Customer Reviews

Amco Enameled Aluminum Lemon Squeezer

5 star:		(59)
4 star:		(14)
3 star:		(3)
2 star:		(10)
1 star:		(2)

 

 

Boy, from these reviews, people are very passionate about their lemon squeezers. This is my second Amco Enameled Aluminum Lemon Squeezer (or Lemon Thingy as it is called by those of us whose memories have been addled by time, fate and circumstance). My first Lemon Thingy was pilfered by a friend in retaliation for the theft of a potato peeler, so obviously it is a very good juicer or I would have tried a new one, but why tempt fate?

This is a darn good lemon squeezer and I will defend it against all nay-sayers. It's easy to use, the juice comes squooshing out quite nicely, and I have suffered no lemon-related injuries as a result of using the apparatus. One reviewer complained that the lemon thingy was not dishwasher safe. It never occured to me that a lemon squeezer required such thorough cleansing. I just rinse mine under cold water and throw it back in the drawer. Certainly my housekeeping skills would make Martha Stewart take the gaspipe, but who scrubs the lemon juicer?

Another reviewer rather ominously foresees the day when the pin holding the two sides together will break. Well, yeah, eventually. But maybe we'll all be dead by then, look at the bright side. Another saves her lemon squoosher for lemons and has a separate (green) one devoted especially to limes. Lord I admire that kind of organization. I'm always surprised that I remembered to get lemons or limes in the first place, let alone have segregated squeezing apparati for them. And of course, I am, admittedly, a wildcard when it comes to citrus. If I were to find an orange small enough, I'd squoosh it in the lemon thingy too. Without hesitation. Yeah, I'm like that. Don't mess with me. No telling what will happen.

I purchased this squeezer because it was highly recommended by Cook's Illustrated [which has reliable opinions]. I have found it to be everything they said and more. No matter how difficult the lemon, it extracts the most juice and leaves the pulp and seeds behind. I have arthritis in my hands but find this squeezer easy and comfortable to use. My juice extractor of choice was a reamer, but now I go for the Amco Squeezer instead. I also have the lime squeezer which is even more useful because limes are often dry and hard.

I've had both the yellow lemon squeezer and the green lime squeezer for nearly a year -- and now both of them are loosing their enamel. We use them a lot -- and I expected more.

Also, they don't give up the natural oils of the rinds in the dishwasher, and end up having to be washed by hand periodically. The small bowl shape is a real mess to try and clean.

I've owned several of these enameled aluminum citrus squeezers made in Mexico or Venezuela. They do the job, but I disagree that they are "dishwasher safe." If you wash them in a dishwasher at high temperatures the enamel paint will inevitably peel. Aluminum doesn't rust, but it still oxidizes, and the aluminum surface will turn a dark gray and feel rough.
Furthermore, the pin that holds the two handles together will corrode, and inevitably break.

We just moved to California and bought one of these to deal with the great little lemon tree in our backyard. It is wonderful! It's fast and efficient with super easy cleanup (I can't see why you would need to put it in the dishwasher and risk the paint peeling with how easy it is to clean). I would recommend it for light or heavy users without reservation.

I read about this squeezer in Cook's Illustrated magazine. They rarely steer you wrong on product reviews, so I bought 5 as Christmas gifts (and 1 for me). Everyone likes it! It turns the lemon half inside-out and really gets all the juice out. It's much neater than a hand reamer, and the seeds stay in the squeezer.

I use this as a lime squeezer...the lime-sized one is not quite big enough to fit a large lime. This works great. I bought a more expensive brand for my mom (OXO) and it doesn't work nearly as well.

The paint peels off after so long. Probably from the dishwasher or could be from the acid in the citrus. It hasn't fallen apart yet though or broken which is great and I've had it for many years. But I'm looking for a new one that doesn't have paint on it.

Pros - It squeezes lemons well. It's pretty easy to clean but (see cons). It's yellow which signifies 'lemon use' - so hopefully you won't mistake it for a garlic press or a tortilla warmer. It seems cool enough that Hemingway might use it. It isn't made or marketed by anyone named Martha or Paula or for god sakes, Rachel. No matter how cool you are, it's better than using your bare hands to make cocktails for one or more.

Cons - It's yellow, so the dumb might think you can't squeeze limes with it (actually, for that reason, file this under 'Pros'). It isn't as easy as it should be to clean - I mean, compared to a machine that requires disassembly to clean, it's easy - but the strange black scum that builds up after a good squeezing session is mysterious and takes some scrubbing to get off. Oxidation? No matter how cool you are, if you're making drinks for more than a couple of people, you should get a machine. There is definitely some waste that occurs (in your eye usually) - which brings me to the last con. I've had my fair share of eye squirts from this bad boy. It makes me wonder how much more juice is lost not in my eye but around my kitchen. And then it makes me wonder if I should care that much?

This baby squeezes with little effort. No more rolling the lemon and wearing out my hand trying to squeeze. No more seeds in my drinks! May be a little awkward for some to get your hands around the handles.