The Breville Juice Fountain Compact is a clever little juicing machine that did well during our tests.
It was not perfect, but it represents a good value when considering it costs less than $100. Its juicing yields were impressively high. On both our juicing test recipes, it got the final juice out of the same amount of produce as our top pick of the best juicers: the Cuisinart Juice Extractor.
A contracted writer for TTR, Angie has been reviewing vacuum cleaners, countertop appliances and other home goods for more than eight years. Her spare time often goes to planning improvements for her quirky 103-year-old home or hiking in the gorgeous Utah mountains. In her past role, she was a newspaper journalist and she has a bachelor's degree in Technical Writing.
Breville Juice Fountain Compact: Performance
To test the juicer, we started with a combination of beets, carrots, and apples to see how it would do on hard produce. Then we tested it on a combination of grapefruit, oranges, and romaine lettuce to gauge performance on soft produce. We weighed all the produce before to ensure that every machine got the same amount for each test. While the Juice Fountain Compact left a bit more froth on the top than the Cuisinart, it was impressive overall. It struggled somewhat with beets but overcame the dense vegetable.
Another test involved measuring how much cutting is required for each juicer. In the case of the Juice Fountain Compact, the answer is generally none. We were able to add apples whole with this machine, while most others required at least some trimming. It is safe to say that this machine’s chute will not accommodate large apples, but it tore into our small granny smith testers with zero prep. That can save a ton of time if you try to fit in a fresh glass of juice in the morning.
This machine also saves space. It has a unique design that contains the pulp in a compartment on the main body of the machine. Most competitors send the pulp to a separate tub that, in some cases, is almost as big as the machine, which doubles the space needed. This design is a great advantage for the Juice Fountain Compact, especially if you have a smaller kitchen. Everything but the pitcher is stacked on one small footprint. It also has a cord wrap, so it stores small. And it has fewer parts than some of the other machines.
This model was about average for cleaning and assembly times, though it was a little harder to clean the blades. The fine mesh was a challenge to get clean, even if it made for smoother juice in the end. It really never seemed totally clean, and that’s a problem. We like that this machine is simple overall and has fewer parts to clean and reassemble.
One drawback is the noise level. It was tied for the second loudest at 95 decibels. We don't expect juicers to be silent, but when you try to juice in the morning, the sound level can matter to folks in surrounding apartments or bedrooms.
Should you buy the Breville Juice Fountain Compact?
Although the Breville Juice Fountain Compact produced a little more froth on top than we prefer and was quite loud, overall, this machine was generally excellent – much better than expected.
It features a smart and simple design that makes it easy to use and clean. It is compact and inexpensive, so it fits smaller kitchens and budgets. In short, it is a great option.
