![Garlic presses we recommend on a light brown background](https://cdn.statically.io/img/www.thespruceeats.com/thmb/FAF4-jLktOMc9Ifu9o3YqG7ON7k=/1500x0/filters:no_upscale():max_bytes(150000):strip_icc()/Spruce-do-i-need-a-garlic-press-6951588-21a5c5513b934606ba1396fcb80750f7.jpg)
The Spruce Eats / Amelia Manley
Garlic is a staple ingredient in many recipes, but mincing it can be a chore. It’s hard to mince a few cloves quickly and easily when bits of garlic cling to the knife blade and need to be removed repeatedly, and it's hard to avoid getting garlic-scented fingers in the process. That being said, pre-minced garlic in a jar does not compare to fresh garlic when it comes to flavor—this is where a garlic press comes in handy. Besides being ideal for small quantities of garlic, many can be used without peeling the cloves first.
Garlic presses come in a number of styles, shapes, and colors. To help you figure out which one is right for your needs, we tested them side by side and evaluated each on their design, performance, versatility, ease of use, ease of cleaning, and overall value. We spent time pressing garlic, ginger, mint, and more to get a clear look at their performance.
Best Overall
Dreamfarm Garject Lite
Intuitive and easy to use
Lightweight design
Works well on peeled and unpeeled garlic
Cannot mince ginger
If you're looking for the best garlic press in terms of value, look no further than this lightweight plastic model with features like fine mincing results, an eject button, and multiple clove capacity. Dreamfarm loves to come up with creative mash-up names for its cooking tools. In this case, "Garject" is a mashup of "garlic" and "eject."
We love how efficiently this press worked during testing, handling multiple cloves with ease and extracting the peel easily. It produced the ideal quantity and consistency of minced garlic and was easy enough to use for both beginners and more advanced home cooks. While it can mince garlic incredibly well, it doesn't work with ginger.
We also noted how the included scraper mechanism made the garlic extraction and clean-up a breeze; Nothing got stuck in the crevices and it is dishwasher safe. Plus, the plastic handle makes it comfortable to grip and it didn't seem flimsy or like it might break. For effortless and perfectly minced garlic in minutes, this sturdy little tool is your answer.
Material: Nylon plastic | Dimensions: 7.76 x 2.13 x 2.09 inches | Weight: 5.12 ounces | Dishwasher-Safe: Yes
![Dreamfarm Garject Lite displayed on a wooden surface with garlic in it](https://www.thespruceeats.com/thmb/NWeDpXSdI0RuEMOsSyw-NBhAj3E=/1500x0/filters:no_upscale():max_bytes(150000):strip_icc()/garlic-press-dreamfarm-garject-lite-mary-hoban-03-654c7bd5820348839d2f9d31386b0409.jpg)
The Spruce Eats / Mary Hoban
Best Rocker
Joseph Joseph Garlic Rocker
Attractive design
Turns garlic to mince instead of paste
Requires minimal storage space
Doesn't require much hand strength or force
Must press several times for fine mince
Unlike a standard garlic press, this garlic rocker doesn’t have any moving parts, which makes it ideal for folks who may struggle with squeezing a press (it also requires less storage space). All you need to do is put a garlic clove on your work surface, place the press on top, and while applying a little pressure, rock it back and forth to squeeze the garlic through the holes. Then, just scoop the garlic out to use in recipes. If you want a finer mince, you may have to rock over the garlic yield a few times.
We like this press for peeled garlic and even oversized unpeeled cloves. The large square holes produced a mince more typical of knife-cut garlic, but repeating the process gives a finer mince with the same high yield. The press also worked great with ginger during testing, only leaving a small amount of fibers behind. This stainless steel tool is dishwasher-safe, but we found it easy to hand wash. As a bonus, the stainless steel helped remove the garlic scent as we cleaned the press.
Material: Stainless Steel | Dimensions: 7.3 x 2 x 1 inches | Weight: 3.2 ounces | Dishwasher-Safe: Yes
The Spruce Eats / Julie Laing
The Spruce Eats / Julie Laing
The Spruce Eats / Julie Laing
The Spruce Eats / Julie Laing
Best High-End
Dreamfarm Garject Garlic Press
Sleek design
Self-scraping features
Requires little pressure
Avoids garlic contact with your hands
Minces multiple cloves of garlic at once
Doesn't slice garlic
Not great for mincing ginger
We appreciate the innovative features of this press: The integrated scraper tool rubs across the face of the press to neatly scrape the garlic off, so there’s no need to use a knife to retrieve the last bits of garlicky goodness.
We are also very impressed with the performance—especially how the press can fit multiple cloves of garlic and produce a consistent fine mince. Even with unpeeled garlic cloves, the result was thorough and neat. We also loved how you can avoid having to touch your fingers directly to the garlic, saving you from that unpleasant lingering smell on your hands. Like the Garject Lite, this model isn't ideal for mincing ginger either.
Although this gadget comes at a higher price than others, rest assured it's of superior quality and performance. The sleek design makes for a high-end aesthetic and will last years and years.
Material: Chrome-plated zinc and plastic | Dimensions: 7.6 x 2 x 2 inches | Weight: 12.8 ounces | Dishwasher-Safe: Yes
![Hand squeezing the handles of the Dreamfarm Garject Garlic Press and pushing a garlic clove through it](https://www.thespruceeats.com/thmb/l3unHHN6yytRUm0LoO4Gk27xrM0=/1500x0/filters:no_upscale():max_bytes(150000):strip_icc()/garlic-press-dreamfarm-garject-mary-hoban-05-f5dce34572a74f8bb9b861d5d202027b.jpg)
The Spruce Eats / Mary Hoban
Best Press and Peeler Kit
Alpha Grillers Garlic Press and Peeler Set
Includes a peeler tube
Heavy-duty construction
Produces a fine mince
Easy to push handles together
Mediocre yield for ginger and nuts
The Alpha Grillers garlic press is made from heavy-duty stainless steel, so it’s strong enough to crush unpeeled garlic and won’t stain, rust, or retain odors. The handles are designed for comfort, making it easy to squeeze, and when it’s time for cleaning, the press is dishwasher-safe.
For testing, we tried pressing peeled cloves, prepping them with the included peeler tube. We found that inserting one clove at a time and rolling the tube on the counter removed the peels with a few motions, but noted that it may get tiring to peel a whole bulb's worth of garlic this way. However, we also found that the hinge was easy to move and push together without cramping or exerting our hands.
The manufacturer says this press is capable of crushing ginger and nuts as well, but we were disappointed with these results. The press mostly turned ginger to juice and jammed up the chamber with peanut solids, so it’s best reserved for garlic cloves. Whether you're a kitchen novice or a frequent cook who wants to speed up prep time, this press is a solid and reliable choice.
Material: Stainless steel, silicone | Dimensions: 7.5 x 2.6 inches x 1.4 inches | Weight: 10.08 ounces | Dishwasher-Safe: Yes
![Garlic peel in the Alpha Grillers Garlic Press and Peeler](https://www.thespruceeats.com/thmb/qWcjE3Elam6dAdn8H9usi7NMoSM=/1500x0/filters:no_upscale():max_bytes(150000):strip_icc()/garlic-press-alpha-grillers-siobhan-wallace-06-87cee1fee10645d09418ad470f8794b9.jpg)
The Spruce Eats / Siobhan Wallace
Best Twisting Press
NexTrend 3rd Generation Clear Garlic Twist
Great for garlic, ginger, shallots, and more
Clear polycarbonate for easy viewing
Produces very fine mince
Does not work well for herbs
This model, made entirely from clear polycarbonate, uses a twisting action. You simply place peeled garlic (or nuts or herbs) in the bowl, put the top on, and twist to grind and mince the garlic as much as you like. Since the vessel is clear, you can see how coarse or fine the garlic is without opening it. While testing, we needed a little practice to get the minced garlic to gather into neat triangles free of the cutting teeth; it was easiest to do this with two or more cloves in the device.
Once we got the first twist out of the way, the remaining motions became much easier as the product quickly minced the garlic and began to turn it into somewhat of a paste. We threw a little salt in the grinding chamber and had a nice paste after a minute or so of twisting.
The Garlic Twist can be used for peeled shallots, small peppers, and more. While we don't recommend it for herbs, which it tended to rip apart and crush, we found it made neat work of garlic and peanuts. The twisting produces a very crushed and fine mince. This is the fourth generation of this design, so improvements have been made over the original, making it even better at mincing garlic evenly. It is also dishwasher-safe.
Since testing this model, NexTrend has come out with a newer 4th generation model.
Material: Polycarbonate plastic | Dimensions: 3.5 x 2 x 3.5 inches | Weight: 2.11 ounces | Dishwasher-Safe: Yes
![NexTrend 3rd Generation Clear Garlic Twist displayed on a wooden board with peeled garlic cloves](https://www.thespruceeats.com/thmb/-75YH8hNRyEeqF3uq8JWgRtobIo=/1500x0/filters:no_upscale():max_bytes(150000):strip_icc()/20220207-garlic-presses-vicky-wasik-nextrend-spruce-eats-10-c338560388f0437f94267a9a7bed46a0.jpg)
The Spruce Eats / Vicky Wasik
Best for Kids
Chef'n GarlicZoom Garlic Chopper
Can be used one-handed
Easy for kids to use
Chops more than just garlic
Comfortable ergonomic design
Doesn't work well on unpeeled garlic
Non-uniform results
This has spinning blades that chop and mince the garlic. It operates by rolling the wheels back and forth on your work surface, and since the blades are completely enclosed during use, kids can use this to help with cooking. Testing revealed how comfortable and nice it felt to do this rolling motion, thanks to the soft ergonomic design. The more rolling, the more finely the garlic is chopped. Even better, leafy herbs like mint can be tossed in and chopped as well.
We like how gently tapping the chopper against a countertop drops almost all of the garlic on the hinged doors, where it’s easy to scrape out with a spoon and avoid brushing your fingers against the blades. With the blades vertically aligned (faint impressions on the clear plastic show the placement), the roller base pops out so that you can tap it again to remove the remaining bits. Although this roller is efficient at mincing, it does not produce very uniform results. We also highly recommend peeling the garlic before inserting the cloves. There were some larger uneven chunks, so keep that in mind. Overall. its safe and easy features make this garlic chopper a fun option for kids to use in the kitchen.
Material: Plastic | Dimensions: 2.25 x 2.5 x 3.5 inches | Weight: 3.52 ounces | Dishwasher-Safe: Yes
![Chef'n Garliczoom Garlic Chopper displayed on a wooden board](https://www.thespruceeats.com/thmb/HY5u5D4BkQ1-sqjTsbufBXTwauc=/1500x0/filters:no_upscale():max_bytes(150000):strip_icc()/garlic-press-chefn-zoom-john-somerall-03-a3ece391e2f54c52bdc492d864f15140.jpg)
The Spruce Eats / John Somerall
Final Verdict
For overall quality at a great value, the Dreamfarm Garject Lite presses unpeeled garlic and then self-ejects, making it easy, efficient, and tidy. If you’re looking for kiddos to help in the kitchen, the Chef'n Garliczoom is a fun and easy way for them to get involved.
How We Tested
We bought and tested seven garlic presses, trying each one out with peeled and unpeeled garlic cloves as well as other items that included ginger, mint, soft nuts, and more. Each garlic press was rated on design, comfort, versatility, performance, ease of use, ease of cleaning, and overall value. All testers offered detailed insights on the strengths and weaknesses of each.
![Joseph Joseph Stainless Steel Garlic Rocker displayed on a wooden board with garlic cloves](https://www.thespruceeats.com/thmb/qTLjmcPMiBkUlBXSOPEB9uf3VVo=/1500x0/filters:no_upscale():max_bytes(150000):strip_icc()/ses-joseph-joseph-garlic-rocker-silver-julie-laing-05.jpg-35adad52eb9d43be8dbfa5f6f40424a9.jpg)
The Spruce Eats / Julie Laing
Other Options We Tested
- Orblue Garlic Press: Although it was visually attractive and did an acceptable job of mincing garlic in our tests, this press was easily clogged and quite bulky. The entire construction is made of stainless steel, which made it easier to clean, but also meant there is no grip for comfort or to keep hands from slipping during use. It also failed our ginger test and felt cumbersome overall due to the heaviness.
- OXO Good Grips Garlic Press: OXO says the hole pattern is designed to get the maximum amount of usable garlic with the least effort, but we found that both peeled and unpeeled cloves left a fair amount of garlic behind. When you’re done, you can flip the handles in the opposite direction, and supposedly a built-in cleaner loosens the peels. However, this self-cleaning function was not as effective as hoped—we had to tap the press and scrape out the excess garlic manually.
What to Look for in a Garlic Press
Type
Most garlic presses push garlic through holes by squeezing together two handles, which can require a fair amount of hand strength and often works best with two hands. Other versions let you use both hands to rock or twist the tool to mince the garlic. There are also single-hand choppers with blades that cut the garlic to the desired size.
Ease of Use
Depending on the type, materials, and quality, some garlic presses may be easier to use than others. Keep an eye out for features like padded grips or textured handles that can make using a garlic press more comfortable and less prone to slipping in your hand. If you have mobility restrictions in your wrist, it may be worth considering a rocking garlic press rather than one that twists or incorporates a heavy hinge.
Size
The overall size of a garlic press can affect where you store it, but specific parts of the press matter as well. The chamber size determines whether you can press one or more cloves of garlic at a time; the larger the chamber, the more cloves it can hold and the more pressure you may need to start squeezing. The hole size and shape dictate what the pressed garlic looks like. Small, round holes tend to make a coarse garlic paste. Large, square holes create more of a mince.
Ease of Cleanup
No one wants to spend time picking tiny pieces of trapped, raw garlic out of the nooks and crannies of a garlic press. Some garlic presses come with specialty brushes meant especially for cleaning those hard-to-reach places, while others feature wider holes that make it more difficult for stray garlic to escape through the sides and stick. You can also opt for a self-cleaning garlic press with a built-in hinge system that extracts the garlic skins from the tool as you use it.
Knife vs. Press
A sharp stainless or carbon steel chef’s knife does a good job of crushing and mincing garlic—you smash the garlic with the side of the knife, then turn the knife perpendicular to the cutting board and use a rocking motion (with one hand on top of the knife) to cut the pieces to the size you want. If your knives are ceramic, dull, or too small to use the rocking technique, mincing garlic with a knife can be a pain. Plus, it takes a little longer, which is one of the reasons we recommend buying a garlic press.
A press makes quick work of a clove or two of garlic at a time, and most presses actually work best if you don’t spend time peeling the garlic first. Often, you can squeeze the garlic straight into your prep bowl or pan, and the best ones easily release the peel and remaining garlic. That squeezing action also releases loads of alliinase, which can make pressed sharper in flavor than knife-chopped garlic.
![Oye Garlic Press displayed in front of a cutting board with cloves of garlic](https://www.thespruceeats.com/thmb/vnan3nx-9K10GoFJhI1KfrsqVkY=/1500x0/filters:no_upscale():max_bytes(150000):strip_icc()/Oye_Garlic_Presses_02-f9d7c17b4a9e4191bbc2a096307be473.jpg)
The Spruce Eats / Julie Laing
FAQs
How do you use a garlic press?
With the squeeze design of many garlic presses, squeezing the handles together causes the press’s hinge to close and a plunger to extrude the garlic in the chamber through a screen of holes. Then you scrape the pressed garlic free, open the handles, and remove the remaining peel and skin. Other presses may have you rock, twist, or roll the device to push the garlic through the device’s holes or blades.
Do you need to peel garlic before using a garlic press?
You do not technically need to peel the garlic before using a garlic press, but using unpeeled cloves will usually make the process easier and yield better results. "I think that people get frustrated with using a garlic press because they often make the mistake of using peeled garlic cloves, which tend to get stuck in the little holes and make the press harder to clean," says Kristen Hartke, a food writer, recipe developer, and culinary producer for Carla Hall. "The trick is to use unpeeled garlic cloves—the skin is thin enough to allow the garlic flesh to press through, but the skin also still stays intact."
What else can you use a garlic press for?
Some garlic presses and choppers have the strength or versatility to mince other foods like ginger, leafy herbs, chilies, seeds, and soft nuts. Check the manufacturer’s instructions for specific uses to avoid gumming up your press.
Ginger is a common secondary use for a garlic press. It often works best to peel the ginger and cut it into small pieces before you put it in the press, though. The more fibrous the ginger, the more likely you are to get pungent pulp and juice instead of finely minced pieces.
How do you clean a garlic press?
The quicker you clean a press after using it, the easier it will be to remove the remaining garlic skin and flesh. A few dunks in a bowl of soapy water and a rinse under a running faucet typically does the trick. A short soak and dish scrubber can remove leftover garlic bits and juice later on. Many presses are dishwasher-safe, too.
Stainless steel presses have an added advantage: the metal binds with the garlic’s sharp-smelling molecules, so as you rub your hands over the stainless steel parts, it reduces the garlic odor on your fingers.
Why Trust The Spruce Eats?
Julie Laing has been a writer and editor for more than 25 years and published her first cookbook, "The Complete Guide to Pickling," in 2020. She puts garlic in almost everything, from pickles and salsas to hummus and pear preserves. Julie personally tested all seven of the garlic presses in this roundup.
This article was updated by Katya Weiss-Andersson, a writer and editor who has nearly a decade of experience as a professional chef. Katya is a born-and-bred garlic girlie who uses three to four cloves per every one clove called for in the recipe.
Sources
- Kristen Hartke, a food writer, recipe developer, and culinary producer for Carla Hall