We Tried an Electric Juicer and Unlocked the Secret to Fuss-Free Homemade Lemonade
Updated: Aug. 15, 2023
Make lemonade quickly and easily in the electric Proctor Silex juicer.
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Nothing screams summer like lemons. The sweet and sour fruit is easily one of my favorites, and there are dozens of ways to incorporate it into sweet and savory dishes. Whether it’s kicking back on the porch with a frosty glass of lemonade or adding a tablespoon to hot tea, I consider having fresh-squeezed lemon juice on hand a simple luxury.
But spending precious time hand-squeezing lemons simply isn’t the way I like to spend my afternoons. That’s why, when offered the opportunity, I jumped at the chance to review the Alex’s Lemonade Stand Proctor Silex juicer. Not only does this fast and furious citrus juicer pack a big punch in a small package, but it also supports childhood cancer research. There’s nothing sweeter than that!
What is the Proctor Silex juicer?
The Proctor Silex juicer is touted as an easy way to whip up your favorite lemonade recipes in mere minutes. Because it’s a citrus juicer, any citrus fruit is fair game for this machine. Use it to turn extra limes into salad dressing, or easily mix up some spiked lemonade for backyard barbecues.
Unlike a masticating juicer or “slow juicer” which uses sharp grinders to extract juice, the Proctor Silex juicer doesn’t pulverize fruit. Instead, it uses a rotating extractor to crush up the pulp. This releases citrus juices and leaves the exterior intact. It’s perfect for those who like to reserve the rind for zest!
How We Tested the Proctor Silex Citrus Juicer
Using the juicer is simple. Just assemble it according to the instructions. Then, use the dial on the handle to choose the desired pulp ratio and pick between the small reamer and large reamer. Pop the reamer on top of the pulp control basket, then plug in the machine.
Cut your choice of citrus fruit in half and press the cut side against the reamer, gently adding a bit of pressure to the machine. When you push down, the reamer automatically begins spinning, crushing the pulp and extracting the juice into the pitcher. Markings on the side of the pitcher tell you how much juice has been extracted.
Once finished with juicing, cleanup is a breeze. Rinse the components in the sink or pop them in the dishwasher.
Product Features
The Proctor Silex juicer is about the same size as the Magic Bullet mini juicer and stands at 8.6 inches tall. Each juicer, capable of producing up to 34 ounces of juice, weighs in at only 2.2 pounds. It takes up about the same amount of counter space as the average toaster. Because of the speediness of the juicer, it’s easy to make enough lemon juice to freeze for future desserts (like a sunny citrus cheesecake—yum!).
Each juicer comes with a base with cord storage, center shaft, pitcher, two-piece pulp control basket, small and large reamers and a lid for storage. A clever dial on the handle chooses the amount of pulp in the juice and offers five options. The small reamer works well for lemons and limes (hello, lemon curd summer), while the bigger one is more suited towards grapefruit and oranges.
As a bonus, the juicer arrives with its own recipe booklet with recipes like glazed lemonade cookies and limeade.
Pros
- Electric and automatic
- Takes seconds to juice a fruit
- Users can select their desired pulp level
- Two different extractor sizes
- Easy to clean
- Inexpensive
- Relatively quiet
- Switches rotation periodically
Cons
- Short outlet cord
What is Alex’s Lemonade Stand?
Alex’s Lemonade Stand Foundation is a childhood cancer foundation. It seeks to raise awareness, find a cure for cancer and provide funding and support to the families of young cancer victims. One dollar of every purchase of the Proctor Silex Alex’s Lemonade Stand citrus juicer or other Alex’s Lemonade Stand products goes directly to the Alex’s Lemonade Stand Foundation.
What Other Reviewers Had to Say
With over 7,000 positive reviews on Amazon, the Alex’s Lemonade Stand citrus electric juicer sits at a rating of 4.5 stars. Reviewers on Amazon agree with my general assessment, noting the ease of cleaning and use. They also love that it allows for make-ahead recipes by offering a simple way to make lemonade syrup.
“Top rated for a reason,” writes verified reviewer Dan G. “I bought this to replace a vintage manual press-lever-style juicer which broke. What a difference! This is a pleasure to use; fast, effective, simple and clean. Very well-designed and made of high-quality plastic. Gets much more juice out of my citrus fruits. Many clever and thoughtful design touches. For fresh orange juice, lemonade, etc., I don’t think this can be beaten.”
Other reviewers like Karen S. concur, noting that they now consider it a staple in their homes for special recipes like rosemary lemonade. “I love this juicer,” she writes. “I have been using it almost daily and it is so much easier and faster than manual juice extraction. I’m sorry I waited so long to go with an electric juicer.”
Final Verdict
The Alex’s Lemonade Stand juicer is an easy way to make party-sized quantities of lemonade or prep for recipes that require fresh lemon juice. However, my experience with juicers is limited to hand squeezing and a cheap handheld Amazon orange juicer. So, I reached out to Catherine Ward, manager of the Taste of Home Prep Kitchen, to get her thoughts on the juicer.
“The Prep Kitchen recently used this juicer to make Old-Fashioned Lemonade,” says Catherine. “Shannon Norris styled it and we needed 30 cups of freshly squeezed lemon juice. We also made a version using fresh lime juice and a raspberry lemonade. The juicer made quick work of juicing the lemons.
There were two of us working on it—one slicing the lemons in half and the other juicing. We finished our tasks at roughly the same time. It took about 15 minutes to get all 30 cups, plus a couple of cups of lime juice. The lemons were all reamed with no pulp or juice left in the empty lemon shell.
A big bonus is that $1 from every purchase goes to Alex’s Lemonade Stand to fight childhood cancer. A little-known fact–only about 4% of all federal funding for cancer research is spent on projects involving childhood cancer.
The appliance is very lightweight and seems like it would be fragile. But, it greatly exceeded our expectations. I have used it several times since that mega batch of lemonade and now it’s my go-to juicer in the Prep Kitchen. There are two sizes of reamers in this appliance–one for lemons and larger citrus and a smaller one for limes and smaller lemons.”
Product Comparison
These hand-held juicers are great but if I’m juicing more than one or two citrus fruits, it’s a little hard on my aging hands. One tip if using this, the fruit goes in cut side down. It will seem wrong but that’s the way to get the most juice out of the fruit. Here is another favorite TOH lemonade of mine. This and the old-fashioned lemonade are crowd-pleasers at my house. I love to make fresh lemonade or brewed iced tea when we have summer guests. Both are tasty with spirits added, too!”
Where to Buy the Proctor Silex Juicer
The Proctor Silex Alex’s Lemonade Stand juicer is available at Amazon, Walmart and Wayfair for about $22. Don’t waste time with manual squeezing—opt for this inexpensive machine instead. Trust us, your hands (and taste buds) will thank you!
Originally Published: August 15, 2023
