Black & Decker CJ525 CitrusMate Plus Citrus Juicer
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Kitchen and Housewares Reviews of Black & Decker CJ525 CitrusMate Plus Citrus Juicer
Customer Review: Not Bad For Nominal Use...
Summary: 3 Stars
I started using the CitrusMate Plus in late August and it's now officially dying (gears are grinding and cone is not turning when decent pressure is applied]. IN ALL FAIRNESS this is not a bad juicer for those who like a glass of orange juice for breakfast, or occasionally juice lemons for cooking. The power was surprisingly decent (I say surprisingly because my expectations were not that high) and it came with a handy, additional cone for larger fruit sizes. The design is good and features a generous 34 oz. pitcher, and clean up is easy. So I don't have a lot of personal complaints and the unit also had pretty good reviews overall.
HOWEVER, it should be noted that if you plan on juicing a 5lb. bag or two of lemons PER WEEK, this is probably NOT your juicer. I'm sure this unit was intended for 'consumer' and not commercial use, yet I'm torn between expecting a 'lower-priced model' to fail from excessive use versus expecting a somewhat longer lifespan 'regardless.' Part of me is disappointed that it is conking out already so I'm kinda on the fence with this one. It's hard to say whether I prematurely wore it out or that this model has a limited lifespan out of the box. And one month is a rather short lifespan!
My suggestion is to choose a juicer carefully based on your personal needs and usage demands. I'm going to try the 'Tribest Citrus Juicer' based on the good reviews. It's almost twice as expensive but may be better suited for my particular juicing needs.
Customer Review: If it lasts, it will be near-perfect
Summary: 4 Stars
It's grapefruit season and wth 18 lb. bags only $5, it's time to make juice again. Used to use a glass hand-juicer and that is just too hard and time consuming. So after first considering an extractor (bad idea for citrus), I starting looking at simple juicers. This B&D gets as good reviews as any and is inexpensive (twenty bucks at Target). So I bought one and just went through eight large Texas ruby red grapefruits in maybe 15 minutes...with ease, including a couple of clean-outs along the way to get excess pulp out of strainer.
It gets just about all the flesh out and makes a nice pulpy juice, the kind I like, on the medium setting. Little splatter. Easy clean-up.
Now, I do wonder about the longevity of this thing. I think the motor is adequately strong; if you apply moderate pressure (which is plenty since you are just dealing with citrus), it will not stall. The self-reversing is just a little disconcerting because it seems to happen haphazardly. But, the several people who have reported quick deaths of their units do give one reason to pause.
I kind of wish B&D charged another ten to twenty bucks for the thing and made it feel (and maybe act) more durable.
Maybe it will be durable, but those posts...
With a bit bigger motor and more confidence-inspiring construction, this simple device would be perfect. It works great.
Now, for another glass of that grapefruit juice.
Customer Review: Not what I needed, as noted by my earlier comment on the most helpful review post
Summary: 1 Stars
Cuisinart CCJ-100 Citrus Pro Juicer
All in all, this juicer did not perform the tasks I needed it to perform.
To avoid bias, here are criteria I've based my decision on.
Cons:
1. The juice spout leaked.
2. The base of the motor did not stay still on the counter, resulting in juice spilling on such counter on a regular basis.
3. The measuring containers to catch the juice do not effectively fit against the juicer, exacerbating the whole "leaking due to instability."
4. The pulp catcher clogs, and should be emptied every 3-4 fruits.
5. The plastic lid used to push down the fruit is of poor design.
*Pushing and holding the actual citrus by hand saves time and yields more juice.*
Pros:
1. Extracts more juice than traditional juicers
2. Dishwasher safe to a degree
3. Looks good in a stainless steel kitchen.
4. Takes up little counter space
5. Can be stashed in a cabinet, taking up little space.
6. Low prices can be found.
I do not recommend this juicer.
I'm returning it tomorrow, and replacing it withBlack & Decker CJ625 30-Watt 34-Ounce Citrus Juicer
Good luck with your purchases!
Customer Review: Juiced
Summary: 5 Stars
After much juicer research, I purchased the CJ525 with Cook's Illustrated's high marks being the deciding factor.
Unlike some reviews seen here, I've found this Juicer to have all the torque I need; whether it be grapefruit, various oranges, typical Meyer lemons or Persian limes- I've not had any issues.
My main concern was the ability to juice tiny Key Limes; would the reamers be too large to facilitate? Well, Yes and No... Yes, they are too large but using two hands to hold the Key Limes steady proved to work just fine. Not as comfortable as one-handed orange work but MUCH faster than a hand reamer which had become tiresome long ago. I wonder why I didn't buy this sooner, especially with all the time I've saved (zesting the Key Limes notwithstanding).
Regarding the pulp filter-- I typically do not rely on it and simply keep the filter wide open, which still filters the seeds. Afterward, depending on the context like Key Lime pies or Champagne Mimosas, I just pour the juice through a fine strainer and I'm good-to-go.
To sum up: This has provided much more torque than I expected, and I've pushed fairly hard. The price is lower than I was willing to pay and the juicer was a surprise considering I didn't expect Black & Decker to produce a decent kitchen appliance. Easy to clean too!
I've recommended this little guy to a good many food-friends.
Customer Review: Florida Girl with Citrus Trees Approved!
Summary: 5 Stars
This juicer is awesome. It is light and small in size which makes it not only easy to store but makes me willing use it all the time - no dread of lugging out some huge, heavy contraption. I live in South Florida and have a yard full of grapefruit, orange and key lime trees - this juicer does them all like a champ. With the two sizes of the juicing cone, one juicer takes care of all of my citrus. The strainer pops apart very easily and is a snap to clean with running water alone! You do not need to apply much pressure when using the juicer which allows you to juice many fruit in a row since your arm doesn't get tired. I love the adjustable pulp strainer - my husband likes lots of pulp, I like a little, and some friends just like the juice alone - no problem with this little workhorse. I also love that it gets all the juice out of the fruit - the fruit is dry after going on top of this machine! The juice flows right into the pitcher which makes it perfect for pouring right into your glass or into any other container - pitchers, plastic zip top bags, etc. I had looked and looked for a good juicer and most were expensive, bulky, hard to clean, etc. but not this great machine. I was skeptical since it is so cheap, but thought, "Well, what do I have to lose since I'm not spending much on it?" - now I'm in love with it. I'm such a fan that I just bought a second one to take to our vacation house!