Do any of you own a garlic press?

[SizzlininIN]

I truely do love smashing and chopping up my garlic with my chef knife. However, after watching that new cook on foodnetwork....Guy ??.....I saw him use his several times and it was so quick. I'm going to pick me up a real nice heavy duty one and give it a try. Anything to save a little time in the kitchen. If it doesn't work out I can always sell it on Ebay .

 

[Bangbang]

I have one but I often purchase chopped garlic in oil(in the jar)

 

[Corey123]

I saw him.

I've been watching him prep and cook. Seems like he's more of the sports-game-party-style cook, where he would cook at home for friends who usually come over to snack on comfort foods while watching a game on TV - like baseball, football or basketball.

But I also saw him smash the cloves on the board with his bare hands.

Bangbang, that may be more convenient for you, and I sometimes use that also but I still prefer to use the garlic cloves.

And as long as the Spanish grocery store in my neighborhood continues to sell the garlic cloves already peeled, that's much less work that I have to do. I just buy them from there, pop them in the press, or I use the Mini Bowl and Mini chopping blade in my new K'Aid Pearl Metallic Food processor!

The totally awesome raw power that this machine has - boy, it's amazing!!!


~Corey123.

 

[thier1754]

Hi, Bang Bang! How're things?

Re: presses, I use the Zyliss Susi and it's really the Cadillac of presses. Works great.

 

[SharonT]

My garlic press looks like a miniature potato ricer. I love it.
I scrape the bottom out with the end of a wooden spoon and put in the top shelf of the dishwasher in the open position, where it cleans up perfectly.
If I'm doing a lot or want bigger bits, I use the mini food processor.

 

[Gent88]

Garlic Press trouble?

Seeing all the complaints about garlic presses I can't help joining the discussion here: I am just amazed when someone earlier wrote about a wonderful garlic tool The Garlic Twist only to get brushed aside by those who have no knowledge of this novel product. To add insults to injury, someone wrote about having broken "three of them" without clearly stating he was referring to garlic presses, then someone says oh such gadgets are useless anyway. Alas, the only one who has used one and is totally happy with it just gets ignored while everyone continues to lament how terrible the garlic presses are, or otherwise express satisfaction with his/her garlic press without finding out there is such a product that is far superior. As a famous chef wrote in his book: I don't know what comes out at the other end, but it ain't garlic. May be ignorance is a bliss.

Please don't take what I'm about to say for commercial advertisement. We are selling these in such quantities in stores including Williams-Sonoma that whatever additional sales we can gain by posting on this board can only be inconsequential. But the cooking enthusiasts are entitled to learn about a wonderful, all US-made, THE WORLD"S BEST GARLIC TOOL. If imitation is the best compiment, we ar getting too many with copycats aplenty in Europe and Asia where our patents are only pending.

Check it out for yourself at LINK REMOVED

 

[philso]

bought one many years ago, used it about 3 times, and found it to be too much of a pain-in-the-buttola. a knife is less hassle (especially for large quantities of garlic) and more versatile. you can get large chunks, thin slices, fine mince or even a pulp using one tool that's much easier to clean.

 

[Gent88]

Bought one "many years ago"?! I Invented it may be 5 years ago. The first production unit came out only 3 years ago. All our first year sales were in the Sacramento area where people had a chance to watch my demonstration and love it. (As a result now there is one unit being used by a happy home chef in every 100 homes in the Sacramento area.)

Unlike Europe, we have hardly exported any units to Japan so far. You must be a lucky few who received one from a freind in the US, and have received it so "many years ago". May be the guy who made my prototypes gave one to you at that time, I'd never know.

Yes the Garlic Twist does evereything you said which your tedious hand mincing can do (except slicing garlic into thin pieces), but there're 19 "blades" doing the job of your one blade. For you, you have to chase garlic, it sticks on your blade and on your chopping board, and it gets on your hands. Last but not least, your chopped garlic is never as even.

"Much easier to clean"? HEAVENS, NO! It takes the same few seconds to rinse clean the Garlic Twist. Then I'd fold up my arms to watch you clean your chopping board good, and then your hands -- see you later, alligator!

Are you sure you're talking about our Garlic Twist LINK REMOVED, or are you talking about something else? You sure you didn't get one of the many cheap knock-offs?

Or is it a SEVERE case of different strokes for different folks?

 

[Snoop Puss]

Hello Gent88. I think you'll find people are complaining about the metal lever presses on the grounds that they break and are fiddly to clean. Or at least, that's what I've understood.

 

[Bangbang]

Hi, Bang Bang! How're things?

Re: presses, I use the Zyliss Susi and it's really the Cadillac of presses. Works great.

Hi back at ya. Things are not to bad. How are you doin?

 

[JohnL]

I have two presses, one a no name cast aluminum (or white metal) model and the other made by Oxo Good Grips. Much prefer the Oxo model, easier to clean. In general though, I just use my chefs knife.

 

[TATTRAT]

I use the side of a cfefs knife, and a firm whack.

 

[thier1754]

Hi back at ya. Things are not to bad. How are you doin?

I'm doing fine...sorry I missed your note. Been busy. I'm working like a fiend to finish the website redo before leaving town to visit my son and his family in CA in a couple of weeks. Do you know what sitting at the computer for hours a day is doing to my once svelte (well, fairly svelte) body? I'm running fast by mirrors...

What's new in your life?

 

[Shaheen]

I bought mine a few days back and when I used it I felt quite happy with the quick results but then when I had to clean it, it took a while

 

[lindatooo]

I've had two 'Pampered Chef' garlic presses. Killed the first on a piece of ginger. They're supposed handle ginger but don't. Anyone else have a press that does ginger too?

Don't know about sa garlic press that does Ginger but I've seen it placed in a sandwich bag and whacked with a meat tenderizer and it looked to be effective!

 

[boufa06]

I have a small garlic press but find it inadequate. Prefer to use a granite mortar to pound garlic, ginger, chilli and the likes. If I have a big batch to handle, I will use my hand-held Braun blender.

 

[JDP]

I've had two 'Pampered Chef' garlic presses. Killed the first on a piece of ginger. They're supposed handle ginger but don't. Anyone else have a press that does ginger too?

I have the pampered chef aluminum press and love it. I've had it for years and use it regulary without a problem. As for ginger I peel and freeze it. When I need it I use a fine tooth grater and put it back in the freezer when I'm done. I think it's to fiborous to put through the press

 

[ChefJune]

I use the side of my chefs knife. It works fantastically!

 

[advoca]

Garlic

I have found that there is a different taste to garlic according to how you use it in a fry pan. Finely chopped gives one flavour, crushed cloves with the flat of a knife gives another, and pressed (squeezed) in a garlic press gives another. I prefer fine chopping, myself.

And, of course, baked whole until juicily soft gives yet another flavour.

Is this my imagination?

Incidentally, the press that broke was I think, made in China. Make sure you get a sturdy cast metal (stainless steel).

 

[Snoop Puss]

Hello advoca. I mentioned this in my earlier post. I think they taste different too. I prefer the taste of pressed garlic.