blade built in and many small serrated edges constituting the rest of this disc, kind of like a cheese grater (take a look at the pic to the right).

Now, as fruits and vegetables get chopped and ground down into tiny pieces these pieces then get thrown outwards by the centrifugal force that is created by the high-speed at which the disc rotates. Completely surrounding this disc is a filter against which the pulp pieces are thrown. This force extracts additional juice upon that which is released by the cutting action of the blade. And that's the fundamental process through which a centrifugal juice extractor works.

Any given centrifugal juicer will vary in our fast it operates. The blade in a Jack LaLanne Power Juicer rotates at 3,600 RPM, while a Breville 800JEXL Juice Fountain delivers 14,000 RPM. The Breville 800JEXL is about as fast as centrifugal juicers get!

Juicing Tips for Using the Jack LaLanne Power Juicer

Power Juicer Blade - Not Ideal for Leafy greens

Just like any other juicer machine the Jack LaLanne Power Juicer machines have their pros and cons, and we need to take this into account when juicing so that we get the best out of our Power Juicers.

The main strength of the Power Juicer machines is the power and speed, they can turn most fruits and vegetables into a juice in 10 seconds or less. Solid produce like apples, pears, carrots, broccoli, among many others, work best. However, with speed also comes limitations.  Thin, or low substance vegetables are not ideal for this machine. Wheat grass cannot be juiced effectively at all. It is just too thin, and the high speed juicing doesn't give it the time it needs to be juiced effectively. The juice yield from wheat grass is almost non-existent! Leafy greens like spinach, kale and lettuce are not ideal either, but they fair better than ultra-thin wheat grass. The best way to juice leafy greens is to wet them first and roll them into a ball to give them 'substance', this will get more juice out of them. The juice yield will still be sub-par (as compared to masticating juicer machines) but a little is better than nothing.

Even with the power of the Jack LaLanne Power Juicer machines, they will start to struggle with the real tough vegetables like beets, yams and potatoes. It is better to juice these vegetables infrequently to avoid over-stressing the motor. When we do juice them, it is better to cut them into smaller chunks to make it easier on the motor. Don't put too much in at once either, just feed in as much as the juicer can handle. All other vegetables are a fair game, and are usually juiced without problem or complaint.

For some general juicing advice that pertains to any juicing machine, don't juice bananas, papayas and avocados. These are best juiced in a blender. These fruits have very low water content, and you have to juice loads of them just to get the smallest amount of juice. They will also clog your juicer up quickly and leave you with a mess to clean up! Trust me - put them in the blender!

Why Choose A Jack LaLanne Stainless Steel Power Juicer?

You will notice that the Jack LaLanne Power Juicer machines are made with solid white plastic components or stainless steel. Less common, but still an option are the machines made with black plastic. The Jack LaLanne stainless steel power juicer models, naturally, are more expensive than their white (or black) plastic counter-parts. The stainless steel Power Juicer machines are generally in the $120 - $150 price range, with the plastic machines selling for $90 - $100.

It is important to note that the white plastic models, which are the Power Juicer Classic and the Power Juicer Express, are very sturdy machines even if they are not made with stainless steel. There is not much in it, if we are talking about strength. However, there are other reasons that people choose a Jack LaLanne stainless steel power juicer over the plastic machines.

First, stainless steel looks nicer. You cant beat the look of a stainless steel juicer, and even if the white plastic Power Juicer machines are solid, whit plastic still has a 'cheap appearance' about it. Second, and most importantly, stainless steel doesn't stain! A major complaint with the white plastic models is that they get stained from the juice they are making, especially from carrot juice.  And as time goes on they start to get more unsightly. The black plastic machines also get stained, but the black coloring disguises it somewhat, compared to 'show-all' white.

If the staining is an issue for you, then it worth spending the extra $20 - $50 to avoid this issue. The three stainless steel models are the Power Juicer Deluxe, Power Juicer Pro, and the Power Juicer Elite. Enjoy a stain-free future!

Jack LaLanne Power Juicer Classic

Tristar 70-oz. Jack LaLanne's™ White Classic Power Juicer, White Fast, healthy, fresh juice can be yours in just seconds with the "Original Juicing Machine" -- Jack LaLanne's Power Juicer™. This commercial quality unit has special, patented juice extraction technology which extracts up to 30 more juice than other juicers. The 3,600 RPM motor packs a punch, but operates quietly --- and comes with a lifetime guarantee. Extra-large feeder chute ensures easy juicing of a wide variety of fruits and vegetables and dishwasher safe parts make cleaning a breeze. Features: Special patented juice extraction technology with extra-large round feeder and super sized detachable pulp collector 3,600 RPM motor has lifetime guarantee and whisper quiet operation Commercial quality with Good Housekeeping Seal of Approval Bonus power juicing recipe guide Built-In safety features