Fridja gives you the juice without much of the hassle, mess and clean-up
Fridja f2800 cold-press juicer
The idea of guzzling down freshly-made fruit juices at home is an enticing one – until you have to do it. It can be a very messy business – lots of chopping, squeezing and clean-up effort for what sometimes feels like just a few drops.
So Fridja has had a go at solving this problem with its top-of-the-range f2800 cold-press juicer, which promises to make the whole process simpler, cleaner and more convenient.
The headline feature is a huge 180mm feed chute that can accept whole apples, oranges and pears, while a gravity-fed hopper automatically draws the fruit into the machine. All the healthy goodness without any of the hassle.
Fair warning: it’s a big old unit, so make sure your kitchen is big enough to take it. And if you have a place to store it when not in use. The large chute means you don’t have to cut fruit into quarters or whatever; you can simply drop much of it straight into the hopper. The self-feeding mechanism then takes care of the rest.
The Fridja crushes and presses rather than shreds, which the company says helps retain flavour, colour and nutrients while producing drier pulp and a higher juice yield. I can back this up; the juice is smooth and rich, with noticeably less froth than you’d expect. This approach also means it’s a lot quieter.
The sheer convenience of the large chute removes many of the issues that led you to abandon your old juicer in the kitchen cupboard. You’ll probably still need to do some basic prep depending on what fruit or veg you’re using, but it won’t be a headache.
So all good so far, but what about the dreaded cleaning? Actually, it’s not too bad at all. The f2800 uses a simplified filter design intended to prevent pulp from becoming trapped in a complicated mesh. After use, the removable components can be rinsed under the tap. Most removable parts are also top-rack dishwasher safe, although hand washing is recommended to protect the seals over time.
To my partner’s delight, the f2800 also comes with a sorbet attachment, which lets you turn frozen fruit into a soft, creamy dessert. Frozen bananas, mangoes and berries are obvious candidates, and the ability to make fruit ice cream without adding sugar or dairy gives the machine an unexpected extra dimension.
So it’s flexible and convenient, but are there any downsides? Well, there’s the size that I have already mentioned, but it’s not that cheap. However, the extra expense is worth it because you’ll actually use it rather than use it once, cry with frustration, and then pack it away!
The Fridja f2800 is available via the company’s website for £199.99
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