Omega Juicers: The Different Types and Choosing the Right One

In 1985, a man named Robert Leo decided to start his own company originally called Olympic Products. It was later renamed Omega Products which it has kept ever since. They design and manufacture many different products, ranging from blenders and food processors to salad spinners. It is perhaps best known however for its range of high quality juicers. Over the years, Omega has brought to market multiple models of juicers that each have their own specifications and operation mechanisms. This article will go over the differences between each type of juicer as well as their own unique advantages and disadvantages so you know what to look for.

                       

Centrifugal and pulp ejector juicers:

Omega makes two models of centrifugal juicers, the 1000 and 9000, which are their original juicers. The way a centrifugal juicer works is by pushing the fruit or vegetables against a mesh wall so hard that all the juice comes out, leaving the pulp behind. In the case of the Omega 1000 and 9000, the mesh comes in the form of a round basket which is placed inside the juicer and spins at around 3600 RPM. The centrifugal force generated by such high speed spinning pushes the fruit and vegetables inside against the walls of the mesh basket.

The result is a juice yield that exceeds that of other extraction methods by 20 to 30%. The main downside is that this high speed spinning generates quite a bit of heat which is transferred to the juice. This can result in quicker oxidization and a lower level of healthy enzymes. This isn't a huge issue (the juice is still really healthy) but it is something worth knowing.

The Omega pulp ejector juicers (models 330, 390, O2 and 4000) are a type of centrifugal juicer. In fact, they are practically identical, apart for the fact that they have a mechanism to remove the pulp so that produce can be continuously fed into the juicer. Traditional centrifugal juicers must be emptied manually when the basket gets filled with pulp.

Masticating juicers

Two different types of masticating juicers are offered by Omega. There are the traditional horizontally oriented models (the 8003, 8004, 8005 and 8006) and the vertically oriented ones (the VRT330, VRT330 HD and the VRT350). They essentially operate the same way, the only difference being that the vertical models are designed to take up less space in the kitchen. They operate using a specially designed auger that forces the fruit and veggies through an increasingly small opening. Since the same amount of produce tries to pass through such a small area, any liquid contained is forced through the mesh while the pulp continues along the auger, eventually falling out at the end.

The main advantage of the Omega masticating juicer is their low operating speed. Since the auger spins at 80 RPMs, no heat is generated and the enzymes in the juice are not affected. This also ensures that the juice can be kept in the fridge for up to 72 hours before any oxidization starts to affect its quality. Masticating juicers are also outstanding for getting all the juice out of leafy greens and wheatgrass, something that other juicer types tend to struggle with.