Manual juicer and electric juicer differences hinge on four main factors: method of extraction, ease of use, quality of the juice and price.
Method of juice extraction
A manual juicer and an electric juicer are built differently presenting differences in features and in how they are operated. Manual juicers come in two forms: the basic silicone juicer, the manual press one or the crank operated one. To extract juice using a simple silicone juicer the citrus fruit is cut in half and then pressed onto the juicer to extract the juice. When using the bigger and more robust manual juicers that are normally made of iron and stainless steel juice is extracted by either moving the handle of the presser up and down or using a hand crank. The whole operation is manual. The amount of juice extracted depends on the manual exertion of the person operating the juicer.
The electric juicers come in various sizes with differing processing capabilities ranging from the simple hand held ones to the more robust that can extract over 70 litres of juice per hour. The method of extraction is in two basic forms. The centrifugal which have a blade, a sieve and a spinning mechanism. This method of extracting juices at times compromises the quality of the juice produced because of the heat generated during the extraction process. The second form of extraction is that used by the masticating juicers. These crush the whole fruit and squeeze juice from the crushed fruit. They are less wasteful than the manual and the centrifugal juicers. Further the nutritional quality of the juice is superior to that from the manual juicer because it uses the whole fruit.
Ease of use
A manual juicer and an electric juicer differ in ease of use. Unlike a manual juicer, an electric juicer has parts which include blades and uses an electric mortar. These can be a safety hazard. Users of electric juicers need to carefully read the relevant manual or to get some basic training on the possible dangers of the blades and the use of electricity. This makes electric juicers unsafe in environments where there are young children and other vulnerable adults.
Convenience and time saving
Once one gets over the safety issues, an electric juicer presents more convenience and time saving when producing larger quantities of juice than a manual juicer. It is also less messy and less wasteful. It is therefore more appropriate for bigger families and commercial setups.
Quality of juice extracted
Although both electric and manual juicers can make citrus water and whole citrus juice, juice from the manual juicer tends to be sweeter as it does not include traces of the outer part of the fruit which one tends to get in the juice from an electric juicer. From a nutritional perspective though, masticating electric juicers are better.
Affordability
A simple manual juicer is more affordable than the electric equivalent. This is also true of the more robust manual juicer and the electric equivalent. That said, some electric juicers bring the added advantage of being both fruit and vegetable juicers and therefore work out to be cheaper in the long run.
Although manual and electric fruit juicers produce more or less the same end product, for those with young children and vulnerable adults at home, and those who are health and safety conscious, manual juicer and electric juicer differences are an important factor to consider when making a buying decision.