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Twin gear juicers are the biggest and perhaps the most complex juicers available in the market right now.
Another term for this machine is triturating juicer.
These extractors use two metal gears that counter rotate at low speed (around 120 rpm) to crush any fruit or vegetable you feed.
How a twin gear juicer works?
The two metal gears work in principle the same was as an automatic transmission inside your vehicle.
Each of the metal teeth are just millimeters apart for maximum yield. So there is a learning curve in assembling and disassembling.
One big advantage twin gear juicers have over other types of juicers is the two metal gears it uses.
It can just about handle anything feed through it from soft fruits to fibrous stuff like celery.
Adjustment knob
Some variants include an adjustment knob that allows you to increase back pressure.
More back pressure means better yield because it will squeeze tighter but you’ll have to push harder. So this is a trade off that you’ll have to balance before purchasing.
Another advantage of these extractors is the versatility it brings to the table.
Not only will it make fresh green juice but with a change of attachments, it transforms into a something that can make sorbet, nut butter, baby food and much more.
I’ve also seen some demonstrations where they use this to crush coffee beans so it is an all around food mill.
How to Choose a Twin Gear Juicer?
There are a few key components to look at here. The two is budget. You’ll have to set a hard cap on how much you are willing to spend because the price difference will vary.
Once you’ve made up your mind on the number, everything else will follow.
A quick search in Amazon reveals that more affordable options like the Samson Green Power will cost less than $600 and a high end Tribest will cost more than $550.
And the price will be proportionate to the size of the juicer. Samson manufacturers one of the smallest twin gear juicers in the market and Tribest has one of the biggest.
Does size matter?
Bigger doesn’t always means better and this is true with triturating juicers. Having bigger gears does not mean better yield.
A feature to look at if you want more yield would be an adjustable know that allows you to regulate back pressure.
Having more back pressure will result in a better yield because there is more pressure applied to produce.
Pros
- Uses two metal gears that will last a very long time
- Excellent yield on just about anything you put inside – whether fruit and leafy greens
- There is no need to chop fibrous veggies like celery, spinach or collard greens
- Versatile enough to make other foods like sorbet, nut butter, baby food as well as crush nuts, coffee and grains
Cons
- It has a lot of moving parts which make it difficult to clean
- Expensive – the cheapest would cost around $350
- There is a learning curve when you put it together
- Most of these are huge and take up a lot of space
Our Pick: Tribest Greenstar GSE-5000
If money wasn’t an issue and you’re simply looking for the best performing twin gear juicer, then the Tribest Greenstar GSE-5000 should be on top of your list.
According to Tribest, this is only the three stage juicer in the market:
- Crushing stage
- Mixing stage
- Squeezing stage.
Within the two gears of this juicer is a magnetic core that again Tribest claims to attract more nutrients that will allow you to store it for up to 72 hours.
Great for stuff like celery
This juicer also has a pocket recess and cutting points that chop stringy vegetables.
This removes the need to chop stuff like celery, spinach and kale.
If you try to put one whole celery in a vertical juicer like a Omega VRT or Hurom HU-100, you’ll end up with a clogged mess.
Also this has a pressure adjustment knob that allows this machine to extract more.
Some downsides
Another downside to this juicer aside from the price is the sheer size.
This machine is huge and you need space for it.
This juicer measures around 20” long and 12.5” tall. Since it uses two long gears, clean up time would be longer than let’s say a Samson Green Power.
Compact: Samson Green Power KPE 1304
If space is your primary concern then have a look at the Samson Green Power KPE 1304.
It is by far the smallest twin gear juicer in the market right now – around 11″ tall and 16″ long.
This will fit inside a small kitchen where space is a premium.
Another positive is the price, at under $550.
Good points
This compact extractor is the cheapest in this list. But still comes with a 10 year warranty for the motor and 5 years for the operational parts.
Powering this little Samson-like juicer is a 1/4 hp motor that turns the gears at 160 rpm. This is faster compared to a Super Angel and Green Star GSE-5000.
The added speed may add more to the juice but I don’t think 40 rpm is enough to heat up juice. The general rule of thumb for twin gears juices is you can store juice between 48 to 72 hours. If you want it to last longer then you’ll have to freeze it.
In terms of what it can make, this machine is as versatile as they come.
It can extract from leafy greens, fruits, fibrous greens like celery as well as wheatgrass.
But if you want to juice wheatgrass make sure to mix in other ingredients like carrot or apple.
Not good for wheatgrass
Feeding pure wheatgrass will result in a juice full of foam and froth.
It also comes with a blank plate attachment that allows you to make sorbet, nut butter and even grind coffee beans – you don’t need to buy a coffee grinder anymore!
You can also adjust the back pressure with the adjustment knob located on the front.
This gives you the option to squeeze out as much juice as possible. But remember you will have to push down on the feeding tube harder.
If you plan on making a lot of wheatgrass juice, you’ll be better off with these juicers that are capable of making pure wheatgrass shots minus the thick froth.
All Stainless: Super Angel
Some folks call this the “Rolls Royce of juicers” because of its flashy looks but is it worth it?
Perhaps the only all-stainless steel juicer in the market right now, the Super Angel 5500 has bling written all over it.
Bling bling
The shiny stainless finish will not rust and last a long time.
This is the main selling point of this machine and a big reason why it costs so much.
Nearly all metal components of this extractor is made from FDA-approved stainless steel (at least the exterior parts).
Since it is stainless it looks really nice inside the kitchen and there’s very little chance that it corrodes.
Virtually low oxidation
The gears spin at a very slow 86 rpm which means there is virtually no heat buildup. You can store juice for up to 3 days, longer if you store it inside a freezer.
Thanks to the three stage system (similar to the Tribest GS-5000) this machine will be able to hold its own even against a good extracting juicer like the Omega 8006. The fine screen allows it to produce a less pulpy juice.
If you watched the video, you’ll notice that the Super Angel was able to extract around 100ml more apple juice and around twice more carrot juice than the Omega 8006.
I like to compare these two because both of them does not have the knob adjustment at allows you to increase backpressure.
So extraction wise it is impressive.
Very expensive
Should you buy the Super Angel 5500? Well it depends on your willingness to spend over $1300 to buy this.
If you can afford to buy this all stainless steel juicer then by all means get it.
But you’re not willing then opt for the cheaper options listed here and it will perform as well – it won’t look as good though.
That’s the only difference I can see.
The bottom line, why would you buy a twin gear juicer?
I wouldn’t recommend this for a noob because of the complexity and learning curve. But if you are willing to put in the time to learn how to use it I wouldn’t stop you from buying one.
If you want both quantity as well as quality, this will be one of the best investments you can make.
But remember that it isn’t as easy to clean this machine when you compare it to a single gear juicer because it has two gears and more parts.
If you don’t mind the extra work and have some extra time in your hands, then go for it.
In terms of options you don’t have a lot. There are only a few manufacturers that make twin gear juicers because these are expensive to make.
If you’re willing to spend over $540 then the Tribest Greenstar GSE-5000 is a great option with its stainless steel gears that will extract juice even from hard stuff like carrots or celery.
Not just a juicer
Tribest also added “homogenizing” accessories in the package that turn this machine into a sorbot and food processor. However this machine will take up lots of space so make sure that you have a big kitchen before even thinking of purchasing this.
Other options
If Tribest is too expensive then go with the Samson Green Power should be your default option. It has the same functionality as the Tribest but it’s close to $140 cheaper.
But it lacks the versatility of a Green Power and will only be able to make only green juice.
The Super Angel is the wildcard here with its all-stainless steel construction but it comes at a ridiculous price tag and don’t come the same versatility as the Tribest.