A garlic press is the easiest and most effective way to prepare fresh, delicious garlic cloves for cooking. If you’re in the market for a new clove crusher, this guide will introduce you to some of the best products currently available in Australia.
We’ve also got a buyers guide at the end to ensure you get the perfect product for your individual needs, so make sure to have a read of that for some extra handy tips. In the meantime, here are our top 6 garlic presses.
1. Noosa Life | Garlic Press + Peeler (Top Pick)
The Noosa Life is a stainless steel garlic press designed for homeowners who want a product for life. Made with 304 stainless steel it is extremely strong and durable. Seniors and younger chefs will love that the product does all the work for you and has soft handles, so anyone in the household can crush those cloves with ease.
If you’re a big fan of convenience, the Noosa Life has plenty to offer. It can mince three cloves at once for time efficiency and comes with a handy skin remover for easy clove preparation. As if that wasn’t enough, it also comes with a garlic mince chopper which creates finely chopped garlic to enjoy in your dishes. Once you’re done, you can use the handy free brush that comes with the press to remove the garlic remnants before popping everything in the dishwasher.
What We Like:
- Soft, comfortable handles
- Stainless steel
- Comes with handy chopper, silicone peeler and cleaning brush
- Dishwasher safe
What We Don’t Like:
- You may need to seek instructions on how to use the peeler
- Accessories take up extra cupboard space
2. Dreamfarm Garject Garlic Crusher
If you like beautifully designed kitchen gadgets then the Dreamfarm may just be the garlic mincer for you. The sleek yet heavy-duty Garject uses a special mechanism that means preparing unpeeled garlic cloves involves no mess, no fuss. You can crush the entire clove complete with skin, and the product not only minces the garlic for you, but it strips the skin away too.
Customers will love the spring-loaded feature of the product that pushes the minced garlic into your pot or dish so there’s no need for messy scraping or those unwanted garlic fingers.
What We Like:
- No need to peel cloves before use
- Beautiful ergonomic design
- Solid construction
- Spring-loaded garlic dispenser
- Easy to use
What We Don’t Like:
- Requires rinsing before dishwasher clean
- Expensive
3. Joseph Joseph Rocker Garlic Crusher
If you enjoy a kitchen product that stands out in its design, the Joseph Rocker certainly fits the bill. From one of the most trusted brands in Kitchenware, this product is curved, with a press in the centre, offering an alternative to traditional garlic presses. You simply press the grate over the garlic, apply pressure to the two sides and your garlic is minced, ready for cooking.
If you love a simple and easy solution to a common kitchen need, you’ll love how easy the rocker is to use, rinse and then put away in the draw.
What We Like:
- Compact and easy to store
- Easy clean
- Attractive design
- Easy to use
What We Don’t Like:
- Requires you use additional utensils to scrape
- Those with dexterity issues may find it harder to use
4. OXO Good Grips Garlic Press
OXO have made a name for themselves with their super popular “Good Grips” range, which also includes their Spiralizer and Can Opener.
The Good Grips Garlic Press is very much true to its name, with a sturdy zinc die-cast build and extra soft handles complete with a non-slip surface, meaning any family member will be able to comfortably crush garlic with ease.
If you like a product that is easy to clean, you’ll appreciate the OXO press design. You simply flip the mincer section and rinse with warm water, then place the whole product in the dishwasher to clean.
What We Like:
- Non-slip handle
- Comfortable handles
- Sturdy build
- Dishwasher safe
What We Don’t Like:
- Sturdy build makes them quite heavy
- Some garlic may not be effectively pushed through the grill
5. Savannah Large Easy Clean Garlic Press
The Savannah garlic gadget is an extra large product designed to crush several cloves at a time. It garlic presses the cloves and drops them right into the dish you’re cooking, mincing the garlic finer than if you chopped it by hand.
Customers will love that the product is not only dishwasher safe, but it has removable stainless steel plates for even more cleaning ease.
What We Like:
- Made from stainless steel and plastic
- Removable plates for easier cleaning
- Dishwasher safe
- Takes cloves complete with skin
What We Don’t Like:
- Large capacity may be unnecessary for some
- Large size means it is not compact
6. Zyliss Garlic Press
The Zyliss is a beautifully designed no frills garlic press designed to effectively crush cloves of garlic or ginger with ease. You simply place the cloves into the garlic press, press the handles together and finely crushed garlic comes out, it’s as easy as that.
Customers who like a little extra help with cleaning their kitchen gadgets will appreciate the free cleaning tool that comes with the Zyliss. The tool helps you easily remove the garlic remnants before placing the product in the dishwasher.
What We Like:
- Comes with a free cleaning accessory
- Dishwasher safe
- Easy to use
- Attractive design
What We Don’t Like:
- Product may not have the strength of sturdier designs
- Cleaning the grill can add to cleaning time
Garlic Crusher Buyers Guide
If you are looking for an effective garlic press and feel unsure about which type is best for your needs, we’re here to help. This buying guide will give you some pointers on what to look for when shopping for a press, ensuring you put the best value product for your budget and needs into your basket. Here are our top garlic press buying tips:
Do You Have Dexterity Issues?
If you have weak wrists or hands, arthritis or any issues with dexterity then it makes sense to look for a press that makes mincing garlic and ginger easy.
The best garlic press for your needs will have comfortable, strong handles which are non-slip. The product should be sturdy and easy to use. Steer clear of more fragile presses or designs which require you use your strength to crush the cloves.
RELATED:
Do You Need It To Be Totally Hands Off?
Some presses will provide you with the ability to crush garlic without even having to touch it. They may crush the garlic with the peel, or include a garlic peeler so you don’t have to peel the garlic cloves beforehand.
They usually also have a cleaning tool so you can remove garlic remnants from the grill without having to use the sponge or your hands. The more hands off you want to be, the more you need to shop for gadgets with features that allow you to remain free of odorous hands.
Longevity Matters
Realistically, plastic is OK but it is not as long-lasting as a material like stainless steel. Buy the best you can afford, which when it comes to this kind of gadget, is stainless steel.
Is It Compact?
Some of the simpler designs are more compact, so if you do not need anything fancy, look for well-designed gadgets that do the job without taking up tons of drawer space.
Hopefully our handy tips have helped you feel confident in putting the best product for your needs in your shopping basket. Quality should always be key, but beyond that, it is about getting an item that does the job comfortably and cleanly so you can get on with the cooking. Before long you’ll be crushing those cloves with ease, creating delicious food for the whole family to enjoy.
RELATED:
Garlic Press FAQs
It’s certainly not essential but doing so does come with a few benefits. Firstly, you’ll be able to fit more garlic into your crusher. Secondly, you’ll get more minced garlic from each crush as leaving the skin on can mean some of the flesh remains inside the skin remnants. Finally, by peeling your garlic cloves you’ll have less to clean out from your press, which can be a particular hassle if you’re doing a large batch as you’ll need to clean it out regularly. Some of the products reviewed in this article come with purpose built garlic peelers which can make the job a lot easier.
Ginger is much more fibrous than garlic, so it won’t squeeze through small hole of a press as well as garlic. However, with a good heavy-duty garlic press and young, fresh ginger, you should be able to use your garlic press if you chop the ginger up into small enough pieces. A better option, however, is using a cheese grater or microplane.
