How Important Is it?

[Naturalivy]

How Important is it to have one of those expensive juicers....? :confused:

Im just starting out and have been pricng Juicers and Dehydrators and other
Kitchen equipment....and Wow!!! :o

I have a GE juicer already and I guess Im feeling a little inadequate. :(

I will be purchasing a Dehydrator soon but is my juicer ok for now.....

[Autumn]

Hiya!

Hey, if it's working fine for you, why not? My juicer was not expensive either. I actually forget the name, but I've had it about 6 months and I like it very much. When it gives out, maybe I'll buy a "better" one, or maybe I'll buy the same thing. It's very easy to clean and suits my needs just fine.

You may at some point decide that you want to "upgrade", but that'll be your decision. Don't feel inadequate-no one will judge you by your juicer. Hee! :D

[caramba]

I have a Samson (an "expensive" one) but I had my eye on it for 3 years before I actually bought one! Buying it was what turned me towards Raw because it came with a book by Dr Norman Walker.

We didn't have any juicer at all, so we thought we'd get the best - as it does other functions as well. I believe the slow rpm of the "expensive" juicers keeps the enzymes in tact more so makes "living juice".

Still, if you've got one that's doing you fine - keep using it. Get used to drinking more & more juice and some day if you "upgrade" the habit will already be there.

FWIW, I also understand the slow rpm ones are easier to clean (the Samson's a sinch - I remember my parents had a centrifugal juicer which go so clogged with pulp it was an absolute *pain* to clean and totally turned you off making juice in the first place)

Getting a dehydrator will probably allow to to get more variety in your Raw diet (it's next on my shopping list!)

[RawTruth]

First -- I agree with the idea that, until you've got the $$, using what you have is good; whatever it takes to keep you raw!

When you're ready to buy "up" -- here are some ideas: I've been looking for juicers on eBay -- specifically Green Star and Champion. It is possible to get some good deals, though with the recent huge upswing in new eBay members, there can be heavy competition in bidding. Also, depending in what city in Texas you live, you can list a Wanted post on freecycle or craigslist.org. That's how I'm snagging a Vitamix (albeit vintage) for under $100.


Good luck.

[levamssg]

Use the one you have now. When I first started raw, we had a juicer in the cupboard that had been collecting dust for a few years (a Braun). It works just fine, and my husband still uses it. I've since "upgraded" to a green star because it does other things as well.

Take you time to investigate other products out there, chat with lots of folks re their experiences etc., before you invest.

Re: the dehydrator. When you are ready, I'd suggest an Excalibur 9-tray. It's the best out there and you can find deals on the net. Having a dehydrator is nice, but not essential to eating raw. There are heaps of food choices out there that don't require one.

cheers
terry

[karotw]

Hi,

I have a plain old Hamilton Beach Juicer that I bought at K-mart for about $40. For now, it works fine, though some day I hope to get a better one with all the great "bells and whistles". It really is a great little machine, it juices whatever I put into it and creates very tasty juice. I would say the juicer you have would be fine to start.

Good luck!

Karen

[askcassyfirst]

I have a Champion, which I rarely use, unless homogenizing. Sometimes I go on a juicing jag, and use it for a week and then stop. Typically I take a greens powder instead of juicing, since greens don't work to well in my Champion. It makes great apple and lemon juice though! I'd say evaluate what use you would expect to need it for, and then decide if you need a new model.

I just bought a new dehydrator, and love it, although it wasn't necesary to for me for this lifestyle. It just brings more options...Id recommend the Excalibur if you can afford it.

Cassy.:)

[RawNaturale]

I just bought an Omega 8005 which I love. A bit pricey but very highly regarded and has a 10 yr warranty (I got mine for $237 including shipping, online with no tax). I had a Juiceman Jr. prior to that but it didn't do leafy veggies well at all. What I love most about the juicer is that it's a 60 second clean-up and it's very quiet. It has lots of functions for other stuff too, like grinding fresh flours and making nut butters. It also juices slowly to extract the juice without heating or damaging the nutrients, and the pulp comes out very dry. I'd buy it again...no buyer's remorse.

I get afraid of buying $$ things related to food b/c I'm afraid I'll bomb out or switch paths to something else (I have a fabulous smoker on my porch...not conducive to a raw lifestyle). The juicer is something I use daily and probably will no matter what my eating plan evolves into.

[Sweet lips]

I have a champion and until someone needed it, I had a juicemanII, which I used more than the champion. I say that to say, use what is best for your budget.

[Naturalivy]

I wanted to say thanks for everyones reply. Everyone is very helpful and Enlightening. I think I will just stay with the one i got and move forward from here. If anyone has any suggestions on types of Dehydrators and Food Processers or any other suggested ketchin equipment please let me know. Peace!

[Pailani]

I have a Krups juicer, a small centrifugal one that's 15 years old. I went out and bought a Champion a few years ago, and I like the Krups better! It's smaller so I have to stop and empty the pulp midway while juicing, but the juice is cooler and less pulpy. The Champion seems to add warmth as it juices. So--don't waste time wishing for what you don't have, what you have now might be just fine!

I was also sad about not being able to afford a dehydrator, but the more I read, the more I think I'll be better off without it. I'd rather not get used to transitional copies of old foods that I've said goodbye to. It would be a step backwards. For where I'm at, I think I'd rather not dehydrate but keep things as unprocessed as possible.

[RawTruth]

I just got a used Excalibur dehydrator on eBay. It arrived yesterday and I have crackers in it right now. I've been buying them from a local raw foods cafe, and I've enjoyed them when I want something crunchy. But, they're really expensive, so that's where the dehydrator comes in. Way more handy than sun-drying like our ancestors did!

I know what you mean, Pailani. I've been struggling for a long time with whether to do "transition" foods or not. Finally, once I bought Alissa's book and DVD, I decided to use her 4-week plan to go 100% immediately. I was just spending too much time kinda going in circles researching and reading and researching some more. I like that it's no-brainer; the grocery and menu lists are all made up for me. I'm trying to simplify and declutter in all aspects of my life, anyway, so this way is working best for me.

I'm trusting Alissa when she says in her book that eventually we simplify our diets and make less and less gourmet raw (I'm paraphrasing, of course), so that, down the road a bit, I won't be doing much prep or using many machines.

Back on topic - I got a pretty good deal on the dehydrator, a 9-tray for $155. It's an older model, but it's been hardly used, and it looks like the new ones except that the logo is old skool! Used is the way to go if you're on a tight budget!