353992 Sat Dec 23 16:21:25 -0800 2006 46 41 Cookware 0 2124728 I'm thinking of buying a garlic press. I've never used one but I've seen them used. I have a friend that has one, but says they don't work well. Any thoughts? Sat Dec 23 16:21:25 -0800 2006 37007 Stack8 1 2124734 I just recently bought one and I love it. It is made by kitchen aid. I had one previously that did not work well, but this one definitely works well. Sat Dec 23 16:26:09 -0800 2006 2124728 42278 Displaced California Foodie 1 2124738 Like all kitchen appliances, there are good and bad garlic presses. Buy the one from Rosle--it's the best. Sat Dec 23 16:28:25 -0800 2006 2124728 28212 Walters 1 2124810 Swiss-made Zyliss. Works great. Moderate price. Even comes with a little cleaner for the holes. If you are in a hurry, it will press cloves that have not been peeled. Terrific! Oxo is so-so. Sat Dec 23 17:08:38 -0800 2006 2124728 32444 MakingSense 2 2124889 I've had many, best one really is the Zyliss. If you use lots of garlic, get the larger one. Sat Dec 23 17:54:48 -0800 2006 2124810 15697 jackie de 3 2125062 Absolutely the Zyless also known as Susi. Sat Dec 23 19:23:58 -0800 2006 2124889 10285 Candy 1 2124859 Thanks very much. Sat Dec 23 17:38:32 -0800 2006 2124728 37007 Stack8 2 2125096 Yes...large Zyliss....according to Cooks Illustrated... Sat Dec 23 19:40:08 -0800 2006 2124859 10485 ChowFun_derek 1 2125661 I've never met a garlic press that didn't just make a mess. Sun Dec 24 01:34:29 -0800 2006 2124728 32586 revsharkie 2 2125671 The Susi by Zyliss is near perfect,design-wise. The only problem is that I'm told the old school cast aluminum Susi they made for decades is out of production, replaced with an ABS plastic model. Sun Dec 24 01:38:29 -0800 2006 2125661 16382 Kagemusha 3 2894225 I just had my original Susi replaced after 30+ years. At the time I bought it, it had a lifetime guarantee. But now it's only a 5 year guarantee. Nevertheless, I wrote to Zyliss in Irvine and they told me to send it back and they'd replace it free of charge. The only problem I had was that the new replacement was brushed aluminum and not as sturdy as the original casted version. Still an excellent press but I have a feeling it won't last another 30+ years. Oh well, you can't have everything! My mom still has one that is over 50 years old from when I was a little kid. Zyliss is still the best. Wed Aug 29 15:09:11 -0700 2007 2125671 116037 Clinton 2 3207613 I'll second that. A garlic press is a waste of money (and a waste of valuable storage space in your kitchen). They're a pain to clean, and they're barely faster than doing it with a knife. Get a good knife, and get someone who is comfortable with it to show you how to chop garlic properly, and you'll be a lot happier. Fri Dec 14 08:23:35 -0800 2007 2125661 111371 greglor 1 2125742 Mine is a heavy-duty, kind of double-jointed press by OXO. The "presser" part has flat surface for mashing the garlic on one side and a surface with little protrustions on the other than match the holes in the receptacle. Press the garlic with the flat side, the flip the "presser" over to self-clean the little holes. Little waste and easy to clean. Also, the handles are rubber-coated to cushion the fingers a bit when pressing hard. Sun Dec 24 02:16:40 -0800 2006 2124728 54833 ClaireWalter 1 2125748 I don't know which one I have but I like mine a lot. The part with holes is like a square basket that is removable. I put it in the silverware tray of my dishwasher and it gets really clean. Much better than one that doesn't come apart. It was even easy to clean before we got a dishwasher. If I ever get another one I'll get one that has two press baskets for when one is in the dw. Sun Dec 24 02:24:28 -0800 2006 2124728 13030 free sample addict aka Tracy L 1 2125929 One question: Why? Take clove of garlic. Squash with the broad side of your favorite knife. Peel. Chop. This take about ten seconds and does not necessitate the cleaning of a garlic press. If you need creamed garlic add some kosher salt and puree with the tip of your knife. 20 seconds max. Done. I have yet to see a professional chef using a garlic press. Sun Dec 24 04:32:43 -0800 2006 2124728 16537 andreas 2 2127100 One answer: I get a better-quality mince, faster, by using a garlic press, especially for dishes where I'm using two-to-six cloves of garlic, not just one. I can blast half a dozen cloves through a garlic press in less than your "20 seconds max," and the time savings more than makes up for the utterly minimal clean-up involved, which basically consists of: 1. open press, 2. rinse. Mon Dec 25 00:09:20 -0800 2006 2125929 17548 BarmyFotheringayPhipps 3 2127687 Amen. amen, amen. The pros have someone cleaning up after them. With my Susi (aluminum, have had for more than 20 years) all of the garlic and juice go into the food, non wasted on a board. With the Susi I don't have to take an extra movement to peel either. Mon Dec 25 15:54:50 -0800 2006 2127100 10285 Candy 2 2127201 The reason I was interested in a press is because I have poor eye sight. Sure, anybody can squash it with a knife. So can I. But when I'm trying to really put a fine chop on it, and I know about the salt, I use a light grey french sea salt, that when my eyes give me a problem. That's why I thought the press would help. Mon Dec 25 01:12:24 -0800 2006 2125929 37007 Stack8 1 2126309 Sometimes I use a garlic press, sometimes I whack the clove w/ the broad side of a knife, sometimes I chop or mince. Depends on the texture I want -- and what I feel like doing. Sun Dec 24 14:38:28 -0800 2006 2124728 54833 ClaireWalter 1 2126698 Just received a new Hugh Carpenter book. He always points out proper equipment and superior brands of ingredients in the beginning of his books. He recommends the Zyliss garlic press. Sun Dec 24 19:24:14 -0800 2006 2124728 22241 personalcheffie 1 2126858 Funny, I've never seen a chef use a garlic press...only, back of the knife and chop to desired size method. Sun Dec 24 21:08:56 -0800 2006 2124728 36312 HillJ 2 2127032 I'm not a chef. I also use the back of my Henkels chef knife, but I have very poor eye sight. The press will make it simple for me. The large size Zyliss is on it's way. Thanks for all the help. Sun Dec 24 23:28:42 -0800 2006 2126858 37007 Stack8 1 2127272 I've had several. The only on that has been sturdy enough to really work well is the one from Pampered Chef. I've had it for several years and paid around $15 for it. In another thread someone said that the PC garlic press appeared to be a copy of the Zyliss which has been already recommended here. Mon Dec 25 02:21:30 -0800 2006 2124728 19094 Sam D. 2 3204241 I agree - I love my PC press - but I lost the thingie to clean out the holes! I don't use it every time I want garlic, just when I want it really fine. It does a great job with peeled or unpeeled cloves. I'm going to try carswell's recommendations - for ginger and the toothbrush - awesome! Thu Dec 13 06:03:48 -0800 2007 2127272 65780 jujuthomas 1 2127305 Buying a cheap garlic press is being penny wise and pound foolish. They're messy, ineffective and break easily. The press was invented to save cooks not from chopping but from peeling. Just put the clove in the press, peel and all, and have at it. That said, I rarely use mine for garlic. Fresh ginger's a different story, however, especially when I'm making a marinade (like for this evening's quail). A good stiff toothbrush or denture brush makes cleaning a snap, by the way. Mon Dec 25 02:56:22 -0800 2006 2124728 10520 carswell 2 2127671 The Zyliss comes with a cleaning tool, and you can throw the clove, peel and all, into the Zyliss, but only if you're doing one clove. If you are doing mulitple cloves, you really need to peel your cloves. When a recipe calls for 'one' clove of garlic, that to me means, fill up the cylinder full, then press. I've rarely used just one clove for anything, so three small ones will fit in a Zyliss easily. For some reason, I've never had the strength needed to properly mash a clove with a knife. I guess I've never learned the proper technique. Mon Dec 25 15:40:13 -0800 2006 2127305 22241 personalcheffie 3 2127775 With the large Zyliss you can put in a few unpeeled cloves...the skin pops out easily with a finger or using the easy cleaning attachment...great tool Mon Dec 25 17:17:21 -0800 2006 2127671 10485 ChowFun_derek 1 2127733 Add another vote for Zyliss! Mon Dec 25 16:30:09 -0800 2006 2124728 49600 CindyJ 1 2129083 Count me in for Zyliss too! Tue Dec 26 16:38:31 -0800 2006 2124728 12099 sivyaleah 1 2129161 I hear that the William Sonoma Garlic Press is great. Make sure that you buy a large one without any plastic components. As far as cleaning goes...use a butter knive to scrape out the loose leftover garlic and then apply the hand sprayer until all is gone. Tue Dec 26 17:12:15 -0800 2006 2124728 13223 amoncada 1 2130148 I use a mini food chopper to chop garlic. I have tried using garlic presses and they simply don't do it for me. My mini chopper is perfect for it. I actually have two; one for garlic and one for everything else. I am a gadget geek. Wed Dec 27 00:22:28 -0800 2006 2124728 14083 cooknKate 1 2894818 jfood has great knife skills and owns a Susi. He loves it. Uses the press when he wants the garlic clove more pulverized than the fine mince that a knife can accomplish, especially useful when jfood makes gazpacho Wed Aug 29 18:32:59 -0700 2007 2124728 11290 jfood 1 2895683 I've owned the KitchenAid, one of the Oxo styles, and the Zyliss. The first two actually broke when using somewhat dry cloves. The Zyliss is great, and no garlic on the fingertips. Thu Aug 30 05:45:59 -0700 2007 2124728 77061 bear 2 2898128 If you send your OXO back to the company, they'll replace it. Thu Aug 30 15:21:08 -0700 2007 2895683 107491 dinner belle 1 2896046 We have an old Zyliss (Susi) that works best. Had KitchenAid, detachable metal press area (piece with the holes in it) pushed through the handle instead of the garlic! Returned to Target. Got I think Target Michael Graves which works okay, has larger holes than the Zyliss. But we haven't used it in ages. Not really a need to have two of them around after all, apparently. Thu Aug 30 07:50:57 -0700 2007 2124728 40162 CrazyOne 1 2898958 My brother gave me a brushed aluminum Zyliss, i love it. Easy to clean, works well, and gets the garlic much better "minced" than I can get it. I have seen it used on "America's Test Kitchen" (recognized the logo) many times. I dunno...maybe they aren't professionals - but they sure seem to like it. I do know in "Kitchen Confidential" Anthony Bourdain rants about them, never quite understood why. Thu Aug 30 20:50:42 -0700 2007 2124728 57890 KaimukiMan 1 2899085 I, self proclaimed gadget freak, am seriously thinking of adding one of those new 'Garlic Twists' next to my Zyliss. I'd like it for when a recipe calls for lots (8+ cloves) of garlic. Anyone play with one of those yet? Kinda expensive. Thu Aug 30 21:58:02 -0700 2007 2124728 114951 leetmom7 2 2900757 I just googled Garlic Twist. Looks interesting, except you have to peel the garlic first. One of the things I like best about my Zyliss is that I don't have to peel. If I am making 40 clove chicken, I would rather squeeze a couple of cloves at a time than have to peel all 40 cloves first. Fri Aug 31 11:29:14 -0700 2007 2899085 57890 KaimukiMan 3 2902495 (Psssst KaimukiMan....I use so much garlic I buy the peeled cloves in a jar from Christopher Ranch...making sure its grown in California, NOT China. There is so much Chinese garlic out there and I'm NOT touching it with a ten foot pole) I'm also interested in the Twist as I get older and I find it harder to squeeze the Zyliss. Sat Sep 01 02:24:10 -0700 2007 2900757 114951 leetmom7 4 2903668 (psst, psst Leetmom.. I always have one of those costco jars of christopher ranch in my freezer - im single, can only use it up so fast no matter how hard i try - couldnt live without it, but sometimes I like fresh) I wasn't aware that chinese garlic was prevalent (especially in LA), aside from the fact that Gilroy is the best for garlic, is there something particularly objectionable about garlic from China? Having spent two plus years in Seoul, i know asia has good garlic. Sat Sep 01 16:29:39 -0700 2007 2902495 57890 KaimukiMan 5 2903769 China is importing a LOT of garlic to California. I wrote to Christopher Ranch and they told me any bulb with a 'shaved' root is from China. After what I see happening with the pet food, toothpaste, honey, and toys from China I'm not touching ANYTHING edible from them, ever, again. For years every time I picked up a Consumers Report and checked the 'Recalled' section there were toys with lead. To quote the commercial, 'Wake up people!' Sat Sep 01 17:44:45 -0700 2007 2903668 114951 leetmom7 1 2903785 Another Susi (zyliss) lover here. I've had mine over 10 years. Sat Sep 01 17:58:25 -0700 2007 2124728 63326 mbfergie 1 3201480 Does any one have access to the Cooksillustrated website? I know they tested these but I dont subscribe to the thing. How annoying! I was wondering what there results were. Wed Dec 12 09:24:52 -0800 2007 2124728 116806 jroxybabe19 1 3201949 I have owned a garlic press, but I prefer the easy and speed of using the the side of my chefs knife and few quick chops. I don't have to store another gadget and it is much less cleanup. IMVHO. Wed Dec 12 11:11:12 -0800 2007 2124728 22220 Kelli2006 2 3204218 [Former CI employee here:] I have two Zyliss garlic presses, both of which have a semi-nonstick coating that is flaking off. Does a great job, but the one I like better now is made by Kuhn Rikon. It's stainless steel, and the performance is just as good as (if not better than) the Zyliss. And it doesn't flake. The negative: It costs $35. Thu Dec 13 05:48:50 -0800 2007 3201949 45745 wittlejosh 3 3204746 Cool thanks. It is a little pricy but gets so much use in my house it may be worth it! Thu Dec 13 08:54:04 -0800 2007 3204218 116806 jroxybabe19 4 3205044 One other advantage is cleaning: The sieve portion of the KR press lifts up, so that you can just wipe it with a sponge (as opposed to shoving something down inside a chamber). Really cool. It also accommodates TWO large garlic cloves The one place the Zyliss has a tiny advantage: When you press the garlic in the Zyliss, you can scrape across its perfectly flat surface with a knife to release the minced garlic. With the KR, there's a shallow ridge on either side of the sieve, so your knife hits it slightly when releasing the garlic. Not a big deal, but an annoying design flaw for such an otherwise brilliantly designed piece of equipment. Thu Dec 13 10:26:04 -0800 2007 3204746 45745 wittlejosh