Did you get sticker shock the last time you went to buy a fresh cold-pressed juice? If so, I’m right there with you. Cold-pressed juice at your local grocery store can be expensive! It’s not surprising to see juice go for $10 on the shelves – sometimes even more if you’re getting it fresh. If you are looking to get more fresh juice into your life, DIY is definitely the way to go.
After realizing just how much fresh cold pressed juice can be, you may have looked into some juicers online. You may have also been quickly overwhelmed by the seemingly complicated world of juicing. I know I was when I began to look into juicing at home. Finding the right juicer for you can be complicated for beginners and even for those who just want to upgrade juicers and don’t know where to start. We wanted to help both beginners and intermediate juicers learn more about one of the best juicers on the market.
If you’ve looked into the masticating juicer market at all, you may be familiar with the brand Omega. Omega has been around for years making high quality juicers. We wanted to make sure to cover their newer NC900HDC because we think it’s a great juicer for beginners and those of you who may be looking to upgrade from your current juicer.
This Omega NC900HDC review will help further your knowledge of this versatile masticating juicer. By the end of this, you will be able to decide if this is the right juicer for you!
What to Consider Before Buying a Masticating Juicer
You might have heard of names such as a “cold press” or a “slow press” juicer. While this may seem complicated, these names are all interchangeable with masticating juicer. Nothing like different words for the same thing to make things complicated, right? Essentially, these juicers work by grinding out the juice of your fruits and vegetables with an auger. Then, they are pressed against a mesh screen to finish the process. The end results are dry pulp (meaning you made the most juice from your foods), no foam, and a nutritious and delicious juice.
The reason it is also called a slow press or a cold press is because of the process itself. The grinding process is slow, with a typical speed of 80-100 rotations per minute. Compare this to a centrifugal juicer or a blender that may rotate thousands of times per minute, and the “slow” makes more sense. Since the process is slow and relatively gentle, minimal heat is introduced, which gives it the name cold pressed. Slow rotations and little heat, unlike a blender, help to prevent oxidation from taking place. This process leaves you with a fresher tasting, longer lasting juice. For this reason, you will tend to see masticating juicers on the pricier, yet still affordable, side.
This type of juicer may not be ideal for someone who isn’t looking to invest too much time or money on a new juicer or lifestyle change. If you just want to make a juice once in a while and keep your costs low, a centrifugal juicer may be a better pick for you.
That said, if you are someone who is looking to make a lifestyle change and wants to invest more time in juicing, a masticating juicer is a great option. Personally, I think it’s a super user friendly product for beginners. Often times, these juicers have a long warranty, are versatile, and come in many different styles. As you’re looking around for juicer, there are a few things to consider. Some of the most important are: time required in preparation and cleaning, kitchen space, price, and complexity.
Today we’re going to focus on the Omega NC900HDC and why it’s a great masticating juicer to consider buying.
The Omega NC900HDC
The Omega NC900HDC is a top-notch masticating juicer from the brand Omega. Omega has been a world leading juicer brand making high quality products for over 20 years. With a slow speed of 80 rotations per minute, this 13 pound juicer creates nutrient dense juices with ease. It’ s also super versatile and can do more than just juicing. This juicer can also grind coffee, mince herbs, and grind spices. Because it can do quite a bit more than juicing, Omega refers to this model as a nutrition center. Here are some of the more specific pros and cons of this Omega juicer.
Pros:
- User friendly assembly and disassembly, great for first-time juicers
- Can juice the thinnest of foods such as wheatgrass, hard root vegetables like ginger, and everything in between
- 15 year warranty included that covers parts or performance issues
- Hassle free clean up, with dishwasher safe parts
- Quiet enough that you don’t wake the house up in the morning
Cons:
- May not remove some small seed like those in grapes or blackberries
- Plastic parts may make it seem fragile
- Most larger foods require some chopping, as the chute is 2” x 1.5”
Diving Deeper into the NC900HDC
Let’s get into some of the specs of this juicer and discover the potential behind this powerhouse of a juicer. We will cover the design and the overall value of this product. Lastly, we will determine if this product is right for you. And don’t worry if you realize that you might want something different–we do have further recommendations down below!
The Overview
The Omega NC900HDC Extractor and Nutrition Center is a meticulously designed juicer that takes into consideration details that other companies may overlook. First of all, the chute for the food is larger than what you would typically find, which reduces the prep work you need to do before juicing. The chute is 2” x 1.5” which is larger than most masticating juicers, but items like apples will still need to be cut up before juicing.
This juicer is powered by a 150 watt motor which equivalent to 2 horse power. I’m not sure how many horses it usually takes to juice things, but 2 has proven to be plenty. Despite having plenty of power, the motor is still very quiet. Most of the noise generated from this juicer is from your foods grinding against the auger, which is typical for a masticating juicer.
If you’re worried about this juicer not coming with enough accessories, you can put those worries to rest now. The NC900HDC comes with an adjustable end cap with 5 settings so you can control the output levels depending on what you’re juicing.
You will also get a pitcher to catch your juice as well as a pulp catcher for the end of the juicer. This juicer also has automatic pulp ejection, so you can get all your juicing done in 1 session. For cleaning, a brush is included in case you have some stubborn leftovers in the screen or in other parts of the juicer.
The Design
Simply put, the Omega NC900HDC is a good looking juicer.
While many of the components are made of plastic, the body of the juicer is a great looking chrome. It has a sleek Omega marking on it and a chrome handle on the top for easy carrying. You certainly won’t feel bad about leaving this juicer out on your counter top when not in use. If you’re having friends over and leave this on your counter, be ready to answer the question: “what is that?”
What may be awkward is the overall size and shape of this juicer. It is pretty wide and horizontally-shaped, so storing it and fitting it in with your other appliances may be a bit tricky. Luckily, if you plan to disassemble it, you can just get around that issue easily. It features fast assembly and disassembly for easy storage options.
If you just plan to leave it on your kitchen counter, though, then this won’t be an issue either. A benefit of the horizontal shape is the higher efficiency and larger batches it can handle. Though they tend to be slower in the juicing process, the output makes it worth the wait.
What Else Can It Do?
We just had to mention again how versatile this juicer is. In fact, calling it a juicer may be selling it short. Omega refers to this as a Nutrition Center because of all the other things you can use it for. Not only can the Omega NC900HDC make amazing juices, it can also grind coffee, mince herbs, and make baby food. If you are looking to up your game in the kitchen beyond juicing, the NC900HDC would be a great choice.
The Value
Like most kitchen appliances, it’s better to look at this like an investment. If you are looking to invest in your juicing practice and want to get a juicer that will last and won’t let you down, this is a great choice for you. This juicer can handle pretty much any juicing task with no problem and gives you the opportunity to get creative in the kitchen beyond juicing. With it’s quality build and long warranty, this juicer is sure to last for many juicing sessions to come.
Alternatives to the Omega NC900HDC
If this Omega NC900HDC review makes you realize this juicer just doesn’t meet your needs, we have 2 more options for you to check out!
For our more advanced users the Tribest GSE-5050 Greenstar Elite may be a better choice. This twin gear masticating juicer provides state of the art juicing and truly maximizes the potential of each fruit or vegetable you put in. Assembly is not too bad, but cleaning can be difficult. As this is a twin gear juicer, it’s a bit more complex to assemble and care for. So, how does it compare to the Omega NC900HDC?
GSE-5050 GreenStar Elite
- Twin gears allow this juicer to produce maximum output
- Reliable and durable! Stainless steel gears will last for years to come
- Has a shorter warranty of 12 years, though you may not have to worry since it’s so hefty
- Pricey! The higher quality output does come at a cost
- 2 gears = more parts to clean
Omega NC900HDC
- More affordable than the GreenStar Elite
- Longer warranty time than the Greenstar Elite
- Has more plastic parts than the Greenstar Elite and only has one auger (single gear)
Does this all seem like a bit much to you and you just want to get started juicing in the easiest way possible? If so, we recommend the Aicok Slow Masticating Juicer to those looking for something like the Omega NC900HDC, but for a lower price. It still has the benefits of a masticating juicer, so we think you will love what this juicer has to offer. Here is how the 2 juicers compare to each other.
Aicok Slow Masticating Juicer
- Compact, serves as a better fit for people limited in kitchen counter space or additional storage space
- Affordable, great juicer for beginners who want to see if juicing is for them
- Relatively short warranty of 3 years
- Not as time efficient as the Omega NC900HDC as the small size requires smaller batches
- Works well for juicing most foods, but not very versatile after that
- A perfect introduction to the world of juicing
Omega NC900HDC
- Handles larger batches better
- Pricer than the Aicok Juicer, but more versatile and more effective
- Still one of the easier to clean product as its size allow you to get into those hard to reach spaces
- Longest warranty time of 15 years
- The amount of time and value you get with this juicer will pay for itself in the long run
Wrapping Up
The world of juicers can seem like a complicated one when you’re first starting to look around. With so many different options, it can seem like picking the best juicer for you is an impossible task. While it may seem complicated, finding the right juicer for you is definitely worth the effort.
By choosing a juicer that meets your needs, you will be that much closer to achieving your juicing goals, whatever they may be. We hope this Omega NC900HDC review was helpful, even if you learned it was not the best option for you! If you want to take a closer look at the Omega NC900HDC, click the button below.
