If you plan on using fresh garlic in your cooking, then you know how irritating it can be to clean and mince garlic cloves. Not only is the smell very strong but the smell can easily stick to your hands and get them quite sticky at the same time. Yes, you may be able to use a micro plane or a cheese grater to mince the garlic but in turn, you would still be touching it. Well, instead of cutting the garlic by hand with a knife or with any other kitchen tool, you should try using the best garlic press that money can buy.
A garlic press will easily and quickly mince one or several garlic cloves at once. Some of the models will even take off the exterior shell for you as well. The garlic press is very fast and efficient to where you won’t need to even touch the garlic and will give you a uniform mince over the product every time. Also, when you press garlic instead of mince it using a chef knife, the flavors become much stronger allowing you to use less garlic or gain more flavor. A garlic press isn’t expensive and a very valuable tool to own in the kitchen.
In this article, we will go over some of the different types of garlic presses as well as what to look for when making a first purchase for one. We will also cover some of the best garlic presses available for purchase on the market today and which may be the perfect fit for you.
How to Choose the Best Garlic Press
When buying your first garlic press there are few factors to look at in terms of quality. Without a doubt, first and foremost you want the garlic press to be made from quality materials with excellent construction. This will ensure your garlic press will last forever without the possibility of it breaking or wearing down.
Make sure the garlic press is comfortable in your hand and easy to use. A garlic press should not be complicated or hard to use such as a mortar and pestle, so don’t pick an overcomplicated kitchen tool. Try and purchase a garlic press with some kind of protection like a warranty or a guarantee in case it breaks while using it or becomes damaged during the shipping process.
Also, make sure the garlic press is easy to clean or is at least dishwasher safe. Cleaning one of these tools by hand can be somewhat difficult so a dishwasher safe model will come in handy as well.
Some garlic presses either come with a handheld garlic clove peeler or they are two-in-one kitchen tools that can peel and press garlic. This function will really come in handy when doing a lot of garlic at once. But if you plan on mincing a lot of garlic bulbs or cloves at once, then maybe a garlic press is not the best tool for you. In this scenario you want to use a meat grinder or a food processor. These kitchen tools will do large amounts of garlic without having to touch the product as well, but they will not be all that great when trying to do just a few cloves at once.
Construction and Design
For one thing, there are really no moving parts in a garlic press and they do not require a power source. If you are wanting to acquire garlic powder from dried garlic cloves using a garlic press then you will have quite a hard time doing so. In order to do this, you will need to use a coffee grinder or a spice grinder which will turn the garlic cloves into fine powder dust.
The structural integrity of a garlic press is really quite simple. You just want to make sure that the tool is made of strong materials like stainless steel that won’t rust or break easily when pressure is applied to the tool.
Make sure the handles have a padded or rubber material on the handle to provide comfort for use. Also, a rubber hand grip will provide more friction allowing the user to peel and press garlic when the tool is wet providing a slip-resistant effect.
There are a couple different designs of the garlic press in terms of function. Of course, you want the tool to press garlic but maybe also you want the tool to peel the garlic for you as well. There is one design that has separate peeler from the presser and then there are some designs that can peel the garlic and press it into mince at the same time. These models are of course a little more expensive. It just depends on what you want to use the garlic press for and the amount you want to mince at once.
Best Garlic Presses
OXO Good Grips Soft-Handled Garlic Press
The Best Garlic Press
The first garlic press on our list happens to be the best for several reasons. It is affordable, easy to use with a simple design. While this garlic press is available for only around $15 it does not come with a warranty.
The body of the garlic press is constructed of high-quality die cast zinc which is durable and also dishwasher safe. There is a built-in garlic peeler so when you press the garlic the kitchen tool will peel the garlic and separate the shells and peels from the minced garlic. The handles are protected by a soft and comfortable rubber grip that is also slip resistant. The garlic press has a unique inner pattern making it easy to peel and press multiple garlic cloves at once. This garlic peeler is one of the best options for a first-time user.
- The garlic press is constructed of high-quality materials that won’t break or rust easily.
- The garlic press has a built-in peeler to separate the shells from the minced garlic.
- The handles have a slip resistant, comfortable grip for easy handling.
- Garlic press is not protected by a warranty.
Rösle Stainless Steel Mincing Garlic/Ginger Press with Scraper
The Next Best Thing
Our next product is a little bit more fancy of a garlic press but with the same classic design. The product is more expensive but it does come protected by a lifetime warranty.
The garlic press is well constructed of high quality 18/10 stainless steel which will not rust or break overtime. The garlic press is also able to be used as a garlic clove peeler in which it will crush the garlic and remove the shells then mince it. This kitchen tool is dishwasher safe and has a removable sieve to easily clean the screen and inner press under running water or using a dishwasher. The garlic press, however, does not have a slip resistant or soft grips on the handles for easy handling so be careful when using them.
- The garlic press is constructed of high-quality stainless steel that will not rust or break.
- The garlic press has a removeable sieve that makes it easy to clean using a dishwasher.
- The garlic press also has a built-in peeler to peel the garlic while pressing it.
- Come with a lifetime warranty.
- The handles are not protected with soft grips or slip resistant handles.
ZYLISS Susi 3 Garlic Press
The Novelty Garlic Press
This next garlic press is one of the newer styles or designs while it works like a handheld juicer but still works just as well. The product is available for only around $14 and is also protected by a 5-year warranty.
The body of the garlic press is constructed of cast aluminum which is said to be dishwasher safe but it is recommended to be washed by hand. The inner press is quite large so it can press larger amounts of garlic cloves at once. It will also peel the garlic and separate the shells while it is being pressed. While it may be harder to clean, it does have a built-in cleaner to make hand washing easier.
- The body of the garlic press is well constructed of cast aluminum.
- The product is very an affordable and comes with a 5-year warranty to protect it.
- The garlic press has a built-in peeler which peels while it presses the garlic cloves.
- There are no slip resistant grips on the handles.
- The garlic press is not dishwasher safe.
Orblue Garlic Press and Mincer
The Simple But Innovative Model
This garlic press is a much simpler version of previous models. It is also very affordable to purchase but does not come with a warranty to protect it.
The garlic press is constructed of zinc alloy that is easily cleaned by hand or by placing in the dishwasher safely. There inner cavity is large enough to mince multiple cloves of garlic at once and the extra-long handles makes it easier to do so. The garlic press also comes with a separate tool for peeling the garlic before pressing it. It, however, does not have any protective grips on the handles to prevent any slipping that may occur.
- The garlic press comes with a separate garlic peeler.
- The zinc alloy construction is able to be placed in a dishwasher.
- Is able to press multiple cloves of garlic at once.
- Does not come with any warranty.
- Does not have slip resistant grips for comfort.
Alpha Grillers Garlic Press
The Best Deal on a Garlic Press
This garlic press is really a great deal when it comes to cheap models. The garlic press is one of the cheapest on the market and also comes protected by a lifetime warranty.
The body of the garlic press is constructed of high quality solid stainless steel which is also rust proof and dishwasher safe. There is also a silicone garlic peeler that comes separately for peeling and deshelling the garlic before pressing it. The tool also comes with a small brush to easily clean the inner cavity of the press. It, however, does not have any non-slip grips for comfort when using.
- The garlic press is constructed of stainless steel that will not rust or break over time.
- The garlic press is very cheap to purchase and comes with a lifetime warranty.
- A separate garlic peeler comes with the garlic press.
- The handles do not have a slip resistant grip for comfort or ease of use.
Kuhn Rikon 2315 Epicurean Garlic Press
The Over Priced Garlic Press
This garlic press is way overpriced for what it can do, coming in at around $40 for purchase but it does come with a 2-year warranty to protect it. The body is constructed of stainless steel which makes it rust proof and dishwasher safe. There are no slip resistant grips on the handles for comfort or safety though. The garlic press is able to peel and press garlic at the same time without the use of a peeler.
- Comes with a 2-year warranty to protect it.
- Constructed of stainless steel that won’t rust or break.
- Is able to peel and press garlic at the same time.
- Is overpriced for what it can do when compared to others.
- Does not come with comfort grips or slip resistance.
UberChef Stainless Steel Garlic Press and Peeler
Built to Last a Lifetime
This next garlic press is also very affordable to purchase and comes with a lifetime warranty to protect it. The body is constructed of strong stainless steel that won’t rust overtime and may be placed in the dishwasher for easy cleaning. The garlic press also comes with a separate peeling tool and an e-book full of recipes to try out. The tool is also equipped with a hook to hang the tool if you wish. The garlic press does not have slip resistant grips for comfort or safety though.
- The garlic press is dishwasher safe.
- The body is constructed of stainless steel that will not rust or break.
- Comes with a separate peeling tool.
- Comes with a lifetime warranty.
- Does not have slip resistant handles for comfort and safety.
Joseph Joseph 20037 Garlic Rocker Crusher
The Old School Garlic Press
This garlic press is a blast from the past utilizing the very first model version of a garlic peeler. This press is more expensive than most other models and does not come with a warranty. The stainless-steel garlic press looks like a shoe horn that you rock back and forth over garlic to mince it. It is dishwasher safe and built to last. This model will take a lot more work on the user’s part so isn’t really a viable option.
- The garlic press is dishwasher safe.
- The body is constructed of stainless steel that won’t rust.
- The model is outdated and will take more work to get garlic minced.
- That model is expensive and not protected by a warranty.
Kitchen Innovations Garlic-A-Peel Garlic Press
A Different Kind of Garlic press
This garlic press is styled like a food processor but works like a stapler would. It is very affordable but not protected by a warranty. The body is constructed of plastic while the inner blades are stainless steel and everything is dishwasher safe. There is a compartment for garlic cloves and another compartment for pressed garlic. This is a cool idea but is still not ideal for ease of use to the user.
- The garlic press is dishwasher safe.
- The unit is very affordable.
- Separate compartment keeps all the cloves and finished garlic contained.
- There is no warranty.
- May be a little too complicated when it comes to garlic presses.
Vantic Garlic Press Rocker
The Rocker Model
The next garlic press works like the other shoe horn styled one that rocks back and forth over the cloves to crush and mince them but this one has a silicone handle with a stainless-steel sieve. This model is also very cheap and comes with a lifetime warranty. The unit is also dishwasher safe and comes with a garlic peeler as well.
- The unit is dishwasher safe.
- Comes with a separate garlic peeler.
- The product is only $9 and comes with a lifetime warranty.
- The user will have to do a lot more work using this tool to press garlic efficiently.
Chef’n GarlicZoom Garlic Chopper
The Novelty Garlic Press
The last garlic press on the list seems more like a gimmick than an actual useable kitchen tool. The unit is made completely of plastic and is all dishwasher safe. You load the compartment, close it and roll it back and forth on the countertop so it acts as a mini food processor. The unit is very cheap to purchase but does not come with any warranty.
- Is very affordable.
- The unit is dishwasher safe.
- Does not come with a warranty.
- All the parts and body are made of plastic so it will either break easily or will not mince the garlic as fine as you would like it to.
Conclusion
Whatever model you decide to go with, it is best to choose the newer model in which you clamp the garlic down like when using a pair of pliers. The other types are outdated and just will not work as well. But there are several different kinds of the original model so make sure to buy a quality product that is protected with a warranty and you will be just fine.