squeezers

A squeezer is a device that applies pressure to a material in order to extract liquids, soften, or shape it. The term covers a range of tools from simple hand devices to industrial and scientific equipment. In everyday use, squeezers are most associated with producing juice from citrus fruits, but the category includes other pressure-based tools as well.

In the kitchen, citrus squeezers and reamers are common examples. Manual handheld squeezers apply pressing force to fruit halves to maximize juice yield while minimizing seeds and pulp. Lever-type and electric citrus squeezers offer greater mechanical advantage for high-volume use. Some cooks also refer to garlic squeezers or fruit squeezers, which press soft foods through small openings or perforations.

Industrial and commercial squeezers are designed for higher capacities and tougher materials. They appear in juice and beverage production, olive or seed oil extraction, and other food processing lines where liquids must be separated from solids. These machines may use mechanical pistons, rollers, or hydraulic or pneumatic systems to deliver controlled pressure, often with features for sanitation, automated handling, and continuous operation.

In science and engineering, the term appears in more specialized contexts. For example, in quantum optics, a squeezer denotes a device that generates squeezed states of light, reducing quantum noise in one property at the expense of another. Across domains, design choices focus on the amount of force required, durability, cleanliness, and the efficiency of liquid extraction or material shaping.

See also: press, pump, extractor.