Black+Decker CJ525 CitrusMate Plus Citrus Juicer

Black and Decker Citrusmate is a simplistic small appliance with many good reasons to consider it for your kitchen. This juicer takes up little space, offers cord wrap storage underneath, features a reversible reamer, and produces fresh- squeezed juice for a much lower cost than other juicers.Black and Decker Citrusmate requires little effort to extract the juice and the reamer is just as effective as the more expensive juicers at maximizing the amount of juice squeezed from your favorite fruit. The reamer on this juicer is reversible and the dual- action is activated by letting up on the pressure, then pressing again. Each time you do this, the reamer spins the opposite way. The back and forth action helps to squeeze out as much juice as possible. The pitcher will be filled with juice rather quickly as you move from one piece of fruit to the next.Another feature I like with this juicer is its operation. There is no on/off switch and many consumers will find this unusual at first. But this is really for the better because with an on/off switch, you have to continuously flip the switch off and back on as you go from one piece of fruit to the next. The way this juicer is designed, there is no worry about messing with a switch. The juicer starts up when a piece of fruit is pressed against the reamer and stops when it is taken away.Pulp is always an issue with any juicer, and while there is no pulp extractor, this juicer still has you covered. It collects the pulp and seeds in the strainer as you juice your fruit. When you are finished, you can scoop out the amount of pulp you like and add it to the juice itself. Or, if you don't like pulp, you can discard it and drink your juice pulp- free. This might seem a little on the manual side to some consumers, but the lack of special pulp extractors helps keep the device simple and trouble- free.Fresh- squeezed juice is healthy and makes ordinary beverages taste even better than before. With Citrusmate, consumers have a means to extract juice without overspending on a juicer that contains more features than necessary. It's a surprisingly good small appliance and certainly an excellent value for the money.

Update 12/28/2016: It's still in perfect working order! I hope I'm not jinxing it, but it's about seven years old and still works. That's pretty impressive given the price point and construction. Black & Decker continues to make quality products.---------------------------After a recent recipe called for juicing almost 20 limes (which I did by hand >.< ) I decided to give a motorized one a try. This model was the only juicer under $20 (I paid retail since Amazon wasn't discounting that day) that had a decent rep and came from a manufacturer I trusted.It was pretty much plug-in-and-go. I took it out the box and gave it a spin with a couple of lemons. Everything went fabulously, though there was a moment of panic when it completely stopped working. My first thought was the 1-star ratings were right, but it turned out it was merely the circuit breaker. (Apparently it didn't like having the coffee maker, mini-chopper AND juicer all plugged in at the same time.) Threw the switch (unplugged the mini-chopper) and we were back in business.I've had it for a little less than two months, and it keeps right on chugging away. I don't use it every day, more like two or three times a week. On those occassions it gets a hefty workout. I love that it can juice with or without pulp, without letting seeds through.Cleanup is simple as it snaps apart, though no throwing it in the dishwasher (rats!).

I started using the CitrusMate Plus in late August and it's now officially dying (gears are grinding and cone is not turning when decent pressure is applied]. IN ALL FAIRNESS this is not a bad juicer for those who like a glass of orange juice for breakfast, or occasionally juice lemons for cooking. The power was surprisingly decent (I say surprisingly because my expectations were not that high) and it came with a handy, additional cone for larger fruit sizes. The design is good and features a generous 34 oz. pitcher, and clean up is easy. So I don't have a lot of personal complaints and the unit also had pretty good reviews overall.HOWEVER, it should be noted that if you plan on juicing a 5lb. bag or two of lemons PER WEEK, this is probably NOT your juicer. I'm sure this unit was intended for 'consumer' and not commercial use, yet I'm torn between expecting a 'lower-priced model' to fail from excessive use versus expecting a somewhat longer lifespan 'regardless.' Part of me is disappointed that it is conking out already so I'm kinda on the fence with this one. It's hard to say whether I prematurely wore it out or that this model has a limited lifespan out of the box. And one month is a rather short lifespan!My suggestion is to choose a juicer carefully based on your personal needs and usage demands. I'm going to try the 'Tribest Citrus Juicer' based on the good reviews. It's almost twice as expensive but may be better suited for my particular juicing needs.