Lemons and limes are the most common citrus fruits that offer various uses in our household, from making refreshing lemonades and juices to cocktails, desserts, and pastries. They even go beyond the kitchen counter and can clean surfaces such as walls and tiles with stubborn stains. 

However, citrus fruits can be tricky to work with if you do not have the right tools or know how to use a lime squeezer. We’ll walk you through the steps on how to adequately press your lemons and limes and get the most juice out of them.

How Does a Lemon Squeezer Work?

• The citrus squeezer works by the mechanism of a lever and fulcrum.  
• The upper part serves as the lever, while the lemon acts as the fulcrum. 
• The hinge that puts the upper and lower part works to press the lemon or lime between these two parts. 
• The lower part may have slits or holes that also act as a strainer. 

How to Use a Lemon or Lime Squeezer?

1. Make sure that the citrus squeezer is properly cleaned. After cutting the lemon or lime in half, put it into the squeezer, cut side down. If the end of the lemon is a bit long, cut it off. 
2. Press down the upper part of the squeezer, giving both parts a good grip. This may need more muscles than the reamer, but it expresses more juice. 
3. If you are using an electric juicer, just follow the instructions found in the manual. Each brand and model have different methods, depending on the mechanism they are using. 

Proper Placement of Lemon or Lime in a Squeezer

When squeezing a lemon or lime using a squeezer, it may be easier to put it cut side up. But the correct way of putting it in is to cut side down. This way, the juice moves directly into the glass through the lower part’s holes, which also serves as the strainer. 

How Do You Squeeze a Lemon or Lime Quickly?

1. To juice a lemon quickly, roll it a few times until it is a bit soft. This way, the rind has softened a bit, and the pulp is broken, making it quicker and easier to extract the juice. 
2. Cut the lemon lengthwise and into quarters or sixths. This longer cut and the smaller sections make squeezing quick. This way, more juice is also pressed. 
3. Pop it into the microwave for a minute. Put it into a microwavable dish to collect any juice that may ooze out. Be sure to poke a small hole so the lemon won’t explode. 

How Do You Juice a Lemon or Lime with Bare Hands?

Lemons and limes can be quite a challenge to juice because their texture is stiffer compared to other fruits. But you can do it even without a juicer by following these simple steps. This method will result in more extracted juice rather than just merely juicing them in halves.

1. Cut the lime into smaller pieces, in quarters or more. 
2. Squeeze each section individually into the glass or any vessel you have. This requires less strength than cutting the lime in half or even if you use a squeezer. 
3. Take the last piece into both hands, which also happens to be the lime center, and give it a good twist.

Conclusion

Without a good citrus juicer, the bartender’s work may be doubled, which is not at all very pleasing to the patrons. Nobody wants to wait for hours for their cocktails when their purpose of having drinks is to relax. 

Bartenders differ in their ways. While others choose to juice their lemons and limes beforehand, others prefer to squeeze the lime before adding it to the cocktail. If the latter is the bartender’s choice, he should have a reliable juicer to aid him. 

Whether you are a bartender or a cook, having a citrus squeezer around is essential not to waste your time squeezing lemons and limes by hand.  Share with us your best citrus squeezer purchase below!