After dazzling investors in Sillicon Valley last year, a $400 juice machine gadget has been found to perform no better than one's own hands, according to Bloomberg

Juicero Inc. was picked as one of the top technology investors, boasting an internet-connected machine that turns specific packets of chopped fruit and vegetables into a juice, catching onto the recent trend that is 'juicing'. 

With Google's venture capital arm and various other backers pouring about $120 million into the company, the startup's founder Doug Evans, expressed his pride in the fact that the juice press is strong "enough to lift two teslas".

Stock photo.Stock photo.

However, the company took a slight blow after the product hit the market. Investors were quick to discover that the customised Juicero bags of fruit and vegetables, that could only be bought alongside the device, could be easily juiced by hand.

Following this report, Bloomberg carried out its own test and found that manually squeezing the Juicero bag yielded the same amount of juice in, in some cases, a shorter amount of time. Reporters were able to produce 7.5 ounces of juices in a minute and half, compared to 8 ounces of juice produced in two minutes by the machine. Despite the device being slightly more thorough, no major difference in the final product was noted.

Despite the device being slightly more thorough, no major difference in the final product was noted.

Juicero has refused to explicitly comment on this, however a person in close contact with the company stated that Juicero are aware that the bags can be squeezed manually, however the machine offers many benefits in terms of convenience, tidiness and it also ensures that the pack has not expired. 

The product appealing to luxury hotels and restaurants, workers from multiple businesses have said that they like the device due to the minimal clean-up required, none of them being previously aware that the same result could be reached by manual means.

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