Waring Pro PJE401

Reviewers say the Waring Pro PJE401 (*Est. $200) is well made and extremely efficient -- except that you have to pause and clean the sieve basket after every couple cups of juice. Otherwise, the PJE401 starts vibrating so hard that the lid can come off (creating a predictable mess).

The bottom line

Because the Waring Pro PJE401 produces more juice than models that eject the pulp (as opposed to retaining it in the centrifugal basket), it can conceivably save you money in the long run. It's also less expensive than the well-regarded Breville Ikon Variable-Speed Juice Extractor BJE510XL (*Est. $200) and comes with a longer, five-year warranty.

However, the real issue is whether you're willing to clean the pulp basket with a spatula or your hand (or by throwing out the disposable filter) after every couple of cups of juice, or even more frequently if you're juicing soft fruit. If you don't stop for the periodic cleanings, the juicer can vibrate so hard causing the lid to come off, which can create quite a mess. If you're not willing to navigate this hazard, the Breville BJE510XL receives higher marks in speed, power and ease of use (and cleanup).

Performance

With the PJE401, you get more juice, but also more hassle. Like most juice extractors, the Waring Pro PJE401 uses centrifugal force to separate liquids from solids, but the pulp remains in the straining basket, which must be emptied periodically during juicing. The trade-off for this inconvenience is greater juice extraction; the PJE401 was one of two models that produced the most juice in an older, but still useful, comparative review published in The Wall Street Journal. (This juicer is also sold as the Acme Supreme Juicerator 6001, which is the model referenced in that review.) Users agree that it yields lots of juice and leaves the resulting pulp drier than you'd encounter with a conventional centrifugal juicer. "Cleanest pulp-free juice," notes a cursory review published on Juicing.com.

A few user reviewers note that the PJE401 can get a little loud, but that's not necessarily a deal-breaker. "Yes it can vibrate some and yes it can get a little noisy when juicing, but that power backing the motor is incredible," writes one reviewer on Amazon.com. However, some say that juicing softer fruits -- including soft apples -- "can throw it off balance." Others echo the same problem, saying the juicer vibrates and "walks" so vigorously that the lid can come off, resulting in the predictable mess. Several Amazon reviewers say cleaning out the sieve basket periodically (after every couple glasses of juice) helps to avoid the vibration problem.

Ease of use

Tops for easy cleanup -- if you don't mind buying filters. The Wall Street Journal review notes that the optional disposable filters make for "effortless cleanup" -- just throw the old filter out and insert a new one. The obvious downside is having to pay for extra filters (which are also sold under the Acme brand to accompany the Supreme Juicerator 6001). Finding the filters could be a hassle, but we saw them online at prices ranging from $7 to $15 per pack of 200.

Using the disposable filters isn't required. However, if you don't, some owners say cleanup becomes a chore, and having to periodically scoop or scrape pulp out of the sieve basket when it becomes overloaded can be frustrating. (An external pulp bin is much more convenient.)

Durability

No news is good news … probably. Reviewers are largely silent about the Waring Pro PJE401's durability, but that's usually a positive sign. We did find a few complaints that the motor shuts off automatically after juicing just a few pieces of fruit, but these reports are more than five years old. So if there was a problem at that time, it seems to have been remedied. The five-year warranty on the motor is an encouraging vote for the manufacturer's confidence in its own product. (Many juicers only come with a standard one-year warranty.)