How to Juice a Lemon in 30 Seconds Without a Juicer

Knowing how to juice lemons without a juicer is a useful skill to have during the summer when cooling drinks are an absolute necessity. There’s nothing more refreshing than an ice-cold glass of lemonade or your favorite cocktail on a hot day — and you can enjoy one even without a juicer. Here’s how to save your summer party (not to mention your hands!) by learning how to juice lemons and limes without a juicer.

How do you get the most juice out of a lemon?

Before the squeezing starts, there are a few steps to take to ensure you’re getting the most juice out of your energy-boosting citrus. The key here is to warm up your lemons and limes, as this will make the membranes softer and easier to squeeze. Here are seven ways to ensure you get every last drop of juice from your citrus.

For the sake of clarity, we’ve used lemons in the examples below. However, the following tips also work well with limes. 

1. Leave your lemons out until they reach room temperature. This softens the pulp, making it easier to squeeze.
2. Warm your lemons in a pot of water.  Another way to soften your lemons and limes is to heat them up on your stove. But make sure the water isn’t too hot: You should be able to feel the heat coming off the pot, but the water shouldn’t be boiling. Let the lemons sit anywhere between 30 seconds and a few minutes, or until the skin is warm to the touch.
3. Massage the lemon by rolling it on a hard surface. Apply a decent amount of force, but don’t press hard enough to cause the lemon peel to break. 
4. Heat your lemon in the microwave for 10 to 20 seconds. It’s up to you whether you want to slice your lemon before zapping it. By exposing the membranes, you’ll soften the lemon even more, but the microwave may also absorb more moisture this way. Pro Tip: Freeze your lemons before microwaving them. Extreme cold will cause the liquid inside the citrus to freeze and expand, causing the membrane to weaken or even break. 
5. Cut your lemon lengthwise rather than widthwise. Most of us chop lemons without even thinking — but that sacrifices precious juices. By cutting your lemons lengthwise, you expose more of the pulp’s surface area, increasing the amount of liquid you can juice.
6. Stab your lemon with a fork before squeezing. Once you’ve cut your lemon in half, prod it with the tines of a fork. Continue poking and squeezing until no more juice comes out of your lemon.

How do you juice a lemon without a juicer?

Now that your citrus is prepped and primed for juicing, we’ll get down to the nitty gritty. To juice your lemons with ease, you’re going to need a stand mixer. If you don’t already have one, we recommend the KitchenAid Professional 600 Series (Buy on Amazon, $499.99). Ready to begin? Here’s how to juice lemons and limes without a juicer.

1. Quarter your citrus and toss it in the mixing bowl.
2. Cover the bowl with plastic and turn your mixer on low. If you’re having a hard time fitting the arm of the mixer through a hole you’ve cut in the plastic, you can opt for a splatter guard (Buy on Amazon, $10.99) instead. 
3. Let the mixer do its thing until your lemons and limes look totally juiced. 
4. Pour the mixture into a sieve or strainer to remove the seeds and pulp. 
5. Refrigerate the strained liquid and use when needed.

How do you juice a lemon without cutting it?

If you don’t have a stand mixer on hand, don’t fret. You can still juice lemons and limes without even cutting them! This way, you can save time on cleanup and get back to your party, cool drinks in hand. Here’s how to juice lemons and limes without cutting them.

1. Insert a toothpick, chopstick, skewer, or other pointed instrument into the end of the citrus opposite the stem, making sure not to pierce through the other side.
2. Hold your citrus over a bowl and squeeze with the hole side facing the bowl. 
3. Store any leftover lemon in a ziplock bag and place it in the refrigerator. 

Save yourself some time and whip up a batch of lemon juice during the week if your party is on the weekend. How long does lemon juice last in the refrigerator? The good news is that it’s fine to use for two to three days after juicing. To make lemon juice last longer, store it in an airtight container with at least 1/2 inch of headspace and freeze. Frozen lemon juice should last roughly three to four months. 

So now that you have more lemon juice than you know what to do with, it’s time to pull out those shakers. You deserve a refreshing summer cocktail like these pineapple margaritas! 

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