Hamilton Beach Big Mouth Pro 67650

The Hamilton Beach Big Mouth Pro's plastic construction concerns some users, but its 3-inch feed chute and generally good juicing operation (it does best with softer fruits and vegetables, however) make it a good choice in its price class.

The bottom line

It's certainly worth noting that the Hamilton Beach Big Mouth Pro 67650 has performed well in expert tests. However, numerous reports about plastic components breaking (and being dispensed with the juice) are a definite source of concern.

Despite durability concerns over this and other issues (such as plastic parts that simply melt, rendering the juicer useless), the Big Mouth Pro still gets overall positive ratings; those who love it really love it, enough to overlook its shortcomings. Value and ease of use are the Big Mouth Pro's two strongest points, but for just $30 more you can own the Breville Juice Fountain Compact BJE200XL (*Est. $100), which does a much better job of handling hard vegetables like beets and carrots, and has a much better track record of durability overall.

Performance

Not bad for its price, but a little uneven. Most users say that the Hamilton Beach Big Mouth Pro 67650 single-speed juicer is quick and efficient, and it earns a very good score for its juicing performance in one professional test. That said, it does have definite limitations -- though many are willing to overlook those in exchange for this juicer's low cost.

The Big Mouth Pro 67650 works well for juicing softer fruits and vegetables; however, as one user on Walmart.com explains, the "juicer goes jumpy" if you try to juice harder vegetables (which, for him, include pears, carrots and lemons). Other users agree, reporting mixed results when attempting to juice beets or carrots. "It does a relatively good job, but not perfect, at extracting juice completely," explains one Amazon.com reviewer.

It's also worth noting that the Hamilton Beach Big Mouth Pro 67650 is loud; however, most users seem willing to tolerate the noise in exchange for fast, powerful juicing at a bargain price. "Yes, it is very noisy, as other reviewers have said, but that noise lasts only as the fruit … is going down the chute," explains one owner at Viewpoints.com.

Ease of use

Easy to use, but can run away. The wide, 3-inch feed chute of the Hamilton Beach Big Mouth Pro 67650 means you don't have to chop fruits or vegetables as much before juicing, although it's not always large enough for whole, large apples. "Easy to assemble," notes author Kristin Donnelly in Food & Wine magazine; the Big Mouth Pro also earns the highest score possible for convenience from one independent research organization.

Cleanup is easy thanks to a large pulp container (which doesn't need to be emptied as often as that of comparable models), an included cleaning brush and dishwasher-safe parts. "This one easily makes about two quarts of juice before needing to be emptied," writes one reviewer on Viewpoints.com, adding that he can clean the Big Mouth Pro in about five minutes. An Amazon.com user describes the cleanup process: "Just rinse out and put the parts in the dishwasher."

However, we found a number of complaints regarding stability. As one Amazon.com user puts it, "You need two hands on this thing, otherwise it will fly off the deck." Several reviewers on Walmart.com note that you have to hold the pulp cup and juice cup in place to prevent leaks. Another Amazon.com owner dourly observes that she'll be "scraping kale pulp off of every surface in my kitchen for the foreseeable future" because the juicer's top vent isn't covered by a screen. A smattering of reviewers also complain that the Big Mouth Pro is big and bulky, and takes up a lot of counter space.

Durability

Durability may be the Big Mouth Pro's biggest downfall. Most owners love how their Hamilton Beach Big Mouth Pro 67650 performs -- until it stops performing. "I bought this [in] May 2012 and today it decided to stop working and the motor started smoking and melted," writes one unhappy owner on Amazon.com (posting in mid-August of the same year). Another writes that the plastic gear on top of the motor shaft melted off after about three months of use.

Most troubling are a handful of user reports complaining of plastic from the juicer ending up in their juice. "I don't know where they were coming from but they are the color of the inside plastic piece where the grinding mechanism is seated," says one Amazon.com reviewer. Another expounds on the problem: "Each time I used it, the vibration grew stronger and the noise grew louder. Finally it started to eat itself and pieces of plastic started shooting out of the little spout where the juice is supposed to flow from."

The Hamilton Beach Big Mouth Pro 67650 does come with a one-year limited warranty, but disappointed owners didn't have much to say about how well that warranty was honored (or if they even bothered trying to redeem it).