Smeg Citrus Juicer review – nothing short of delightful

As a small appliances editor, I'm used to testing every little function offered by kitchen appliances. Whether it's making yoghurt in a slow cooker or cake in an air fryer (true story), it seems that more and more companies are keen to prove their worth by expanding the capabilities of their products. 

While I'm all for multi-functionality, reviewing the Smeg Citrus Juicer was as refreshing as a cold glass of orange juice. There's something inherently luxurious about a product that unashamedly offers one function, and while none of us need an electric citrus juicer, I was certainly left wanting one after this Smeg Citrus Juicer review. 

Even the best juicers can be messy to clean, but the Smeg Citrus Juicer is plain sailing from start to finish. Keep reading for my full review. 

Specifications

• Colors: cream, black, red, pink, pastel green, pastel blue, white... 
• Type: citrus juicer
• Weight: 2.5kg
• Material: die-cast aluminum body, tritan lid
• Weight: 3.5kg
• Dimensions: L6.54 x W6.54 x H11.06 inches

Smeg Citrus Juicer design

Smeg's 50s retro style is striking, and the Citrus Juicer is no exception. It comes in a range of colours (I got to try Duck Egg Blue) and is even available as part of the Dolce & Gabbana collection. You can find that here at Williams Sonoma in the US, or the  Smeg Dolce & Gabbana Citrus Juicer at John Lewis in the UK, along with a matching toaster and kettle. 

The body of the Smeg Citrus Juicer is sturdy, made of powder-coated die-cast aluminium. The attachments easily slot onto the top. The reamer and strainer are made of a lightweight stainless steel, and the lid is constructed from sturdy tritan. This is dust-proof, meaning your juicer will stay looking its best even if it's just there for eye-candy.

How to use the Smeg Citrus Juicer

The Smeg Citrus Juicer slots together intuitively. It has a strainer attachment that can be removed if you like your juice with pulp, and the juice collected drips out of the side spout and into your cup. 

The side spout clicks up and down securely. When down, it will allow juice to flow into your container. Click it up again and the flow stops, but be prepared for a buildup of juice to drip out when it's clicked down again. 

We spend a lot of time reviewing the best cold press juicers, but this is an electric juicer. It has a long cord (which is easily stored in the base) to connect to a power source. From this point there's no power button, you imply press your halved citrus fruit onto the reamer, which begins to spin in ciruclar motions with the pressure. You can then move the fruit around to reach all angles, and the juice and pulp drips down into the tray.

There's a small attachment at the base of the reamer designed to push pulp down and extract additional juice as it extracts. This could be larger, because there was some juice that was missed in testing. 

How it performed 

I was shocked by how quiet the Smeg Citrus Juicer is to use. It's easy to talk over it, and there's no risk of disturbing a sleeping partner while you squeeze up a fresh glass of juice. 

I measured the amount of juice extracted from three medium-size oranges when testing this citrus juicer. If you think you'll be left with a full glass of orange juice after  just a few oranges then prepare to be disappointed. That is, unless you have very large oranges in your part of the world. The Smeg Citrus Juicer gave off 170ml of juice in this test, which was enough for a small, refreshing glass. 

Orange juice from the carton is usually from concentrate, or diluted in some way. I found that drinking a smaller quantity of strong, zesty orange juice was very satisfying. If preparing for the whole family though, I'd recommend buying a lot of orages in advance. 

To make sure this isn't the fault of the Smeg Citrus Juicer, I tried three orange from the same pack with my hand manual reamer. I was pleased to find that the Smeg juicer gave off marginally more juice, but there was not a lot in it. 

The remaining orange half shows how little was left when I had finished using the Smeg Citrus Juicer. It was a similar story with lemons. Because you can squeeze and pivot as the fruit is on the reamer it's possible to extract every drop of juice, even if an orange is less juicy than you may expect! 

Cleaning the Smeg Citrus Juicer

Cleaning the Smeg Citrus Juicer is even easier than setting it up. The reamer, basin and strainer can all be placed in the dishwasher, and the die-cast metal exterior is wipe-clean. 

Is the Smeg Citrus Juicer worth the money? 

You can expect to pay $180 in the US for the Smeg Citrus Juicer. In the UK it's £130. That's an expensive juicer, there's no denying it. If that figure doesn't cause your eyes to water though, I wouldn't dismiss this appliance so quickly. It's a true slice of luxury and a joy to look at. I could picture myself using it each and every weekend for a glass of fresh juice with my brunch.

Another good use for this juicer is making cocktails. My partner fancies himself a bit of a mixologist, so we go through a lot of lemons and limes for mojitos, daiquiris and lemon drop cocktails. The Smeg Citrus Juicer would get a lot of use in my kitchen for this alone, and if you like to bake summery desserts it could also come in very useful. 

Homes & Gardens verdict: should you buy the Smeg Citrus Juicer

While it's something you may feel a little reluctant to splurge on yourself, this is the kind of thing you should absolutely put on a wedding registry or Christmas wish list. It genuinely is more than just an electric juicer, it's a joy to look at and incredibly smooth to use. From start to finish, the user experience is flawless. The only gripe I have is the price.

For those with a proudly coordinated kitchen, you can pair the Smeg Citrus Juicer with some of the best toasters and blenders on the market - the Smeg toasters come in a huge range of colors, so they're easy to pair with your new juicer. 

About this review – and our reviewer

Millie Fender is our Editor for all things small appliances at Future. She spends a lot of time testing everything from toasters to air fryers in her London flat, and recommending the very best ones to readers. 

All our reviews are tested from home, and the Smeg Citrus Juicer review is no exception. Millie put it to the test for a number of days with her family before (reluctantly) sending it back to Smeg, who kindly lent it to her for this review.