Is it cheaper to make your own juice cleanse?

December 13, 2025 •

4 min read

A 2025 study found that homemade cold-pressed juice can be significantly more cost-effective over time than buying pre-packaged options. But is it cheaper to make your own juice cleanse when considering all factors, including equipment and labor? The simple answer is yes, but the long-term savings often outweigh the initial effort and investment.

Quick Summary

This guide compares the costs and other factors of making your own juice cleanse at home versus purchasing pre-packaged kits. It covers ingredient pricing, equipment investment, time commitment, and customizable nutrition. It helps you decide the most practical and economical approach for your wellness goals.

Key Points

Initial vs. Long-Term Cost: Making your own juice cleanse is cheaper in the long run, despite the initial investment in a juicer, compared to buying expensive pre-packaged kits.
Customization and Control: The DIY approach gives you complete control over your ingredients, allowing for custom recipes, lower sugar content, and the use of fresh, organic produce.
Convenience vs. Labor: Store-bought kits offer convenience, while homemade juicing requires significant time and effort for shopping, prep, and cleanup.
Nutritional Value: Homemade cold-pressed juice is often more nutrient-dense and fresher, as store-bought juices can lose nutrients through pasteurization.
Budget-Saving Tips: To minimize costs, buy seasonal produce, purchase in bulk, and repurpose the leftover pulp from your juicing.
Environmental Impact: Making your own juice reduces waste from single-use plastic bottles associated with pre-packaged cleanses.
Health Considerations: Juice cleanses are not a replacement for a balanced, whole-food diet and are best used as a short-term supplement due to their lack of fiber, protein, and fat.

For many people, the allure of a juice cleanse promises a quick health reset. However, the high price tag of commercially available cleanse kits often makes them inaccessible. This raises a crucial question: is it cheaper to make your own juice cleanse? While the upfront investment and time commitment can be considerable, the long-term savings and added benefits of customization and freshness make the DIY route the clear economic winner for most.

The Cost Breakdown: DIY vs. Store-Bought

The financial decision to make or buy a juice cleanse depends on several factors, including the duration of the cleanse, the quality of ingredients, and the presence of juicing equipment. The table below provides a detailed comparison of potential costs for a hypothetical three-day cleanse.


Factor	Homemade Juice Cleanse	Store-Bought Juice Cleanse
Initial Investment	Juicer ($50-$500+). Note: This is a one-time cost.	None
Ingredient Cost (3 days)	Approximately $65-$90 for fresh, organic produce.	Included in kit price.
Equipment Cost (Annual)	Amortized cost of juicer + potential repairs.	None
Per-Serving Cost	Significantly lower after the initial juicer purchase.	$10-$20+ per bottle, averaging over $150 for a 3-day program.
Nutritional Control	Complete control over ingredients, sugar content, and additives.	Limited control; content determined by the brand.
Convenience	Requires significant time for shopping, preparation, juicing, and cleanup.	High convenience; ready to drink.
Waste	Pulp byproduct, which can be repurposed for other recipes.	Single-use plastic bottles, creating more waste.

Analyzing the Financials

The biggest barrier to entry for a homemade juice cleanse is the cost of a quality juicer. A slow-masticating or cold-press juicer, which is ideal for preserving nutrients, can cost several hundred dollars. However, this is a one-time purchase. After this initial investment, the cost per serving of homemade juice drops dramatically. A 2022 analysis from Kuvings USA found that after accounting for the juicer, the annual cost of homemade juice was nearly a third of the cost of store-bought alternatives. For frequent juicers, the savings can be substantial, and the juicer can be used for everyday juice-making and other recipes.

In contrast, store-bought cleanses offer immediate convenience but at a premium price. The cost covers not only the ingredients but also the processing, packaging, and marketing. While convenient, this option provides no control over ingredient quality or freshness. This lack of control means you might be paying for lower-quality produce or unnecessary preservatives.

Maximizing Your Homemade Juice Cleanse Savings

Making your own cleanse isn't just about saving money; it's about smart, long-term health and financial planning. To maximize your savings, consider the following strategies:

Choose Seasonal and Local Produce: Buying fruits and vegetables that are in season is often significantly cheaper than purchasing them out of season. Additionally, visiting local farmers' markets can reduce costs further while ensuring freshness.
Buy in Bulk: If you plan on doing a longer cleanse or juicing regularly, purchasing produce in bulk can lead to considerable discounts.
Don't Toss the Pulp: The leftover pulp is a treasure trove of fiber and nutrients. Instead of discarding it, repurpose it into delicious and healthy recipes like veggie burgers, muffins, or soups.
Start with Simple Recipes: Stick to basic, budget-friendly combinations like apple, carrot, and ginger, or cucumber and celery, which are both inexpensive and nutrient-dense.

Additional Benefits of the DIY Approach

Beyond the cost savings, making your own juice cleanse offers several non-monetary advantages:

Customization: You can tailor your recipes to your taste preferences and specific nutritional needs. Have an allergy? Simply omit that ingredient. Want to reduce sugar? Use more vegetables and fewer fruits.
Fresher, More Potent Juice: Homemade juice, especially when consumed shortly after preparation, is fresher and more nutrient-dense. Commercial juices often undergo pasteurization, which kills some beneficial enzymes and nutrients.
Reduced Waste: Opting for a DIY cleanse eliminates the use of numerous single-use plastic bottles, which are standard with most store-bought kits, making it a more environmentally friendly choice.

Potential Drawbacks and Considerations

While making your own juice cleanse is often cheaper and better for you, it is not without its downsides. The significant time commitment for shopping, prep, and cleanup is a major deterrent for many. A busy schedule might make the convenience of a pre-made kit worth the extra cost. Furthermore, a quality juicer is a necessary initial expense. For someone unsure if they will stick with juicing, this initial investment can feel risky. It is also important to remember that freshly made, unpasteurized juices have a very short shelf life and must be consumed within a couple of days to avoid spoilage.

Conclusion: The Bottom Line on DIY Juice Cleansing

When asking, "is it cheaper to make your own juice cleanse?", the answer is a resounding yes for anyone committed to long-term juicing. While a pre-packaged cleanse offers unmatched convenience, the repeated high cost makes it an unsustainable habit for most. The homemade option requires more effort and a one-time equipment purchase, but it provides superior nutritional value, ingredient control, and significant long-term savings. For those seeking a healthier, more budget-friendly approach to their wellness, taking the DIY route is the smart choice.

The Health Context of Juice Cleanses

Regardless of how you source your cleanse, it's crucial to remember that juice cleanses are not a sustainable solution for long-term health. They are often low in fiber, protein, and healthy fats, which can lead to fatigue and nutrient deficiencies if done for extended periods. A balanced diet of whole foods, plenty of water, and regular exercise remains the gold standard for overall wellness. Juicing is best used as a temporary dietary supplement or a short-term reset, not as a replacement for solid food.

Frequently Asked Questions

The cost of a DIY juice cleanse varies. After the initial purchase of a juicer, the cost per day for ingredients can range from $20 to $30, depending on the recipes and whether you use organic produce. Over time, this is significantly less expensive than pre-packaged kits.

If you only plan to do a single cleanse, buying an expensive juicer may not be cost-effective. However, a juicer is a worthwhile investment for those who plan to juice regularly, as the long-term savings on ingredients will outweigh the initial equipment cost.

To make a homemade cleanse cheaper, use seasonal fruits and vegetables, buy produce in bulk, and choose simpler recipes with fewer ingredients. Shopping at local farmers' markets can also help reduce costs.

The primary financial difference is the upfront equipment cost versus convenience. Homemade cleanses require an initial investment but are cheaper per serving, while store-bought kits have a high per-serving cost but require no equipment or preparation time.

Yes, homemade juice is generally more nutrient-dense because it is consumed fresh and has not undergone pasteurization. Pasteurization, a heating process used for shelf stability in commercial juices, can destroy some essential nutrients and enzymes.

Instead of throwing away the pulp, you can reuse it in various recipes to add fiber and nutrients. Common uses include adding it to muffins, soups, veggie burgers, or crackers.

Juice cleanses are not recommended for certain individuals, such as pregnant or breastfeeding women, the elderly, people with weakened immune systems, or those with diabetes. It is always best to consult with a healthcare professional before starting any cleanse.