Green Star Elite GS5000 Review

GREEN STAR ELITE JUICER
GSE-5000 REVIEW

MSRP: $629
PRICE RANGE: $529-$629
Best Prices: Amazon, Ebay, Shopzilla
Measurements: 18"x8"x12"
Type: Twin Gear
Motor: 200 watt
RPM: 110
Colors: White
Weight: 34 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:
Looks: Revamped design with sleeker styling
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
3 Stages: 3 stages of action crushing, mixing and squeezing for maximum yields
Bio-magnetic technologys: For increased mineral retention

Low heat: For maximum enzyme retention

CONS:
Plastic: Tribest should have jumped on the stainless steel bandwagon
Warranty: For a $600 juicer it would be nice to have more than a 5 year warranty
Cleaning: Parts are not dishwasher safe!

WHAT YOU GET WITH THE GREEN STAR ELITE JUICER

* White plastic body
* Stainless steel twin gears with bio magnets
* Wood plunger
* Plastic plunger
* Fine screen
* Course screen
* Bread screen
* Homogonizing screen
* Safety mechanism
* Drip tray
* Glass pitcher
* Pulp strainer
* Cleaning brush
* Detachable power cord
* Owners manual

Ease of Use

The Green Star Elite Juicer GSE-5000 is the latest in the line of Tribest juicers, and takes a strong departure from the GSE-1000, GSE-2000, and GSE-3000 Green Star juicer models. The previous models were the exact same juicer body with the only differences being the attachments provided. In contrast the GSE-5000 has an entirely different juicer body and gear style. The gears in the new model are jumbo sized and feature a new 3 stage extraction process.

The 3 stage extraction process features a crushing stage, a mixing and rubbing stage and finishes with a squeezing stage (compared to the previous Green Star juicers which only had two stages: the crushing and squeezing stages).

So how does it work? Produce is placed into the feed chute and pushed through with plunging action. The fruits and veggies then enter the stainless steel section of the twin gears where they are crushed. The process breaks down cell membranes and fibers so the juice can begin its extraction process. Then the produce passes through a screw which mixes and rubs the fibers together opening the cell membranes and fibers even further. The final stage is when the produce passes through the second half of the screw, where pressure is increased and the juice is squeezed from the fruits and veggies.

Your finished glass of juice then enters the glass pitcher, ready for drinking!

One of the handiest features are the variety of screens. A fine screen is included for times when you plan on juicing leafy greens, kale, spinach, wheatgrass, even sprouts! It allows optimal juice extraction for these often difficult to juice greens. The standard course screen is for all other types of fruits and vegetables.

Another one of the main differences between this model and the other Green Star juicers is the departure from knobs to attach the twin gears. The GSE-5000 Green Star Elite Juicer uses convenient latches instead of the old difficult to handle knobs, making set up and break down time an easier process.

For a twin gear juicer, this is an efficient easy to use model. What about clean-up time? The Green Star Elite juicer has one similarity to its predecessors. All of the parts are still not dishwasher safe! If you're a dishwasher junkie like so many others, the Green Star GSE-1000, 2000, 3000 and the new Elite's inability to land in a dishwasher without warping the parts is a major downfall. (I wash by hand so it's no biggie for me, but I know how families can be addicted to their convenient dishwashers!)

The Green Star line has never been the easiest to clean, even compared to other twin gear models. The Green Star Elite Juicer is no different. There are difficult to reach areas inside the machine base that require a brush. We would have hoped this would have been resolved with this latest revamp of Green Star juicers, but apparently it escaped the designers. The bottom line? You're going to spend some time cleaning this puppy just like with any of the models from Tribest. Expect to spend at least 10 minutes, sometimes 15 minutes to thoroughly clean your Elite after juicing.

There's also that pesky white plastic housing. Come on Tribest, couldn't you have unveiled a stainless steel body for your new premium juicer? Over time the white plastic will become stained. You just can't mix carrot juice and plastic and expect things to look pristine. Your best bet is to do a thorough rub down immediatly after each use.

The bottom line? We give the Green Star Elite Juicer a 3 lime review rating out of 5. We deducted two limes due to the white plastic body and the set up, break down, and clean-up times.

Juicing Performance

So, how does the Green Star Elite Juicer perform in the field? It's so very sweet. Want a juicer that can give you a glass of grapefruit juice? Sure, this model handles citrus like a champ. What about a standard carrot, beet and ginger juice? Yep. Those twin gears will squeeze every drop from those hard veggies. Fibrous items like celery stalk? Not a problem! They're mashed and juiced just like everything else.

Need to know about the softest of soft, like strawberries and mango? Just tighten the adjuster knob and you're good to go. The Elite juicer will extract the maximum amount of juice possible from these difficult soft fruits.

Spinach, kale, mustard greens, even wheatgrass? Absolutely. This juice extractor is versatile and capable of handling it all.

It also acts as a kitchen wizard. More than a juicer, even more than a food processor. You can make breadsticks, mochi, rice cakes, pasta, nut butters, sorbets, baby food and sauce with this baby. Now that's versatility.

Then there's the pulp adjuster control knob. With a quick turn of the dial it puts you in control of how much juice is extracted vs. how dry your pulp is. This is handy for times when you are juicing those notorious soft fruits, citrus and berries. Many juicers (including most centrifugal juicers) can't handle soft fruits, citrus and berries at all, or very minimally. Often they come out as a sloggy pulpy mess in your pulp bin. With the Green Star Elite knob, you can tighten the screws to increase the pressure. The bottom line of that increased pressure? Maximum juice yield for your soft fruits!

Another side benefit of the pulp adjuster knob is that you'll find the Elite GSE-5000 juicer doesn't have a tendency to clog with pulp like many other twin gear juicers. Clogged pulp translates to stopping the juicing process to clean out the machine before starting again, so this is an absolutely delightful upgrade.

A major factor in performance is juice yield. So how does the Green Star Elite juicer measure up? Green Star juicers have some of the best juice yield in the entire industry, and it's almost unbelievable, but the Elite has increased the yield even more than its counterparts. Juice yield equates out to how much you spend on produce, because if a juicer doesn't extract all of the juice, it ends up wasted in the pulp. It extracts about 60% more juice than an inexpensive centrifugal juicer, and 30% more than top of the line centrifugals.

So even though the Elite GSE-5000 has a whopping price tag of $679 msrp, it can actually save you money compared to a less expensive juicer which has lower juice yield. That's because more juice from each pound of produce means less produce to buy. The money savings are greater if you plan to do intensive juicing, such as juicing every day, or juicing several quarts at a time or if you juice organic produce.

The big question people often ask is, "What about the motor?" Can it keep up? You've probably seen 1000 watt centrifugal juicers on the market. A wimpy 200 watts sounds like nothing in comparison. It's the difference in design that equalizes the two. The larger watt motors (most commonly found on centrifugal models) make juice super quick, pulverizing everything in their way. That high speed also has a tendency to heat juice, foam it, and even leave unbroken chunks of fruit and vegetable in the pulp bin.

In contrast, a twin gear juicer, like the Green Star Elite juicer, works on the principle of slow and steady wins the race. The slow 200 watt motor takes it time, slowly extracting every last ounce of juice from the fiber, leaving a dry powdery pulp in its wake. So for a twin gear style like the Elite, 200 watts is more than ample, it's actually in the ideal range.

A plus that deserves mentioning is the fact that since it produces so little heat in your juice, if you prefer you can make enough juice for 2 days cutting your juicing days in half. Store your extra juice in a sealed glass container and it will still retain most of its enzymes.

Our final tally when it comes to the performance review rating? 5 limes out of 5. It's a slow, methodical machine that does everything a person could want, extracting maximum yield with minimal waste. We're pleased!

Durability

Read through some Green Star Juicer reviews on the internet and you'll just how durable they are. You just won't find people complaining about motor failure, parts failures or the customer service of Tribest (the manufacturer of the Green Star juicer line).

The parts are very well made, sturdy and solid. Since it uses a twin gear auger method, there are no cutting blades to replace due to dulling.

If, and this is a big if, you need a replacement part for say; the fine screen or course screen you'll find them readily available from the Tribest website. They can also be found at many online shops.

We do wish Tribest had gone for the gusto with a longer warranty period for their top of the line juicer model, the Green Star Elite. It is still a 5 year warranty. The good news is, you won't need it! Green Star juicers are "lifetime juicers" in the fact that they seem to just keep juicing year after year. It's not uncommon for folks to have a Green Star Juicer for 20 years.

Customer service is also top of the line. Questions and issues are handled quickly by the friendly Tribest staff. We believe this is because they cater only to the health food market instead of to the larger kitchen gadget market like many faddish centrifugal style juicers (late night infomercial brands in particular). They are a small company based out of Annaheim, California that started in 1988. Since that time they have won numerous awards for their Green Star juicers. When you call them, you'll experience that small company feeling of a real person on the other end of the line. They stand by their juicers and aim for satisfied customers.

The final say? Durability isn't even an issue with the Green Star Elite Juicer. If you choose this model, you'll be getting a juicer for life. We give them a hearty 5 lime review rating out of 5.

Who should Buy It

The Green Star Elite Juicer isn't for everyone. If you've never juiced before, or aren't sure you will be doing a lot of juicing, it's better to start off with a less expensive model until you're sure you want to keep juicing.

It also isn't for those who want a quick and easy glass of fresh juice with minimal time spent on clean up. If you fit in this category you may want to look at the Breville Juice Fountain Elite, a top of the line centrifugal juicer with the quickest juicing and clean up times available.

The Green Star Elite is ideal for those who are serious about their juicing, want maximum juice yield, maximum enzyme retention, minimal heating, are facing a critical illness such as cancer, or plan on juicing a lot of greens, sprouts, herbs or wheatgrass.

The benefits of an all-purpose juicer are evident in the functionality of the GSE-5000 Green Star Elite Juicer. With this juice extractor there's no need for a seperate dedicated wheatgrass juicer or greens juicer. It can handle all the wheatgrass, leafy greens and sprouts you want to throw at it. So it is ideal for people who plan on juicing greens.

It is also ideal for those who want complete versatility in their juicing. I'm not talking about the past attachment and all the food processor aspects. I'm just talking about the fact that it will juice any fruit or vegetable you throw at it. Not many juicers can lay claim to that achievement.

So to sum it up, if you want to have the flexibility to juice citrus, soft fruits, berries, hard fruits, soft vegetables, hard vegetables, ginger, greens, sprouts and wheatgrass this is the machine for you. You'll have to compromise on a bit of extra clean up time with this machine, but those are choices we all have to make based on our lifestyles. If the idea of slow cleaning makes you cringe, look elsewhere but realize you won't easily find the flexibility of juice varieties and maximum yield that the Green Star Elite Juicer offers.

The last word? 4 limes out of 5 for the Green Star Elite Juicer with our review rating system.

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