Why This Tiny Gadget Will Change The Way You Juice Lemons Forever

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We love freshly squeezed lemon juice and have seen many different ways of juicing, from hand-pressed and lever mechanisms to fancy, full-on juicing machines. Honestly, we thought we'd seen it all until we stumbled upon corkscrew-style lemon juicers, like this YZC Lemon Squeezer. These gadgets are plastic citrus juicers roughly the size of a finger. They're unique in that they allow you to squeeze the juice from a lemon without needing to cut it open.

How does it work? The compact device is open on one end, allowing you to screw it directly into a fresh, uncut lemon like a corkscrew. For best results, we recommend using a juicy, ripe lemon or softening a hard lemon in warm water. Once inserted, squeeze the lemon firmly so that the juice naturally collects inside the top chamber, which is covered by a lid.

Remove the lid to pour directly into beverages or food, or keep it closed and store your lemon — with the gadget still inside — for later. In small amounts, lemon juice is great for hydration, and you can pour it straight into your water for a refreshing flavor boost, add it to iced tea like an Arnold Palmer, or use it in cocktails or mocktails. When it comes to food, lemon juice is used in marinades, dressings, dips, and desserts — pretty much with anything you can imagine, lemon makes a solid pairing.

While there are several brands of corkscrew lemon juicers, the YZC Lemon Squeezer comes with two clear BPA-free plastic devices with lids. Although it's designed for lemons and limes, it can be used on any citrus fruit. However, its smaller design may make juicing larger fruits like pomelos awkward and inefficient.

Overall, customers on Amazon have said the YZC Lemon Squeezer is convenient, easy to use, and delivers on its promise of extracting a good amount of juice (the maximum amount of juice you can get from one lemon is two to six tablespoons, depending on size). With this device, there's no need for knives, cutting boards, or even drip trays, simplifying the juicing process and eliminating some of the mess that goes along with it. When saving that juice for later, you don't need any storage containers to do so. The juice remains fresh inside the lemon with minimal air exposure. The food-grade BPA plastic also makes it safe and easy to clean.

However, the YZC Lemon Squeezer has its faults. Although it's advertised as durable, customers have noted that the plastic is cheap, causing it to break easily, and the cap often pops off unexpectedly. If durability is your primary concern, there is a Stainless Steel Citrus Lemon Juicer version, which is obviously a good deal sturdier. Regardless, both hand-held squeezing juicers require some grip strength. And while the majority of the juice collects inside these devices, some Amazon users noticed some seeping through the cracks and onto their hands.