Tribest Slowstar Vertical Slow Juicer & Mincer review

The older Tribest Slowstar SW-2000-B (red) and SW-2020-B (silver) are vertical, single-auger slow juicers with a separate mincing configuration. Their appeal is a deliberately hands-on routine: prepare produce, feed it gradually, then change housings if you want the mincing function. They are not the newer Slowstar AI, and this review is about the earlier standard models, not the manufacturer-refurbished R-code offers.

What the two model codes describe

Tribest’s model listing names SW-2000-B in red and SW-2020-B in silver, while the linked operation manual covers SW-2000 and SW-2020 together. The manufacturer presents them as color versions of one vertical single-auger design, rather than two speeds or two extraction systems. The pictured silver version is the SW-2020-B. Keep the full model code in view: Tribest’s warranty table lists separate R-suffix versions, whose exact condition terms depend on the unit.

The maker lists 200 watts and 47 rpm for the older Slowstar. A two-edged auger, juicing screen and pulp-wiping assembly work together in the juicing setup. The switch has ON, OFF and REVERSE positions, but Reverse is for clearing food, not a second juice speed. That makes this more appropriate for someone who values a slow auger routine and can feed ingredients deliberately than for someone seeking a high-speed, whole-fruit chute or a variable-speed dial. The rpm and wattage are specifications, not independent evidence of yield, noise, texture or durability.

Plan on prep and steady feeding

The maker lists a 1.5-by-2.5-inch chute opening. That is a rectangular opening, not a round three-inch tube, and it does not mean large produce can be dropped in whole. The manual asks you to cut stringy vegetables such as celery or kale into shorter pieces, and says narrower pieces can feed more smoothly; carrots should be split lengthwise. Remove hard pits and seeds and add produce piece by piece. Use the supplied pusher, never fingers or a utensil. This is a meaningful distinction from a wide-mouth centrifugal machine: the Slowstar trades a larger feed opening for controlled, small-batch auger feeding.

Tribest also lists a mincing attachment for this family. It uses a different housing and lid from the juicing assembly, so stop and change the setup rather than treating it as an extra function that runs at the same time as the juicer. That separate route broadens the recipes the maker associates with the appliance, but it does not turn the Slowstar into a blender. Before buying for the mincing tool, confirm the full model code and included pieces; standard, R-suffix and used packages are distinct.

Respect the manual’s operating and cleanup limits

The manual sets a maximum of 30 minutes of continuous operation, followed by a five-minute pause before continuing. It also cautions against running the auger empty for more than a minute. Those instructions make a longer harvest session possible only as several bounded rounds, with feeding and cleanup time in addition; they do not predict how much juice one round will produce. If an auger stalls, stop first and follow the manual’s reverse-clearing sequence rather than forcing harder produce through it. Hard seeds can damage the auger or screen.

Cleanup is a real tradeoff. Tribest instructs owners to rinse out remaining pulp, disassemble the removable parts, brush them under running water and dry them thoroughly. The manual says not to use an automatic dishwasher or dish dryer, and not to wash the unit with water hotter than 80°F. Wipe the motor body with a damp cloth instead of rinsing it. Choose another model if dishwasher-safe removable parts are essential; this is not a machine to shortlist on an assumption that a slow juicer must be low-effort to clean.

Fit and buying status need extra care

The manufacturer’s family page and manual do not agree on body size and weight: one specification set lists 8 × 10.8 × 17.75 inches and 14 pounds, while the manual gives 190 × 225 × 460 mm and 19 pounds. I would not use either set to promise that a used unit clears a tight shelf or is comfortable to lift. Measure the exact machine, check space above the feed chute, and allow room for the juice and pulp containers. The manual lists both containers, but a receiver’s capacity is not a promise about juice yield.

Tribest lists the standard codes in its manual directory; the warranty table places SW-2000R-B/SW-2020R-B beside them in 10-year household rows. A previously viewed refurb page described inspected/reconditioned units and final-sale/no-return terms, but that URL now returns 404. Treat those terms as historical, not a current offer; verify the unit code, condition and written warranty. Check any older machine against exact-model recall notices.

When another juicer is a better fit

For staged feeding and named automatic modes, compare the newer Tribest Slowstar AI SWA-3. It has a different hopper, controls and manual, including a shorter continuous-use limit; the name “Slowstar” does not make its operating plan the same as the SW-2000/SW-2020. The horizontal Tribest Solostar 4 is another single-auger route with separate food-processing screens and nozzles, not a vertical color variant. If your priorities are dishwasher-safe parts or a published juice-vessel minimum, compare those exact requirements against the Hamilton Beach 67951 instead; its configuration and care instructions are different.

The standard Slowstar pair suits a patient user who accepts prep, short pieces, hand cleaning and a 30-minute operating ceiling, and who values the optional mincing setup. It is a poor fit for whole-fruit feeding, dishwasher cleanup, a guaranteed counter fit, or any hard yield or noise promise. Check Tribest’s manual directory for the standard model codes, and distinguish their standard codes from the R-suffix codes in Tribest’s warranty table; the older refurbished-detail URL now returns 404, so no live refurb offer is confirmed. Read the SW-2000/SW-2020 operation manual before using an older machine; included pieces should be checked against the exact unit.