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(More customer reviews)I have owned a large Orange-X juicer for two winters, and I recently bought a mid-size juicer as a gift. I am the author of the "Best juicer, April 8, 2001" review for the large Orange-X. My Orange-X has withstood the test of time as a daily habit during orange season. Think how many kitchen appliances gather dust next to the rowing machine; daily use is the ultimate testimonial. The habit I've settled on is to rotate a bowl of several varieties of citrus into the fridge for the next glass, and squeeze one glass at a time. Cleanup is easy enough, and "just-squeezed" (as opposed to yesterday's juice in a bottle) tastes good enough, that this habit sticks.
Setting the two units next to each other, I can make some comparisons.
First, every unit has a unique personality, and some units can only fairly be classified as defective. I looked at four mid-sized units before accepting one, rejecting two as defective, and the one I accepted has definite quirks. (Hey, so do I!) This is a brilliant design, but we're not talking BMW quality control at the factory. For now, this is hands down the best lever juicer on the market, but the principle of applying leverage during a stroke can't be patentable, someone will get around the Orange-X patents with better manufacturing quality, and Orange-X will be history.
What to look for, examining a unit for defects? The base should sit squarely on the counter, not warped so only three feet touch as a time. The various assembly parts should line up vertically on the pole, so the squeezing action is "on center". The lever arm should reach a bit past vertical, so it won't come down by surprise onto your fingers. Watch the lever action very carefully. It should impress you with its beauty, not look "all twisty", and maximum leverage should occur near the very end of the stroke; too soon is a quirk.
It is obvious, mail-ordering from Amazon, that you will be studying your unit more carefully than anyone before you. You have to admire Amazon for not deleting this post. In my extensive experience with Amazon, they are dedicated to keeping satisfied customers.
Now, the differences between the sizes: Price. Weight, 16 lbs -vs- 19 lbs. Height in rest position, 16" -vs- 18 1/2". Height of handle at top of stroke, 28 3/4" -vs- 31 1/2". Maximum glass height, 4 13/16" -vs- 6 1/8". Same stroke length, 3 7/8". Same strainer basket.
In other words, the two sizes should be virtually identical in function, with the mid-size a bit less unwieldly, and an easier reach if you don't play basketball. A "jam jar" tumbler will only fit directly under the large, but most pint measuring cups fit fine under the mid-size, as do many glasses.
On the other hand, if you can put up with the price, height, and weight of the large, and you're tall enough, it may be the way to go. In some intangible way the design feels more fully expressed in the large, but the mid-size works just fine.
I found my large handles grapefruit easily, but needs a rubber shim for thin-skinned citrus. Not mashing bitter oils from the peel is an intentional design feature of the Orange-X, but the spacing is fixed, and can only be adjusted by shimming with rubber Mason jar gaskets under the strainer basket, which I sometimes do. The particular mid-size I tested requires more effort to squeeze a grapefruit, but handles thin-skinned oranges better. I believe this to be the individual personalities of the units, not a generalization that applies to mid-size -vs- large, but, heh, who knows?
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Orange-X Professional JuicerFinally a commercial grade juicer for the home that will do as advertised, deliver a glass of fresh squeezed juice.This mid-size commercial juicer form OrangeX is as cool and refreshing as the juice it produces.Whether your fresh squeezed fancy is oranges, grapefruits, lemons or limes the OrangeX commercialjuicer will make your morning a breeze.Made from cast iron and stainless steel with 2300 PSI (pounds per square inch) of force everyone in the family can have freshly squeezed juice at the drop of a lever. Removable parts are dishwasher safe.
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