The Easiest Way to Juice a Lemon

If there’s one kitchen task people tend to overcomplicate, it’s juicing a lemon. You don’t actually need an electric juicer or a bulky countertop gadget to get every last drop out. With a little prep and a simple tool (or no tool at all), you can squeeze out maximum juice in seconds.

Start by “Priming” Your Lemon

The secret to good juicing is breaking the tiny juice pockets inside the fruit. Before cutting the lemon, roll it firmly on the counter to soften the interior and release some of those hidden pockets. Some people zap their lemon in the microwave or warm it in the oven, but rolling is fast, easy, and works well enough for everyday cooking and baking.

My Two Go-To Juicing Methods

1. When I’m Home: The Wooden Reamer Method

In my small Brooklyn kitchen, I keep a single citrus tool: a wooden reamer. It’s lightweight, cheap, and lasts forever.
To use it:

Slice the lemon widthwise
Press the pointed end of the reamer into the cut side
Twist while squeezing

The ridges help release every bit of juice, and cleanup takes about five seconds.

2. When I’m Away: The Fork Trick

When I’m staying at my mom’s kitchen—aka the land of “We don’t believe in gadgets”—I improvise.
Here’s the no-juicer, no-reamer method:

Cut the lemon in half
Jam a fork into the cut surface
Squeeze the lemon over a bowl
Rotate the fork to burst new juice pockets

It’s surprisingly effective, and far less dangerous than using a knife (which tends to puncture through the rind).

The TikTok “Lemon Fountain” Trick—Does It Work?

You may have seen the viral hack where you poke a hole in the blossom end of the lemon and squeeze out a perfect stream of juice. In theory, it’s great. In practice? I’ve yet to make it work.

If you want to try it: