I did my fair share of research before buying Breville BJE820XL. Like a lot of other folks in the market for a new juicer, I'm hesitant to dole out $300-$400 on a machine like this without some assurance its a good machine and worth the money.
I bought this for $350.00 in December 2015.
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Couple of things:
1.) I've owned a Breville Juice Fountain before. Purchased the first one 7+ year ago and gave it to a family member after I upgraded to a Norwalk Cold Press Juicer. I have some idea of comparisons.
2.) Unless you are following the Gershon lifestyle SAVE your money and DON'T buy a Norwalk. They're fabulous machines and top-quality (with a price that commiserates), but they are huge, cumbersome and more difficult to use.
I've also used a Champion juicer...there are die-hard fans, but I can't get into the Champion line of juicing. The only thing it does do better is wheat grass and nuts.
3.) Breville has made AMAZING improvements in the last 7+ years since I first purchased the first juice fountain.
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My Review:
My objective in buying this juicer was to do juice fasts and to incorporate healthy juices into my daily life, consistently.
PROS:
1.) Well built. I LOVE having more of the stainless steel parts and pieces. They are better built, easier to clean, and IMO more sanitary. Once I'm finished juicing, I rinse the parts in warm water, brush the basket, and toss in the dishwasher. Easy-Peasy!
2.) The dial to control the speed is a really big plus for me and one of the main reasons I chose this model. It truly does make it worth the extra $50 bucks (compared the next model down). You can really dial-it-down for greens (kale, spinach, etc.,) and extract more green from the leafy goods. As well as have more middle ground with fruits and veggies that need something faster than "1" but no where near as intense as "5." This was previously harder, for me to control, with the toggle switch that you see on the other models.
This also allows it to really knock out its competition of other machines that tout their slower masticating features. This now essentially does both.
3.) The puree blade: This is simple to use, just set it in, instead of the razor basket, and it does a superb job at making baby foods, applesauce, frozen banana 'ice-cream' etc., etc. This feature was the second major reason I chose this model. For only $50 dollars more you get a lot more functionality and purpose.
4.) The motor on this beast is impressive. I own a Blend-Tec professional blender and the previously mentioned Norwalk. This Breville is on par with those items (at a fraction of the costs) with its ability to keep up and literally chew through anything I've put in there without issue.
Again, for so little money more, it's worth having the larger, more capable motor which was the third big selling point from my perspective.
5.) For some reason, this machine does not heat up your juices (which is VERY good). I've tested the temps and they're minimal (2-3 degrees warmer) than your starting point. This matters for those who juice a lot that don't want to loose nutrients. Even at the higher speeds for 1-2 hours of juicing there was minimal heating up. Kudos to Breville on this. Not even the Norwalk (to my surprise and dismay) can keep up with that!!!
CONS:
1.) For me, at this point, there aren't any. I'm a critic and would be the first in line to offer anything I didn't like or felt was a ripoff. But I'm sincerely pleased and impressed with this juicer. One of the few things (kitchen gadgets) I've purchased in the last couple of years that has been this well rounded, with a good design, and most importantly worth the money.
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