A reader emailed asking for a good “lemon squeezer.” He said, “I squeeze lemon over my papaya with my two fingers, but there’s a lot of juice left in those expensive lemons.”

Out of the many squeezers out there, I focused on three basic styles: plastic reamer, die-cast aluminum squeezer and plastic citrus juicer. All did their jobs.

Mainstays Lemon Squeezer ($6.98, Walmart). While this is my least favorite, a couple of my co-workers really like it. Based on a picture on the packaging, I thought I was supposed to put the lemon half cut side up in the cavity. But the written instructions say to place it cut side down. Either way, it was difficult to squeeze out every drop of juice. I think this would be the hardest of the tools to use for people with carpal tunnel syndrome (like me) or arthritis, or those with weak or small hands — although you can use two hands to squeeze the handles. Also, it can’t be used on bigger citrus, such as oranges. But it does keep the seeds separate from the juice.

Chef’n Vibe 2-in-1 Citrus Tool ($9.49, Target) is cool because it does double duty. Remove the green cover from the handle to reveal a 3-inch zester. Just don’t forget to replace the cover or the razor-edged holes might cut you. This tool would work on anything from limes to grapefruit, but the seeds fall into the juice. It, too, might also be difficult for people with hand problems, and the rounded tip of the reamer doesn’t seem to dig all the way into the fruit.

Prepara Just Juice! ($11.99, Target) is my favorite because it was the easiest on my hands. Also, the pointed tip seems to reach deeper into the lemon than other devices, extracting more juice. It’s built so it can handle oranges and maybe even small grapefruits. And it comes with a removable glass bowl and cover, so if all the juice isn’t used, the whole contraption can be stored in the refrigerator. The downside is that while most of the seeds stay separated, smaller seeds fall through the openings.

Joie Citrus Juicer ($4.61, Walmart, not pictured) is a smaller version of Prepara’s model, holding 1 ounce of juice to Prepara’s 5. It does double duty as a mister.

Cost and availability: There are many other brands. Just check the kitchen aisle in supermarkets, discount stores or online.

Worth it? All are good. It’s a matter of knowing whether you’ll make use of an attached zester or mister, and whether your hands are big enough and strong enough to work a die-cast squeezer with handles. Happy squeezing!

Got a gadget that you love? Curious about one you’d like us to test? Email crave@staradvertiser.com or write Crave, Honolulu Star-Advertiser, 7 Waterfront Plaza, Suite 210, Honolulu 96813.