Victorio versus Squeezo Strainers

[baymule]

@Ridgerunner which one did you buy?

 

[Ridgerunner]

The Squeezo. I use it mainly for tomatoes. It gets the juice out pretty well but if I want pulp, which I do for tomatoes, I then put the tomato seeds/pulp mixture in a food mill, which is very slow. Overall it speeds me up but it does not work as well as I had hoped. I had visions of separating the seeds form tomato pulp and juice being quick and easy. Not so much.

I have to get all seeds out of tomatoes and berries because of my wife's diverticula.

 

[Ridgerunner]

I've never done elderberries but are you tightening it up too tightly? Try loosening the butterfly nuts a bit. The seeds/pulp/skin needs to come out of the end.

Another trick is to run the handle backwards some. If you can alternate cranking it forward and backing it up some it works better.

I have the Squeezo, not the Victorio.

 

[journey11]

I bought a Roma strainer and have used it for 2 years now. It does have the certain parts that are plastic, but it is durable and well made plastic and all of the parts that do the work are metal. I have really put it to the test and am very pleased with it, having done bushels of apples, tomatoes and berries. It has stood up to the kids helping too. They fight over who gets to turn the handle! I paid $60 for it, versus the $200 or so for a Squeezo. I bought the extra screens too, for berries and salsa. Haven't used the grape spiral yet though. I also found that I like the consistency of my salsa so much better when run through it rather than chopped by hand and so chunky. It gets every seed out of blackberries for seedless jam too. Compared to blanching and peeling each and every tomato, you can't beat the ease of just dropping them in and turning the crank. Costoluto Genovese fluted tomatoes are my favorite for thick, rich tomato paste and it is such a blessing not to have to peel those babies!

 

[baymule]

I like this product review! If anyone was going to purchase a strainer, this would be very helpful.

 

[Smart Red]

Right O, Bay. I wasn't planning to get one, but I think I'll start looking for one now.

Nothing like warnings or recommendations from people you know and trust than reading advertisements to decide.

 

[lesa]

I inherited the Squeezo. Truly a life changing event- compared to the old food mill (which I did love.) If you are doing a lot of tomatoes, it is very fast and easy. Mine has all metal parts and is not difficult to clean. When I made elderberry jelly, I kept the seeds in.

 

[so lucky]

I have a Victorio strainer, and so far only have the one strainer. I like it ok, but the tomatoes work so much better if they are frozen then thawed, or cooked slightly. Turning the handle is pretty hard if the tomatoes are raw. Also, once the seeds and skins get packed between the strainer and holder, it is hard to turn. Taking it apart to clean is difficult, as you have to grab the strainer and twist, but it is covered in tomato skins and seeds.
For the price...around 50 bucks, I think....it is pretty much what you would expect.

 

[journey11]

The Roma strainer I have is easy enough for my 3-year-old to turn. I just wash and quarter the tomatoes and dump them in raw. (Apples get cooked for about 10 minutes, berries I also send through raw.) One thing I've noted is that it will leak a tiny bit of juice from the nylon bushing where the handle fits in if you try to push too much through the hopper at once.

From what I've read in reviews, all of these strainers, including the Squeezo, require about 3 passes to get all of the good stuff extracted from the peelings without wasting any. Would you all say that has been your experience with yours?

 

[Ridgerunner]

If I'm just gong for juice with my Squeezo, say blackberry juice, a couple of passes is enough. It's when I'm trying to get pulp, like with tomatoes, that I'm not real happy with it.

The berry screen does a good job of catching the berry seeds. I still run the juice through jelly cloth to get all the pulp out if I'm gong for jelly. Some pulp will come through the screen.