I juice lemons and limes nearly every day; I use citrus juice constantly in everything from salad dressings to cocktails to cakes and cookies. So I am always on the lookout for good tips (like these from Emma, this morning) and tools for juicing more effectively. So when Chef'n sent along this new juicer model, I was excited to try it out!

Previously, my favorite juicer was this plastic contraption. It gets the job done very effectively, and it keeps the seeds out of the juice. But it's a pain to clean! At other times I've used an old-fashioned Jadeite juicer/reamer, a handheld wooden reamer, and a simple fork. The problems with these simple, relatively gadget-free methods include their tendency to splatter juice everywhere, and the seeds that always end up in the juice.

I had just been considering a handheld citrus juicer, like these juicers we covered recently. They are simple and very effective.

Chef'n's juicer is built like these bar staples, but theirs is much more solidly constructed than most of the other I've seen. It's made of heavy plastic and steel; this thing weighs a full pound. It uses a "dual-gear mechanism" to exert lots of force on the lemons and limes. Chef'n claims that it can squeeze out 20% more juice than "conventional hand-held juicers." I didn't test that claim specifically, but I do know that this juicer has been great for me. Here are the pros and cons:

Pros:
• Works like a dream. Insert half a cut lemon or lime, upside down, and the juicer squeezes it into a dry shell of itself.
• It keeps the juice directed in a narrow stream into your bowl or cup; it doesn't splatter or get your hands sticky at all.
• The seeds usually stay out of the juice; sometimes they pop out when you open the juicer, though.
• It cleans up easily; I just throw it in the dishwasher.

Cons:
• The major con is its size. I have had no problem juicing lemons and limes, but a grapefruit half would not fit in this juicer. I will stick to my reamer and Jadeite juicer when juicing grapefruit.

Overall, two thumbs up! We like many of Chef'n's tools, and this one definitely goes in the keep pile. It's effective, easy to use, and well-designed. It has quickly become my favorite juicer, bar none, and it's constantly in use in my kitchen. Yes, $20 is a bit steep for a citrus juicer, and if you juice citrus only occasionally, you might be better off with a simple reamer. But if you juice multiple lemons or limes every day, like I do, this might be a worthwhile tool for you.

• Find it: Chef'n FreshForce Citrus Juicer, $19.99 Amazon

Apartment Therapy Media makes every effort to test and review products fairly and transparently. The views expressed in this review are the personal views of the reviewer and this particular product review was not sponsored or paid for in any way by the manufacturer or an agent working on their behalf. However, the manufacturer did give us the product for testing and review purposes.

Related: Product Review: Breville Juice Fountain Compact

(Images: Faith Durand)