I have had a Vita-mixer for several years. It has a 600 watt motor and flat
hammermill blades which allow it to make what it calls total juice. Juice
that contains all the phytonutrients, vitamins, minerals that might be lost
if the pulp is separated and thrown out. I feel it is one of the best
investments I have ever made in an appliance. I believe they can only be
bought direct from the Vita-Mix company but sometimes they have refurbished
units at a nice discount.

Mark


Hi Justin,

I have a really heavy-duty juicer, a Champion, that is WONDERFUL.  I juice
veggies and feed the pulp and juice mixed to the dogs, as well as making
juice for myself.  It is several hundred dollars, but is extremely sturdy
with a simple design.  I have met women online whose Champions are 30 years
old or older!

The only inconvenience with the Champion is that the chute, tube or whatever
you call it where you put the veggies or fruit in isn't very big around, and
when I am doing mega-batches of veggie meals for multiple mastiffs, a lot of
stuff has to be chopped small enough to go into the machine, and that's hard
on my arthritis. Apples have to be cut in quarters to fit in, for instance,
and I have to fold collard leaves into egg-roll shaped packages to run them
through.

One feature I really enjoy about the Champion is that you can set it up to
have juice coming out one place and pulp coming out another place, to keep
them separate, or you can have the pulp and juice come out together (which
is what I use for the dogs).

The Vita-Mix looks like a Waring Blender on steroids and that's about what
it is.  It costs twice as much as the Champion (about $400).  You don't have
to cut stuff small to fit it in, but I don't see how it could separate the
pulp and juice, you'd have to strain it, I imagine.