Wednesday, December 14, 2022

Nutribullet NBJ50200 Juicer Pro review

One minute review

The Nutribullet Juicer Pro (model number NBJ50200) is an upgraded version of the Nutribullet Juicer, which has already featured in our best juicer guide. And while the Nutribullet name might be synonymous with smoothie makers and blenders, Nutribullet is a company that knows how to build appliances that will turn fresh produce into tasty drinks.

While it might be better than its sibling, the Nutribullet Juicer Pro doesn’t actually cost very much more, so we’d still class it as a budget-friendly juicer. But with this model you get two different-sized freezer trays as well as two glass to-go bottles bundled in. Note that if you’re buying this model in the UK, you get only one of each.

Other upgrades include a dual-sized food pusher as well as a third juicing speed thanks to increased wattage. It also has a larger pulp container than the Nutribullet Juicer, so won’t require emptying as frequently. Otherwise, the two models are quite similar and come with the same lidded juice pitcher and identical configuration.

Like the Nutribullet Juicer, the Pro model makes quite a pulpy, frothy juice, extracting similar juice yields, too. It didn’t manage to juice kale, but for other fruits and vegetables it proved very speedy. It’s easy to use and is a great entry-level juicer for those who might be new to juicing and don’t want to spend too much money. But if you’re looking for premium-quality smooth juices and an appliance that can juice green leafed veggies, it won’t be the model for you.

Nutribullet Juicer Pro price and availability

  • List price: $159.99 /£129.99/ AU$249.95

The Nutribullet Juicer Pro is readily available direct from Nutribullet in most countries. It’s Nutribullet’s top-of-the-range centrifugal juicer, but is only slightly more expensive than the standard Nutribullet Juicer. The Pro includes upgraded features and a greater number of accessories, yet it will set you back only an extra $50/ £30/ AU$70. On that basis, we think it represents excellent value for money.

Price and availability score: 5/5

Nutribullet Juicer Pro design

  • Three speed settings
  • Drip stop
  • 27oz/ 800ml juice pitcher

The Nutribullet Juicer Pro doesn’t take up too much space on the counter because it’s narrower at the base, but it does become wider at the top and it’s tall, too. The measurements are 16 x 10.3 x 9.3 inches/ 41 x 26 x 24cm (h x w x d).

The 27oz/ 800ml juice pitcher sits below the juice spout during juicing, and the sealable lid can remain on the pitcher during use to stop any splashes. The pitcher is handy for keeping excess juice in the fridge, but is also cleverly designed with a froth separator to stop the worst of the froth getting into your glass.

There isn't an external pulp container taking up counter space with this model, since the pulp stays inside the juicer. But this does mean it needs to be disassembled to remove the pulp when it becomes full – which might become annoying if you’re juicing large quantities of fruit and veggies. However, the Juicer Pro has a 0.44oz / 2-liter capacity, which Nutribullet claims is enough space to juice up to 17 apples before needing to be emptied.

Assembly and disassembly is straightforward; there are just three parts that stack on top of the motor. Once stacked, they get locked into place with the big stainless steel locking handle – and the machine won’t start until this is in position.

The 3in / 7.6cm feed chute is wide enough for whole apples – or, if you’re juicing smaller foods, a second pusher can be pulled out of the center of the large pusher. This opens a smaller chute, making it easier to feed in items such as leaves and berries.

The juice spout has a handy drip-stop cover and is positioned high enough so a standard drinking glass can be placed beneath it, should you wish to juice directly into your glass. On the front of the juicer is an on/off button surrounded by three buttons for the three speed levels. In the manual, you'll find a table that lists which speed setting is best suited to a variety of fruits and vegetables.

Arriving with two 12oz / 350ml glass to-go bottles, you can take the juice you make in the Nutribullet Juicer Pro with you anywhere. Plus, there are two silicone freezer trays. Note that if you’re in the UK, you’ll get only one bottle and one freezer tray in the box.

All the Juicer Pro components – except the pusher – are dishwasher-safe, so clean-up is simple. Nevertheless, a brush is supplied as well if you choose to wash by hand.

Design score: 4.5/5

Nutribullet Juicer Pro performance

  • Noisy
  • Juices whole apples very fast
  • Poor results juicing kale

To create a mixed green juice we combined celery with ginger, parsley, apple and pear. The wide feed chute meant we could leave everything whole, so there was really no prep to do. We followed the guidance in the manual for speed, starting on low speed for the parsley, moving to high speed for the pear, and then turbo for everything else.

green juice ingredients next to juicer

(Image credit: Future / Helen McCue)

It took around 1 minute 15 seconds to juice everything; the Nutribullet Juicer Pro was quite noisy, hitting 85dB on our noise meter. We weighed the ingredients before and after juicing to work out the juice yield, which was 71%. This is a respectable yield, although it’s in part due to the pulpiness of the juice, which means lots of fibers get through the strainer. A few whole leaves of parsley had also made their way into the drink. In addition to a layer of froth on top, the juice was very aerated – which, when combined with the pulpiness, gave it more of a smoothie texture than a traditional juice. 

making a green juice in the Nutribullet juicer pro

(Image credit: Future / Helen McCue)

Next up we peeled five oranges and popped them in whole on the turbo setting. The Juicer Pro made short work of the oranges, blitzing through them in under 20 seconds. Unfortunately, though, noise levels remained the same as when we were making the green juice. In addition, the yield this time was 62%, which isn’t as high as we’ve seen from other juicers we’ve reviewed.

There was a thick layer of froth on top of the juice, which was kept in the pitcher by the froth separator. But the juice in our glass was still very aerated. Unlike the green juice, the orange juice contained very little pulp, although we’d be lying if we said it was completely smooth. It was a tasty drink, nonetheless.

making orange juice with the Nutribullet juicer pro

(Image credit: Future / Helen McCue)

This Nutribullet juicer can extract the juice from a whole apple in just 5 seconds. And when you consider that you don’t need to do any prep first, that’s pretty darn quick.

We wanted to juice kale straight into the glass bottle that comes bundled with the juicer; but, surprisingly, it doesn’t sit flat on the counter when under the spout, so we abandoned that idea and put a standard glass in its place. We juiced the kale on high speed, feeding it into the narrow chute, which took about 1 minute 30 seconds.

We can unequivocally say that if you’re looking for a juicer to make kale shots, you shouldn’t buy the Nutribullet Juicer Pro. It barely extracted any juice at all; there was less than a mouthful in the glass and the yield was a pathetic 6%. Safe to say, then, that this was a waste of both time and kale.

kale juice made using the Nutribullet juicer pro

(Image credit: Future / Helen McCue)

Lastly, we were hoping for better luck juicing carrots. The Juicer Pro juiced two big carrots in only 15 seconds, producing a vibrant orange carrot juice with a decent 52% yield. The juice wasn’t smooth, though – it had a powdery, pulpy texture.

carrot juice in to-go cup after using the Nutribullet juicer pro

(Image credit: Future / Helen McCue)

As mentioned, the majority of the machine's parts can be placed in the dishwasher for cleaning. However, we did notice that our dishwasher didn’t remove all the pulp fibers from the sieve. Our advice would be to scrub the sieve clean with the brush. Note that the various parts of the Juicer Pro do take up a fair bit of space in the dishwasher, so we found a rinse with hot water was often a quicker way to clean the bulkier components.

Performance score: 4/5

Nutribullet Juicer Pro score card

Attributes Notes Rating
Price & availability Widely available and very reasonably priced, particularly given all the added accessories. 5/5
Design score It’s intuitive to assemble, dishwasher friendly, and includes thoughtful features. like a froth separator and drip stop. 4.5/5
Performance score It’s fast, easy to use, and makes very palatable juices – as long as you don’t mind a bit of pulp and froth. 4/5

Should I buy?

Buy it if...

Don't buy it if...

  • First reviewed: October 2022

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