“Consumers should look for a garlic press that can easily press the garlic whether it is raw or cooked,” she says. “You also want something that won’t be too difficult for you to clean, especially if you don’t have a dishwasher,” says Chef Danielle Sepsy, owner of The Hungry Gnome Catering & Baked Goods and contestant on HBO Max’s The Big Brunch. To find the best garlic presses we researched a variety of picks, keeping in mind material, dimensions, and care. We also consulted Sepsy for additional insight. Overall, the best garlic press is the Oxo Good Grips Garlic Press because it’s easy to use and clean, and keeps the crushing to your garlic instead of your wallet. Here are the best garlic presses. Keep in Mind: It may take up some more space in your drawer than other options. Made of die-cast zinc and stainless steel, this garlic press has a sturdy construction. However, it also has a soft non-slip grip on the handles, which keeps you from losing your grip on the gadget while cooking. Just keep in mind that it may take up a bit more space in your drawer than some other styles. The garlic press is dishwasher safe, making it easy to clean. What makes it the best garlic press overall, however, is that it has a built-in cleaner to make the process even simpler. All you have to do is flip the handles over to clean out the garlic press before washing. Price at time of publish: $25 Material: Die-cast zinc, stainless steel, and plastic | Dimensions: 7 x 2 x 1 inches | Care: Dishwasher safe Keep in Mind: It doesn’t feature a nonslip grip, unlike some other styles. The garlic press has a solid metal build and a sleek black finish that makes for a sturdy, stylish option. It can mince one clove of garlic at a time and when it comes to cleaning, the dark finish makes it easy to see where it needs to be cleaned a bit more. Just keep in mind that while it’s designed to be easy to hold, the garlic press doesn’t feature a nonslip grip, unlike some other styles. Price at time of publish: $7 Material: Metal | Dimensions: 1.97 x 6.65 inches | Care: Not listed Keep in Mind: Although it’s dishwasher safe, handwashing is recommended. Unlike many other garlic presses, this style features beveled holes that’ll precisely chop the garlic. Once you’re done using it, you’ll appreciate that the compartment where you place the garlic clove swings, out making it easy to clean. Just keep in mind that while the unit is dishwasher safe, it’s recommended you handwash it to maintain it. Price at time of publish: $52 Material: Stainless steel | Dimensions: 6.5 inches | Care: Dishwasher safe Keep in Mind: Using it may require a bit more effort as opposed to some other styles. To use the rocker, all you have to do is simply push down with pressure and a rocking motion, and crush your garlic clove to create the perfect mince. You can then easily add your minced garlic into a pan, thanks to its scooped design. Once you’re done cooking you’ll appreciate that the unit is dishwasher safe, though you’ll find that it is rather easy to hand wash it. Price at time of publish: $24 Material: Stainless steel | Dimensions: 7.3 x 2 x 1 inches | Care: Dishwasher safe Keep in Mind: The garlic needs to be peeled before using the grinder. To use the grinder, all you have to do is place it in the unit and twist the top back and forth. Just keep in mind that while you can chop multiple cloves at one time, they’ll all have to be peeled before you place them in the grinder. The nylon and silicone unit is dishwasher safe as long as you relegate it to the top rack. It’s worth noting, however, that the unit may require more storage space than some other options. Price at time of publish: $25 Material: Nylon and silicone | Dimensions: 3 x 3.75 inches | Care: Top-rack dishwasher safe Keep in Mind: It has to be hand washed and you may scratch your fingers on the grater portion while using it. When using a grater, it’s important to note that your garlic will not come out minced as it would with a handheld garlic press. Instead, it will be a bit finer, and more of a paste. Plus, you’ll have to grate the garlic yourself, so be mindful of the sharp spikes that’ll be exposed as you wear down the clove. The design, which is offered in two sizes, has a no-slip silicone ring on the bottom, so it won’t slip on your countertop while you’re grating your garlic. Price at time of publish: $14 Material: Ceramic, silicone | Dimensions: 3.5 inches | Care: Hand wash Keep in Mind: You can only chop one clove at a time, which may not be ideal depending on the recipe you’re preparing. You will have to peel your garlic before using the Joie MSC Garlic Dicer, but after you do that the rest of the process is simple. You can only dice one clove of garlic at a time, which may make the process more time consuming in comparison to other options. However, the chamber beneath the chopper allows you to see how much you’ve chopped, so you can make just the right amount. The chopped is fairly compact, which saves space in your kitchen. When it comes to cleaning this dicer, however, it can be a bit tricky because of the small compartments so keep in mind it’s recommended that you hand wash this gadget with warm, soapy water. Price at time of publish: $16 Material: Plastic, stainless steel | Dimensions: 2.76 x 2.36 inches | Care: Hand wash Keep in Mind: Hand washing is recommended. Thanks to two separate chambers, you have the choice of mincing your garlic or slicing it. You can even do both at the same time, depending on what your recipe calls for. The caveat is that you don’t have a choice in terms of how thin or thick those slices are, as opposed to just slicing them yourself. You will have to peel your garlic in order to slice it, but thankfully this garlic press and slicer combo comes with a garlic peeler as well. All you have to do is place the unpeeled clove into the silicone roller, roll it around a bit, and you’ll have a peeled garlic clove to use. This garlic press comes with a cleaning tool that is easily stored on the gadget so that you won’t lose it in your kitchen drawer. It can be used to clean both the slicing and mincing chambers, which is sure to come in handy as handwashing is recommended. Price at time of publish: $18 Material: Aluminum alloy | Dimensions: 7.6 x 1.77 x 2.56 inches | Care: Hand wash
What to Know About Garlic Presses Before Shopping
Press Type
Before choosing the best garlic press for your kitchen, it’s worth noting that there are several styles to choose from. Handheld garlic presses typically involve putting unpeeled garlic into a chamber and pushing down to get minced garlic. However, garlic rockers are an alternative for those who may have trouble gripping and pressing—you use this tool by moving it back and forth in a rocking motion on top of garlic. Garlic graters make for a finer, most pasty consistency. There are also garlic dicers, which chop your garlic into fine pieces, and garlic grinders which you twist in order to get minced garlic. Plus, you can also purchase a combination press and slicer, which offers two different options without needing to bust out the kitchen knives.
Material
When it comes to the best garlic presses, you’ll find that the most common materials are stainless steel, ceramic, or even sometimes aluminum. Stainless steel is known for being extremely durable, so if you’re looking for a garlic press that will stand the test of time, you should look for one made of that material. Just keep in mind that sometimes steel options are handwash only, so whether or not it’s the best garlic press for you depends on your preferences. Ceramic options may also be handwash only and are likely more fragile than other materials. Aluminum, however, is known for being lightweight and durable in general.
Dimensions
When considering the size of your garlic press, you’ll want to keep in mind how big the chamber is – the larger it is, the more cloves of garlic you can fit into it. Some garlic presses are hand-held, so you may want to test them out in-store to ensure that they’re a comfortable fit for you. It’s also worth noting that some garlic presses may not fit in a drawer, so you’ll want to take note of the dimensions and confirm you have the proper storage space.
Care
While hand washing is always an option, most garlic presses are dishwasher safe (usually on the top rack), which means cleaning them is easy. Whichever press you choose, make sure it’s completely dry before storing it away in your kitchen drawer.
Your Questions, Answered
What is the easiest garlic press to use?
Traditional, hand-held garlic presses in which you place unpeeled garlic into a chamber and then push it down using a handle are the easiest to use because you don’t have to go through the trouble of peeling the garlic ahead of time as you may have to do with a slicer, chopper, grinder or grater. Sepsy says that, for her, “a hand press is easiest if the garlic is cooked slightly prior.” “If you’re looking for something more versatile you can consider a mini chopper that is either manual or electric,” Sepsy says. “They are also great for onions, small peppers, and more.”
Is a garlic rocker better than a press?
Sepsy says that rockers are “better for raw garlic, but can sometimes be difficult to get a good grip on. It takes some practice, but once you get in a groove it’s super simple.” She adds that they’re a great option if your hand strength isn’t great.
Who We Are
Andrea Wurzburger is a freelance writer at Better Homes & Gardens. For this story, she consulted Chef Danielle Sepsy, owner of The Hungry Gnome and finalist on HBO Max’s The Big Brunch, to learn more about how to choose a garlic press. She also researched various garlic presses to find the best ones.
