How-to

How to Juice an Orange in a Juicer

How to juice an orange in a juicer: pick the fruit, prep it, feed each juicer type correctly and fix bitter, pulpy or clogged results.

Basil Carmel Editorial Team·Independent kitchen-gear reviews

Most bad orange juice is decided before the machine starts. A dry, cold or half-washed orange gives thin, bitter juice in any juicer, while a heavy, room-temperature one gives a full glass with little effort. The method also changes with the machine: a reamer wants halves, a feed-chute juicer wants pieces, and a slow juicer wants peeled segments.

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Which oranges give the most juice?

Weight is the quickest test. An orange that feels heavy for its size usually holds more juice and less dry pith, so lift a few of similar size and take the heaviest.

Variety matters for flavor. Valencia is the classic juicing orange, sweet and very juicy, while navel is easy to find and also makes good fresh juice. Mandarins and tangerines work too, but expect a sweeter taste and more seeds.

Four steps to get oranges ready

The same prep suits every juicer type, with one exception at the end: how you cut the fruit depends on the machine.

Wash the oranges and dry them with a clean towel, since the peel gets handled a lot.
Let cold fruit come up to room temperature; chilled oranges are harder to extract.
Rock every orange under your palm on the counter for 10 to 15 seconds so the juice loosens.
Cut as the juicer's manual says: halves for a citrus juicer, pieces for a feed-chute model.

How each type of juicer takes an orange

The three common designs differ in how the fruit goes in, and that decides how much cutting or peeling you do. For machines built to run all day, the commercial orange juicer machine comparison covers feed chute sizes and filter designs.

Juicer type	Prep	How it is fed
Citrus juicer	Cut in half	Press cut side onto reamer
Centrifugal juicer	Cut into pieces	One piece at a time, pusher guides
Masticating juicer	Peel, segment, remove seeds	Segments into the feed chute

What to do when the juice goes wrong

Most problems trace back to the fruit or the feeding, not the machine.

Bitter juice: peel or white pith got into the glass, so trim more pith away.
Too much pulp: strain through a fine-mesh sieve.
Clogging: stop, disassemble and clear the pulp, then feed more slowly.
Low yield: use ripe, heavy, room-temperature oranges and check the technique.

Frequently asked

Is it fine to leave the peel on?

Hand-fed juicers generally call for peeled or halved fruit, because peel and pith add bitterness to the juice. Some commercial machines peel automatically, so follow the maker's instructions for your model.

How long does fresh orange juice last?

For the best flavor, drink it right after juicing. Stored in a clean, airtight container in the refrigerator, it keeps best within 24 hours, and it may separate, which a quick stir fixes.