Mmmmm fresh hot spiced apple cider straight out of one of the best apple crushers! Can’t you just smell the cinnamon and cloves and feel them warm you from the inside out?
Instead of reaching for a jug of cider from the grocery store, read on to find out how to make your own fresh cider, starting with the best apple crusher.
Our Top Picks
Best Overall:
Maximizer Apple Grinder
Easiest to Use:
EJWOX Fruit and Apple Crusher with Flywheel
All in One Crusher and Press:
Fruit Wine Press and Crusher
Best Overall
Maximizer Apple Grinder
Our top pick for the best apple crusher definitely goes to the Maximizer. Just look at it!
Weighing in at 52 pounds, this cast iron crusher is a heavy-duty machine like the ones your grandparents used. In fact, one reviewer said it’s just like the antique crusher they’ve been using for years.
The grinding part of the Maximizer comes assembled. You just have to add the flywheel. A special wrench is included and it only takes a couple of minutes before you’re ready to grind.
Because it doesn’t come with a stand, you’ll definitely want to build one. Other crushers can be placed on a 5-gallon bucket, but that just won’t do with this machine.
You could also mount this crusher to a table with a hole cut in the middle. Or, if you have an old sewing machine table or can pick one up at a local flea market, you can mount your Maximizer to the top of that.
The Maximizer might be a little more cumbersome, simply because it does have to have a more heavy-duty stand, but its heirloom-quality craftsmanship makes it worth the extra effort.
Pros
- Easy to assemble
- No electricity needed
- Heavy-duty cast iron
- Flywheel makes crushing easier
Cons
- Pricey, but worth it
- Does need a strong base
Easiest to Use
EJWOX Fruit and Apple Crusher with Flywheel
The Ejwox Fruit and Apple Crusher is on our best apple crusher list for two reasons: a stand and a flywheel.
The stand raises the crusher about 2 feet, so it’s the perfect height to fit over a 5-gallon bucket. It’s also the perfect height for kids to be able to have some fun crushing apples too.
The nice big flywheel makes crushing your apples much easier once you get the momentum going.
The hopper can hold up to 3 pounds of apples at a time. Be sure to half, or even quarter, your apples before grinding them for the most juice.
Pros
- No electricity needed
- Flywheel makes crushing easier
Cons
- Assembly required
- Screws are small
- The top edges can be sharp
All in One Crusher and Press
Fruit Wine Press and Crusher
When you just want to get everything you need in one fell swoop, this combination of Ejwox crusher and press is the best apple crusher to choose from. No having to think about which press to purchase.
You’ll notice this is the Ejwox crusher, so assembly is required. One of the nice things about purchasing the press and crusher together is that you can place your crusher right on top of the press for crushing, and the apples will fall right in.
Pros
- No electricity needed
- A cider press is included
- The stand is not required
Cons
- Assembly required
- Crank handle, not the flywheel
Squeeze Master
Like the Ejwox, the Squeeze Master apple crusher can hold up to 3 pounds of apples at a time.
In fact, the Ejwox and Squeeze Master are very similar. The only noticeable difference is the flywheel versus the crank handle.
While the crank handle is easy enough to use, it’s just not as easy to use as the flywheel, which is why it’s at the bottom of our picks for the best apple crusher.
Squeeze Master does have a “new” version that comes with a stand, so you don’t have to have help to hold it, or what to mount it to.
Pros
- No electricity needed
- The “new” version has a stand
Cons
- Assembly required
- Edges can be sharp
- If you don’t purchase the stand, you’ll need help keeping the unit steady while crushing fruit
How to Use an Apple Crusher
Now that you’ve decided which is the best apple crusher for you, it’s time to start crushing your fruit to get the most juice after pressing. You can purchase your fruit from the grocery, a local produce stand, or grow your own apple trees.
Did you know there are over 7500 varieties of apples grown around the world? Of those, 2500 varieties are grown in the US, with 100 varieties being grown commercially.
As you can see, there’s no shortage of varieties of apples to choose from. So how do you choose which apples to use and what are the next steps in processing your apples? Good question. Read on for answers and tips.
Which Varieties are Best
The best apple crushers are no good if you don’t choose the right apples for your desired outcome.
The best apples for sweet juice are generally the Gala and Golden Delicious apples. Looking for a tarter juice? Try the classic Granny Smith apples. Better yet, make your own unique flavor by mixing tart and sweet.
If you want more detailed information about the best apple varieties for juicing, we’ve got a whole post to help you make the best choice. Simply hop over to our Best Apples for Juicing page.
Start With the Right Apples
For the best juice, be sure to start with quality apples. Some people use the apples that have already fallen on the ground, also called windfalls, for juicing.
This is perfectly acceptable, just make sure the apples you choose aren’t moldy or rotten. An occasional bruise, blemish, or wormhole should be fine.
While all of the machines on our best apple crusher list can handle harder apples, softer apples are easier to crush.
Sweating Your Apples
Some people swear by “sweating” the apples or letting them sit for a week or two in a dark place with plenty of air flow to help soften and develop sugars. This is a personal preference, but you should definitely give it a try to see which method you prefer.
If you do try sweating your apples, check on them every day or two to make sure they’re not getting over-ripe and critters aren’t getting to them.
Prepare the Apples
As with all produce, be sure to rinse your apples before crushing them to keep any unwanted nastiness out. Even the best apple crusher on the market isn’t designed to keep dirt and bacteria out of your juice.
Again, be sure to give your apples a quick once-over to make sure they aren’t too soft or rotten. This is a good time to remove any bruises from your fruit too.
Even though some of the reviews say you can use whole apples, always start by halving or quartering your apples to get the most juice.
There is a video of the Maximizer handling whole apples being dumped right into the hopper. That’s probably the only one that can truly handle whole apples without breaking. Yet, another reason the Maximizer is our top pick for the best apple crusher.
The good thing is, you don’t need to worry about coring or peeling your apples, no matter which crusher you choose. The cores and peels will stay in the cheesecloth when you press the apples.
Set one of the best apple crushers on the stand, over a 5-gallon bucket, mount it to a table, or place it directly over a fruit press.
Get Ready to Crush
Fill the hopper with your quartered or halved apples and turn the handle. Easy as that, you have crushed apples falling into your bucket or press.
One thing to keep in mind is that crushing apples can be a messy job, even with the best apple crusher. As the apples come off the crusher wheels, they sometimes fly everywhere. That’s part of the fun for kiddos. Just be prepared, and be sure to crush your apples outdoors.
What to do After Crushing
You have your bucket full of crushed apples. Now it’s time to clean up your crusher. Unfortunately, even the best apple crusher doesn’t clean itself.
However, all of the apple crushers listed above clean up with a quick rinse from your garden hose.
The final step in the juicing process is to run the crushed apples through a cider press. Not sure which press to choose? Don’t worry, we’ve got you covered. Check out our top choices for the best apple press.
Wrapping up the Best Apple Crusher
Now that you have the in-cider information for the best apple crusher, you’re one step closer to that cup of hot spiced cider, or a tall glass of fresh juice.
Yes, it will take a pound of apples to yield a cup of juice. But, don’t get discouraged. The average apple weighs 1/3 of a pound so that’s really only three apples. And, the process is worth it; not to mention satisfying, healthier than store-bought juice, and just plain fun to make.
For more information on all things apples, including everything from how to grow your own trees to the best apple picker, be sure to visit our apple page.