Press, Reamer or Fold-Flat? The Best Lemon Squeezer

A lemon is a bigger, thicker-skinned fruit than the Persian limes a Mexican kitchen goes through by the case, and it usually brings a few seeds with it. That is why a squeezer sized for limes can disappoint on lemons: the half will not sit flat in a small cup, the handles will not close, and seeds end up in the lemonade or the cake batter.

This guide covers the tools that suit lemons: hinged handheld presses with a bowl wide enough for a lemon half, a fold-flat press, the classic painted aluminum squeezer, a stainless steel press, reamers with a seed catcher, a small juicer that measures as it goes, and a wedge squeezer for the table. If limes are your main fruit, our guide to the best lime squeezer is the better place to start.

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Quick verdict: which lemon squeezer to buy

Five lemon squeezers compared

Our five standout picks side by side, one for each kind of cook, with the bowl or cup size the maker or a published review states. All eight tools are reviewed in full below.

Product images from Amazon. Bowl sizes marked ATK were measured by America’s Test Kitchen; the rest are as stated on each maker’s listing. Check the listing before you buy.

Our picks for the best lemon squeezer

These eight tools cover the ways people actually juice lemons: two hinged presses with a wide bowl, a fold-flat press, a painted aluminum squeezer in the classic yellow, a stainless steel press, a glass reamer that collects juice, a small measuring juicer, a handheld reamer with a seed catcher and a wedge squeezer for iced tea and fish. Each pick says who it suits and one honest reason to skip it.

How to choose a lemon squeezer

Lemons ask slightly different things of a squeezer than limes do. These five points decide whether a tool suits the way you use them.

1. A bowl wide enough for a lemon half

This is the one that matters most. America’s Test Kitchen found that press bowls at least 3 inches across worked best, and that the smallest bowls could not fit large lemons, which lowered yield. A lime squeezer with a small cup will crush the middle of a lemon half and leave the edges full of juice. If a listing does not give the bowl size, compare it with a lemon you have on hand.

2. Press or reamer

In ATK’s review, presses were more effective than reamers overall, faster, and released some of the peel’s aromatic oils, which made their juice noticeably more fragrant. Reamers only touch the flesh. That makes a press the better everyday choice and a reamer a good, simple second tool, especially for small amounts.

3. Seed control

Many supermarket lemons have only a few seeds, and some none: UC Riverside’s citrus variety collection describes Eureka-type lemons as having seed content that is “variable but usually few to none.” A few is still enough to spoil a smooth curd or crunch in lemonade. Look for a perforated cup, a pip catcher or a seed cup, and for a reamer, plan on a strainer.

4. Material and care

Lemon juice is acidic. Painted aluminum looks traditional and is light, but the coating is what protects the metal, so hand washing is the safer habit unless the maker says otherwise. Stainless steel, glass and the nylon of the Chef’n press can go in the dishwasher where the maker says so.

5. How much you juice

The juice of one lemon weighs about 48 grams, according to USDA FoodData Central, roughly 1.6 fluid ounces or a little over 3 tablespoons, so a cup of juice takes about five lemons. A handheld press handles that comfortably. If you squeeze dozens at a time, look at the lever presses and electric juicers in our guide to the best citrus juicer.

How we picked these eight lemon squeezers

We started from America’s Test Kitchen’s review of manual citrus juicers, which measured each tool’s bowl and its yield from lemons and limes, and from Reviewed’s roundup of citrus juicers. We then looked for lemon-sized tools from identifiable makers, sold on Amazon in the United States and in stock when we checked, and covered each kind of tool a home kitchen might want: hinged presses, a side press, a glass reamer, a measuring juicer, a handheld reamer and a wedge squeezer. Specifications come from each brand’s own Amazon listing unless the review is named; where a listing leaves something out, the table says “Not stated.” We left out tools ATK did not recommend, including the KitchenAid and OXO hinged squeezers whose bowls it found too small for a regular lemon, listings from sellers with no identifiable maker, and tools showing low stock. We also left out glazed or enameled picks whose makers give no lead-free statement. We did not use the tools ourselves; where a review measured something, we name the review.

Lemon squeezer questions, answered

What lemon squeezer does America’s Test Kitchen recommend?

In its review of manual citrus juicers, America’s Test Kitchen rated the Chef’n FreshForce Citrus Juicer, model 102-159-017, highly recommended as its winning handheld press, along with a countertop lever press. It rated the Dreamfarm Lemon Fluicer, the OXO Good Grips Wooden Reamer and the Vintage Kitchen press as recommended, and did not recommend squeezers whose bowls were too small for lemons.

What is the best lemon squeezer brand?

There is no single brand that wins at everything. Chef’n and Dreamfarm make the two handheld presses with the strongest independent review results for lemons. IMUSA makes the classic painted aluminum squeezer seen in restaurant and Latin American kitchens. OXO and Joseph Joseph make well-designed reamers.

Can I use a lime squeezer for lemons?

For small lemons, often yes. For larger ones, a lime-sized cup is usually too small and leaves juice behind. Our comparison of lime and lemon squeezers explains when one tool can do both.

How do I get the most juice from a lemon?

Juice lemons at room temperature, roll them firmly on the counter first, and cut them across the middle rather than end to end. In a hinged press, put the half cut side down, facing the holes, so the press turns it inside out. Zest the lemon before you cut it if the recipe needs zest; it is much harder afterward.

Is a cheap lemon squeezer worth it?

A basic painted aluminum squeezer such as the IMUSA does the job for occasional use. Spend more if you juice daily, need dishwasher-safe parts or want a bowl size that a published review has measured. Our guide to the best cheap citrus juicer covers more low-cost options.

Our lemon squeezer for most kitchens

More specific guides: the best citrus squeezers for limes to oranges and the best citrus juicer machines.

Buy the Chef’n FreshForce Lemon Squeezer if you want one tool for lemons that an independent review backs: its 3-inch bowl fits the fruit, its gears spare your hands and it goes in the dishwasher. Add the Dreamfarm Lemon Fluicer for lemonade-sized batches, or the OXO small juicer if you bake. For limes, start with the best lime squeezer, and for drinks made with fresh juice, see our guide to aguas frescas and the home margarita bar. If you would rather someone else did the squeezing, see the drinks at Julia’s or call to order.