What is a Hydraulic Juice Press?
A hydraulic juice press is a type of juicer which uses tons of pressure to extract juice from fruits and vegetables. What’s unique with this machine is you’ll need a pressing cloth or pressing bag to hold your chopped fruit and vegetables when applying pressure.Without it, juicing with a hydraulic press is impossible.
There are just two hydraulic juicers available in the market. The Welles Juice Press and the Norwalk Juicer. The first one is a manual press which will cost you around $400 and the second one will cost you an arm and leg. In terms of juice quality I can’t really say that these machines can come close to masticating and twin gear juicers.
Here’s a comparison table of the Welles Press and the Norwalk 280
| Juicer Photo | Brand/Model | Unique Feature | Price | Rating | Versatiltity (Can Juice) | Pressure | Warranty |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 read review | Norwalk Juicer | All Stainless Steel | $$$$$ | 3.29 | Soft & Hard Produce, Citrus Fruits, Leafy Greens, Nuts & Beans | 1000 lbs | 12 Years |
 read review | Welles Press | No electricity required | $$$$ | 3.78 | Soft & Hard Produce, Citrus Fruits | 4000 lbs | 1 Year |
One thing that stops me from buying this machine is it’s very difficult to use. The pressing cloth / bag really adds an extra burden. Imagine juicing and at the same time doing your laundry. In just one use the pressing cloth can get stained and you can’t easily wash it off. You need to observe the following guidelines when cleaning, storing and using it.
- Only use cold water to rinse the bags and cloth before and after use
- Do not dry, it will make the cloth brittle
- Do not boil, it will also make the cloth brittle
- You can use warm water to clean it up if it gets too dirty
- Bags and cloths must be hand washed using a liquid organic soap when necessary
- Do not wash the filter with the metal parts, it will contaminate the cloth
- Fold wet, place in plastic bags and store in freezer
Advantages
- Juice extraction efficiency
- 72 hours shelf life
Disadvantages
- Difficult to use
- Takes up huge footprint in your counter space
- Heavy, difficult to move around
- Doesn’t come with a juice jug and you’ll also need a Pyrex pan
- If masticating juicers are slow, hydraulic juicers are even slower
- The pressing cloth can get ugly over time, you’ll have to buy more if you plan to use this machine on a daily basis
Conclusion
If the pressing bag is not an issue, this could have been great product. But since it’s part of the whole package I can’t really recommend it. It’s just too difficult to use. There are newer models out there which are way more cheaper, user friendly and as well as way way more efficient.
Didn’t find what you’re looking for?
Here are a few more resources worth checking out.
Juicer Reviews – To date I have reviewed over 60 juicers and you can find it all here. You can filter reviews according to type, price, rating, feature, juice shelf life, and by brand.
Juicer Comparison Table – This tool will help you compare and sort over 50 juicers side by side according to price, rating, rank, juice quality, versatility, usability and warranty.
Best Cold Press Juicers – Top 10 cold press juicers list and an in-depth guide about low heat juicing machines.
Best Centrifugal Juicers – List of the top 10 centrifugal juicers and an in-depth guide about fast juice extractors.
Best Masticating Juicers – Top 10 masticating juicers list and an in-depth guide about slow juice extractors.
Best Twin Gear Juicers – List of the top twin gear juicers and an in-depth guide about triturating juicers.
Best Commercial Juicers – If you want to start your own juice bar, this article will help you find the perfect juicer for your business.