Breville BJE200XL Juice Fountain Compact Review

Pros

• Outstanding performance – garnered the best yields in all but one of our juicing performance tests
• Extracts a virtually pulp-free juice
• Easier to assemble and clean than most other centrifugal juicers because of its non-standard design
• Easier to use than most other centrifugal juicers because it features only one speed
• An exceptional value considering it outperforms juicers more than three times its price

Cons

• Its motor is rated at only 700 watts – while this didn’t affect its juicing performance it could affect the juicer’s longevity

Category Scores

Assembly Diff.	5.0
Food Prep.	5.0
Soft Produce	5.0
Hard Produce	5.0
Pulp Free	5.0
Overall	5.0
Cleaning Diff.	4.5
Ease of Use	4.5
Versatility	3.0
Durability	4.0
Value	5.0
Cumulative	51

All category scores are out of 5.

Assembly

Most centrifugal juicers on the market feature the exact same design with the exact same parts working together in exactly the same way. The parts that make up such juicers are listed below.

• Food pusher
• Juicer cover
• Filter basket
• Filter bowl
• Motor base
• Juice container
• Pulp container

Above is a typical centrifugal juicer, the Breville Juice Fountain Plus (JE98XL). The left arrow is pointing to the juicer’s pulp container and the right arrow is pointing to the juicer’s filter bowl.

Sure, different models of centrifugal juicers from different brands may have differently sized parts (large vs small juice containers, for example) and/or parts made of different materials (titanium vs stainless steel filter baskets, for example). But, the design of the parts, how they function, and how they are put together is exactly the same for almost all of the centrifugal juicers on the market. Sixteen of the seventeen centrifugal juicers we tested feature this exact same design. The only such juicer that does not, is the Juice Fountain Compact (model no. BJE200XL). The BJE200XL is unique among the centrifugal juicers we tested in that it is the only such juicer that does not feature a separate pulp collection container. Instead, its pulp collection container is integrated into its filter bowl. As such, its parts list is slightly different than the one above:

• Food pusher
• Feed chute
• Juicer cover
• Filter basket
• Integrated pulp container
• Motor base
• Juice container

In order to describe how the Compact’s design differs from that of most other centrifugal juicers we tested and the vast majority of such juicers on the market, we need to revisit the path of produce through a typical centrifugal juicer, as described in our general buyer’s guide. Recall that when produce is fed into a centrifugal juicer’s feeding chute, it immediately makes contact with the juicer’s rotating filter basket. The center “circle” of the filter basket has razor sharp blades that cut into the produce and rapidly separates the produce into fibrous parts (pulp) and liquid parts (juice). The liquid juice is strained by centrifugal motion through the outside perimeter of the filter basket (which is composed of a fine mesh) into the bottom of the filter bowl. The juice then leaves the juicer through the juice outlet on the side of the filter bowl. All at the same time, the pulp shoots up to the bottom of the juicer cover where the shape of the cover and the motion of the pulp directs it into the top of the pulp container on the side of the juicer.

The BJE200XL works exactly the same way, except that it does not transfer pulp into a separate pulp container. Take a look at the photos below. Note the difference between a typical centrifugal juicer’s filter bowl on the left and the Compact’s integrated pulp container on the right. As you can see, the major difference is the fact that the Compact’s integrated pulp container has an outer ring while the typical filter bowl on the left does not. This extra outer ring is the space in which the Compact collects pulp. Both types of filter bowls have an “inner ring” into which juice is strained through the filter basket where it exits the juicer through a juice outlet.

Procedure

Because of its unique design, assembling the Compact is a bit different than assembling a typical centrifugal juicer. Assembly begins, however, exactly the same way. The juicer’s filter bowl (on the BJE200XL this part is called an integrated pulp container) is placed on the motor base. The filter basket is then placed on the motor coupling jutting up from the top of the motor base. Next, the juicer cover is placed on top of the integrated pulp container and secured in place by the safety locking arm. This is where assembly of the Compact differs from that of all of the other centrifugal juicers we tested. Because its pulp container is integrated with its filter bowl, there is no separate pulp container to assemble. As such, it requires one less part and one less step to complete assembly.

Note

As a final step you can place the food pusher inside the juicer’s feeding chute and the juice container underneath its juice outlet to be fully prepared to start juicing.

Difficulty

Assembling the Compact is ever so slightly easier than assembling most other centrifugal juicers we tested, mostly because it requires one less part to assemble. A centrifugal juicer is already the easiest type of juicer to assemble, as we discuss in our general buyer’s guide. As such, the Compact receives a perfect 5 out of 5 for assembly.

Food Preparation

We’ve thus far tested over 30 different juicers for review. For all of the slow juicers we tested, we juiced 7 different fruits and vegetables with each. For all of the centrifugal juicers we tested, we juiced only 5 different fruits and vegetables with each (the reason why we juiced less fruits and vegetables with centrifugal juicers is covered in our general buyer’s guide). The 5 fruits and vegetables we juiced with centrifugal juicers (including the BJE200XL) are oranges, grapes, carrots, celery, and apples. The 7 fruits and vegetables we juiced with slow juicers are all of the above plus spinach and wheatgrass.

Most of the slow juicers we tested required that we cut almost all of the produce we used for testing into much smaller pieces before they could be juiced. For example, the Omega NC800, a top rated horizontal masticating juicer, required that we cut oranges into quarters, apples into eighths, and carrots and celery into smaller 2 in. long pieces. Juicers of this type require extensive food preparation (cutting of produce) for three reasons. First, they have very small feeding chutes. The NC800, for example, has only a 1.5 in. wide by 2 in. long feeding chute. Second, certain types of slow juicers have extra food preparation requirements dictated by their design. Horizontal masticating juicers, for example, have their augers perpendicular to their feeding chutes. This design choice brings with it extra requirements for food preparation that do not exist for vertical masticating juicers. Third, slow juicers require extra food preparation depending on the type of produce that you want to juice with them. Celery is a classic example. When it’s juiced it breaks down into long fibrous strands that have a tendency to wrap around and jam a slow juicer’s auger. This is the primary reason why celery has to be cut down into smaller pieces for juicing with a slow juicer with a slowly rotating auger.

Centrifugal juicers such as the Juice Fountain Compact do not have any such food preparation requirements. Most have very large feeding chutes that can accept most produce whole. The Compact features a 3 in. diameter feeding chute – the same size chute as 13 of the 16 other centrifugal juicers we tested. The only exceptions were the Jamba 67901 (3.5 in. chute), Bella (2.8 in.), Juiceman JM250 (2.5 in.), and Black and Decker JE2200B (1.25 in. x 2.5 in.). The Compact, along with those 13 other juicers with the same size chute, were able to accept all of the produce we juiced whole, except for apples. We used jumbo sized Red Delicious apples for testing which required that we cut them into quarters before they could be juiced by these juicers. All of the other fruits and vegetables we tested including oranges, grapes, carrots, and celery were fed into these juicers whole.

Performance

As we mentioned earlier, we juiced 5 different fruits and vegetables with each of the 17 centrifugal juicers we tested for review. Those fruits and vegetables were oranges, grapes, carrots, celery, and apples. Oranges and grapes were juiced to test the juicer’s ability to juice softer produce while carrots, celery, and apples were juiced to test its ability to juice harder produce. For each test we juiced exactly 1 lb. (1 lb. = 16 oz.) of each fruit or vegetable (1 lb. of oranges, 1 lb. of grapes, etc.). As such, the collected out of juicer yield (measured as a weight) was always less than 16 oz. We also measured what we refer to as “after sieve” yield. This was the yield that was collected and measured after pouring the initial out of juicer yield through a sieve. We used the same fine sieve for collecting after sieve yield for all of the juicers we tested. This was done to ensure that the after sieve yield would be of the same consistency (a juice with very little pulp if any) for all of the juicers that we tested. Some juicers did better than others in terms of out of juicer yield only because they introduced more pulp into the juice. This advantage was nullified after pouring the out of juicer yield through a sieve.

One of the oranges we juiced with the Compact had to be cut so that we could meet the 1 lb. weight requirement for our orange juicing test. None of the oranges had to be cut to fit inside of the juicer’s feed chute.

Out of juicer orange juice yield being measured.

After sieve orange juice yield being measured. The pulp collected in the sieve is the difference in weight between the out of juicer yield and the after sieve yield.

Tabled Juicing Performance Test Results

Juicing Performance Summary and Score

The Juice Fountain Compact did exceptionally well in all of our juicing performance tests. It garnered a top 4 result for out of juicer yield in all 5 tests. The BJE200XL was the top performer for after sieve yield in 4 of 5 tests. It placed first in our orange, grape, carrot, and celery juicing tests. It placed second in our apple juicing performance test. Let that sink in for a minute. The Juice Fountain Compact, an approximately $100 single speed juicer, outperformed every other centrifugal juicer we tested, some of which are three or four times more expensive and many of which feature multi-speed functionality.

The Compact’s after sieve orange juice yield of 11.5 oz. is 0.8 oz. more than that of the approximately $300 Juice Fountain Elite’s 10.7 oz. yield in the same test. It is 1.2 oz. more than that of the approximately $400 Juice Fountain Duo’s 10.3 oz. yield in the same test. Its 12.1 oz. grape juice after sieve yield is just over 2 oz. more than that of the Elite’s 9.7 oz. result in the same test and just under 2 oz. more than the Duo’s 10.3 oz. result in the same test. The Compact’s after sieve orange juice and grape juice yields are about 3 oz. greater than those yields obtained by some of the worst performing juicers in each category.

The Compact’s dominance continues as we assess its performance juicing harder produce. Its after sieve carrot juice yield of 10.6 oz. is a full 2.1 oz. more than the average result (8.5 oz.) for the 17 centrifugal juicers we tested. Its after sieve celery juice yield of 12.9 oz. is about 1.7 oz. more than the average result (11.2 oz.) for celery juice for the centrifugal juicers we tested.

What makes these results even more impressive is that the Compact is able to achieve these yields without introducing much pulp into the initial out of juicer yield. This table doesn’t directly show how much pulp was collected in the sieve we used for straining the out of juicer yield to find after sieve yield for each test but the weight of this pulp can be determined by applying the following: how much pulp was collected (the weight of the pulp) = the difference in weight between out of juicer yield and after sieve yield. When doing so, note how much less the weight of this pulp was for the Compact compared to what was average for the centrifugal juicers we tested. The takeaway here is the following: not only will you be able to obtain much higher than average yields using the Juice Fountain Compact compared to most other centrifugal juicers on the market, but you will be able to enjoy those yields without having to strain the juice you make through a sieve (assuming of course that you prefer a juice that’s low in pulp content). The Compact (BJE200XL) earns a perfect 5 out of 5 for juicing performance.

Cleaning

Cleaning most of the centrifugal juicers we tested took us anywhere from 5 minutes to 6 minutes to do. This time does not include the time it took us to prepare for cleaning – the time it took us to move the juicer and all of its parts from where we were juicing to where we cleaned it and the time it took us to fill the sink with water and soap. Because it has one less part to clean (because of its integrated pulp container) the Compact took us closer to 5 minutes than 6 minutes to clean on average. Compare this time to the approximately 5 minutes it took us to clean vertical masticating juicers, the approximately 4 minutes it took us to clean horizontal masticating juicers, and close to 10 minutes it took us to clean the most difficult to clean juicer we tested – the twin gear Tribest Green Star Elite.

Note

The cleaning times above are given as averages because cleaning time varies depending on (1) what is juiced and (2) the extent to which you wish to clean the juicer. Some people have different standards for “clean” than others. Our standard for “clean” was dictated by what was required to ensure accurate test results. We cleaned the juicer after each juicing performance test. After juicing oranges, we cleaned it so that it would be ready for juicing grapes. After juicing grapes, we cleaned it so that it would be ready for juicing carrots, and so on and so forth. It was very important that not even trace amounts of pulp or juice would be left behind after we cleaned the juicer between each test. If, for example, trace amounts of orange juice were left behind after cleaning the juicer after our orange juicing test this could affect yields for our grape juicing test. We had to make sure that the juicer was cleaned as thoroughly as possible for testing. Thus, the times given above represent the time it takes to clean the juicer to a very high standard of “clean”.

Procedure and Tools

As we alluded to above, before we even started cleaning the juicer we needed to move it from the countertop on which we juiced, to another countertop next to the sink in which we wanted to clean it. Moving the juicer from one location to another in this way was easier to do with the Compact than it was for all the other centrifugal juicers we tested. The BJE200XL’s integrated pulp container sits on top of the motor base. It moves along with the juicer as one piece. Other centrifugal juicers have a separate pulp container. The pulp container loosely fits on the side of the main body of such juicers. It certainly can be moved along with the main body as one piece but it’s more difficult to do than just moving it as a separate part.

Once we had the Juice Fountain Compact (and all of its parts) properly situated next to the sink we filled the sink halfway with warm soapy water. We then proceeded to disassemble and clean the juicer piece by piece. We started by removing and cleaning the food pusher and juicer cover. The juicer cover had some pulp buildup that we had to remove by hand and throw in the trash before placing the cover in the sink. This pulp buildup wasn’t observed to be any more or any less than the pulp buildup on a juicer cover for a centrifugal juicer that features a separate pulp container. Next, we removed and cleaned the integrated pulp container. Cleaning this container is equivalent to cleaning the pulp container of a typical centrifugal juicer. The difference is that the integrated pulp container is shallow and is made of a clear plastic – it’s easy to reach into it and remove pulp and it’s easy to look into it to confirm when most of the pulp has been removed. Those juicers that feature a separate pulp container normally have a pulp container that’s long and deep and that’s made of an opaque plastic – it’s more difficult to reach into and remove pulp from such pulp containers and it’s even more difficult to confirm when most of the pulp has been removed from such containers. Finally, we removed and cleaned the Compact’s filter basket. It features almost exactly the same filter basket (in terms of dimensions, design, etc.) as those filter baskets included with other Breville juicers we tested and as such is just as difficult to clean.

For cleaning all of the juicer’s parts except for its filter basket we used a microfiber cloth. The parts were first submerged under water in the sink before they were washed clean with the cloth. They were then rinsed with running water underneath the sink faucet before being placed on a towel to air dry. The filter basket features sharp razor blades at its center and a fine sieve on its outside perimeter. It cannot be cleaned with a microfiber cloth. Thankfully, Breville included a heavy duty brush with our purchase of the juicer for this purpose. We used the included cleaning brush to scrub the filter basket clean under running water. We didn’t experience any more or less trouble doing so than we experienced cleaning the filter baskets included with the other Breville juicers we tested.

The cleaning brush included with the Compact is identical to the one included with the other four Breville centrifugal juicers we tested.

Note

In addition to the parts listed above we also needed to clean the juice container, its lid, and the main body of the juicer. The juice container and its lid were cleaned exactly the same way as the rest of the juicer’s parts – they were first submerged in soapy water, then cleaned with a microfiber cloth, then rinsed under running water. The main body of the juicer could not be submerged in water and neither could it be rinsed under running water. We cleaned it using the same microfiber cloth but only dampened with soapy water.

Filling the sink with warm, soapy water (top left), removing pulp from the juicer cover (top right), rinsing out the juice container (bottom left), and washing it (bottom right).

Washing the juicer cover (top left), removing the filter basket from the integrated pulp container (top right), and placing the filter basket in the sink to soak (bottom left and right).

Removing pulp from the integrated pulp container (top left), washing it (top right), rinsing it (bottom left), and scrubbing clean the filter basket (bottom right).

Of special note is the fact that the Compact’s juice spout points directly downward, unlike the juice spouts of most other centrifugal juicers which point away from the juicer at an angle. Similar to what occurs with other juicers, the juice that sprays down out of the Compact’s juice outlet has the tendency to spray out in a funnel shape. What’s problematic with the Compact, in particular, is that some of this spray – because of the orientation of its spout – hits the main body of the juicer. This does not occur on juicers with a juice outlet pointing away from the juicer at an angle. Thankfully, this juice can be easily cleaned off with a damp microfiber cloth or paper towel because the plastic material used for the Compact’s main body is very easy to clean. Note that, despite the fact that it gets dirty more frequently, the Compact’s main body is much easier to clean and keep clean than the main body of many other centrifugal juicers we tested.

What this means for the Compact is that you will have to clean its body more often and more vigorously than you would have to clean the main body of say, the Juice Fountain Plus, which has a juice outlet pointing at an angle away from the juicer.

The juice spout of the Juice Fountain Plus (left) and the Multi-Speed (right).

The Juice Fountain Compact’s juice spout.

Scratching the BJE200XL’s Integrated Pulp Container (filter bowl equivalent) and Juicer Cover

Most centrifugal juicers on the market have filter bowls and covers that are made of a clear plastic. This clear plastic allows the user to look inside of the juicer and confirm that it’s working correctly. The “shooting up” of the pulp (which we described in more detail at the beginning of the review), for example, as the juicer is processing produce, can be clearly seen through these parts. The clear plastic is also aesthetically pleasing when the juicer is brand new. The one large downside to this choice in materials is that it scratches very easily when it is cleaned.

The Juice Fountain Compact’s integrated pulp container and cover are made of the same clear plastic we described above. As such, we noticed the same scratching of these parts as we did on similar parts on the other centrifugal juicers that we tested, including other Breville centrifugal juicers such as the Juice Fountain Plus and Multi-Speed.

Dishwasher Safe Parts

All of the Compact’s parts are top shelf dishwasher safe except for the food pusher. All of the Breville centrifugal juicers we tested have food pushers that are not dishwasher safe as well. Centrifugal juicers from other manufacturers are, for the most part, completely dishwasher safe (not including the main body of the juicer of course) – meaning they have no parts that cannot be washed in a dishwasher. Note that we did not clean the Compact or any other juicer we tested with a dishwasher and neither do we recommend that you do so at home. We go over all of the reasons we suggest hand washing over washing juicer parts in a dishwasher in this part of our general buyer’s guide.

Cleaning Summary and Overall Score

Cleaning the Compact is actually a bit easier and simpler than it is cleaning most other centrifugal juicers we tested. This is so mostly because of its unique design. The fact that it has an integrated pulp container (vs a separate pulp container) means that it has one less part to clean. This part is also easier to remove pulp from, and easier to wipe clean than the part it replaces (a dedicated separate pulp container). On the negative side of things, the Compact has the same clear plastic filter bowl (integrated pulp container) and cover as most other centrifugal juicers on the market. These parts are very easy to scratch when cleaning them. As they continue to accumulate scratches every time you clean them they look worse and worse over time. All things considered, we give the Compact a 4.5 out of 5 for cleaning.

Ease of Use

The Compact is very easy to use.  As we discussed earlier, it’s very easy to assemble and easy to clean. It also doesn’t have any of the complicated food preparation requirements typical for a slow juicer. When using a slow juicer you have to carefully consider the type of juicer you’re using and how its design impacts the way in which it processes food. Depending on what that design dictates you may have to cut produce in a particular shape or to a particular size. With such juicers you also have to consider the type of produce you’re juicing. Food preparation requirements change depending on the consistency of the produce.

When juicing with a centrifugal juicer such as the Juice Fountain Compact, none of these same complex requirements apply. If you want to juice celery, simply place it in the juicer’s feeding chute and push it down into the juicer with the food pusher. You don’t have to worry about how your juicer is processing the celery and how its design might require that you cut the celery down to a particular size. You don’t have to worry about the consistency of the celery and whether its consistency dictates that you need to cut the celery in a particular way before juicing it. The only thing you really need to watch out for is seeded produce. Fruits with pits or large seeds need to be pitted before you can juice them. Examples of such fruits are peaches, plums, apricots, mangos, and even cherries. Note that fruits with very small seeds can be juiced just fine without removing their seeds. Examples are apples and certain varieties of seeded grapes.

Juicing Speeds

The Compact does not offer multi-speed functionality and it therefore does not have a switch or a dial to set the rotation speed of the filter basket. Instead, it features one simple switch – an ON/OFF switch. To turn the juicer on, all you have to do is flip the switch the ON position. Doing so sets the filter basket to rotate at one constant maximum speed of 14,000 RPM.

As we already showed earlier in this review, the BJE200XL’s lack of multi-speed functionality has absolutely no negative impact on its performance. Instead, our test results show that it is actually beneficial for the juicer’s performance. Recall that the Compact outperformed (in terms of the yields it was able to obtain) every other centrifugal juicer we tested, many of which have 2 or even 5 different selectable speeds.

In terms of ease of use, the Compact’s lack of multi-speed functionality is only a positive. It’s certainly much easier to flip an ON/OFF switch than to have to worry about setting juicing speeds depending on the consistency and hardness of the fruit or vegetable you’re juicing.

Manual Quality

The Juice Fountain Compact is a Breville juicer, and as such it comes with a manual of equal quality to that that of the manuals included with other Breville juicers on the market. The Compact’s manual is of course written specifically for the Compact. However, the quality of the written instructions, diagrams, and photos and the overall format of the manual is identical to that of the manuals included with other Breville juicers. Breville goes into great detail describing the different parts of the juicer, proper assembly, disassembly, and operation of the juicer, and correct cleaning of the juicer. They also include sections on juicing tips, fruit and vegetable facts (calorie counts, when to buy different produce, and proper storage of different types of produce), and juicing recipes. Should you purchase the Compact, the included manual will contain all the information you’ll ever need to properly use and care for the juicer. We cannot say the same for those manuals included with many other centrifugal juicers we tested.

Weight, Power Cord Length, Juice and Pulp Containers

Other features we look for when assessing whether a juicer is easy to use is its weight, the length of its power cord, and the size of its pulp and juice containers. We explain how these features impact ease of use in this part of our general buyer’s guide.

The Compact is definitely one of the lighter juicers we tested. It was measured to weigh only 7 lb. 12 oz. fully assembled. Its body was measured to weigh only 5 lb. 8.5 oz. For comparison, a typical slow juicer weighs about 13 lb. fully assembled and the body of such juicers typically weighs about 10 or 11 lb. The stainless steel Juice Fountain Elite and Duo weigh upwards of 14 lb. fully assembled. They were the heaviest centrifugal juicers we tested. On the other side of the spectrum the Black and Decker JE2200B and Juiceman JM250 were the lightest. They weigh only about 5 lb. fully assembled.

The Compact’s power cord is 41 in. long. While 41 in. isn’t quite as long as the 60 to 70 in. power cords of most of the slow juicers we tested, it’s about average for a centrifugal juicer. The average power cord length for all of the centrifugal juicers we tested is actually exactly 41 in.

The only real negative for the Compact, in terms of ease of use, is its small juice container. Its juice container was measured to hold an absolute maximum of 32 oz. of juice. This is much less than the 48 oz. capacity of the Breville Juice Fountain Duo and Multi-Speed’s juice containers and the 40 oz. capacity of the Plus and Elite’s included juice containers. It is still a greater volume than that of the Hamilton Beach Big Mouth Pro (20 oz.), Juiceman JM400 (20 oz.), JM250 (20 oz.), or Black and Decker JE2200B’s (11 oz.) included juice containers.

Note

The Compact’s juice container has black gradations that show a maximum volume of 800 mL which is equivalent to about 27 oz. The 32 oz. maximum volume referenced above (and all other volumes referenced above for that matter) are measured volumes – we filled each juice container to the brim with water and then poured the water into a separate measuring cup to determine the container’s absolute maximum volume.

Ease of Use Summary and Score

The Juice Fountain Compact is easier to use than most slow juicers because it doesn’t have any complex food preparation requirements. It’s easier to use than many other centrifugal juicers because it only has one speed. It’s also very light and therefore easy to move in and out of storage or from one location in the kitchen to another for cleaning. The only real negative for the Compact, in terms of its ease of use, is its below average sized juice container. If you plan on juicing a lot of produce all at the same time it’s likely that you’ll make more juice than what its 32 oz. juice container can hold. In such a scenario you’d have to empty and replace the Compact’s juice container – something that you might not need to do when juicing with a juicer that comes with a larger juice container. It is only because of its small juice container that the Compact receives a less than perfect 4.5 out of 5 in the category.

Versatility

Centrifugal juicers such as the BJE200XL lack the versatility of slow juicers. Centrifugal juicers, with few exceptions, can only be used to extract juice. Most slow juicers, on the other hand, can be used for a variety of different food processing tasks including, but not limited to making smoothies, fruit sorbets, pasta, breadsticks, and nut butters. If such versatility is important to you and you have the budget to accommodate it (slow juicers normally retail for well over $200), we recommend a horizontal masticating juicer such as the NC800 instead of a centrifugal juicer such as the BJE200XL.

Durability

Build Quality and Materials

The two parts of a centrifugal juicer that undergo the most stress when the juicer is processing produce are the juicer’s motor and its filter basket. The motor undergoes stress because it has to rotate the filter basket at a very high RPM while also being able to withstand the friction that occurs when produce is pushed against the filter basket’s razor blades. The filter basket undergoes stress because it comes into direct contact with the produce and is the only means by which the produce is cut, chopped, sliced, and strained as it is transformed from a whole solid into liquid (juice) and solid (pulp) parts.

Thankfully, these parts are normally constructed of components with a level of durability that matches the stress that they undergo even under normal use. The Compact’s filter basket is made of stainless steel, which is exactly what most other filter baskets for most other centrifugal juicers we tested are made of as well. The Compact’s filter basket is actually 100% identical to the filter basket included with the Juice Fountain Plus. It is also very similar to the filter basket included with the Multi-Speed, Elite, and Plus. The filter baskets included with these three juicers are also made of stainless steel but their center razor blade sections are titanium reinforced, giving them slightly greater durability to go along with their heavier duty motors.

Speaking of motors, the Compact is equipped with only a 700-watt motor. For comparison, the table below lists the wattage of the motors of some other centrifugal juicers we tested including the only four Breville centrifugal juicers we tested – the Breville Juice Fountain Plus, Multi-Speed, Elite and Duo.

Model Name	Wattage
Breville BJE200XL Compact	700
Breville JE98XL Plus	850
Breville BJE510XL Multi-Speed	900
Breville 800JEXL Elite	1000
Breville BJE820XL Duo	1200
Cuisinart CJE-1000	1000
Jamba 67901	1100

The table above clearly shows that all of the other Breville centrifugal juicers we tested all have beefier heavier duty higher wattage motors than the Compact does. Does this mean that the Compact’s motor is less durable than the motors equipped with other Breville juicers? Yes, it does. Does this mean that the Compact’s motor is less durable to an extent that it will be the first part of the juicer that fails and that its early failure will require that you replace the whole juicer because of it? No, we do not believe it does. Remember, we said that the juicer’s motor and filter basket undergo the most stress during the actual juicing process and that the durability of their components should reflect the fact that they undergo such stress. We believe that both the motors and filter baskets of all of the Breville juicers (including the BJE200XL) we tested are constructed of durable enough components that they will likely outlast the rest of each juicer’s parts.

Far more likely to break before these parts do are the juicer’s cover and filter bowl. We already discussed earlier (in the cleaning section) how the Compact’s filter bowl (its equivalent part is its integrated pulp container) and cover are made of a clear plastic material that very easily scratches even under normal use. Both of these parts are also much more likely to crack and break before the juicer’s motor fails or before its filter basket breaks. Other Breville juicers all have the same type of plastic cover made of the same plastic material. All except for the Duo and Elite also have the same type of plastic filter bowl made of the same type of clear plastic.

One other area of concern for the Juice Fountain Compact, in particular, is its main body. The Compact’s main body is made of a plastic material with a silver finish. This silver finish is likely painted onto the main body and will almost certainly accumulate scratches over time (we didn’t notice any scratches while we were testing the juicer but we were also careful not to scratch it). The Plus has a more durable and scratch resistant “heavy grade polymer body” (this is Breville’s description of the Plus’s main body), the Multi-Speed has a very difficult to clean but more durable and scratch resistant low grade stainless steel body, while the Elite and Duo both have a very high quality die-cast stainless steel body. The bottom line – the Compact has the least scratch resistant body of all of the juicers Breville makes.

Brand Reputation

Breville is well-known for manufacturing high quality premium small kitchen appliances but they are perhaps most well-known for manufacturing some of the best quality and most well reviewed centrifugal juicers on the market. Their line of centrifugal juicers covers a wide variety of budgets and needs. The Juice Fountain Compact is the least expensive juicer in their centrifugal juicer line, followed by the Juice Fountain Plus, the Multi-Speed (and Cold which we didn’t test), the Elite, and then the Duo. The Compact is viewed and marketed by Breville as being an entry-level centrifugal juicer and is priced accordingly. It has limited functionality (only one speed) compared to the other juicers in the line. The Plus, Multi-Speed, and Cold have a few more features (most notably more speeds) and their greater price reflects this. The Elite and Duo are Breville’s luxury juicer offerings. Both are constructed of mostly stainless steel parts (the other juicers in the line are mostly constructed of plastic). The Duo is unique in that it comes with a puree disc and insert for making smoothies out of soft fruits. The puree disc and insert replace the filter basket in the juicer’s filter bowl for this purpose. This added functionality does come at a price. The Duo normally retails for well above $300.

More on Brand Reputation

In the slow juicer world there are several manufacturers that put a focus on (that prioritize) the manufacturing of juicers. What we mean by this is that these manufacturers, while they may manufacture more than just juicers (other appliances as well), regard their juicers as some of their most important products. For this reason, they’re constantly working on improving their juicers and giving their juicers functionality and performance that is competitive with other slow juicers on the market. For example, one such manufacturer is Omega. They manufacture various different appliances but they are most well-known for their juicers and they’re well aware of the fact. They are constantly releasing new models that improve upon old ones and that offer functionality and performance that is at least on par with other offerings on the market. They also offer highly competitive warranties and outstanding customer service. They have to because their competition does the same. Kuvings, Tribest, etc. are all very similar companies that prioritize the manufacturing of juicers as well.

In the centrifugal juicer world things are a bit different. Breville is really the only manufacturer that has thus far consistently shown that they are prioritizing the manufacturing of their juicers. This is why they have more models on the market than any other manufacturer. The simple truth is that other manufacturers simply don’t really appear to care as much about their juicers. Companies such as Black and Decker and Cuisinart manufacture juicers, but juicers are one of hundreds of different types of appliances that they manufacture. Because they aren’t as focused on juicers as Breville is, the quality and performance of their juicers suffers. This becomes evident when you look at our performance test results. Breville juicers consistently rank above juicers from other manufacturers in our performance tests. It’s not uncommon for the top 5 performers in a category to all be Breville juicers. This is also evident when you look at something as basic as the literature included with Breville juicers compared to the literature included with juicers from other manufacturers. Breville juicers come with high quality long and comprehensive manuals with lots of extras such as “juicing tips” and “fruit and vegetable facts”. They come with the type of manual you wouldn’t expect to come with such a simple appliance such as a juicer. Other juicers we tested from other manufacturers come with much shorter, less comprehensive and lower quality manuals. Sure, you could say that the quality of a user manual doesn’t necessarily say much about the quality of a product. But, at the very least you’d have to admit that a high quality manual shows that the manufacturer cares about the product. And caring about a product is the first step to actually making a high quality product. Breville has done so with their juicers while other centrifugal juicer manufacturers have not.

Quality of Support

Our survey of customer reviews indicates that Breville’s customer service is nothing short of outstanding. According to such reviews they are quick to respond to inquiries and are polite and courteous in their communication.

Every Breville juicer, including the BJE200XL, comes with a warranty card that lists a website, toll free phone number, and physical address for contacting Breville USA and an additional website, number, and address for contacting Breville Canada. Contacting Breville via phone is recommended for immediate support. You can get in touch with a customer service representative via phone Monday through Friday between 8am and 5pm Pacific Time (their head office is in Torrance, CA). On their website you can also submit an inquiry via an online contact form. Breville states that they aim to respond to inquiries made via this contact form within 24 hours between Monday and Friday. Please note that all of the above information is correct at the time of the publishing of this review and may change over time.

Warranty

The Juice Fountain Compact comes with only a 1-year warranty. One year may sound short and that is, well, because it is short. If it’s any consolation, rest assured that the Compact’s 1-year warranty has exactly the same duration and terms as the warranty included with every other (more expensive) centrifugal juicer Breville manufacturers. Even the top-of-the-line Juice Fountain Duo comes with the same 1-year warranty as the Compact.

Most of the slow juicers we tested come with a warranty at least 5 to 10 years in duration. Most other centrifugal juicers (from manufacturers other than Breville) on the market have only a 2-year warranty at most. Warranties included with most of these juicers are also not nearly as comprehensive as the warranty included with the Compact (the Compact’s warranty fully covers all of the juicer’s parts) and may require that you jump through hoops to make a warranty claim – hoops that you won’t have to jump through when making a warranty claim with the Compact (Breville customer service is easy to contact and warranty claims are handled very quickly in most cases).

Summary and Score

The Juice Fountain Compact is not as durable as the other more expensive juicers Breville makes. It has a lower wattage motor, its filter basket is not titanium reinforced, and its main body is made of what can best be described as an aesthetically pleasing but scratch-prone plastic. That being said, the Compact is still more durable – made of more durable and reliable parts – than every other non-Breville manufactured centrifugal juicer we tested. Just because it’s not as durable as other top-of-the-line Breville juicers does not mean that it isn’t durable at all. We didn’t once feel as if any part of the BJE200XL was prone to breaking while we were testing it for review.

If something does break, the Compact is covered by a comprehensive warranty for one year from the date of purchase. This included warranty is short, but it isn’t any shorter or less comprehensive than the warranty included with every other centrifugal juicer Breville manufacturers. In addition, while warranties included with other centrifugal juicers from other manufacturers may be slightly longer, they are normally not nearly as comprehensive or as easy to claim as Breville warranties. All things considered, we give the Compact a respectable 4 out of 5 for durability.

Value

Initial Cost

For many, the Compact’s most appealing “feature” will be its price. It normally retails for around $100 which makes it about $50 less expensive than the Juice Fountain Plus, about $80 less expensive than the Multi-Speed and Cold, and about $200+ less expensive than the Elite or Duo. The Compact is about one third the price of a typical slow juicer. Slow juicers normally retail for around $300 but can be priced upwards of $400 depending on type and functionality. The Compact is about twice as expensive as the least expensive centrifugal juicers we tested. The Black and Decker JE2200B and Juiceman JM250 both normally retail around or less than $50.

Long Term Cost

While most consumers are well aware of the initial cost of buying a juicer (the juicer’s price), few take into account the long term cost of juicing and how a juicer’s performance can affect that long term cost. We discuss the relationship between the long term cost of juicing and juicer performance at length in a separate write-up which you can find here. For now, simply understand that the greater the juicer’s performance the lower the cost of juicing over time. For this reason, the Compact is even more of a value than its low initial price already suggests. Recall that it was able to garner well above average yields in all five of our juicing performance tests. In fact, it was the top performer (after sieve yield) in all but one test.  Its top tier performance means that the Compact is the best value juicer of all of the centrifugal juicers we tested for review, even outside of the context of its initial price.

Value Summary

The Compact is an absolutely outstanding value for two reasons. First, it’s priced very competitively at around $100. There is no other juicer on the market that gives you the quality, ease of use, durability, etc. of the Compact at the same price point. Second, the long term cost of juicing with the Compact is less than it is with juicing with any other centrifugal juicer we tested. Because it is able to obtain greater yields out of the same quantity of produce than the other juicers we tested, you will be getting more juice with the Compact than with those juicers per dollar spent on any particular type of produce. Another way of looking at it is that you will need to buy less produce to make the same quantity of juice (again, if this line of thinking confuses you please see here). We give the Compact a perfect 5 out of 5 for value.

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