Omega Masticating Juicer NC900 In-depth Review

The Omega NC900 is not new on the block: It’s been around for more than a decade, way before “juice fasts” became a trend. But its popularity never seems to wane. 

We bought the Omega NC900HRD19 and took it for a spin to see if it’s the real deal or just slick marketing. We put it through its paces with different ingredients, checked out how easy (or not) it was to use, and if the design was more chic or clunky. We measured juice yield and quality, timed how long it took to complete the job, and assessed the hassle factor of assembling and cleaning. Spoiler alert: It scored high marks across the board. 

Read on for details on how the Omega NC900 performed and how we rated it.

8.0 Performance

None of the four ingredients we used for the performance test was a challenge for the Omega NC900: This masticating juicer handled everything with ease and grace. It simply squeezed out more juice than any other juicer. The auger speed is slow at 80 RPM, but it was always quick to complete the job. This is largely due to the spacious drum and feed chute, so less clogging, more load, and chunkier cuts.

One ‘demerit’ is that you can’t re-juice the pulp due to the auger design, but since it juices so thoroughly the first time, re-juicing seems hardly necessary.

9.0 Carrots

The Omega NC900HRD was not only the fastest juicer we tested from our batch, but it extracted the most juice, and in one go too! The large feed chute and pressure option for hard, dense vegetables significantly boosts its effectiveness when juicing things like carrots. It took less than half the time compared to the Elite Gourmet, but yielded an ounce more carrot juice from the same amount of ingredients!. The pulp the Omega produced was also drier than other machines we tested.

Although we used the same size for carrot sticks with other masticators in this test, the Omega NC900, with its wider-than-average feed chute, can take a whole small carrot, or one fourth of a large carrot. That saves a lot of  prep time, especially if carrot juice is a favorite in your household.

8.5 Apples

The Omega NC900 did well in our apple test, but not any better than other machines we tested, such as the Jocuu or AMZChef. It actually took slightly longer to complete the test, which was  surprising given the spacious feed chute. The apple wedges tended to get stuck between the chute wall and the auger, due to the auger’s inability to break the apple peel.

7.5 Celery

While its auger couldn’t cut the tough fiber strings, which caused the occasional clogging, the NC900’s high pressure setting resulted in excellent juice yields. It made about an ounce more celery juice than other machines. The machine was also quieter than most, with the loudest noise measured at 68-72 dB, whereas the Elite Gourmet, for example, was in the 75-80 dB range.

7.0 Kale

The NC900 was also the best kale juicer we tested. Although admittedly not as fast as we’d prefer, this juicer  was still the fastest, and made 1 - 2 oz more juice than other machines from the same amount of kale (18 oz). That can accumulate to a huge difference if you juice kale every day! The juice has a thick layer of froth on it, but that doesn’t affect the juice quality and is easily removable with a spoon or strainer.

8.0 Design

The Omega NC900 is robust and sturdy with durable parts. Its large auger has generous tooth spacing, making juicing and cleaning hassle-free. The parts lock and fit together seamlessly, as if they were one piece. The vibrant red color of the body, and the sleek design of  components both add to its overall appeal.

However, due to its substantial size, this masticating juicer will occupy a considerable amount of space on your countertop. It's also heavier than most juicers, so if you have weak arms, you may want to keep it on the countertop between uses rather than storing it away.

In the Box

• 1 x Omega NC900HRD juicer body
• Parts: hopper and drum, plunger, auger, juice mesh, drum cap, adjustable cap
• 1 x blank cone
• 4 x nozzles
• 1 x juice cup 
• 1 x pulp cup
• 1 x cleaning brush
• 1 x user guide

The Omega NC900 comes with more parts than most, including a blank cone and four plastic nozzles for other functions (making sorbets, nut milk, pasta, and other things). The sheer number of parts may seem overwhelming, but remember that you don’t (and can’t) use all of them at once. Replacement parts are also easily available online.

The user guide, which is in English, details the parts and how to assemble them for different purposes.

6.1 Dimensions & Footprint

The large parts of the Omega NC900 actually enhance its overall usability. We like its wide food tray, which helps prevent the ingredients from dropping when you feed them into the chute. The plunger has a much smaller diameter than the feed chute, which lowers the chance of food getting stuck in between and clogging the machine! In addition to a well-sized juice cup, the pulp collector is spacious too. This means you can make more juice without having to stop halfway through to empty the pulp. 

As mentioned, the only downside is the machine’s large footprint and corresponding weight. For some people, it may be a little heavy to move in and out of storage on a daily basis — but if you do, it has a real sturdy handle. Additionally, when disassembled, you will need a large and deep drawer to store all the parts.

9.4 Build Quality

We loved the sturdy construction of the Omega NC900 and how the parts fitted so securely—it was the only juicer we’ve tested that never rattled. Despite some users' complaints about the apparent fragility of the juice screen, our unit remained intact and functioned flawlessly throughout our exhaustive testing process, attesting to the high quality of the parts. The juicer's polished appearance gives it a stylish look that out-classes its price point.

8.7 Auger

The NC900’s sizable auger with strong “teeth” makes swift work of cutting and crushing the toughest  fruits and vegetables. The auger design means you cannot re-juice the pulp because it simply gets stuck in the wide spaces between its teeth. This is not too much of a downside, but the upside is that it is super-easy to clean.

8.6 Usability

The intuitive design of the Omega NC900 makes assembling, disassembling, and cleaning a bliss. It takes a few minutes in total to do all of those things. Juicing requires minimal effort, too, thanks to the spacious chute design.

The only thing we’d change is the reverse function, which is incorporated into the very small but tight power switch, making it a hassle to use (when you’re already stressing out about a clog!).

9.0 Assembling

It’s normal to feel a bit overwhelmed when you first see all the components of a masticating juicer. However, assembling this one is remarkably straightforward. We didn't even need to consult the manual. For newcomers to masticators, the initial assembly typically takes no more than 15 minutes, and after that, it becomes a task of mere seconds.

A clever locking mechanism ensures a secure connection between the drum and juicer body. Additionally, these parts are conveniently labeled with indications and directions, eliminating any guesswork when twisting or turning. Every component effortlessly slots into place, streamlining the process and ensuring efficiency.

Disassembly is equally hassle-free. Once you've got the hang of it, it takes no more than 30 seconds to dismantle the parts.

9.2 Juicing

Having larger parts than a typical home juicer, juicing with the Omega was a breeze. It accepts larger pieces of vegetables without the need for the plunger. The process was smooth, with minimal clogging or jamming.

That being said, the large size does have a disadvantage: You can’t really re-juice to extract more from the pulp like with smaller juicers. However, since the yield is already good enough the first time, this doesn’t really matter that much.

5.0 Conveniences

The NC900 has a reverse function which also doubles as the power button. It's small and weighty, and you need to keep pressing it to keep the reverse running. That proved a little difficult, and we found ourselves leaning on the machine a bit for leverage every time we hit reverse.

While the motor only operates at a single speed, you can adjust the pressure at which the pulp is pressed using the end cap. There are five pressure options available for different types of produce. The manual suggests a high pressure setting for citrus and low pressure setting for kale. So, if you’re juicing something soft and watery, set the cap to number 5, and if it’s tough and dense, loosen it to a lower setting.

8.8 Cleaning

Thanks to its smooth surface and the spacious chute, cleaning the NC900 is super easy. The only challenging part is the juice mesh, as tough strands of fibers tend to get stuck inside its tiny holes. The included brush can take care of that; however, it also helps if you immerse the juice mesh into mild soapy water immediately after juicing, before the fibers dry up and stick into the mesh.