Omega VERT VSJ843QS Square Version Review

The VSJ843 is one of the newest Omega vertical juicers in the market. And unlike the older VRT series that used the same auger and strainer design.

Omega VERT VSJ843QS Square Version Review

This juicer has a newly designed auger, strainer and a motor that spins the auger at only 43 rpm.

This is a big deal because there are less oxidation and much more nutrient retention.

If you’ve tried to make a smoothie in a blender where the blades spin at a few thousand RPMs, I’m sure you’d know that you’ll have to drink it within just a few hours of it will spoil.

You won’t have this problem with the Omega VSJ843 because there is minimal oxidation since it rotates at such a slow pace.

Aside from the slower rpm, it has a redesigned auger and strainer that improved not only improved performance but also gave you more pulp free juice.

Features at a glance

  • New motor spins at a low 43 rpm (previous VRT rotate at around 80 rpm)
  • Smaller screen has a tighter fit which means more extraction than older VRT models
  • Brand new auger design with two blades is much more efficient
  • BPA free juicing bowl
  • Larger ejection port
  • Juicing bowl now does not have any gears which makes cleaning much easier and removes one of the choke points that plague older VRT models
  • New bushing design in the middle of the bowl will prevent leaks better
  • 1/5 condensed motor (150-watt power)
  • 15-year warranty
  • 2.5″ x 1.5″ feed chute
  • Not BPA free
  • 14.5″ tall

Pros

  • New auger and strainer design makes this more efficient and will produce more juice
  • Uses a BPA free bowl
  • Produces a less pulpy juice because
  • Low rpm makes this one of the more quiet juicers in the market (whisper quiet)
  • The new bowl, auger, and strainer design makes it easier to put together
  • Long 15-year warranty

Cons

  • Very expensive, this juicer will cost between $390 and $420 depending on where you buy it
  • You still need to pre-cut fibrous vegetables like celery and chard so that it does not clog the pulp ejector port
  • This is a bulky juicer, may not fit small homes
  • Juicing will take time but trust me it is worth it

What to expect from this top of the line Omega Juicer?

OmegaVERTVSJ843QSFeatures

There is a lot to like about the Omega VSJ843. First, there’s the motor.

Little oxidation

Previous Omega VRT juicers spin at 80 rpm which does not suck in a lot of air.

But when you compare it to this juicer that only spins at 43 rpm, it is a big difference. That’s almost a 50% reduction in speed.

This means less air sucked into your juice. And anytime you can reduce air going in there will be less oxidation.

Less oxidation will extend shelf life.

If you don’t believe me, try blending strawberries in a high-speed blender. And see how long it lasts.

Even refrigerated, it will only last a few hours at best.

Do the same thing on a centrifugal juicer, and it will last a day at best, again inside a refrigerator.

The slow 43 rpm speed ensures that only minimal oxygen sucked inside the juicer. It allows you to store juice longer – as long as three days if you store it in an airtight container inside a fridge.

Improved auger and strainer design

OmegaVSJ843Auger

New auger design

Another notable improvement is the design of the auger.

Instead of using a single blade, the VSJ843 has two blades that provide better chopping power thus allowing it to go through even frozen fruits and make sorbets.

Now, these blades aren’t sharp like the ones in a blender. So you don’t have to worry about hurting yourself. It has a blunt edge designed to cut up produce before squeezing it.

John Kohler from Discount Juicers calls these dual wing augers because these look like wings of an aircraft.

Omega also made improvements to the strainer; it is smaller than the previous VRT models. But this is a good thing because it has a smaller clearance.

It means better extrction because of the tighter squeeze. And when you combine that with the smaller holes on the strainer – this produces a smoother juice with less pulp.

When you look underneath the strainer, engineers took away the small hole where the pulp passes through. And a possible choke point in that can slow down the juicing process.

Improvements with the juice bowl

Omega also completely redesigned the main juicing jar. The overall size shrunk from older generation VRTs.

And despite the smaller size Omega has improved the design to make juicing and cleaning easier.

The first improvement is the larger ejection port. This is the area pulp is forced out. It is also the biggest weak spot in a vertical juicer because it easily clogs. By increasing the size, it helps the flow, and there is less chance of clogging.

Better Yield

The second improvement is the absence of a gear that rotates the juicing screen against the auger.

It is another potential choke point and getting rid of not only makes the juicing process smoother but also makes it easier to clean.

The last improvement (this is my favorite) is how you attach the juice bowl. In previous models, you’d have to twist to lock it in place. With this new juicer, you don’t need to do that.

All you need to do is align the bowl with the pins at the bottom. And drop it in and then pull it back out when you need to clean it.

And lastly, the bowl is BPA free. So it does not contain Bisphenol A – a toxic chemical has adverse effects on our health.

This will work best on

…Both fruits and vegetables.

Like all vertical slow juicers, the VJ843 is capable of juicing different sorts of produce.

However, it doesn’t juice one particular type of produce well. It’s a jack of all trades sort of appliance.

While Omega says it can juice wheatgrass, don’t expect it to make wheatgrass shots. But when you combine it with ingredients like carrot and cucumber to help push it down.

And even with the larger pulp ejector port you still need to chop it first before juicing because of the 90-degree angle pulp has to go through before it exits.

To maximize the yield, you get from leafy greens you will need to alternative leafy greens with stuff like cucumber or lemon to push it down.

If you like your juices that have both fruits and veggies, and don’t mind the learning curve, this is an excellent option because this machine is capable of making nut or soy milk.

How long can you store juice?

Because this machine operates at such a low rpm, there is very minimal oxidation inside the juice. This means longer storage times – as much as 72 hours.

For best results, you can store it in an airtight container like a mason jar, refrigerated.

Check out this article I’ve written about different ways of storing freshly squeezed juice.

How much juice can it extract?

The best way to compare how much yield a slow juicer makes is to compare it with another juicer of the same type. Most manufacturers tend to differentiate their products with centrifugal juicers to will not yield as much.

In this video by John Kohler, he compares the Omega VSJ843 to another vertical slow juicer, the Kuvings Whole Slow Juicer that has a 3-inch feed chute. He compares the features, yield and residual pulp left inside the different parts.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fylWBcJ5iko

While the Kuvings juicer has a bigger feed chute, the Omega VSJ843 is better at just about everything else. Aside from yielding more juice (at least from a cucumber), there is also less residual pulp to clean up inside because of the improved auger and strainer design.

Also with the double winged design of the auger, this has a better auto feeding system meaning it will suck in the produce you put inside the feed chute and you will have to do less pushing – you probably will not need to use the pusher.

The juice that comes out has noticeably less pulp because of the finer strainer.

Overall, I like how this product performed, at least when juicing cucumber but this is a good baseline and should reflect when juicing other types of produce.

Is it hard to clean up?

I’ve mentioned above that the new auger, strainer, and bowl design has resulted in producing less pulp residue on the strainer, auger and feed chute cover. This, in turn, makes it easier to clean these different parts.

All removable parts such as the jar and cover are dishwasher safe. Make sure to load it on the top rack.

For easy cleanup, remember to rinse all the parts immediately after juicing so pulp doesn’t dry up and you may want to consider investing in a cleaning brush to remove any pulp residue on the screen and auger.

Is it BPA free?

The juicing bowl is BPA free.

Noise

Even when compared to other vertical slow juicers, this machine is noticeably quieter thanks to the slow rotating auger that spins at a leisurely 45 rpm. This machine is an excellent option for people who have young children.

Product Specification

ModelVERT VSJ843QS
Feed chute size and shapeOval/Crescent

Size: 2” x 1.5”
RPM
(revolutions per minute)
43
Ultem auger
Ultem strainer
Blank plate attachment
Sieve/strainer
TypeVertical auger juicer
Juice vegetables?
Juice fruits?
Can it make nut butter?
Can it make sorbet?
Can it grind coffee
Can it process food
Warranty15 years on the motor
Voltage110/120-volts
Motor150 watts

Consumer Rating

Two things that consumers like about this juicer. First it extracts a lot of juice. And it is easier to clean because there is less pulp residue when you compare it to other slow juicers both horizontal and vertical.

Consumers say the larger pulp ejection port was less prone to clogging compared to the previous VRT juicers.

The absence of gears inside also makes it easier to remove the cover.

I own a similar type of juicer (the Hurom HU-100). And when I juice fibrous stuff, there are instances that it’s hard to remove the cover from the bowl.

Even with the larger pulp port that improves flow, you will need to chop fibrous ingredients so it won’t clog.

According to consumers this machine also does a pretty good job making nut milk thanks to the fine strainer.

There is almost no need to use a milk bag because the milk that comes out is pretty much pulp free.

Overall this is a very good performing juice that works well for people who like their fresh juice and nut milk.

The improved bowl, screen, and auger design also make it very easy to clean.

Where can I buy this?

You can buy this juicer from Amazon for less than $400. And get free 2-day free shipping if you join Prime.

Amazon also offers the optional extended warranty of up to 4 years if you think the 15-year warranty from Omega is too short.

The verdict

This juicer is an excellent option for folks looking for an easy to clean vertical juicer capable of extracting from both fruits and vegetables as well as make nut milk.

The new screen design gives a tighter squeeze which means more liquid extracted. And the finer screen will provide you with less pulp in your juices.

I also like the new auger design which has two cutting blades that according to reviews gives it a better auto feed feature – better than the Kuvings whole slow juicer.

If there is a downside, it would be the price. But the Omega VSJ843 is actually cheaper than the Kuvings, and you’ll get an easy to clean juicer that has a smaller feed chute.

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