How to make beetroot juice at home: juicer vs blender

Maximum juice, minimum waste

A cold-pressed juicer (also called a masticating juicer) slowly grinds and presses produce to extract juice. The result is maximum liquid with minimal oxidation — the juice stays brighter in colour, retains more nutrients, and has a longer shelf life than blended juice.

How it works: You feed beetroots (peeled and cut into chunks) into the juicer's hopper. The screw mechanism slowly crushes the beetroot, forcing juice through a fine mesh screen while solids are ejected as dry pulp. You end up with a glass of pure juice and a pile of dry pulp.

What you get: Clear, bright red juice. No pulp. High nitrate concentration per volume. Juice that stays fresh in the fridge for 3–5 days (sometimes longer).

Pros: Maximum juice yield from fewer beetroots. Longer shelf life. Cleaner taste (no pulp or fibre texture). Easy to measure doses if you're tracking nitrate intake. Quieter than a blender. Works well for leafy greens, wheatgrass, and other tricky produce.

Cons: Expensive upfront (£100–£500+ depending on model). Takes longer to clean (more parts, finer mesh screens). Slower than a blender (5–10 minutes per batch). Takes up counter or cupboard space. Slower processing speed means more heat and oxidation than true cold-press commercial machines.

Cost: Budget juicers start around £100, mid-range at £200–£300, premium at £400+. Amortised over 5 years of regular use (say, 2–3 juices a week), you're looking at roughly £0.30–£0.80 per juice for the equipment cost alone.

Speed and versatility

A high-powered blender (Vitamix, Ninja, etc.) pulverises beetroots into a smooth drink that includes fibre, pulp, and juice all together. The result is thicker, more textured, and contains all the plant matter — no waste, but also no separation of juice from solids.

How it works: You add peeled and chopped beetroots to the blender jug, add a small amount of water, and blend at high speed for 30–60 seconds. Everything turns into a smooth, homogenous liquid. Some people strain it through a nut milk bag or fine mesh afterwards to remove pulp, but most drink it as-is.

What you get: A thick, smooth drink that's part juice and part smoothie. You consume all the fibre and pulp from the beetroot. The taste is earthy and intense. Shelf life is shorter (1–2 days in the fridge) because the high blending speed introduces oxygen.

Pros: Fast — done in under a minute. Cheaper than a juicer (good models start around £50–£100). Versatile — you can make smoothies, soups, nut butters, and more. No waste — you use the whole beetroot. Less cleaning (one jug, fewer parts). Takes up less space than a juicer.

Cons: Thick, textured drink that some people find less pleasant than clear juice. Fibre can make it harder on digestion for some. Shorter shelf life due to oxidation. Blending generates heat, which can theoretically reduce some heat-sensitive nutrients (though this is debated). Loud. Requires some water to blend properly, which dilutes nitrate concentration.

Cost: Good budget blenders start around £50–£80, mid-range £150–£250, premium £300+. Amortised over 5 years (2–3 smoothies a week), you're looking at roughly £0.05–£0.20 per drink for equipment cost.

Quick comparison

Can't decide? Here's the key differences:

Cold-Pressed Juicer	High-Powered Blender
Clear, bright red juice. No pulp.	Thick, smooth drink. All pulp included.
High nitrate concentration per volume	Nitrate present but diluted by water + fibre
5–10 minutes per batch	1–2 minutes per batch
3–5 days shelf life	1–2 days shelf life
£100–£500+ initial cost	£50–£300+ initial cost
Quieter, slower, more parts to clean	Loud, fast, simpler to clean
Best for: Juice-focused routine, precise dosing	Best for: Smoothies, variety, speed, budget

Juice vs smoothie — what's the difference?

A cold-pressed juicer removes the fibre (pulp) and gives you just the liquid. A blender keeps the fibre in. This matters because:

Juice (no fibre): Absorbs faster. Nitrates reach your bloodstream more quickly. This is why pre-workout timing works well with juice. Easier on digestion for some people. Higher concentration of nitrate per volume. Faster blood pressure effects (2–3 hours).

Smoothie or blended drink (with fibre): Absorbs more slowly. Nitrates reach your bloodstream gradually over hours. Better for digestion and satiety (you feel fuller longer). Lower concentration of nitrate per volume (diluted by fibre and water). Steadier, sustained effect rather than peak effect.

Neither is "better" — it depends on your goal. For pre-workout timing, juice wins. For daily routine, a smoothie is fine and may be easier to digest.

By your goals and budget

Choose a cold-pressed juicer if: You want to focus on juice, not smoothies. You're timing doses for pre-workout performance and want maximum nitrate. You want precise, concentrated beetroot juice. You have counter space. You're willing to invest in a quality machine. You want juice to last 3–5 days in the fridge. You're serious about daily juicing as a habit.

Choose a high-powered blender if: You want versatility (smoothies, soups, nut butters). You're on a tighter budget. Speed matters to you. You prefer drinks with fibre and fuller texture. You want to consume the whole beetroot with no waste. You have limited storage space. You like the simplicity of one machine doing everything.

Best compromise: Start with a good blender (£100–£150). If you find yourself wanting clearer juice or doing daily juicing, upgrade to a juicer later. A blender is versatile enough to cover most kitchen tasks, whereas a juicer is single-purpose.

Tips for home juicing or blending

Prepare your beetroots: Wash them well under running water to remove soil. Peel them (use a vegetable peeler or knife). Cut into chunks small enough for your machine's hopper or jug. Store peeled beetroots in the fridge in an airtight container — they'll keep 2–3 days before oxidising.

For juicer: Don't peel so finely that you remove all the skin — much of the nutrient density is in the outer layers. Feed chunks in slowly for best yield. Compost the dry pulp or save it for baking (beetroot pulp adds moisture and colour to brownies and cakes).

For blender: Add a small amount of water (50–100ml) to help the blades move smoothly and prevent the motor straining. Blend for 30–60 seconds at high speed. If you want to remove pulp, strain through a fine mesh or nut milk bag into a jug — but this defeats the purpose of a blender's convenience.

Taste and palatability: Raw beetroot juice is earthy and intense. If you find it unpleasant, try blending with apple (adds sweetness and masks earthiness), lemon (adds brightness), or ginger (adds warmth). This is what commercial blends like Daily Beets and Power Beets do — they balance beetroot's intensity with other ingredients.

Storage: Juice from a juicer keeps 3–5 days in an airtight glass bottle in the fridge. Blended juice keeps 1–2 days before oxidising noticeably (colour darkens, taste becomes duller). Store in glass, not plastic (plastic can absorb odours and taste).

Consistency: If your juice separates (liquid on top, solids sinking), shake or stir before drinking. This is normal. For blended drinks, stir well before each sip.

Making one batch at home

Beetroots cost roughly £0.50–£1.50 per beetroot (depending on season and where you shop). A single 125ml cold-pressed juice typically requires 1–2 beetroots. A blended smoothie (thicker, diluted) needs roughly 1 beetroot.

Juicer method: 1–2 beetroots (£1–£3) + minimal equipment cost = roughly £1.50–£3.50 per 125ml juice. Over a year of 3x weekly juicing, that's roughly £230–£540 in ingredients alone, plus equipment amortisation.

Blender method: 1 beetroot (£0.50–£1.50) + water + minimal equipment cost = roughly £1–£2 per drink. Over a year of 3x weekly blending, that's roughly £150–£300 in ingredients, plus equipment amortisation.

Compared to buying ready-made: Recovery Juice Pure Beets costs £24.50 for 7 bottles (£3.50 per bottle) or £2.85 per bottle on 28-day subscription. Home-made is cheaper, but requires time and effort.

What you're trading off

Commercial cold-pressed juice (like Recovery Juice) is made with hydraulic presses — higher pressure, longer extraction, more complete juice yield, and precise pasteurisation for safety. A home juicer can't match that processing power or consistency.

What home juicing gives you: Freshness (you drink it within hours of making it). Control over ingredients (just beetroot and lemon, nothing else). Cost savings over time. Sense of ownership and hands-on involvement.

What commercial juice gives you: Consistency (same taste and nitrate content every bottle). Longer shelf life (pasteurisation). Convenience (no prep, no cleanup). Multiple blends for different goals (Pure Beets for precision, Daily Beets for multi-nutrient). Professional processing that maximises juice yield and minimises oxidation.

Both are valid. Many people do a mix: home-made blended smoothies most days for cost and convenience, and occasional commercial cold-pressed juice when they want absolute precision or don't have time to prepare.

If you prefer the convenience

The bottom line

A cold-pressed juicer gives you clear, concentrated juice that's ideal for precise dosing and pre-workout timing. A high-powered blender gives you speed, versatility, and convenience, with all the fibre and nutrition included. Both work — it's about your goals, budget, and lifestyle. If you're serious about juice and have the space and budget, invest in a good juicer. If you want simplicity and versatility, a blender covers more ground. Many people do both: home-made blended smoothies most days for cost, and occasional commercial cold-pressed juice when they want precision or don't have time. Whichever method you choose, consistency matters more than perfection. The best juice routine is the one you'll actually stick with.