- Purchase a quality juicing machine based on the amount of juice you plan to consume. A standard model costing anywhere from $50 to $100 is ideal if you plan to juice only a few times per week. A more advanced model, which can cost anywhere from $150 to $500, should be considered if you plan to make juicing part of your everyday routine. Utilize the Internet to read customer reviews of popular models before choosing one that is best for you. Read the instructions for the model you purchase thoroughly before using it. All machines differ, and you will need to know what types of fruits you can use, if you need to peel them and proper operation techniques.
- Experiment with different kinds of fruits, vegetables and herbs for juicing, even those that may at first sound strange. Combine your vegetables with fruits if you prefer a sweeter juice or are worried you may not like a vegetable juice. The flavor of many vegetables is masked by the sweetness of fruit, adding a unique taste and more vitamins. Consider combinations such as apple, carrot and orange; cucumber and pear or pineapple; pineapple and mint; orange and greens, such as spinach or collard greens; pineapple, cucumber and ginger root; strawberry and watermelon; or passion fruit and mango.
- Buy fresh produce for juicing, and use it within three to four days for the best flavor. Wash and scrub the fruits and vegetables thoroughly before using. Peel any items that have a hard, rough or waxed skin, such as citrus fruits, pineapple or kiwi. Read your juicer instruction manual; many high-quality machines may not require that you remove skins, and they will also warn against which fruits will not work in your juicer, such as those with soft flesh like bananas and avocados. Cut the fruit and vegetables into pieces small enough to fit into the mouth of your juicing machine. Remove large or hard pits, such as those in peaches, but small seeds, such as those in apples or oranges, can be left in the fruit.
- Use three to four pieces of whole fruit the size of apples or oranges to yield about 8 oz. of juice. Make several juices at one time. There is no need to clean the machine between each variety. Alternate the order for which you insert ingredients for combination juices into the machine. For example, when making pineapple juice with mint, start with two pieces of pineapple, add seven leaves of mint and end with two more pieces of pineapple.
- Clean the machine immediately after making juice. This will prevent particles from hardening, making cleaning much more difficult. Take the machine apart according to directions. Rinse thoroughly under water if it is not dishwasher safe. Use a vegetable brush to remove particles from the screen. Compost the pulp if possible, or use pulp from pineapple and similar fruits for baking. Vegetable pulp can be used for soups. Allow all parts to dry thoroughly before reassembling the machine.
