Bests & Worsts Reviews from Amazon

I bought this juicer on a whim, sort of. I heard of a deal where I could get this for $206 shipped as opposed to the $299 price tag. Somehow, it seemed so much more tempting. Suddenly juicing and juice fasts are all the rage. Maybe not suddenly, but I am noticing people talk about them more and more. I began my research when I heard of this deal. Even at $206 I wasn't about to jump in and buy something that made no sense to me. Like one reviewer mentioned, the cleanup is where he falters; this is my case as well. If using this thing, cleaning this thing, and storing this thing are nothing short of a pain in the rear, I won't use it much more than a few times. The novelty will wear off and I'll want my counter back. Cleaning: This is a huge deal to just about everyone, I think. There are 8 pieces that you will have to clean after juicing; pusher, collection bowl (2), juicing screen, auger, hopper (funnel), drum cap, and the drum (the part the auger sits in). If you use the sieve then you have to clean that. Tear down and rinse takes less than 4 minutes (includes time for water to get warm and me to dump the pulp extracted). Not counting any time for anything else, the 2 minute clean up is indeed pretty accurate. I let the parts dry in a dish rack until I am ready to use them again. Storing: I am not as limited on counter space as some are, but I don't like cluttered counters. With a mixer, coffee pot, canisters for whatever, and a toaster oven, I am pretty well set on counter space. I feel as though this doesn't exactly spare space but it is not so overwhelmingly huge that you feel like you couldn't work on the counter in front of the machine (if stored against the wall with the logo facing you). If space is an issue, the built in handle is fantastic and you can easily drop this into a cupboard. If you're juicing multiple times a day then that would get tedious. Noise: If you've ever owned a Magic Bullet then you will be pleased with the noise level. I understand the RPMs are like night and day, but the Bullet is so loud I always felt bad using it in the morning. I can have a conversation on the phone while juicing and not feel horrible about it. Fruit Juice: After doing much research I was learning that masticating juicers were great for greens whereas the centrifuge juicers were better for fruit. I've never owned another juicer so I can't speak to that. I will say that I understand where the design lends to greens more so than fruit (like oranges or lemons). Oranges in this thing tend to juice pretty well but I think having to cut the peel and rind off is a pain. I think I'd rather eat my orange. If only to curb the green flavor, I will put ½ orange in the machine. Apples did well, which seems to be completely different than many peoples' experiences. I used green apples and have recently bought some cameo apples to try. I tried a banana and I guess it went okay. I think if I froze the banana then it may have been better but that was just a spur of the moment idea that I don't plan to make a big part of my juicing. Blueberries did surprisingly well but I understand these are better in a blender. To each their own. Those are all the fruits I've tried in 2 days since owning this machine. Greens: This thing was supposed to be great for wheat grass. I must have done something wrong because the grass went in and quickly just hung out around the auger until other things pushed it through. I know I got the juice, but for straight wheat grass, I am not sure. This could be user error. Kale is awesome. It is easy, it does squeak a bit but overall, most of my juice has been had through the use of kale. Carrots, this thing juices carrots very well. I don't seem to have lumpy juice and the collection of pulp suggests they feed and release quite well. Cucumbers are different. They seem to do just fine but I did the wheat grass then cucumber next and I don't think that was really going well for me. I guess I need to think about the grass, kale, cucumber, then carrot. There was something said about rotating what you're juicing and I think I understand the reason for the concept. I have not tried any other greens yet. I don't know if I'll set out on a juice fast anytime soon. I don't think it is safe to jump into that without more research. This model does really do well and I have learned that there is no real one-stop shop for a juicer that does everything well. I think if this does fruit okay and greens well, that I would rather have greens be easy and fruit secondary since I think the health benefits are better from greens. I understand the VERT or VRT model does fruit better and still does greens well, but I think people say that for leafy greens the 8006 is better. One could go crazy trying to really figure it all out. If you just want fruit juice then I think you need more research though. I don't believe this is the machine for you. Juicing Time: Juicing on the VRT is quicker, no doubt (all the videos prove that). Reading reviews and watching videos is important because some of the poor reviews I read on the 8006 and VRT model make me realize that some people just don't research. That is okay, but then try to understand that many of the questions and concerns can be answered through even 30 minutes online. With a purchase that has this kind of price tag, 30 minutes is nothing compared to the headache of having to hate what you bought and return it. For me, the juicing time isn't so much of a thing; the prep time is. Prep time, in my opinion between the two, is quite similar. While the VRT has a large chute, I don't really feel like you're saving as much time. If you can find a juicer where you can toss in a quarter orange with rind and peel then we can talk about speed. In the end, I can see that providing I can keep up with the trips to the market every couple of days then I will do okay with having this as a usable kitchen tool for a long time to come. It is important not to try and buy your produce with the intention of it keeping for over a week (at least that is what I hear) so trips to the store every few days are probably in store for anyone who wants to juice at least twice a day. Any juicer will require this commitment unless you have a flourishing garden in your yard that produces everything you could possibly need. I do not so it is Whole Foods and Fresh Market for me! One last thing, I read this was made in the USA. I don't think that is the case now. There is still a 15-year warranty, but my box clearly states Korea. Now, I didn't do well in geography and I rely heavily on my GPS whenever I leave the house, but I'm pretty sure Korea isn't part of the USA.