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For those who are concerned about heat destruction of enzymes, the Omega’s auger turns slowly and doesn’t appear to generate much heat. Granted the process of crushing and squeezing the vegetable matter through a small screen will cause friction, but I don’t feel it’s a deal for the average user. Same goes for oxidation. All juicers introduce some oxygen into the juice because of the mechanical process of extraction. With some fruits and vegetables, however, this machine does a noticeable job of reducing the amount of foam. Using two carrots from the same bag, I juiced one in a centrifugal juicer and one in the Omega. There was a lot less foam with the Omega, and the color of the juice was also darker and richer.

Overall, I’m thrilled with my Omega 8003 juicer. I paid about $229 for mine, plus shipping. I feel that’s a very reasonable price to start changing my life and health.

—Jim Rubel

Note: The feeder chute is relatively small in diameter, so it’s best to cut up anything large to make it fit or be more manageable.

Omega Juicer - 8003

$230

Manufactured by Omega

Available from Amazon

Instant Hot Water Source

Zojirushi Electric Dispensing Pot

Like the rice cooker, the electric dispensing pot is an appliance that EVERY Japanese household has. Its function is simple: It heats and dispenses hot water at just-below-boiling, as much or as little as you want. Perfect for a cup of tea or a cup of noodles. There’s even a “Keep Warm” feature for maintaining the water temp at 208°F, 195°F, or 175°F for a set amount of time.

We picked up Zojirushi’s 3.0-liter US version when we moved back from Japan. It’s performed flawlessly for well over a decade. Lots of nice little touches: The “MagSafe” magnetic power cord featured in Apple’s laptop computers? Zojirushi did it first; makes it easy to move the pot to the tap to fill it up.

—Robert Woodhead

Zojirushi 3.0-Liter Electric Dispensing Pot

$120

Available from Amazon

Also available in 4.0- and 5.0-liter capacities (pictured).

The Ultimate Blender

VitaMix 5200 Countertop Blender

At Costco, my wife and I happened upon one of those salesman wearing a headset a-la-Madonna. He was demoing a blender. As we stood and watched, I commented to my wife that all these people were just waiting to try a smoothie; and there was no way this guy would get one of these suckers to pay $350 for a blender. A BLENDER!

But guess who walked out with one? Because of Costco’s liberal return policy, we figured it was worth a shot. So for the next month, we used it...and used it...and used it. Every time, I thought to myself, $350 for a blender!? But man, this thing is an incredible MACHINE.

I once believed that a blender only needed two speeds: Off and High. I was wrong. With ten variable speeds, it makes short work of anything and everything we’ve ever put in it. We use it every single day, often multiple times. The 1380-watt motor surprisingly quiet on low, and a barracuda at high speeds. Clean-up is incredibly quick: Add water, a bit of soap, turn on high for ten seconds, and then rinse and dry.

The 64-ounce Lexan pitcher is amazingly tough. I always figured plastic was plastic, but this stuff is really tough. If you do happen to somehow break it, the company will replace it free of charge through its seven-year warranty. After that, you can simply purchase parts/replacements.

So we extended our 30-day trial to 90-days, since I still thought it was a lot of money for a blender. Ultimately—after using it EVERY day, usually multiple times a day—I realized it’s worth $350. I hesitated to send this review, because of the considerable expense. Anyone who uses a blender regularly will find this to be the best blender they ever own. My previous $45 blender, which I once thought was pretty good, now sits gathering dust. I’ve been spoiled.

—Jeff Jewell

Note: Check Costco, if there’s one near you. They tend to sell the blender at a discount.

Vitamix 5200 Professional Blender

$450–$500

Available from Amazon

Manufactured