Published on August 29, 2023
This comparison is certified 100% impartial and follows our selection process.
Ikea Koncis
Combining efficiency and sturdiness, this mechanical garlic press offers the best value for money around. What’s more, it can be dismantled for easy maintenance.
During our tests, we found this stainless steel garlic press to be quite solid and sturdy. In fact, it’s still in very good condition several years after purchase (and for regular use). Its somewhat heavy weight (223 g) didn’t get in the way. It’s not the largest mechanical model, since it can only hold a maximum of 2 medium-sized pods.
In terms of efficiency, it’s one of the best. We managed to crush the garlic without difficulty. Simply cut the resulting garlic and scrape what’s left in the compartment with the tip of your small knife to remove it all. It also offers a good grip.
On the other hand, while cleaning it immediately by hand is straightforward, it’s best not to let the garlic dry, as this step is then much more complex.
The garlic presses we tested.
We checked their maximum capacity.
We tested their efficiency, ergonomics and practicality.
We cleaned them all by hand to judge maintenance.
OXO Good Grips Garlic Press 11107400
This is the most practical model in this selection. In addition to being able to squeeze up to 4 cloves at a time, it features pimples that dislodge garlic stuck in the holes.
The first thing we noticed about this garlic press during our tests is that it’s really quite heavy (392 g). As such, we prefer not to recommend it to people suffering from arthritis or osteoarthritis. But if you have no such problems, its 2 large, soft, non-slip rubber handles offer a very pleasant grip.
In terms of practicality, the presence of picots greatly helps to dislodge garlic remnants in the holes. All you have to do is turn the handles over completely. In our opinion, this makes the design much better, as we found that there were a few more garlic residues in the compartment of this mechanical garlic press than with others. In all, you can place up to 4 medium-sized garlic cloves in there at a time.
For cleaning, like most garlic presses, it’s dishwasher safe. However, if you choose to wash it by hand, we recommend doing so directly after use and before the garlic dries for ease.
Joseph Joseph Helix 20102
This turning model requires less strength than the others since you use it with 2 hands. What’s more, it has the largest compartment in this comparison.
Comprising plastic and stainless steel, this mechanical garlic press seemed pretty solid to us during our tests. Its great feature is that you have to turn it with a handle in each hand. Thanks to this, we had less need to force it to get a result. This makes it a good option for those with limited strength or joint pain.
On the other hand, we have to admit that it wasn’t the most effective, since part of our pod got stuck on the side and wasn’t fully crushed on the first try.
Note that the compartment of this garlic press is the largest in this comparison, as we were able to fit 5 medium-sized cloves in it and there was even a little space left over. For added practicality, the brand thought of putting an orange dot on each of the 2 elements. Simply place the 2 dots opposite each other to screw everything back together more easily.
Like the others, cleaning by hand is easy enough as long as it’s done immediately. The garlic press can also be placed in the dishwasher.
Our selection
Our choice, Best cheap Best mid-range Mid-range alternative Ikea Koncis OXO Good Grips Garlic Press 11107400 Joseph Joseph Helix 20102 Combining efficiency and sturdiness, this mechanical garlic press offers the best value for money around. What's more, it can be dismantled for easy maintenance. This is the most practical model in this selection. In addition to being able to squeeze up to 4 cloves at a time, it features pimples that dislodge garlic stuck in the holes. This turning model requires less strength than the others since you use it with 2 hands. What's more, it has the largest compartment in this comparison. £ 6.49 on Amazon £ 39.95 on Amazon £ 15.00 on Amazon
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How did we test?
In order to test the garlic presses, we observed their design, paying attention to their materials, type and weight. We also put several garlic cloves in each compartment to check their maximum content.
Next, we pressed garlic into each of the models to test their efficiency, but also their ergonomics and practicality. It was at this stage that we saw whether the presence of picots was really useful or not.
Finally, we cleaned them all by hand to judge how tedious the maintenance was. Generally speaking, we noticed that the task was fairly easy if carried out directly, without giving the garlic time to dry.
How to choose your garlic press
To help you in your choice, we’ve listed the elements to pay attention to:
- The type: there’s the classic garlic press with a manifold with holes in which a part, often metal, presses the contents to eject the garlic through the holes. There are also garlic presses in the form of a perforated metal plate with which to press and crush the cloves.
- The material: we recommend you look for a stainless steel model, which is admittedly heavier, but is considerably stronger than plastic models and will therefore last longer.
- Size: check how many garlic cloves your future model can hold. It’s usually possible to fit 1 to 3 maximum, depending on the size of the cloves.
- Ergonomics: beyond the fact that your model must offer a good grip and open/close easily, it must be easy to clean.
Other garlic presses we recommend
Leifheit Garlic Press Knobi King 03146 (€24.98 at time of publication): A rocking garlic press. In our tests, we appreciated this rocking model (111 g) for its efficiency. It managed to squeeze the garlic clove correctly without ejecting it, despite its manual design. On the other hand, we have to admit that brute force is required to achieve a good result. For this reason, we do not recommend this machine for people suffering from arthritis or osteoarthritis in the fingers and/or wrist. We also noticed that some garlic got stuck in the holes of the plate, which was much less the case with the other models we tested. Moreover, as this is not a mechanical model, there is no real capacity to speak of, but we did note that it was possible to place 3 to 4 cloves at a time under the plate. Finally, note that, as with all the others, hand cleaning isn’t too much trouble if done immediately (before the garlic dries), but that the garlic press can also be placed in the dishwasher for added convenience.
Other garlic presses tested
Gastromax 6903-1 (€9.76 at time of publication): Extremely lightweight (93 g), this garlic press is made exclusively of plastic. This somewhat diminishes its ergonomics in our opinion, and we doubt its long-term sturdiness.
Tefal IngenioK 2072614 (€15.87 at time of publication): We found this small model (2 cloves large maximum) a little less ergonomic than others. Indeed, once the garlic has been pressed, you have to open the garlic press again to remove the result from either side of the grid, rather than being able to remove it directly. What’s more, we found it less convenient to clean, as it’s better to have a sponge on hand instead of a brush.
Oliver’s Kitchen ® Premium Garlic Press (€16.99 at time of publication): We preferred to leave this garlic press out of our selection, as it pushed some of the garlic to the sides during our tests. What’s more, a lot of it got stuck in the spikes. In short, it wasn’t very practical.
