It seems like a lot of these reviews are written by beginners who are reviewing the practice of juicing itself, rather than reviewing the machine for which this page is all about.
To new juicers who haven't ever juiced before: Yes, there is clean-up involved. Yes, there will be organic particulate matter in the juice-machine made juice (this is actually a good thing), much more so than heavily strained 'store bought' juices. If you're looking for a magic machine where you can throw fruits and veggies into a chute and out pops a bottle of Welches, sorry. That's Star Trek, not juicing... and even if that's what the juicer accomplished, if that's what you want, then why buy a juicer in the first place?
The reason we juice is because we want our juices to be totally natural, without additives and preservatives, and with all of the nutrients inherent to the fruit or veggie left intact. You do not get this when you buy a bottle of crystal clear juice at the supermarket. The sacrifice we make for the superior juice is effort and higher cost. The reward is juice that is hugely superior to anything you can buy in a bottle.
Anyway, on to the machine.
This is an exceptional entry level machine. If you buy one and find yourself so enamored by juicing that you want to totally incorporate it into your life, you can eventually consider moving on to a Greenstar or a Breville. For everyone else, this machine is a great starting point and for most of us, is the ending point as well.
I own 4 juicers, running the spectrum of quality from $19.95 to $300. The Lalanne has become the workhorse of the lot. In comparing the LaLanne Classic to the other juicers, it's very apparent that it seriously outperforms the lower quality juicers in the way of juice extraction, and is actually comparable to the higher end units- the difference certainly isn't more than their respective differences in cost. On certain online discussion forums, "Juicer Snobs" often laugh at the Lalanne, but I would wager that these people haven't ever compared one to their $400 unit. If they had, they might be regretting their pricier purchase.
The feed chute is nice and large, and the powerful motor is strong enough to really wring out the fluids. No, the pulp doesn't come out 'completely dry' (as they suggest on TV) but the machine does a very good job in separating and anyone who is used to a cheapie juicer will be very impressed.
Clean up isn't that bad on the Lalanne. One thing any long time juicer will tell you is that clean-up should always be done right away. The moment you are finished juicing your F&V's, toss the components into the dish washer and clean your blade immediately. Trust me on this- it will save you a lot of time and headache. What takes two minutes to rinse and scrub off immediately after juicing can become a 1/2 hour chore if it's left to dry and stick.
The machine has a lifetime warranty on the motor (which is the only part you really have to be concerned about) but bear in mind that the warranty is for the original purchaser only, so if you get one as a gift, you will definitely need the receipt. If you get one second hand, you're pretty much out the warranty (I've never had to use the warrant service, but reports have it that they're pretty good and relatively quick). The "return postage fee" for motor service is $29.95 plus another $20 that it will cost you to send it in, so I would suggest that if it ever does break, keep an eye out for a new-used one, rather than having the old one rebuilt. You can get Lalanne juicers that were very lightly (if ever) used for $50-$60 on Amazon, Craigslst and other sites... Juicers suffer from "Exciting Kitchen Appliance Syndrome" where a lot of people buy them, use them once then stick them under the counter and forget about them. This is good for second hand buyers.
Anyway, that's all. Overall, four stars of five. It's not a $400 juicer, but it's very close and of course, it doesn't cost $400 either.
***** Edit- 2 1/2 Years Later ***************************
My machine is still going strong, but I did feel compelled to come back and edit this review with an update.
I purchased one of these as a Birthday gift and it failed straight away. I bought at the retail level, so I took it back and got a new one. That one has been going strong through daily use for 6 months now.
Perhaps the LaLane Juicer People found a new workshop in Asia to make the newer units, but I must admit, the initial- almost instantaneous- breakage bothered me a bit, especially since I've been such a cheerleader of these for so long now. As such, I'm updating my review and lowering my star rating from Four to Three Stars.
In reading over the other reviews, it seems that the product line suffers from significant, erratic quality control issues. If you get one that works, you're really in the chips with a fantastic product... If you get one that breaks, well, yeah. You're going to consider it junk and tell anyone who will listen.
Product manufacturers are smart people. They read these reviews.
I would suggest to the manufacturers of the LaLanne Juicer that some books be mandatory reading at their overseas workshop.
- Everything ever written by W. Edwards Demming; focus intently on those passages that relate to industrial quality.
- Kaizen: The Key To Japan's Competitive Success
If you start making a juicer that rarely breaks- as opposed to a juicer that is a crapshoot right out of the box- you wouldn't even need Jack LaLanne to endorse it. It would sell itself. The design itself is really great, but your implementation seems to be dicey, which is seriously impacting you reputation and goodwill with your customers. If you don't think quality control is important, perhaps a conversation with American auto manufactures might help you see things a bit better.
Anyway, this still does come highly recommended, but now, I would suggest that you only buy at the retail level, where you can take it back if you get a lemon.