Tribest SS-9002 Solo Star-II Review: Great Option for Leafy Greens

It’s no secret; eating green leafy vegetables is the key to a healthy lifestyle.

.It doesn’t matter if you want it cooked or raw.

I don’t eat a lot of vegetables – cooked or raw, so when I discovered juicing it has allowed me to incorporate fresh vegetables into my diet, otherwise I wouldn’t think possible.

The Tribest Solo Star II allows you to incorporate more vegetables and fruit into your diet.

This single auger juicer that will yield more than the Omega 8004 or 8006 because it has a larger auger and screen.

*Hint hint, green leafy juice lovers, you’ll love this!

Features of the Tribest SS-9002 Solo Star-II

• Horizontal auger design make this suitable for juicing leafy greens
• 180-watt motor is quiet and has lots of torque
• Auger spins at 80 rpm which means less oxidation
• 5-year warranty
• UL and CE Approved
• Comes with a pulp and juice container – if you need something more substantial then buy a Pyrex cup
• 110 volts – this is for North American consumers only

The good

• Great to use on leafy greens
• Better yield thanks to the larger screen
• Versatile – can make nut butter and sorbets
• Great to use on wheatgrass and leafy greens

The Bad

• Non-ultem screen and auger are prone to cracking in the long run
• Takes time to juice
• Not BPA free
• Small feed chute means you’ll have to pre-cut fruits like apple or lemon

What to expect from the Tribest SS-9002 Solo Star II?

John Kohler calls it the “Cadillac” of horizontal auger juicers because it has a large auger and screen.

It also comes with a blank plate that allows you to make healthy gluten-free sorbets and nut butter.

Here’s a short clip of the Slow Star II in action

This will work best on…

…Wheatgrass and other green leafy vegetables. The large auger and screen will extract more juice compared to an Omega 8004.

It can also juice harder produce like apple, carrots, and beet but you’d have to cut it into smaller pieces so that it will fit the small 1.5-inch feed chute.

Also, it won’t be as self-feeding as a vertical auger juicer because of the auger design, so you need to use the pusher quite often.

More than just a juicer

It comes with a blank plate attachment that will allow it to process peanuts to make nut butter and frozen fruits to make sorbets.

You can also use this to chop up and process vegetables to make salsa and extrude pasta. This is truly a versatile machine.

How long can you store juice?

Since it rotates at just 80 rpm, you can store juice for at least a couple of days because air will not get mixed in the drink and there will be minimal oxidation.

Remember to store it in a glass jar and overfill it, so there are no air packets.

This juicer will help you prepare in batches and bring juice to your workplace if your schedule does not allow you to prepare every day.

How much juice can it extract?

I don’t have the exact figures but it will extract more than a vertical slow juicer, and according to John Kohler of Discount Juicers, it will extract more than the popular Omega 8004 because it has a large juicing screen and auger.

How much preparation is needed?

Since it has a small round 1.5” feed chute, you’ll need to pre-cut certain produce like carrots and apple so that it’ll fit in, but for vegetables like kale, chard, wheatgrass and collard greens there is no need to pre-cut.

Is it hard to clean up?

Horizontal juicers like this will only take less than five minutes to disassemble and clean up. Since it has a larger auger and screen, it will take a little longer than a juicer with a smaller screen like the 8006 but the difference is just a few minutes plus it comes with a cleaning brush that can be used on to clean the screen.

What type of juicer is this?

It is a horizontal auger type juicer. These types of juicers work great for juicing leafy greens. It will also work on fruit and hard ingredients, but a lot of pre-cutting is needed for the latter two.

How long is the warranty?

The Slow Star II juicer comes with a 5-year warranty on the whole juicer.

Is it BPA free?

Unfortunately, it doesn’t use BPA free components but exposure with plastic is very minimal, and you’re not submerging these components in hot water, so you don’t have to worry about exposure to harmful chemicals.

You’re more at risk from drinking water from bottled water than juicing with a non-BPA free juicer because water has been exposed to plastic for months and even years.

Noise

This juicer is quiet, partly because of the low rpm and partly because of the components that Tribest used in manufacturing this.

You can use this without waking anybody up.

Voltage

It’s only has a 120-volt option (3 pronged), so if you live outside North America, you need to buy an AVR or settle with a juicer that has a 240-volt option like the Omega 8006.

Motor

The motor is rated at 180 watts.

Dimension

• 9″ x 13″ x 19″ (width x height x depth)
• Weighs around 20 pounds

Product specifications

Model	SS-9002 Solo Star-II
Feed chute size and shape	Circular 1.5" in diameter
RPM (revolutions per minute)	80
Ultem auger
Ultem strainer
Blank plate attachment
Sieve/strainer
Type	Horizontal auger juicer
Juice vegetables?
Juice fruits?
Cant it make nut butter?
Can it make sorbet?
Can it grind coffee
Can it process food
Warranty	5 years on the whole juicer
Voltage	110-volts 3-pronged
Motor	180 watts

The package includes

• Motor base with handle
• Funnel
• Fettuccini nozzle
• Homogenizing nozzle
• Spaghetti nozzle
• Strainer
• Juice catcher
• Pulp catcher
• Juicing screen
• Homogenizing screen
• Plastic plunger
• Auger

Where is this manufactured?

It is manufactured in South Korea.

Consumer Rating

Most of the consumers were happy with the performance of the Solo Star II (even with negative reviews), it extracts a lot of juice from all sorts of produce, and it is easy to clean.

You can even take the pulp and run it through the feed chute again to extract even more juice!

The biggest concern with this juicer is the auger and strainer that tends to crack, according to several customers.

Tribest did honor their warranty and sent replacement screens and augers for juicers that are still under warranty. This juicer has a 5-year warranty on the whole juicer, so this guarantees five years of worry-free juicing for you.

Where can I buy this?

You can buy this juicer from Amazon for less than $140 which is a bargain since competing brands like Omega cost over $200. If you want more peace of mind, Amazon does sell extended warranties of up to 4 years.

One thing great about buying from Amazon is the 2-day shipping if you sign up to Prime (yes even the trial). And you can purchase extended warranty up to 4 years!

The verdict

If you love green juice and want more yield, then take a long look at this juicer. The larger screen and auger will extract more juice from competing Omega brands like the 8004.

This juicer is built like a tank and will last for years but the biggest concern upon reading consumer reviews is the non-Ultem auger and strainer that cracked, fortunately for a lot of those consumers their machines were still under warranty, and Tribest sent them replacement augers and strainers.

If you don’t mind the extra $100+, Tribest has just released the Solo Star III.

This new and improved version comes with the Ultem strainer and auger that is eight times harder than the current model plus it comes with a lengthy 15-year warranty!

It also comes with a hand crank juicer if you want to get a little workout in.