Great products are made even greater with accompanying accessories, and despite the fact that quality juicers often show little to no need for extra help, accessories for these appliances are nevertheless a helpful addition more often than not. One can even go so far as to say that there are certain accessories you simply can’t live without since they improve on one’s juicing experience, offer a wider range of possibilities than would otherwise be afforded, and come in as a life saver when needed.
Such accessories take many different forms, but the most important of them can be grouped into five categories, to make things easier.
Pre-processing Accessories
There is a lot that needs to be done to prepare ingredients before the actual juicing process begins, and as a result, a number of tools are often needed to make this prep an easier and quicker affair. It is often recommended that one leave any needed material prepared, especially for those who juice on a daily basis and for that a number of items, such as storage containers, often come in handy, allowing a lot of time saving, something so valuable it could qualify as an accessory in and of itself. Anything from a plastic container to a glass jar should do the trick, all depending on personal preferences and the particular ingredient to be stored.
First Stage Accessories
Once everything is laid out, and the juicer sits ready to operate, there is still much to be done before ingredients are fit through the feed chute. The need to actually fit into what is often a narrow pipe requires different tools since there are often a large number of different food types that need to be processed, some of which can be soft, others hard, and most with parts that really do not need to see the inside chamber of a juicer. These include tools such as potato mashers which begin the softening process to make it easier for the juicer, pineapple cutters that peel, core, and slice fruits to make them compatible for any juicer, stem removers, and cranks, the latter working in much the same way as pineapple slicers do, though extending their applicability to fruits such as apples.
Lemon squeezers often come in handy when adding the citrus fruit into a mix so as to eliminate the need of processing them separately. Once everything is prepped, a little compression is often needed, and that is where pushers come in. Available in many different shapes and sizes, so that one often ends up picking the more aesthetically pleasing choice. The most pivotal thing about these is that they should be both sturdy enough to last and easy to handle.
Active Accessories
A number of accessories can be acquired to work in tandem with the rest of a juicer either right before, during, or just after it is operated. An example of this is acquiring either an additional jug or cups to collect juice once it has been extracted. This can be a matter of preference, such as if one isn’t happy with the size of the jug the juicer comes with, or it could be a matter of convenience in allowing one to store several jugs of juice at the same time.
Alternatively, the need for jugs of juice cups could be a matter of sheer necessity, as replacements for a damaged jug. Pulp collectors are also an option for collecting what comes out one of the two exits from a juicer, also providing convenience as they spare the need to continuously clean out a smaller or singular container during a prolonged juicing session. Splash guards are a superb accessory to have, as consumers of highly enthusiastic juicers will soon discover, offering the necessary protection to avoid creating a mess around the entire operation.
Replacements
Spare parts are specific to their makes, so the likelihood of sourcing these from the manufacturing company of the juicer you own is highly probable and highly recommended. One of the most common parts of a juicer to replace are strainers, so much so that they are often acquired as accessories, meant to improve on the quality already featured in the juicer as much as they are purchased to replaced old and worn out types.
Blades and cutters are also frequently bought separate from the juicer, again either to replace or improve on what is already offered. While the need to replace numerous parts will always be there after using a juicer for some time, having strainers and blades ready before the old ones are worn out is something consumers might want to consider since you never know when they may be needed.
Additional Items
A number of more frivolous accessories are available, and while not entirely true for all juicer owners, those that move around with their juice will find carrying bags a handy item, especially those designed to hold juicers and keep them cool. Books are an undeniable must have accessory for all and having a constant supply can only be of help and improve one’s juicing experience.
Conclusion
All of these are accessories designed specifically for juicers, but one shouldn’t forget that standard kitchen tools such as knives, peelers, and chopping boards often prove to be accessories just as necessary as any other. That said, good accessories make mediocre juicers great and great juicers even better, an offer no owner would to turn down, making them a necessity. If anything, one shouldn’t think of accessories as separate components one has the option of obtaining, but actually as part and parcel of any juicer, even if it means a little more effort. Simply put – no juicer is complete without all of the above mentioned accessories.