All-Purpose Juicers, $100 or less

Value-priced juicers can still perform well -- if you choose carefully

Finding the best balance of performance, ease of use and durability in a juicer is challenging to begin with; getting it all for $100 or less is even harder. The Breville Juice Fountain Compact BJE200XL (*Est. $100) may be at the limit of that price range, but it's much more durable than the nearest comparable model, the Hamilton Beach Big Mouth Pro 67650 (*Est. $70).

The Big Mouth Pro ranks near the top in one series of expert tests that compares juicers of all price ranges, but more than a thousand user-reviewers say the BJE200XL is just as good or better, and that it's strong enough to juice even hard vegetables like beets, which can cause the Big Mouth Pro to "go jumpy." Both juicers share a wide, 3-inch feed chute that minimizes, and sometimes completely eliminates, time spent chopping produce.

But the Breville BJE200XL is much more durable than the Big Mouth Pro; owners say you can expect it to last for years of juicing, while the Hamilton Beach juicer draws concern about plastic parts breaking (and the pieces being dispensed in the juice). The Hamilton Beach Big Mouth Pro 67650 gets slightly better reviews in terms of cleanup ease and time, but that's not enough to placate users who are annoyed about having to hold it down with both hands as it vibrates.

The Jack LaLanne Power Juicer Deluxe (*Est. $100) has been promoted heavily through infomercials, but doesn't always live up to its billing. "The more I use the appliance, the more it clogs," writes one frustrated Amazon.com reviewer. Its biggest plus is whisper-quiet operation, but even the impressive lifetime motor warranty can't keep vital plastic parts from disintegrating.