Champion vs Philips HR centrifugal??

[The Badger]

Good morning everyone. And hello to the juicing community!

A first post here, despite being a daily juicer for some 10 years.

I have a serious question: having used Phillips HR juicers for ten years, and wearing each one out in about 9 months, I finally paid out for a Champion 2000+ last week. I had expected great things....

I am completely underwhelmed by my 3 day experience - I know that is limited - and the main issues I have are as follow:

- I should say that my 'normal' morning juice comprises: 1/4 pineapple, 1/2 orange, apple, stick celery, knob of ginger, 1/2 head of broccoli, small beetroot, 1/4 lemon, 1/2 pack kale, 1/2 pack spinach, handful of parsley amd a small pepper. Other seasonal bits and pieces...

- firstly, the Champion produces a warm juice, even when all ingredients come straight from the fridge (Phillips produced a chilled juice)
- it is also an extremely frothy juice (Phillips put out a jug that used to have only max 1 inch of froth on top, the rest being pure, runny juice)
- the yield from the produce seems to be no greater than that of the Phillips, and with all the green veg ingredients, looks, to my eye, to be even lower than the Phillips.
- juice escapes out of the top of the screen holder on the Champion

Add to those points that because of the small feeder mouth, it takes me twice as long to make a juice, and its certainly a lot more fiddly/difficult to clean.

Anyone got any ideas, either about what I am doing wrong, or to confirm that what I have said is in fact common to the Champion?

I am really sad about this as I thought I was moving onto a new juicing plane when I got the Champion!

Many thanks for taking the time to read and perhaps reply to my thoughts.

The Badger.

[DebB]

I'll try to help you out as I have a Champion also.

- firstly, the Champion produces a warm juice, even when all ingredients come straight from the fridge (Phillips produced a chilled juice)

I feel the cone (the covering over the blade) from time to time while I'm juicing. When it starts to get warm, I shut off the machine and clean it out. I rinse off the blade and the cover, especially the screen.

- it is also an extremely frothy juice (Phillips put out a jug that used to have only max 1 inch of froth on top, the rest being pure, runny juice)

Yes, it does foam - I don't know how to get around that. When I pour the juice in my glass, I hold my hand over the pouring container, holding back most of the foam - that helps.

- the yield from the produce seems to be no greater than that of the Phillips, and with all the green veg ingredients, looks, to my eye, to be even lower than the Phillips.

I can't help here as I've been using only the Champion since the early 80s..

- juice escapes out of the top of the screen holder on the Champion

Stop the juicer periodically and clean out the screen. I've never had juice escape out the top. Also I wonder how fast you're juicing. The Champion works great - I just have to work with it, knowing its limitations. I think you'll get the hang of it! I go slowly, not overloading the feed tube.

When I'm juicing drier things like greens, I put in a couple pieces of juicy items (like apple, cucumber, etc.) then a small amount of greens. The juicing items help it along.

When I juice 2 quarts of juice, I'll stop the machine 1-2 times during the juicing to give it a good rinse.

Oh also - if I'm doing something stringy like celery, cilantro or parsley, I definitely chop these into about 1-2 inch segments so the string don't wrap about the blade, this works really well! *Ü*

[Aleesha Sattva]

i agree with deb. i wrap the greens in a piece of apple.

you do realize though that you bought a champion which is known for not being great with greens? it sounds to me like a greenstar would have been a better choice for you.

that said... juice slower - this isn't fast food afterall and a champion needs to be loved while you are juicing.

as for the foam, i find that greens do foam in a champion (hence why i have both machines - champion and greenstar) - i just mix it into the juice and it's all good.

sorry for your disappointment but i can tell you... when i got my greenstar i had the same disappointment. you get used to one juicer and when the next one comes and operates differently, you are disheartened at first - until you get the hang of the new one.

remember one important thing... the juice you are making now will last you longer than your centrifugal which you had to drink immediately! so that is a huge plus!

[Revvell]

I've had two Champions, one Green Star, one Green Power, one Sampson (currently).

My experiences ~ The Champion is a champion. It's a workhorse ~ with hard produce such as carrots and beets. Anything else takes creativity. It is not meant for greens or things of that nature as you've found, it does heat the juice so if you're going to use it for greens, as said, use harder produce t push it through. My best drink when I had mine was beets, carrots and spinach. Celery needs to be cut into pieces as the strings wrap around the blade. Juice made with this machine is meant to be drunk immediately.

Green Power, Green Star, Sampson ~ works all produce albeit slowly on the harder produce. Fun to watch the blades suck down the greens though. I either buy small carrots or cut them to where they are pointy at one end to get them through. I also cut the celery with these. Also, takes some strength with carrots, beets, etc. Really juicy fruits need to be juiced slowly as they will come out the top too yet loosening the screw helps muchly. Juice can last about 12 hours using these machines although they should be stored with as little air as possible in the container.

My mother juiced daily, about 50 years ago with an old Acme. That worked then so, pretty much anything you use now is good. Just have patience while learning how to deal with your new machine.

~ Revvell ~

[Aleesha Sattva]

found some info for ya:

My juicer produces warm juice even though I juice as slowly as possible. Why?


Warm juice can only be created by operating the unit to slowly. The Champion requires a constant introduction of new material. (Average juice time to make 1qt. = 6 min).
from here (http://championjuicer.com/faq.php?cID=1).

[DebB]

That is really interesting Aleesha. I think with juicing greens it's just going to be warm, but at least now I know why! *Ü*

[The Badger]

Hello DebB.
Thanks so much for getting back to me. I rather suspected that I would get the advice back that you have to work with the machine, and not against it. I suppose I am used to rushing (whole juicing procedure, start to finsh, all cleaned up, would take 15 mins with my Philips) as I juice first thing in the morning. Need to slow down and relax?! I also think I may need to cut down on the green veg ingredients, as these make the foam very, very bitter, and I want to drink that so as not to lose the big benefits. I naturally don't want to make myself sick while juicing!
the hints re. celery length very useful.
Appreciate the help. Thanks again.
The Badger

[Revvell]

Yeah, you're welcome. :rolleyes:

[The Badger]

Hello Aleesha, Revvell and DebB, again,
Thanks to all of you for taking the time to respond (never know whether a forum is going to generate any interest at all) and give me your thoughts.
I will take on board your ideas, and will become a more patient human being, and then the problems will be solved!
One follow-up question I have: if the deterioration of the nutrients in a juice depends on the oxygenation levels in the juice (and I am no scientist!), surely a very frothy juice will not last as long, if it being stored for later use, as a more liquid, less frothy juice? Just interested - I drink my juices within 15 minutes of making them, so I am just being curious. Actually, if anyone could answer this second question I would be fascinated: why is a centrifugally-produced juice less beneficial than one from a Champion-type machine??
Thanks everyone, and all the best,
Mr Badger

[Raw Angel Mom]

I have a champion and it makes great ice cream. I use it for only icecream now. I now use a twin grear greenstar. Just an idea, you could probably try crunched ice at first to make the blade cold.

Centrifuge is high speed and therefore lead to oxydation much faster. I don't know if the champion is better then Centrifuge because it generates heat. But i can say the omega and greenstar are much better because they are low speed.

I had a friend that gave me a centrifuge, i tried it and i didn't like it. Too much pulpe for the amound of juice. With the twin gear juicer, your pulpes are dry and you have so much juice.