One of the essential kitchen tools is the garlic press. It helps make food preparation a lot easier. Most cooks tend to mince garlic with a knife, which can be challenging, unsafe and leave you with a pungent garlic smell on your hands and cutting board.
Getting rid of this pungent smell requires a lot of soap and time. Also, you may have to scrub the cutting board thoroughly to prevent it from harboring toxic bacteria.
On the other hand, garlic press simplifies the garlic mincing process. This tool has a simple working mechanism that crushes garlic cloves as you squeeze the handles together.
However, hundreds of options are out there, which makes choosing the right model a bit tricky. Therefore, we’ve expertly handpicked the best garlic press America’s Test Kitchen & Cook’s Illustrated, The Wirecutter, Consumer Reports, and Food & Wine and included a buying guide section to ensure you make a smart decision.
But before that …
What is a garlic press?
As a garlic crusher, the garlic press is another handy kitchen utensil designed for crushing garlic cloves. This kitchen tool works by forcing garlic through an array of small holes. Some models will come with a matching grid of blunts pins to ensure cleaning these holes are hassle-free.
What is a garlic press used for?
Garlic crusher offers a safer, convenient alternative to using a knife for mincing garlic. Plus, you don’t have to peel it before crushing it through a sturdy press. The peel is left in the press while extruding the garlic out. Some models are also designed to mince other herbs like ginger.
Review of the Best Garlic Press on the market
#1 – Kuhn Rikon Epicurean Garlic Press: America’s Test Kitchen & Cook’s Illustrated
Furthermore, this utensil sits in the palm of your hand comfortably and works for both left and right-handed users. Kuhn Rikon Epicurean Garlic Press features incredible engineering to ensure it uses minimal effort and is hassle-free to use.
What’s more? It sports BSieve hinges that open up nicely for a convenient wash. Plus, it’s dishwasher-friendly. Besides, it is backed with a generous 2-year warranty to offer peace of mind with the purchase.
Pros:
- Easy to clean
- Ergonomic design
- Mince ginger and garlic efficiently
- Elegant stainless steel design
- 2-year manufacturer’s warranty
Cons:
- So many fake options out there
#2 – Rosle Stainless Steel Mincing Garlic Press: Food & Wine
Our runnerup is Rosle Stainless Steel Mincing Garlic Press, with excellent engineering to ensure this unit serves you for almost a lifetime. Like our top choice, this model minces your garlic without having to peel it for a super-fast prepping experience.
More importantly, this unit features mince head flicks to allow users to rinse this utensil easily. Rosle Stainless Steel Mincing Garlic Press features german-based 18/10 stainless steel construction for extra durability.
Not only that, this garlic press is dishwasher compatible for a convenient cleaning experience. Again, it rocks a slim and modern design to complement your kitchen. Lastly, this unit is accompanied by a generous lifetime warranty, which shows the manufacturer a high confidence level in this press.
Pros:
- Slim and modern design
- Dishwasher safe
- Sturdy stainless steel constructions
- Easy to clean
Cons:
- Garlic gets stuck in the hinge.
#3 – ORBLUE Garlic Press [Premium], Stainless Steel Mincer
The ORBLUE Garlic Press Stainless Steel Mincer is designed ergonomically to provide quick and powerful processing with the least effort. This garlic crusher comes with a smooth lever mechanism.
This product has a large chamber to hold more cloves, which shortens the food preparation time. Thus, you’ve enough time to create your dishes or focus on other things rather than spending quality time mincing garlic using a knife.
Another thing about this model is its versatility. ORBLUE Garlic Press Stainless Steel Mincer is built to crush peanuts and chop nuts in an instant. This unit features heavy-duty construction, which allows mincing the garlic without having to peel it. Also, it helps peel the ginger root.
Equally important, this model has a minimal waste design for a hassle-free cleaning experience. Users can easily rinse this garlic crusher with water or toss it into your dishwasher. After squeezing the handles together, the peels are left behind while the minced garlic comes out. Last, ORBLUE Garlic Press Stainless Steel Mincer is rust or corrosion-proof.
Pros:
- Easy to clean
- Ease of storage
- Doesn’t break, weaken, rust, or bend.
- Dishwasher compatible
Cons:
- The extra-large option can be challenging to manage.
#4 – Alpha Grillers Garlic Press. Stainless Steel Mincer & Crusher: THE BEST OVERALL from Business Insider
With Alpha Grillers Garlic Press Stainless Steel Mincer & Crusher, you can’t really go wrong with this peeler. This unit will allow you to mince ginger and cloves. This peeler comes silicone tube roller and stainless steel mincer.
This press features an ergonomic design and heavy-duty construction to allow you to peel and mince the garlic as well as ginger. Further, it features a sturdy construction for extra durability. With such excellent craftsmanship, you should expect to repair or replace this press for a long time.
Also, it comes with large comfortable handles to ensure easy handling when mincing garlic or ginger. More so, it’s easy to clean and comes with a lifetime guarantee to protect your investment.
Pros:
- Versatile utensil for pressing and peeling
- Lifetime guarantee and money-back guarantee
- Stainless steel for extra durability
- Dishwasher friendly
Cons:
- This model does not really press fresh ginger very well.
#5 – OXO Good Grips Soft-Handled Garlic Press
The OXO Good Grips Soft-Handled Garlic Press offers a slip-free handling experience thanks to its soft black handle. Also, it offers a soft, comfortable grip and allows you to exert minimal effort to press and peel your garlic. This design ensures you mince the garlic in one squeeze.
This kitchen utensil has a large reservoir to allow you to mince several cloves of garlic at once. It is made from die-cast zinc material, ensuring this press will last for many years. OXO Good Grips Soft-Handled Garlic Press is equipped with an efficient hole pattern for minimal waste when squeezing out the garlic.
What’s more? This garlic press sport a rubberized cleaning brush, which pushes out the excess garlic when you twist the handles in the opposite direction. More importantly, OXO Good Grips Soft-Handled Garlic Press is dishwasher compatible for easy cleanup.
Pros:
- Dishwasher safe
- Made of sturdy, die-cast zinc
- Large capacity reservoir
- Require minimal effort
- Large soft handles
- Excellent built-in cleaner
Cons:
- Tends to rust
#6 – Vantic Garlic Press Rocker
This is arguably the best rocking garlic press. This utensil comes with a unique arc shape design with a comfortable handle to squeeze the garlic an easy peasy, even for those with small hands or weaker grip.
Further, its mince and crush garlic with a slight rocking motion, which requires minimal effort and half the time. This unit is made from premium stainless steel and high-quality silicon, making this garlic press durable, corrosion-resistant, and sturdy enough not to break easily.
That’s not all: Vantic Garlic Press Rocker is easy to clean since it only collects on the rocking garlic press’s surface. Plus, it comes with a one-year manufacturer warranty.
Pros:
- 100% Food grade stainless steel and Silicone materials
- Easy to clean
- Minimal waste design with its special scraper
- Includes a peeler
Cons:
- Needs you to peel the garlic before mincing
#7 – JACHI Garlic Press Crusher and Mincer
When it comes to garlic press made of high-quality construction, you want to side with JACHI Garlic Press Crusher and Mincer. This model features nonslip handles to allow users to squeeze with minimal effort, even for people with weak hands.
This affordable garlic press is an ideal choice for people on a tight budget but looking to get a garlic press with decent performance. This kitchen utensil has a smooth surface to prevent holding garlic bits. Also, it makes cleaning this press easier by rinsing under the running sink tap or tossing it into the dishwasher for convenient cleaning.
Even better, this model comes with a 30 days money-back guarantee, which makes purchasing JACHI Garlic Press Crusher and Mincer risk-free.
Pros:
- Ergonomic design
- Zinc Alloy construction
- 30 days money-back guarantee
- Easy to clean
- Lightweight design
Cons:
- The rough surface of this press tend to hold garlic
#8 – Kitchen Innovations Garlic-A-Peel Garlic Press
If you want a kitchen utensil that grates, dice, slice, and peel garlic, then you want to consider Kitchen Innovations Garlic-A-Peel Garlic Press. This innovative tool comes with two interchangeable blades and a silicone peeler.
Further, it has a slicing blade and a dicing blade that creates thinner and longer garlic and cube-shaped garlic. Also, the silicone peeler peels garlic as you push down between the top and selectable blade.
More so, this unit has a clear container to catch garlic and offers hassle-free transfer directly to any recipe or dish. The top lid features a simple to clean blade since it is easy to remove for thorough handwash. Nonetheless, this versatile press is dishwasher-friendly for a convenient cleaning experience.
What’s more? It comes with an extra blade that snaps perfecting into the compartment for easy storage. Kitchen Innovations Garlic-A-Peel Garlic Press boast of high-quality construction, ensuring this product serves you for many years.
Pros:
- Solid stainless steel cutting blades
- Peel, dice, slice, and grate garlic
- Easy to storage
- Dishwasher safe
Cons:
- Difficult to clean
How to Choose the Best Garlic Press for your Kitchen
Style
While garlic squeezing press offers a classic look, people with arthritis or weak hands may find it challenging to use. Therefore, it would be best to opt for a garlic press with a rocking mechanism, which does not require squeezing.
Accessories included
Peeler
Some models are designed to mince cloves of garlic with the peel on. Some other presses might require you to peel the skin off before trying to mince them. So, if you find peeling garlic stressful or time-consuming, you might want to opt for models with a flexible silicone tube.
Cleaner
For those who prefer to get rid of the garlic residue, a model with a washing brush, scraper, or a built-in cleaner is your best bet.
Ease of Use
Most contemporary presses are designed to be easy to use, maintain, clean, and store. However, it’s important to read through the manufacturer’s manual before using the garlic press.
Also, the model should be dishwasher compatible for a convenient cleaning experience. Nonetheless, it would help if you cleaned the press by hand sometimes for extra durability.
How to use a garlic press
With a garlic press, you might not have to peel the garlic clove before mincing it, and here’s how to go about:
- Peel the garlic bulb’s crispy-dry outer coating
- Pick the garlic cloves apart without peeling the cloves
- Place the garlic clove inside the press and squeeze the handle
- Use a knife or spoon to retrieve the garlic
- Empty the press and rinse under running water/dishwasher
How to Wash a Garlic Press
Not all models are dishwasher safe. This means some products might require you to take the components apart and hand wash or rinse under running water.
For models with dishwasher-safe components, then you can toss them into the dishwasher for snappy cleanup. Keep in mind that garlic presses tend to hold garlic between components, which can cause a lingering awful odor. Therefore, it’s best to hand wash immediately after use.
Or check 9 steps with pictures here
Conclusion
Whatever design, style, or material you choose, the most important thing is that the garlic press mince the cloves to help create a finer paster and extract the flavorful juice for your recipe.
It would be best if you made your choice are based on your cooking style and needs. A stainless steel garlic press can handle frequent use, unlike the plastic models designed for occasional use.
We recommend taking a closer look at Kuhn Rikon Epicurean Garlic Press for those who want to purchase a high-quality model without breaking the bank.
