Over the past 14 years, I have had the opportunity to work with various juice machines. When I started Juice Press in 2010, we used two Norwalk cold-pressed juice machines.
The Norwalk machine consisted of a stainless steel box with a motor that spun a blade at 3000 RPM to grind produce into pulp. The pulp was then subjected to hydraulic pressurization to extract the juice.
The Norwalk machine was considered the Rolls Royce of juice machines since 1932. On the other end of the spectrum, I also worked with rotary juice machines, starting with smaller home-use machines and gradually transitioning to larger commercial stainless steel units. Rotary machines shred the produce and separate the pulp from the liquid using centrifugal force generated by a spinning blade. These machines are efficient and extract a decent quality of juice, although not as high as the Norwalk machines.
As Juice Press grew, the Norwalk machines became too small to keep up with the volume of juice production required within specific timeframes. To address this, we switched to the Goodnature X-1 machines when we built our facility. These machines were workhorses, capable of producing between five and eight thousand bottles of juice per day.
At one point, we had four X-1 machines operating simultaneously before upgrading to an X-6, which could press several times more volume of juice as the X-1.
After leaving Juice Press and starting goodsugar in 2023, I wanted to return to the basics of juice production using a machine similar to the original Norwalk.
I purchased two updated versions of the Norwalk machine called Pure Juicer, which offered several improvements over the original Norwalk. These machines are sturdier, equipped with better switches, and have improved ventilation to prevent overheating during prolonged juicing. Despite generating less than $1500 in juice sales, it took considerable time to juice the eight to nine different produce varieties we used.
So, I reached out to Goodnature after opening goodsugar to explore their machines that could accommodate our needs. They sent me the tabletop version of the X-1M, which is a smaller version of the full-size machine. In my experience, the Goodnature X-1M tabletop machine is built to withstand the demands of a juice kitchen. It is faster at grinding produce using its spinning blade mechanism integrated into the lower half of the press chamber. It's also considerably faster at pressing.
The produce falls directly into the press chamber, eliminating the need to grind and fold pulp into bags or cloths as required by the Norwalk and Pure Juicer machines.
Moreover, the larger press chamber allows for pressing larger volumes of juice. In terms of juice quality, all three machines (Norwalk, X-1M, and Pure Juicer) produce excellent results.
Cleanup time is relatively quick with the X-1M tabletop model, and its parts are durable, easy to clean, and put back together. I tested disassembling and reassembling the machine without referring to the instructions, and it was straightforward.
Having dealt with complicated machines before, such as soft-serve ice cream machines, I appreciate the simplicity and efficiency of the Goodnature machines. While the price of the tabletop X-1M model is higher up front compared to other small-duty commercial machines, it is important to consider the significant benefits it offers in terms of time and labor savings. In reality using an X-1M is far cheaper than using a Norwalk or Pure Juicer.
The efficiency and speed of the X-1M model can greatly reduce the overall production time required for juicing. This means fewer hours spent on juicing, allowing your staff to focus on other essential tasks. The long-term cost savings achieved through improved productivity and reduced labor make the investment in the tabletop X-1 model worthwhile.
The Goodnature company is reliable, responsive to customer service needs, and knowledgeable about all aspects of juicing.
When purchasing a commercial machine, it is important to consider the possibility of commonly damaged or burnt-out parts and budget for buying them and keeping them on hand. You should not need to replace parts on the Goodnature X-1 tabletop machine too often. However, it is always a good practice to have replacement parts readily available in case they are needed. In a well-run operation, having replacement parts on hand ensures that any maintenance or repairs can be addressed promptly, minimizing downtime and ensuring smooth operations.
The X-1 tabletop machine weighs a good amount, so it is advisable to have a custom-made stainless steel table with extra cross-bracing to support its 150lb. weight.