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Citrus Hand Press vs Reamer
Two ways to juice a lime or lemon, and what each one leaves in the juice.
Which should you use?
For limes and lemons, a hinged hand press is quicker and gets more juice. It squeezes the fruit inside out, pressing some aromatic peel oil into the juice as it goes. A reamer is cheaper and gentler, and it handles fruit of any size, but it is slower and leaves more pulp, so strain the juice. Fresh juice from either beats yesterday's from anything.
| Dimension | Hand press | Reamer |
|---|---|---|
| Speed | Fast; one squeeze per half | Slower; several twists per half |
| What is in the juice | Juice and a little peel oil | Juice and more pulp |
| Fruit size | Must fit the cup; get one sized for limes or for lemons | Any size |
| Pith bitterness | Only if you press too hard | Only if you grind into the pith |
Using one in place of the other
Either gives good juice. Strain reamed juice for drinks served up; ease off on a press if the juice tastes bitter.
In the recipes on this site
Every recipe with fresh lime, lemon or orange juice works with either. What matters is that the juice is fresh.