What makes a good citrus squeezer (and why most of them bend)

A citrus squeezer is a lever. The whole job is turning a little hand pressure into a lot of force at the fruit. That is also why most of them fail.

Material matters most

Painted aluminum squeezers are everywhere. The enamel chips, the acid gets in, and the handles bend on a hard lime. Look for 304 stainless steel, which does not rust, does not bend under normal use and does not react with citric acid. Ours is 304 all the way through, with a cast hinge.

Bowl size

A standard squeezer has a 2.5 inch bowl that fits a lemon. A 3 inch bowl fits lemons, limes, small oranges and mandarins. Bigger bowl, more options.

The press head

A smooth dome pushes the fruit out of the sides. A grooved dome flattens the fruit evenly and extracts more juice with one press. It also helps turn the half inside out, which is where the last drops live.

The strainer

You want holes small enough to stop seeds and pulp, and few enough that juice flows fast. Eight precision holes is the right number. Twenty tiny holes clog.

How to get more juice

1. Room-temperature fruit gives more than cold fruit.
2. Roll the lemon firmly on the counter before cutting.
3. Cut side down into the bowl. Most people put it cut side up.
4. Squeeze, release, squeeze again. The second press gets the pulp pockets.

Care

Rinse immediately. Citric acid left on any metal overnight will spot it. Dishwasher safe.