Why Some Costco Shoppers Aren't Happy With This Ninja Juicer

Even if you can turn a mason jar into a juicer, investing in a dedicated machine is one smart way home cooks can get more from green juice. The Ninja NeverClog 3-in-1 Juicer, Slicer, and Shredder sounds like it should make juicing effortless. However, if you go by many of the reviews on Costco, "never clog" should be more like "often clogs". The Ninja juicer is designed to make cold-pressed juices as well as provide other meal prep functions, such as shredding cheese and slicing cucumbers. It has useful features like pulp control so you can decide how much you want in your juice, and a spiral-shaped auger that uses pressure to extract juice. Unfortunately, many buyers seeem disappointed with what this machine promises versus how it actually performs.

One of the main complaints is that the machine actually requires a lot of manual labor. Some reviewers on Costco's website mention how they have to cut produce into small pieces first just to get it into the juicer. "You have to stand there pushing everything in," writes one shopper. Because you're spending so much time on prep work, buyers also aren't pleased with how the machine handles bulk juicing. "I do not recommend this product if you are juicing large quantities. You have to feed it per item and cannot load it," laments another person. As for the "no-clog" claim, not everyone agrees with the product's name. "It DOES clog and has to be rinsed out mid-juicing," says a buyer.

Despite complaints, some shoppers seem pleased with how easy the machine is to figure out, and think the Ninja NeverClog works quite well for their purposes. "It's been extremely easy to use, even to the point our 5-year-old typically helps out. All the parts break down to fit in the dishwasher which is a huge plus for us," writes a buyer on Costco's site. Other reviewers appreciate the size of the machine, with one saying, "This juicer is powerful, compact, and sleek. Takes minimal space and get all of the juice out of fruits and vegetables." On Instagram, meanwhile, one Costco member claims that the appliance extracts the most juice of any juicer she's tried, noting, "look how dry that pulp is," while juicing pesky, stringy celery stalks.

Given that orange juice prices are so high (and will probably stay that way), it may be worth considering other juicer options available at Costco, depending on your needs. The Our Place Cold Press Batch Juicer has positive reviews for the amount of juice it produces. However, it's strictly a juicer — so you'll be sacrificing those handy attachments for slicing or shredding. Whereas the Ninja and the Our Place are cold-press juicers, the Nutribullet Centrifugal Juicer Pro uses a method whereby you drop your produce into a chute and it's mixed fast with high speed, more like a food processor. The bottom line is the Ninja juicer seems to be a better option for small, occasional juicing.