Garlic. You either love it or hate it. And that also seems to be the case with the garlic press. While some people can’t imagine preparing dishes with garlic without turning to their trusty garlic presser, others see this kitchen utensil as a waste of space in a drawer. This article aims to provide the first category with some of the best garlic press designs available and maybe convince the latter group to give this tool a try. Our list brings together a wide range of products that offer convenient ways to crush garlic cloves. From authentic Italian designs to space-age pressers and minimalist items, this is the ultimate garlic press list. First, some answers to the most common questions people have about garlic pressers.
Do you really need a garlic press?
The short answer is no, but it entirely depends on how much you love crushed garlic and use it in your cooking. With this list, we aim to explore not only the functionality of the utensil, but also the range of available designs, some of them made with artisan techniques. For people who are not used to a garlic press, we hope that this selection sheds new light on new designs that solve the issues of some of the poorly designed products of the past. As for those who swear by this tool, we believe this curated list includes at least one product they’ll deem a new favorite.
Is it worth getting a garlic press?
If you prepare food with minced or crushed garlic even occasionally, it may be worth getting a good garlic press. People who don’t necessarily have the knife skills to chop garlic finely or those who hate the smell of garlic on their skin would also benefit from having a well-designed garlic presser.
How to use garlic press and peeler?
A garlic peeler is usually made from a flexible material like silicone and shaped like a tube. To use, place the clove of garlic inside the tube and roll the tube on a hard surface to remove the skin. To crush garlic with a garlic press, place the peeled or unpeeled cloves inside the container and press the handles together to crush the garlic. Using a knife, a spoon, or the included scraper, remove the garlic that has remained in the holes of the sieve.
Which is better a garlic press or rocker?
It depends on preference. Some people prefer a garlic press that is easy to use by squeezing the handles and thus requires less effort. And others love the convenience of a rocker that makes cleaning a bit easier and takes minimal space in a drawer. However, both tools crush garlic efficiently.
Can you put unpeeled garlic in a garlic press?
Yes, you can put unpeeled garlic in a garlic press. Some pressers are specially designed with this in mind and they are more powerful. While some people prefer to peel the cloves of garlic beforehand, leaving the skin on saves some time in the prep and cleaning stages.
How to clean garlic press?
If you have a garlic press that doesn’t come with its own cleaning tool, you can efficiently clean a presser in a few easy steps. Use some oil to coat the sieve before placing the clove(s) inside the basket, which will make the cleaning process easier as less pieces will remain stuck in the garlic press. After crushing and removing the paste, use a knife or a spoon to scrape off the larger pieces from the inside and the outside of the bowl. Place the utensil under a high pressure jet of water – this will remove many smaller bits. Then, use either a dish brush, a toothbrush, or a toothpick to remove the smallest and most stubborn pieces.
Public Goods Garlic Press
An ergonomic design.
The best garlic press is the one that fits comfortably in your hand and also makes crushing cloves of garlic easy and smooth. Like the Public Goods Garlic Press. Made with an ergonomic shape, this garlic presser is a pleasure to use. It’s also sleek and crafted to last from solid metal. Lead-free, this product is also free of any plastic or BPA. This press produces finely minced garlic with one simple squeeze of the curved handles.
Garlic Clove Crusher
An efficient and elegant tool.
If you want to save time when cooking and also make your kitchen look more elegant, this Garlic Clove Crusher is a perfect choice. Made with a patented design, this presser doesn’t require the peeling of the garlic cloves beforehand. To use, simply pop in a clove and press the handles to mince the garlic into a paste. Apart from this high-performance press system, this garlic presser also features an ergonomic shape and a cleaning stopper. Manufactured from cast aluminum, the Garlic Clove Crusher also boasts an anti-stick finish.
Ikea Koncis Garlic Press
A popular product.
While we prefer to feature products from designers and independent brands, we had to include an Ikea staple on our list. The Koncis Garlic Press is made from stainless steel and features a nickel-plated brushed finish. Powerful and efficient, this garlic presser allows the user to make garlic paste with whole, peeled or unpeeled cloves. Plus, the insert is conveniently removable, which makes cleaning much easier. Like other Ikea products, this one is simple and minimalist.
Dave Wurz Artisan Garlic Press with Hardwood Handles
A limited-edition, handmade design.
Nothing compares to a handcrafted object. The Artisan Garlic Press with Hardwood Handles is a great example. Made and carved by hand by Dave Wurz in his own workshop in Hemlock, NY this is an heirloom quality object and the best garlic press if you want a product that will last a lifetime. The presser feels sturdy and comfortable to use and creates a fine garlic paste. Finally, the handles feature unique grain patterns and a natural beeswax treatment. This garlic presser comes in two versions: with darker walnut handles or with medium brown cherry handles.
Buy $60
Dreamfarm Garject Garlic Presser
A garlic press that scrapes itself clean.
For ultimate convenience, you can’t get much better than the Garject Garlic Presser from Dreamfarm. This product is specially designed with function in mind. It can not only press multiple cloves at a time, but can also scrape itself clean thanks to a spring-loaded scraping mechanism. Plus, the ‘peel eject’ button allows the user to throw the peels into the trash without ever touching them. Hence, the name of Garject. This is the best garlic press for those who love garlic as much as they love minimal cleaning. Garject is made from zinc with a chrome plating and a nylon eject button and scraper.
Rösle Garlic Press with Scraper
An award-winning design.
Winner of the German Design Award 2018, the Rösle Garlic Press with Scraper is elegant and practical at the same time. It can crush unpeeled garlic cloves with ease and features a scraper to smoothly push the minced garlic into the pan. Plus, the sieve swings up to make cleaning easier, but this product is also dishwasher safe. The Rösle Garlic Press with Scraper is made from stainless steel and has a blend of high polish and matte surfaces. One of the best garlic press designs available, this product can also crush ginger.
Joseph Joseph CleanForce Garlic Press
A powerful and easy to use garlic presser.
Designed and made by Joseph Joseph, the CleanForce Garlic Press puts the ‘fun’ in function with a vibrant green color and a practical design. Both powerful and easy to use, the press crushes cloves with minimal effort thanks to an easy-squeeze mechanism. It also comes with a wiper blade that scrapes off the crushed garlic into a pan or a bowl. A handy scraping tool is also included to ensure the user can easily remove garlic pieces and skin from the sieve. For more convenience, the cleaning tool stores inside the handle. Made from BPA free materials, the CleanForce press is also dishwasher safe.
Goodwin Hartshorn Rocker Garlic Crusher
A tool that rocks garlic crushing.
The Goodwin Hartshorn Rocker Garlic Crusher offers a different way to prepare crushed garlic for dishes. Instead of the classic design with two handles and a compartment with a sieve, this product has a curved shape with two side handles and a central sieve. By pressing the sides and moving the tool in a rocking motion, the user can easily crush garlic cloves and keep the paste away from their hands. The crushed garlic collects in the bowl shaped center and provides an easy way to scoop the contents with a spoon and place in a pan. This garlic presser comes in two versions: Silver and Green.
Epicurean Garlic Press
A press that cuts rather than crushes garlic.
Made to extract the best flavor from each clove of garlic, the Epicurean Garlic Press from Swiss brand Kuhn Rikon features beveled holes that cut rather than crush garlic cloves. This product has an ergonomic shape and handle as well as a specially designed lever that requires around 60% less effort to press compared to standard garlic presses. Perfect for either peeled or unpeeled cloves, this stainless steel garlic presser also comes with a stainless steel sieve that swings out for easy cleaning.
Ghidini Italian Garlic Press
An authentic Italian design.
Like the best homemade, traditional Italian dishes made with only a few, simple ingredients, this product is authentically Italian. And by that, we mean that it’s minimalist, straightforward, and excels at what it’s supposed to do. Made in Italy from aluminum, the Ghidini Italian Garlic Press crushes peeled or unpeeled garlic cloves in small pieces. It’s the best garlic press for recipes that require garlic in smaller chunks rather than a paste. This product is suitable for both right- and left-handed people.
Eva Solo Green Tool Garlic Masher
A garlic masher with a rounded handle.
Designed by Tools Design for Eva Solo, the Green Tool Garlic Masher has a hefty handle that offers an easy way to press and crush garlic cloves. The ergonomic, rounded handle provides a firm grip while the sieve crushes garlic with ease by applying downward pressure. Made with an open design and a blend of quality plastic and stainless steel, this practical kitchen tool is easy to clean as well as dishwasher safe. The best garlic press to add color to your home and vibrancy to your cooking, this product has a green handle.
O-Lyfe Garlic Presr Garlic Presser
A sculptural design.
If you thought something like a garlic presser can’t look beautiful, you haven’t seen Presr yet. Made by O-Lyfe, this garlic press has a stylish, space-age design. Engineered to prevent premature oxidation, this product crushes garlic cloves with a perfect pulp-to-juice ratio. Presr is made from cast aluminum and has a patented design with an elongated shape and an ergonomic grip. The included pulp ejector makes cleaning easy and also conveniently stays hidden within the garlic presser until needed. Finally, the product’s slim silhouette occupies minimal space in a drawer or on the countertop.
Zone Denmark Singles Garlic Press
A circular press that rolls over cloves.
Designed by VE2 for Zone Denmark, the Singles Garlic Press may be the most minimalist from our list. It doesn’t have handles or a container. Instead, it crushes cloves of garlic with a rolling motion. The user only needs to roll the circular press across the garlic to crush it and then scrape the paste off the stainless steel with a knife or a spoon. Thanks to the slightly larger holes, this product is easy to clean either with running water or with a standard cleaning brush. The Singles Garlic Press has received the Red Dot Design Award 2022 in the category Cookware and Cooking Utensils.
Abdoolally Ebrahim Housewares Scrape
An innovative design.
Created by the Abdoolally Ebrahim Housewares’ in-house design team, Scrape is another Red Dot Design Award winner. The ingenious garlic press crushes whole, unpeeled garlic cloves with ease but also allows the user to easily separate the skin from the pulp. A spring-loaded, thumb-operated scraper provides a convenient way to lift the pulp from the hopper. Squeezing the handles offers an easy solution to dispose of the skin separately. Finally, like other products from our list, this one looks beautiful and demands to be left on display in a kitchen.
Kuhn Rikon Tabletop Garlic Press
The best garlic press for people with limited hand motion.
Another great design from Swiss brand Kuhn Rikon, the Tabletop Garlic Press is specially made to minimize effort. Perfect for those with limited hand motion or arthritis, this garlic presser only requires the user to press downward on the handle to crush the garlic. The larger sieve also provides an easy way to crush multiple cloves of garlic at once. Plus, it keeps the garlic away from the user’s hands. Made with a removable stainless steel arm for easy cleaning, this product also features a maple wood handle.
