Breville BJE820XL Juice Fountain Duo Review

Pros

• Stainless steel construction makes it scratch and stain resistant, easy to clean, and highly durable
• The only centrifugal juicer we tested that can be used for more than just making juice
• Comes with a powerful 1200-watt motor which is the highest wattage motor you can get in a centrifugal juicer
• Above average performance in most of our juicing performance tests

Cons

• Very expensive for a centrifugal juicer
• Comes with only a 1-year warranty despite its high price point
• 5-speed functionality makes it more difficult to use than 1-speed alternatives
• Was a below average performer juicing grapes

Category Scores

Assembly Diff.	5.0
Food Prep.	5.0
Soft Produce	3.5
Hard Produce	4.5
Pulp Free	4.5
Overall	4.0
Cleaning Diff.	4.5
Ease of Use	4.0
Versatility	5.0
Durability	5.0
Value	2.5
Cumulative	47.5

All category scores are out of 5.

Assembly

The BJE820XL (Juice Fountain Duo) is unique among the centrifugal juicers we tested, in that it can be assembled in two different ways. It can be assembled for making juice (where pulp is separated from the juice) or for making smoothies (where pulp is not separated from the juice). All other centrifugal juicers we tested could only be assembled for one purpose – for juicing. The parts required for assembling the Juice Fountain Duo for juicing are listed below.

Juicing – Parts List

• Food pusher
• Juicer cover
• Filter basket
• Filter bowl
• Motor base (sometimes called the body or main body of the juicer)
• Juice container
• Pulp container

Procedure

Assembling the Duo for juicing requires the following steps: First, the stainless steel filter bowl is placed onto the top of the main body (motor base) of the juicer.  Next, the filter basket is placed inside of the filter bowl and onto the juicer’s motor drive coupling, a plastic disc that extends from the top of the motor base. The motor drive coupling and the bottom of the filter basket each have three matching white arrows that need to be properly aligned for the filter basket to fit securely in place. Next, the juicer cover is placed on top of the filter bowl. The pulp container is then fitted underneath the round plastic end of the juicer cover that extends from the main body of the juicer. Next, all parts are properly secured in place by raising the safety locking arm from its initial horizontal position to a vertical position in which it fits into grooves on the front and back top side of the juicer cover. As a final step, the food pusher can be placed into the feeding chute and the juice container should be placed underneath the juice spout extending from the side of the filter bowl.

Making Smoothies – Parts List

• Food pusher
• Juicer cover
• Puree disc
• Puree insert
• Filter bowl
• Motor base
• Juice container

Procedure

In order to assemble the BJE820XL for making smoothies the exact same procedure is followed as is required for assembling the juicer for juicing (as outlined above), with three important exceptions. First, the puree disc is placed onto the motor drive coupling instead of the filter basket. Second, the puree insert is placed into the filter bowl around the puree disc as an additional part that is contained within the filter bowl, before the juicer cover is placed over the filter bowl to complete the next step of assembly. Third, the pulp container does not need to be placed underneath the juicer cover. The pulp container is not required as all processed food will exit the juicer through the juice outlet when the juicer is setup in this way for making smoothies.

Assembly Difficulty

Assembling the BJE820XL for juicing isn’t any more or less difficult than it is for most other centrifugal juicers that we tested. Almost all juicers of this type are assembled in exactly the same way using the exact same parts and therefore there’s very little variation in assembly difficulty among them.

Assembling the BJE820XL for making smoothies is not much more difficult than assembling it for juicing. The only really difficulty some consumers might have when setting up the juicer in this way is remembering that both the puree disc and the accompanying insert are required parts for assembly and that the pulp container is not required for assembly. Otherwise, puree parts fit into place easily and intuitively just the same as juicing parts do.

Food Preparation

When juicing with a slow juicer, three different factors need to be taken into account when deciding (1) to what size and (2) in what shape produce needs to be cut. The first is the juicer’s feeding chute size (the larger the diameter of the feeding chute the larger the pieces of produce that can fit into it), the second is what type of juicer it is (horizontal slow juicers process produce in a different way than vertical slow juicers, for example, which affects the size and shape of the produce that they can process most efficiently), and the third is what type of produce is to be juiced (celery, for example can wrap around the auger of a slow juicer and so it needs to be cut into very small short pieces even if larger longer pieces are able to fit into the juicer’s feeding chute).

Of these three factors, only one applies to centrifugal juicers such as the Juice Fountain Duo – feeding chute size. The Duo’s filter basket spins at such a high RPM and so violently cuts and processes produce that the only factor that limits the size and shape of the produce that can be fed into its feeding chute is the diameter of the chute itself. Additional factors such as juicer type and produce type need not be taken into consideration. There is nothing about the juicer’s design (relating to the type of juicer that it is) that limits the size or shape of fruits or vegetables that you can juice with it. And there is also no slowly rotating auger on the Duo around which fibrous strands of celery can wrap and cause the juicer to jam (in other words, produce type need not be considered with regard to preparation procedure).

That all being said, the Duo’s feeding chute is 3 inches in diameter, the same diameter as that of almost every other feeding chute for every other centrifugal juicer we tested. All five Breville centrifugal juicers we tested have 3 in. feeding chutes. So does the Hamilton Beach Big Mouth Pro, the Juiceman JM400, juicers by Jack Lalanne and Jason Vale, and many other centrifugal juicers we’ve tested thus far.

We juiced and therefore needed to prepare five different fruits and vegetables for testing the Juice Fountain Duo – 1 lb. each of oranges, grapes, carrots, celery, and apples. The Duo’s 3 in. feeding chute required that we cut only one of these fruits and vegetables to a smaller size. Only the apples that we juiced needed to be cut into smaller pieces before they could be juiced. We found that it was sufficient to cut them into only quarters to fit them into the Duo’s feeding chute.

Note

In our survey of consumer reviews we noted that there was some confusion as to the exact diameter of the juicer’s feeding chute. The manufacturer lists the Duo’s feeding chute has having a diameter of 3 inches, while some consumers have claimed that it has a larger 3.5 in. diameter feeding chute. We measured the diameter of every feeding chute for every juicer we tested for review and we can confidently say that the Duo’s feeding chute is in fact only 3 in. in diameter as the manufacturer specifies. The only juicer we tested that has a larger sized feeding chute is the Jamba 67901 which does have a 3.5 in. diameter feeding chute.

Performance

As we mentioned in the previous section (on food preparation), we juiced 1 lb. each of oranges, grapes, carrots, celery, and apples to test the BJE820XL’s juicing efficiency. How much would it yield juicing each one of these five fruits and vegetables individually? How would those yields compare to yields obtained from similar juicers? These were the questions we wanted to answer through testing.

In addition, we also wanted to know how much pulp was in the juice extracted by one juicer compared to the amount of pulp in the juice extracted by another. In order to answer this question, specifically, we poured the initial “out of juicer” yield for each test for each juicer through a fine sieve. The same sieve was used for all tests. Thus, we obtained an “after sieve” yield that had a consistent amount of pulp for each test for all of the juicers we tested. The difference in weight between the out of juicer yield and the after sieve yield would represent the quantity of pulp contained within the original out of juicer yield for each test for each juicer.

This table in the relevant portion of our general buyer’s guide shows the out of juicer and after sieve yield for the BJE820XL in each test. Results for all the other juicers we tested are also shown.

Notes

The BJE820XL is a multi-speed juicer and as such we needed to set the speed of the juicer for each test. The juicer’s speed was set according to what type of produce we were juicing. For harder produce we set the speed higher and for softer produce we set the speed lower. The BJE820XL’s manual contains a “speed selector table” which lists specific fruits and vegetables and what speed, exactly, to set the juicer to for juicing each one. We followed the manual’s instructions to a tee for each fruit and vegetable we tested. For example, the table lists the recommended speed for juicing apples as “5”. Thus, we set the Duo’s speed to “5” when we juiced apples. We followed the same procedure (setting the juicer to the speed dictated by the manual) for each of the fruits and vegetables we tested. This was done to ensure that we would give the juicer the best chance to succeed – for it to be able to juice as efficiently as possible for as maximum a yield as was possible.

For more information on general testing procedures and a more thorough explanation of the different types of yields we obtained through testing please see here.

Juicing Performance Summary and Score

The Duo did quite well juicing harder produce such as carrots, celery, and apples; while its performance was quite lackluster juicing softer produce such as oranges and grapes. Its orange juice out of juicer yield of 10.8 oz. was not quite as disappointing as the sub 10 oz. yields we obtained in the same test from much lower rated juicers such as the Black and Decker JE2200B and Cuisinart CJE-1000, but it also wasn’t nearly as impressive as the close to 12 oz. yields we were able to obtain in the same test from top rated juicers such as the Breville Juice Fountain Compact. Similarly, its after sieve orange juice yield of 10.3 oz. was much better than the approximately 8 oz. yields we saw in the same test from lower quality juicers, but not nearly as good as the 11+ oz. yields we saw in the same test from some of the best performing juicers in the category.

The Duo’s performance in our grape juicing test was even more disappointing. Its out of juicer yield of 10.5 oz. was almost 2 oz. less than what the approximately $100 Juice Fountain Compact was able to obtain in the same test. Similarly, its 10.3 oz. after sieve yield was again almost 2 oz. less than the Compact’s 12.1 oz. after sieve yield in the same test.

The Duo did much better juicing harder produce. Its carrot and celery out of juicer yields were good for 2^nd and 3^rd best, respectively, among the 17 centrifugal juicers we tested. Its after sieve yields juicing the same vegetables were good for 4^th and 3^rd place, respectively. And finally, its apple juicing out of juicer yield and after sieve yield were good for 5^th and 3^rd place, respectively, among all of the centrifugal juicers we tested.

What are we to make of these results? The take away here is that if you’re looking for a juicer that is going to be able to extract as much juice as possible from a given quantity of softer produce, the Juice Fountain Duo is probably not the best option. If, however, you’re looking for a juicer that can extract a maximum amount of juice from a given quantity of harder produce, then the BJE820XL may very well be the juicer for you. That being said, most arguments that can be made for purchasing the BJE820XL have nothing to do with its juicing efficiency. Those arguments would rather involve a discussion about how it compares favorably to other juicers on the market in terms of its build quality and its versatility. We discuss those areas in which the BJE820XL excels in later on in this review. For now, we summarize our discussion above by saying that the Duo is a slightly below average juicer for juicing softer produce while it’s a well above average juicer for juicing harder produce. It earns a slightly above average 4 out of 5 for overall juicing efficiency.

Cleaning

Procedure

Before you start cleaning the BJE820XL, it first needs to be disassembled. You can either disassemble all of its parts at the same time or disassemble the juicer piece by piece, cleaning each part as you go. This is the approach we took when cleaning the Juice Fountain Duo during testing. We would first move the whole juicer right next to the sink, fully assembled, then remove parts one at a time, cleaning them one at a time with a microfiber cloth in a sink halfway filled with warm soapy water. The parts that we cleaned first were the juice container, juice container lid, and food pusher. We then cleaned the juicer cover, filter bowl, and pulp container. When disassembling the juicer, the filter bowl and filter basket can be removed together at the same time. When removing both at the same time we would place the filter basket (filter side down) in the sink to soak it for a few minutes while we cleaned the filter bowl and pulp container. This extra soaking went a long way in making the filter basket easier to clean later on. The filter basket, is in fact, the most difficult part of a centrifugal juicer to clean.

We cleaned the Duo’s filter basket using the cleaning brush that Breville includes with the purchase of the juicer. The filter basket was the only part of the juicer that we did not clean with a microfiber cloth. The included cleaning brush has tough and durable heavy duty bristles that can withstand scrubbing the filter basket’s sharp blades. Cleaning the Duo’s filter basket required that we keep it under running water under the faucet while scrubbing it repeatedly with the cleaning brush. We needed to do so for at least a minute or two to clean the filter basket properly.

Staining and Scratching

The Juice Fountain Duo and the Juice Fountain Elite were the only two centrifugal juicers we tested that are primarily composed of stainless steel parts. Stainless steel is much more resistant to staining and scratching than plastic and as such we observed very little staining or scratching of the Duo’s parts during testing. The only part of the juicer that did stain was the filter basket. The white arrows on the bottom of the juicer’s filter basket stained orange after we juiced carrots. This same thing occurred for all of the Breville centrifugal juicers we tested. All of them had the same white alignment arrows on the bottom of their filter baskets which all stained orange after juicing carrots. We were unsuccessful removing these stains even after repeatedly scrubbing these filter baskets clean and soaking them in several different solutions overnight.

Dishwasher Safe Parts

All of the Duo’s parts are dishwasher safe except for the food pusher and the puree insert. The filter basket, puree disc, juicer cover, etc. are all completely dishwasher safe. We did not wash any of the Duo’s parts in the dishwasher during testing for several reasons, all of which are listed and expounded upon in our general buyer’s guide.

Cleaning Summary and Overall Score

Cleaning the Duo follows the same procedure as was followed for almost every other centrifugal juicer we tested. Its stainless steel parts do not require any special cleaning techniques or procedures different than those techniques and procedures employed for cleaning equivalent plastic parts on other juicers. The fact that many of its parts are stainless steel does mean that the Duo is more stain resistant and scratch resistant than comparable mostly plastic juicers. That being said, several of the Duo’s parts are still plastic, just the same as they are on other juicers. The Duo’s juice container and lid, its pulp container, and a large part of its cover are made of the exact same plastic materials that make up the construction of comparable parts of mostly plastic Breville centrifugal juicers. Nonetheless, the fact that the Duo is mostly stainless steel still makes it more stain and scratch resistant than most other mostly plastic centrifugal juicers we tested. We give it a well above average 4.5 out of 5 in the category.

Note

Some consumers might be concerned about the fact that some of the Duo’s parts are not made of stainless steel and that those parts may come into contact with food during the juicing process. Rest assured, that none of the Duo’s plastic parts come into contact with either pre-processed food or the juice that exits out of the juicer through its juicing nozzle. Produce enters the juicer through a stainless steel feeding chute where it comes into contact with the juicer’s filter basket. The filter basket is composed of a stainless steel micromesh filter and a titanium cutting disc. Juice strains through the filter basket’s filter into the filter bowl, a part that is 100% made of stainless steel. Juice exits the filter bowl through the filter bowl’s juice outlet which is also made of stainless steel. To catch the juice, you can use the included plastic juice container but you can just as easily use a glass or some other container of your choosing. Thus, the processed food, from the moment that it enters the juicer to the moment that it splashes into a juice collection container of your choice, never has to come into contact with plastic parts.

Yes, the top of the juicer cover and the pulp container are both made of plastic but only processed pulp ever comes into contact with either of these parts. The included juice container is made of plastic but you do not need to use it to collect juice.

Ease of Use

Juicing Speeds

The BJE820XL can be set to 5 different speeds. At the lowest speed (1) the filter basket rotates at 6500 RPM. At the highest speed (5) it rotates more than twice as fast – at 13000 RPM. Which speed setting you choose is dictated by the type of produce you’re juicing. Softer produce should be juiced at lower speed settings while harder produce should be juiced at higher speed settings.

But how can you know which low speed setting, specifically, to select for juicing a softer fruit or vegetable? How can you know which high speed setting, specifically, to select for juicing a harder fruit or vegetable? Thankfully, the included user manual provides a “speed selector table” that you can use as a reference to make these types of decisions. The table includes a comprehensive list of over 20 different popular fruits and vegetables and which speed to select for each one.

You might be wondering whether you’ll have to reference this table each time you juice. And the answer to that question is a firm no, you won’t. After gaining some experience using the juicer and referencing the table a few times you’ll be able to look at and/or feel a particular fruit or vegetable you want to juice and be able to approximate the speed to set the juicer to for juicing it quite well. Sure, you may not be able to set the speed exactly right for maximum juicer efficiency. But you’ll be able to obtain reasonable yields nonetheless. Of course, if you’re looking to juice with maximum efficiency and obtain maximum yields as we wanted to for testing, then you absolutely will have to reference the manual to be sure that you’re setting speeds correctly.

Manual Quality

All Breville juicers come with very well written, complete, and thorough user manuals. The Juice Fountain Duo’s 87-page manual is no exception. The manual is complete and thorough in its content with photos illustrating text instructions when appropriate.

Weight

Earlier in the review we talked about the fact that the Juice Fountain Duo and Elite were the only stainless steel centrifugal juicers we tested. We discussed how this was a positive for both juicers in that the stainless steel material that they are composed of is more resistant to staining and scratching than plastic. On the negative side, the fact that the Duo and Elite are both made of stainless steel means that they were both the two heaviest centrifugal juicers we tested. The Duo weighs just under 14 lb. fully assembled while the Elite weighs slightly more than 14 lb. The body alone for each juicer weighs about 10 lb. For comparison, the average centrifugal juicer weighs about 7 to 10 lb. fully assembled and the body alone weighs only about 5 lb.

Does this extra weight make both juicers a bit less mobile in the kitchen? Yes, absolutely. You’re definitely going to have more difficulty moving the 14 lb. Duo fully assembled next to the sink for cleaning or in and out of storage than you would for the 8 lb. Juice Fountain Compact, for example. Is this a deal breaker for most? Absolutely not. But we do want to mention it here as it does relate to the general ease of using the juicer.

Power Cord Length

The Duo’s power cord is 38 in. long which makes it a few inches shorter than the power cords of the four other centrifugal Breville juicers we tested. Breville juicers, in general, have longer power cords than what is average for the centrifugal juicer category. Power cord length is only really a concern if the juicer’s power cord is very short. The Juiceman JM250, for example, comes with only a 25.5 in. long power cord. Thus, you’re severely limited in terms of where you can place the JM250 on the kitchen counter relative to wall outlets.

Juice and Pulp Containers

Centrifugal juicers juice very quickly and so it’s very easy to juice a lot of produce in a short amount of time. When juicing a large quantity of produce it’s likely that the juice you make and the pulp that’s generated while you’re juicing will exceed the volume of the juicer’s juice container and the pulp container, respectively. The larger these containers are, the less likely it will be that you’ll have to empty and replace them while you’re juicing. Thus, we can say that the larger the containers are, the easier it could potentially be to use the juicer (not having to empty and replace the containers repeatedly is definitely easier than having to).

The Duo comes with a very large 48 oz. juice container. It comes with a mammoth 108 oz. capacity pulp container. These were the largest measured volumes for these containers for the centrifugal juicers we tested for review. The average juice container volume was 34 oz. and the average pulp container volume was 73 oz.

Ease of Use Summary and Score

The Duo’s multi-speed functionality is a definite negative for it, in terms of how easy it is to use. Manufacturers add this functionality to certain juicers to allow for the implementation of powerful juicer motors. The Duo’s 1200-watt motor operating at maximum speed at all times would absolutely decimate soft fruits, which would result in low yields when juicing such fruits. To allow the juicer to juice this type of produce more efficiently the manufacturer allows the user to dial down the speed at which the filter basket rotates. The problem (with regard to the thinking behind multi-speed functionality) is that our testing clearly shows that higher wattage motors operating at high speeds for harder produce and low speeds for softer produce does not necessarily equate to better yields than what is possible with lower wattage juicers operating at only one speed. The top performing Juice Fountain Compact, for example, comes with only a 700-watt motor and can only be operated at one speed. It outperformed the 1200-watt Duo in all of our juicing performance tests. It’s also much easier to use because it can only be set to one speed – the “ON” position.

The only other negative for the Duo in terms of how easy it is to use is its well above average weight. Positives include its outstanding user manual and its well above average sized juice and pulp containers. It is mostly because of its multi-speed functionality that we give it a less than stellar 4 out of 5 for ease of use.

Versatility

As we discussed at the very beginning of this review (when we talked about proper assembly of the juicer), the Juice Fountain Duo is a multi-purpose juicer that can be used for more than just making juice. Assembling the Duo using the included puree disc and puree insert transforms it into a highly limited but able blender, capable of processing fruits you would never even dream of juicing with a typical centrifugal juicer. Setting up the juicer in this way allows it to puree soft fruits such as kiwis, mangos, even bananas, and transform them into fiber-rich fruit smoothies. The smoothies are fiber-rich because the entire fruit is processed when the juicer is used in this way – the fibrous part of the fruit is not separated from the liquid part as it is when juicing.

Note that when using the Duo as a blender, it is severely limited in terms of what type of produce it can process. It can only be used to process soft fruits such as those fruits we mentioned above. In addition, a few other precautions should be taken when blending with the BJE820XL. First, the juicer should only be set to speed 1 when making smoothies. Second, it is strongly advised that produce be fed into the juicer only after it is already running. Placing a large quantity of produce into the feed chute and only then turning the juicer on to process it can potentially cause irreparable damage to the juicer.

Despite its limitations, the Duo set up as a blender is still able blend – something every other centrifugal juicer we tested simply cannot do. We therefore give the BJE820XL a perfect 5 out of 5 for versatility.

Durability

Build Quality and Materials

The Duo being mostly composed of stainless steel parts is a topic that has already been discussed in various other sections of this review. We already discussed how the Duo’s mostly stainless steel construction makes it more stain resistant and more scratch resistant than comparable juicers that are mostly constructed of plastics. We also discussed how this makes the Duo heavier than comparable juicers made mostly of plastic. Here, we can add to the list of benefits gained by the juicer having stainless steel parts. Stainless steel is obviously more durable and resilient than plastic. Thus, it’s only reasonable to make the claim that the Duo’s parts are more durable and that the Duo, in general, is a more durable juicer than comparable mostly plastic centrifugal juicers on the market.

Multi-Speed and Durability

When discussing the Duo’s ease of use, we talked about how it features multi-speed functionality in order to compensate for its almost overly powerful 1200-watt motor. If the juicer were only able to operate at one maximum speed it would be too powerful for juicing soft produce such as oranges and grapes. Another wrinkle to this discussion – one that we did not mention earlier and one that is actually a positive for the juicer – is the fact that an argument can be made that multi-speed functionality improves the lifespan of the juicer’s motor and thus the overall reliability of the juicer. The Duo’s motor can be set to operate at speeds ranging from 6,500 to 13,000 RPM. Obviously, it’s much less taxing on the motor for it to operate at lower RPM than higher RPM. Thus, should you mostly juice at lower RPMs (juicing only those fruits than can be properly juiced at lower speeds) you would be increasing the lifespan of the juicer’s motor. In contrast, single speed juicers, while easier to use, can only operate at one maximum speed and thus their motors are taxed at a maximum rate at all times. The Juice Fountain Compact’s motor, for example, can only be set to one very high speed – 14,000 RPM. The juicer’s speed cannot be reduced to put less of a strain on its motor. This may very well impact (in a negative way) the longevity of such a juicer’s motor.

Brand Reputation

Breville specializes in high-end small kitchen appliances. They manufacture everything from coffee makers and espresso machines to deep fryers and slow cookers. They are also a prolific juicer manufacturer. Breville has thus far released six different centrifugal juicers to market, all of which are still sold in stores today. The Juice Fountain Duo is the most expensive “highest-end” centrifugal juicer Breville makes. Thus, you can rest assured when buying this juicer, that you are not only purchasing a juicer that is made by a manufacturer that only makes high-end small kitchen appliances, but that you are purchasing the highest of the high-end juicers that that manufacturer makes.

Quality of Support

Breville customer support is outstanding. They provide a number of different means of contact (phone number, email, etc.) and are quick to respond to any type of customer inquiry.

Warranty

The Duo comes with only a 1-year manufacturer’s warranty. It comes with the same warranty (in terms of coverage and length) that is included with every other centrifugal juicer Breville manufacturers. The warranty makes no exclusions (no parts are excluded from warranty coverage), which is good, but is very short, which is, well, not so good. The warranty’s length is especially short when you compare it to those warranties included with most of the slow juicers we tested. The typical slow juicer comes with a warranty at least 10 years in duration. Compared to such a warranty, the BJE820XL’s warranty is 1/10^th as long – not good at all. The Duo’s warranty is also short compared to those warranties included with most other centrifugal juicers we tested, which mostly come with a warranty at least 2 years in length. However, most of those same warranties make several exclusions which essentially negate any advantage they would have over Breville warranties in terms of duration. In addition, manufacturers of those juicers are also much less reliable than Breville in terms of getting in contact with them and being able to make a warranty claim successfully after contacting them.

One other positive point regarding the Duo’s warranty is the fact that Breville covers all shipping costs that might be incurred when making a warranty claim. They will e-mail you a pre-paid shipping label for sending the juicer (or a specific broken part) back to them and will also cover the shipping of sending a replacement juicer (or part) back to you. This is something that very few juicer manufacturers do. Most expect the customer to cover shipping charges both ways.

Summary and Score

The Duo earns strong marks in this category for its stainless steel construction, its beefy 1200-watt motor, and outstanding brand reputation and support. On the negative side, it has an almost unacceptably short warranty. Despite this negative we still give the Duo a perfect 5 out of 5 for durability because it truly was one of, if not the most durable centrifugal juicer we tested.

Value

Initial Cost

The Duo normally retails for close to $400. At this price point it’s almost four times as expensive as the top rated Juice Fountain Compact (which retails for approximately $100) and more than eight times more expensive than the least expensive centrifugal juicers we tested (the Black and Decker JE2200B, for example, normally retails for less than $40). At around $400 it is also very similarly priced to some of the best rated slow juicers we tested. The Tribest Slowstar and Kuvings B6000, for example, retail for around $380 to $400 each.

Because the Duo is so much more expensive than the vast majority of the other centrifugal juicers we tested and just as expensive as the most expensive slow juicers we tested, it begs the question “for whom is the Juice Fountain Duo for?”. We’ll answer that question at the very end of this review.

Long Term Cost

You’re all set, ready to start juicing. You’ve just purchased a brand new juicer and several pounds of produce to juice. Think about the second part of that statement: “(you’ve just purchased) several pounds of produce to juice”. Something you may not be thinking about when deciding how much to spend on a juicer, is that the cost of the juicer itself represents only a fraction of the total costs you will incur juicing for the lifetime of the juicer, that is of course assuming that you’ll be juicing for several weeks, months, and even years to come. Most of the cost of juicing has to do with the cost of produce. The cost of the juicer itself is negligible.

This does not mean that you should buy any juicer and spend any amount on a juicer. Why? Because the performance of the juicer directly relates to the cost of produce. The more juice the juicer is able to extract per quantity of produce, the less produce you’ll need to buy to make a certain amount of juice. The less produce you need to buy, the less money you’ll spend on produce. Thus, the best performing juicers have an intrinsic value in terms of the money that they save you at the grocery store (buying produce). If all of this sounds a bit convoluted see here for a detailed discussion of the relationship between juicer performance and produce cost with real life examples. For now, it is important that you simply understand that the better performing the juicer is (the greater the yields it is able to obtain for a set quantity of produce), the greater the value of the juicer (in terms of the long term costs of juicer ownership).

Value Summary

The Duo was one of the best performing centrifugal juicers we tested. It obtained well above average yields in most tests. As such, those increased yields can more than make up for the juicer’s higher initial cost over time (in savings at the grocery store as less produce is required to make the same amount of juice). That is, should you compare the Duo to less expensive lesser performing alternatives. Note that this does not apply when comparing it to less expensive better performing alternatives such as the Juice Fountain Compact. The Compact is both less expensive initially and performed better than the Duo in most of our tests. Thus, it is a far better value than the Duo, not only in terms of initial cost, but also in terms of long term costs (most of which equate to produce cost). We give the Duo a below average 2.5 out of 5 for value mostly because of its extremely high initial cost (approx. $400). It is our firm opinion that the Duo’s stainless steel construction, its multi-purpose functionality, and its above average performance in our juicing performance tests do not come anywhere close to warranting its high price.

Comparison to the #1 Rated Juicer

Reasons to Buy the Juice Fountain Duo (BJE820XL) instead of the Top Rated Juice Fountain Compact (BJE200XL)

Earlier, we asked the question, “for whom is the Juice Fountain Duo for?”. We can perhaps best answer this question by comparing it to what we consider to be the “gold standard” of centrifugal juicers, the top rated Juice Fountain Compact. Below we list all of the reasons you might want to purchase the Duo instead of the Compact. If any of these reasons are compelling enough for you to choose the Duo over the Compact, then you are the “whom” for who the Juice Fountain Duo is for.

1. The Duo is more versatile than the Compact. The Duo comes with a puree disc and insert which allows users to blend soft fruits instead of juicing them. The Compact does not feature this functionality.
2. The Duo is more durable than the Compact. The Duo features stainless steel construction while the Compact is mostly made of plastic. In addition, the Duo is equipped with a heavy duty 1200-watt motor. The Compact’s 700-watt motor is not nearly as powerful.
3. The Duo comes with a much larger 48 oz. juice container and features a non-integrated pulp container design. The Compact comes with a much smaller 32 oz. juice container and all pulp generated by the Compact is collected in its filter bowl.
4. The Duo features 5-speeds to allow for fine tuning of the juicer for maximum yield. The Compact only operates at one speed. Our test results show that a juicer having more than one speed does not mean that it automatically produces more yields. However, multi-speed functionality can still be beneficial in other ways. We discussed earlier how it could potentially improve the longevity of the juicer. What we did not discuss is the fact that having lower speeds available allows you to run the juicer at a much lower volume than if you only have one maximum speed available. Our sound testing showed that Breville multi-speed juicers ran almost 20 dB quieter at the lowest setting than on the highest setting. Thus, should you find yourself in a scenario in which you only want to juice soft fruits and want to do so making the least amount of noise possible, you can do so with the Duo and other multi-speed juicers. You cannot do the same with the one-speed Compact. Of course, if noise pollution is truly a concern for you, you’d be better served not purchasing a centrifugal juicer at all. Most slow juicers we tested produce 5 to 10 dB less noise than what is typical for a centrifugal juicer even on the lowest speed setting.