Fruits for juicing at home

The fruit cards

Each card shows the cut face of the fruit, a rough juiciness level from one to five drops, the role it plays in a mixed glass and the tools that handle it well. Juiciness varies with ripeness, variety and season, so treat the drops as a guide.

Citrus

Oranges, grapefruit, lemons and limes are the easiest fruits to juice. A simple hand reamer or a lever press gets most of the juice out of a halved fruit, and you don't need anything electric.

If you put citrus through a spinning or auger juicer, peel it first. The colored outer peel holds bitter oils, and the white pith under it tastes bitter too. A thin layer of pith left on is fine. Room temperature fruit gives a little more juice than fruit straight from the fridge, and rolling it on the counter under your palm before cutting helps loosen the inside.

Apples and pears

Apples are a common base for mixed juices because they are mild, sweet and juicy. Firm, crisp apples juice best. Soft, mealy ones tend to make a thick, cloudy juice with lots of foam. Take out the core and seeds before juicing; see the prep page for why.

Pears work the same way but need to be just ripe. Very ripe pears turn to mush in a fast juicer, and a slow juicer or press handles them better.

Melons and pineapple

Watermelon is mostly water and gives a lot of juice. It is soft enough that a blender and a fine strainer do the job well. Cut away the green rind first, because it adds a grassy, bitter taste.

Pineapple is juicy and strongly flavored. Cut off the spiky rind and the crown. The tough core juices fine in most machines, so you can leave it in.

Mango, kiwi and other soft fruit

Mango flesh is thick and gives a nectar more than a clear juice. Blend it, or put it through a slow juicer, and mix it with something thinner like orange or pineapple. Peel mangoes before you use them. The skin can bother some people's skin and mouths.

Kiwi gives a tangy green juice. You can leave the fuzzy skin on for a slow juicer, though many people peel it for a smoother taste.

Grapes, berries and pomegranate

Grapes juice easily in most machines once the stems are off. Dark grapes give a deep purple color. Berries are small and soft, so a blender and strainer suits them better than a fast juicer. Rinse berries just before you use them, since they spoil quickly once wet.

Pomegranate seeds sit in bitter white pith. The easiest way to juice a pomegranate at home is to halve it and press each half on a citrus press, or to free the seeds in a bowl of water and run them through a slow juicer.

Fruits better blended

Bananas, avocados and very ripe stone fruit have little free juice. A juicer mostly clogs on them. Blend them into a smoothie instead, or blend a small amount into a finished juice to thicken it.

Ready to mix them? The combining flavors page shows how fruit and vegetables work together in one glass.