How to Get the Most Juice Out of a Lime

Learning How to Properly Squeeze a Lime

Today I actually got into a conversation with my neighbor about how to get the most juice out of a lime. Yeah, I never saw it coming. She was very firm in her belief that a lime juicer is an essential item in any proper kitchen though. I’m kind of bored today, so I’m going to share what she had to say about the proper method of collecting lime juice… Something I never even considered previously. I seriously think I might start a category on here called “Things other people care about that I never even considered.” Apparently, juicing lemons and limes can be very easy if you have the correct kind of citrus juicer. Although it is possible to simply squash these fruits using the heel of your hand (my preferred method), this can be hard work and also painful if you have small hands or are not very strong (like my neighbor). A much better alternative is to buy a proper lemon or lime juicer.

She tells me that by far the cheapest way to juice is to buy a simple hand-held juice press. These are similar in design to a nutcracker, and simply use two levers to effectively crush the little citrus fruit. You can expect to buy one of these for as little as $10, and for a little bit more, you will get a really good quality stainless steel juicer which will last you a lot longer. These kinds of hand-held juicers are reliable, and should cover most applications fairly well.

You may, however, want to juice larger quantities of limes or lemons. Although there is rarely a need for such a large lime juicer, you may want to consider the upright Metrokane juice presses. These provide an easy and effective (although expensive) means to juice a lot of different kinds of citrus fruit.

These juice presses stand about 18 inches tall, and are designed to be used on a countertop or bench. By using a long pull down lever, it is easily possible to crush 10 or more oranges or any other citrus fruit per minute, and using minimal effort.

These upright citrus presses make fantastic lemon or lime juicers, and can be used by absolutely anyone. They also look fantastic, finished in stainless steel and are a real compliment to any kitchen. You can expect to pay between $100 and $200 for one of these presses, and although this sounds like a lot of money, consider that you will be able to make all of your own juices at home and thus be able to save significantly on your grocery bills.

Buying an upright juicer press such as this is a long-term investment. I personally don’t consume enough limes to make it worth my while, so I think I’ll just stick with the cheaper alternative. I might even just stick with rolling the lime around on the kitchen counter and squishing it by hand.