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(More customer reviews)Before considering reviews of juicers, the first thing the reader needs to examine is the experience of the reviewer. I've noticed that dozens of these reviews are by those new to juicing, often assessing their first juicer purchase. They then are making arbitrary statements about equipment of which they know little. Rather like assessing a sewing machine, a camera, any piece of technology without sufficient perspective.
I began juicing back in the 70's when I became vegetarian. At that time juicers were not considered fashionable as now, and certainly there were no infomercials or cable! There was a fairly inexpensive line of centrifugal juicers made by Braun, Krups, Oster, etc. There was the Norwalk, still the Rolls-Royce of juicers (at $2000+). There was the excellent Acme centrifugal (now sold as Omega). And there was the Champion, then selling for $250-300. After chopping through a nice little Braun in a year or so I spent hard-earned college earnings on a Champion; they only came in white then. Much of of the hoopla about oxidation of juice hadn't come up yet. We had no health food stores in Texas that I knew about that carried the Champion, so I ordered mine over the phone.
I was shocked when it arrived at the weight. This is no lightweight! Unlike the department store juicers, it has a very large motor, a GE, with tons of torque. This is because this is a masticating juicer with a slow-turning cutting cone. Without the cone assembly on the front it is actually not large at all.
The 'plastic' parts on the Champion were/are nylon rather than just molded plastic. This means they are also quite flexible and are of course shatterproof. The cutting cone is quite different than other machines, being a solid piece of nylon on a large metal cutting shaft. The 'blades' are not sharp as on a centrifugal juicer; one can run one's fingers over them without cutting oneself. Why? Because their purpose is not to cut alone; they force the food around the cone inside the outside housing, then over a curved screen at the bottom where the brushing motion and pressure mash the juice out of the produce. The cone has an indentation that spits the pulp out the front of the cone assembly. Again, this is not the same as a single-auger juicer where the auger forces the food against a screen at the front. I won't say which is better, they're just different. However, unlike single-auger machines like a Samson or Omega 2005, it is not self-feeding. There is a supplied pusher; if you look down in the feeding area you can see that the cone turns while you apply pressure on the food, to grind off bits of the produce to send over the juicing screen. It is NOT pressureless, but you don't have to put your weight on it to get it to feed, either. Judging from what I've seen of twin-gear machines on YouTube and a couple of friends, the pressure required is nothing like trying to force produce through those. There's one bodybuilder on YouTube who demonstrates putting his twin gear on the floor so he can put his weight into it! A child can easily operate the Champion's required force.
Assembly of the Champion is extremely easy. I suppose it sounds quaint now, but one needs to keep a little Crisco container and put a dollop on the motor output shaft prior to juicing. This is a metal-to-metal contact when the juicing cone is put on and simply helps separate the cone when finished. I guess one could use Pam or some spray but I've never had a problem with keeping a little Crisco can for that, and only a very small amount is required. Slide the cone on, put the juicing screen in its recessed holder on the nozzle container holding the cone, a short twist and you're ready.
The Champion amazed me then, and still amazes me at the simplicity and durability of its design. Not a bunch of little plastic parts to keep up with. As the parts are nylon, they won't break if dropped. They don't crack, they don't deform. They just work.
At the end of juicing, just twist the cone exterior a few degrees and it's off. Reach over and pull off the cutting cone. That's it. Take the juicing screen out and scrub it just like any other juicer, except this one is only a little curved screen and very easy to brush w/o any weird crevices. Wash the cone assembly clean, wash the cutting cone, and you're done. I've always owned dishwashers but have never seen the need to run any of this through. Juice pulp is not baked-on spaghetti sauce; it rinses right off, so why dishwash it? These new Champions come in colors; the light colors will certainly stain with carrot and beet juice, as in any other juicer. If it bothers you, just wipe the affected parts with a little bleach and you are back like new. The motor housing is powdercoated paint.
Those who know juicing know that to juice greens they should be alternated with firm produce like carrots, celery, radishes, apples, etc. This aids the juicer in pushing the greens through. This applies to any juicer I've ever seen, including the Norwalk. Don't expect to run pounds of spinach, etc., through without a 'cleaning' carrot every so often. Most of us don't juice just greens anyway. Once again, a little common sense and knowledge.
Since this is a masticating juicer and the pulp comes out the cone in the front, one can conceivably juice all afternoon w/o having to stop and empty anything. I set mine next to the sink so that the cone end just drops the pulp into the sink bowl. Because of the design of the machine and in the interest in keeping the cone assembly reasonably compact (several inches) the size of the receptable for juice is somewhat limited. Perhaps because I've used one of these so long it's not an issue for me.
I can't count the number of juicings my Champion has had. It has never overheated, never jammed, never plugged up. The motor has never required service or maintenance. Does it remove more juice than any other juicer? No. If that's the supreme issue, buy a Norwalk. However, there is a device known as the People's Press--you can find it on the web--where you can use your Champion, discharging pulp into a cloth bag, then using a hydraulic press (like the Norwalk) to truly get all the juice out of the pulp. My pulp is damp, but again, I don't consider that the only criterion for juicing, not by a long shot. It's just an easy way to market machines.
I currently use two other juicers also, but if my Champion died tomorrow I'd order another one. I remember a few years ago seeing Elizabeth Taylor's kitchen in a magazine and there was a Champion like mine on her counter! Last place I expected to see one.
There is a small blanking plate one can put in place of the juicing screen. This makes great nut butters, drop them into the feed tube and out comes the butter at the other end. I've used this machine forever for frozen dessert by freezing banana pieces and strawberries, etc., then dropping them down the feed tube and coming out with soft-serve at the end of the cone. If one wants something like grated carrots, just run the machine without any plate under the cutting cone and beautiful grating will come out the bottom.
I've found over the years that each juicer has its strong points for some foods and is weaker at others. I've never gotten wheatgrass to do well in here. If I were doing wheatgrass daily I'd buy a juicer for it. On the whole, though, and if I could have just one juicer, this would still be the one. A couple of friends have bought Champions in the last few years and I don't see any difference in quality between mine and theirs. It amazes me that they can sell them so cheap now--the $300 I paid in the 70's was a lot dearer than now!
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