Blender vs. Juicer: Which Should You Get?
Two of the most popular processors for fruits and veggies are blenders and juicers. Both devices are fully capable of taking any fruit or vegetable and processing them down into a delicious drink packed with essential nutrients.
But there’s a reason why both blenders and juicers exist and not just one or the other:
They operate in entirely different ways, and each has its unique pros and cons.
- Juicers
Juicers operate by separating the fiber, pulp, and juice from fruits and vegetables. They usually require more produce to create the same volume of juice as a blender.
The two most common types of juicers are centrifugal and masticating juicers.
Centrifugal juicers work significantly faster than other types of juice machines by way of a rotating blade. This blade separates the juice from the produce while spinning at high speeds. Centrifugal juicers are mostly good for processing hard fruits and vegetables, such as apples, celery, and carrots.
Masticating juicers work much slower and are, therefore, also known as slow juicers or cold press juicers. They use a combination of grinding and crushing techniques to separate the liquids from the produce. Masticating juicers are great for juicing a variety of fruits and veggies, including citruses and wheatgrass.
Juicers are beneficial because they can create healthy drinks, much more concentrated in nutrients. They are also an excellent choice for those who prefer or need lower fiber diets.
However, they cannot work with any ingredients other than fruits and vegetables, and they also require more maintenance and clean-up than blenders. On top of that, juicers are also usually more expensive.
If you want to get started with juicing then check out this beginner guide.
- Blenders
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Blenders use a rotating blade to process whole fruits, vegetables, and other ingredients into a creamy, thick drink.
Unlike juicers, blenders do not remove fiber from the liquid and are therefore a much better choice for creating smoothies, soups, purees, or frozen drinks. Some blenders can even be used for chopping up vegetables.
The three most common types of blenders are standard blenders, immersion blenders, and high-powered blenders.
Standard blenders consist of a pitcher that sits atop a base, immersion blenders create purees or soups in a bowl, and high-powered blenders are essentially a food processor and blender combined into one.
Blenders are a superior choice if you want to create thicker and more filling drinks. In addition to fruits and vegetables, you can also use blenders to process ingredients such as Greek yogurt, milk, nuts, or most types of seeds.
However, they cannot create drinks that are as concentrated or low in fiber as juicers can.
- Nutrition: Juicers vs. Blenders
If you’ve done any research so far, you’ve no doubt heard different opinions about which machine can create more nutritious drinks.
So, just from a nutritional perspective, should you go with a juicer or a blender?
Well, many people argue that blenders create more nutritious drinks because they preserve fiber when juicing does not. Nutrients consumed together with fiber are more slowly digested by your body and produce energy at a slower and steadier rate. That is true, but it doesn’t mean that juicers cannot create nutritious drinks on their own.
Juicers, for instance, will usually do a better job of extracting certain nutrients such as vitamin C than blenders will. And they are great for turning different superfoods into highly concentrated shots.
Both juicers and blenders can produce a large volume of anti-inflammatory compounds that are beneficial for protecting your heart and body against different diseases.
All in all, both blenders and juicers can create highly nutritious and flavorful drinks! It’s just a matter of whether you prefer having a smoothie rich in fiber, or a juice with a higher concentration of nutrients.
- Conclusion
When it comes to choosing between a juicer or a blender, go with the latter if you wish to create creamy smoothies for breakfast with lots of different ingredients. You should go with a juicer if you want to make more concentrated drinks that are not as filling.
Just remember that juicers usually cost more than blenders and also require more produce to create the same volume of drinks as well.
Thank you,
Glenda, Charlie and David Cates
