A lemon squeezer is a hand-held kitchen utensil that is used to extract juice from lemon halves. This utensil is usually made out of metal but, in some rare cases, is made out of wood. It consists of two handles that are connected at one end by a joint. This joint is either at the top of or just above the small bowl that is used to hold the lemon being squeezed. The device looks a great deal like two large, thick spoons that have been connected at the tip of the spoon bowls.
The interior bottom bowl of the lemon squeezer has either slats or holes through which the extracted juice can flow. The section of the top bowl that presses in to the pith of the lemon may be ridged in order to help extract the maximum amount of juice. In some cases, a lemon squeezer may come with an insert that fits between the two bowls. This insert makes it possible to use the utensil to squeeze limes as well as lemons. There are also some models that have this insert permanently connected between the two bowls, sharing the same joint.
A lemon squeezer is a useful tool for people who cook with lemon juice on a regular basis. A person who drinks lemon water may find that purchasing a lemon squeezer makes the process of extracting juice easier. In most cases, a lemon squeezer is easier to use and faster than a lemon reamer. Furthermore, it does not require the same amount of cleaning as an electric juicer. In most cases, a lemon squeezer can extract the maximum amount of juice from a lemon half in just one squeeze.
There are some kinds of lemon squeezers that are designed to be mounted onto a countertop instead of used by hand. These kinds of lemon squeezers are most commonly used in restaurant kitchens where the juice from many lemons needs to be squeezed at one time. A restaurant that serves freshly made lemonade might use this kind of lemon squeezer. Such models usually have a bowl in which a lemon half is placed and a lever that is used to press another bowl down on top of the lemon. Much like the hand-held version of the device, the two bowls are designed so that they nest together.
