GREEN STAR REVIEW

GREEN STAR 2000 JUICER
REVIEW

MSRP: $459-$529
(Depending on attachments package)
PRICE RANGE: $398-$529
Best Prices: Amazon, Ebay, Shopzilla
Measurements: 19"x6"x12"
Type: Twin Gear
Motor: 190 watt
RPM: 110
Colors: White
Weight: 25 pounds

RATINGS

1-5 Limes possible
1 is the lowest
5 is the highest

Overall Rating:


How we rated different factors:

Ease of Use Rating:


Juicing Performance Rating:


Durability Rating:

JUICING CAPABILITIES

+ = Yes
x = No
* = with difficulty

+ Citrus
+ Fruits
+ Soft Fruits
+ Soft Veggies
+ Hard Veggies
+ Wheatgrass
+ Greens

PROS AND CONS

PROS:
Juice Yield: One of the best juice yields in the industry
Attachments: Vast array of attachments for many uses
Variety: Juices everything and acts as a kitchen food processor
Bio-ceramic technology: For increased mineral retention

Low heat: For maximum enzyme retention

CONS:
Plastic: The white plastic will stain with time
Warranty: Only 5 years
Cleaning: Expect to spend 15 minutes
Looks: 1980's body design

WHAT YOU GET WITH THE GREEN STAR 2000 JUICER

* White plastic body
* Stainless steel twin gears with bioceramics
* Wood plunger
* Plastic plunger
* Fine screen
* Bread screen
* Homogonizing screen
* Glass pitcher
* Cleaning brush
* Owners manual

Overview

The Green Star Juicer from Tribest often causes confusion in folks looking for information about it. That's because models GSE-1000, GSE-2000, and GSE-3000 are the same exact juicer despite having different model numbers. The difference between the three are the attachments that come with each one. The motor, housing and everything else is exactly the same.

This review will refer to all three models as the Green Star 2000 Juicer despite the varying model numbers. It is also the most popular attachment package between the three. You can also visit our Green Star Elite Juicer page for a complete review of the newly unveiled GSE-5000 which is an upgraded design with many new features.

Before we get into our review, let's cover the different attachment packages of the Green Star Juicer.

The GSE-1000 juicer at $479 msrp includes a fine screen for veggies; a homogenizing blank for nut butters, baby foods and sorbets; a handy pulp adjuster dial for juicing different types of produce; a plastic plunger; a wooden plunger; and a juice pitcher.

For an upgraded package, the GSE-2000 juicer at $499 msrp includes all of the items listed above plus a drip tray and a coarse screen for juicing pulpy fruits like citrus and berries.

The GSE-3000 juicer at $529 msrp includes all of the items in packages 1 and 2 plus a mochi maker attachment; a blank and a guide for making rice cakes; and a pasta maker, pasta screen, pasta guide and pasta screw attachment.

The breakdown of the three packages? The GSE-1000 really should include the coarse screen for juicing more varieties of produce. It doesn't, so in our opinion the GSE-2000 makes more sense. Otherwise you'll probably turn around and spend the same amount of money to purchase the coarse screen seperately. The GSE-3000 is for folks who want their juicer to be a kitchen food processor as well. It adds in functionality for a lot of homemade healthy cooking projects. It's not for everyone, and the extra $30 only makes sense if you're the type of person who will use those attachments.

So, now that we've done an overview of how the three packages are different, let's dig in to our review of the Green Star 2000 Juicer.

Ease of Use

The Green Star 2000 Juicer features a two stage extraction process based on two twin auger gears. Produce is dropped into the feed chute and pushed downwards with the included plunger. The produce then enters the stainless steel twin gears and is crushed between the slowly moving augers. This breaks down cell membranes in the fruits and veggies. Then pressure is increased as the produce moves through the gears squeezing juice out of the fibers of the fruits and vegetables. Voila, you've got a glass of juice!

The Green Star juice extractor has a handy adjustable control dial that increases or decreases pressure from the gears. You can adjust it for the perfect output whether you are juicing hard vegetables like ginger and beets or soft, mushy fruits like strawberries and oranges.

Setting up and breaking down the Green Star 2000 Juicer is a bit tricky. There are knobs that attach the twin gears to the juicer body, and they take a little getting used to. Other than that, set up and break down time is not too difficult. The upgraded Green Star Elite juicer has taken care of this feature by replacing latches for the knobs, but the GSE-1000, GSE-2000, and GSE-3000 still relies on those clunky knobs to get the job done.

Since it is a twin gear style juicer, it juices at slow speeds so getting a full glass of juice takes several minutes. The upside is the slow motor preserves a maximum amount of enzymes with limited heating and frothing of the final juice. If you're used to a speedy centrifugal style juicer with its quick juice output, the slowness of the Green Star may take some getting used to.

So how is clean up? The Green Star 2000 Juicer is not the quickest juicer to clean, in fact it may be one of the most time-consuming. Compared to other twin gear and single gear juicers like the Champion and SoloStar, it takes longer to clean all of the parts.

One of the factors is because none of the parts are dishwasher safe. They must be washed by hand (this has been upgraded in the new GSE-5000 Elite model). Another factor is all of the grooves on the body of the juicer, which seem to act as magnets for pulp and juice droplets. If the body was smooth it would be much quicker. There are also difficult to reach areas inside the machine base where the twin gears attach. Expect to spend at least 15 minutes doing a thorough clean-up after juicing.

The housing, being white plastic, will stain over time, even with the best of clean-up jobs. Carrot juice and beet juice do a number on white plastic over the years, soaking into the plastic until there is no way to return it to its original pristine white. Expect to hide this juicer in a cabinet rather than leave it sitting out on the countertop.

The bottom line? We give the Green Star 2000 Juicer a 2 lime review rating out of 5 for ease of use and clean up time. It gets the job done extremely well, but not necessarily easily or quickly.

Juicing Performance

The Green Star 2000 Juicer performs like a pro. There's a reason it costs over $400 and much of it is justified! Unlike the Champion which seizes up at the first sight of wheatgrass and hardly chokes down other greens, the Green Star earns the green in its name.

For folks who know they want to juice a lot of greens, this juice extractor is a dream come true. Spinach, kale, mustard greens, cabbage? Absolutely! The nearly impossible wheatgrass? Yes! What about herbs? Herbs too! We haven't tried pine needles, but company literature says yes, this beast will even find juice in pine needles.

So many juicers have a hard time or almost impossible time with greens, and most don't even suggest wheatgrass as a possibility. What happens with many juicers is the leafy greens, with very little moisture, end up being spit out into the pulp bin with only a fraction of their juice content extracted.

The manufacturers suggest "tips" for juicing greens more effectively, such as sanwiching greens between harder veggies like carrots. Whenever you have to start "making something work" it means it doesn't really work.

That's the joy of the Green Star 2000 Juicer. No tips, no tricks. Just put in your kale, parsley, wheatgrass and cabbage. Out comes a beautiful vibrant green concoction for vitality! With the adjuster knob feature you can even tighten up the gears with a quick knob twist so they extract the maximum amount from your leafy greens.

So the Green Star is a champ at greens. What about everything else?

The variety of produce possible to juice is the biggest benefit to this juicer line, and the reason we feel it justifies it's price tag. Many juicers just can't handle the variety people expect. If a machine does greens well, it spits out berries into the pulp container. If it does citrus it can't handle the hardness of beets or ginger.

Not so with the Green Star 2000 Juicer. It literally can handle anything you throw at it, from the most overripe, juicy mango to the hardest piece of jerusalem artichoke you've got, to the fibrous stalks of celery! It does it all in its slow methodical way.

Juice yield is another big factor with juicers. How does this one compare? The entire line of Green Star Juicers has one of the highest juice yield ratings of all the brands. That's why the company, Tribest, has one so many awards.

Juice yield means how much juice is extracted out of your produce. It is the difference between wet, sloppy pulp; damp pulp; and pulp that seems so dry it looks powdery. Centrifugal juicers typically have the lowest juice yield. The Green Star beats out under $100 centrifugal models by a whopping 60% higher yield. That adds up to a big savings at the produce stand, especially if you're buying organic.

It's all based on the slow turning of those gears. They have more time to thoroughly extract moisture from the produce than a quick spinning speedy centrifugal juicer.

Another factor that deserves mention is the enzyme retention. Due to that slow motor there is minimal heating of your final juice, meaning more enzymes are intact. For anyone juicing due to illness this is a big factor to consider.

Performance is over the top on this juicer. We give it a hearty 5 limes out of 5 for our performance juicer review rating. It's slow and not so easy to clean, but boy does it outperform the competition!

Durability

Green Star juicers are one of the most durable juice extractors available. Like the Champion juicer, many folks have their Green Star 2000 Juicer for more than 15 years or 20 years. The motor and its housing are extremely reliable and very rarely fail.

The attachments are also extremely rugged and made of heavy duty materials. The only thing that could happen since they are not dishwasher safe is if you accidentally ran them through a dishwasher or your dog decided to turn one into a chew toy!

Even if this did happen, replacement parts are readily available from the parent company and many other online juicing stores.

Since Tribest doesn't come out with new makes and models constantly, parts continue to be available even if you have your juicer for ten years. Since there are no cutting blades with the twin gear style, you won't even find that you are replacing blades every few years. The gears are extremely durable and typically last the lifetime of the juicer.

If you do find yourself needing parts, you'll find the customer service at Tribest to be friendly, folksy and down to earth. The company only does natural health kitchen appliances and that dedication to their niche shows through in follow up with their customers. These people actually want you to be satisfied with your juicer!

Compare this to many of the fly-by-night infomercial juicers and it is a delightful change of pace. With a Green Star Juicer you can be comfortable knowing you're buying a juicer for the long haul, not one that will have a burned up motor in a matter of a year or two.

The warranty period for a juicer in this price range is a little short, only 5 years. Chances are you won't find yourself needing to use the warranty at all though!

Green Star Juicers get our vote for durability. Just like a Champion, they keep on trucking year after year. We go with a 5 lime durability review rating out of 5 total.

Who should Buy It

Green Star 2000 Juicers aren't for everyone. If you're new to juicing or only make a glass on occasion a Green Star may be overkill. Start off with something more affordable to make sure you like juicing enough to stick with it before moving up to this model.

It also isn't for families who want a quick glass of juice with fast set up time, juicing time, and clean up time. If this describes you, consider the Breville Juice Fountain Elite, a centrifugal juicer with lightning fast juice production and easy breezy clean-up.

However, the Green Star 2000 Juicer is ideal for folks who plan on juicing greens. If you want some parsley with your carrot juice, it's going to be difficult to get that leafy green influence from most other juicers.

Due to the maximum juice yield it is also ideal for families who plan on juicing large quantities. The money you spend on the juicer initially will be quickly saved in produce costs. With one of the highest juice yields out there (save the Norwalk), it doesn't get much better for squeezing every last drop out of your pricey produce. The savings are doubled if you plan on juicing organic fruits and vegetables.

The Green Star 2000 Juicer is also ideal for people facing a serious health condition or illness. Due to its enzyme retention and minimal heating, the Green Star produces some of the most nutrient rich juices available, perfect for those going on an intensive juice regiment for health purposes.

Lastly, if you plan on juicing wheatgrass, this is the juicer for you. Having the ability to juice all varieties of fruits, veggies, citrus, herbs and wheatgrass in one juicer package is a really difficult thing to find. The Green Star is your one-stop, all-purpose juicer.

The last word? 4 limes out of 5 for the Green Star 2000 Juicer! It lost a lime only due to the extensive clean up time and set up time. If you can live with that, and want an all-purpose durable juicer capable of juicing anything you throw at, this is the one! The other model to look at before making a decision is the Green Star Elite which offers an upgraded triple stage twin gear extraction process for more juice extraction.

Related Green Star Juicer Pages:

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