Zulay Kitchen Garlic Press Set Review

The Zulay Kitchen Garlic Press is built for one of the smallest but most frequent kitchen annoyances: getting fresh garlic into a pan without spending a minute mincing it by hand. It is a sturdy press with a roomy chamber and a built-in cleaner, and buyers have made it the #1 in Garlic Presses, with a 4.6-star average from 23,548 ratings. For cooks who reach for garlic several times a week, that kind of popularity is worth a closer look.

What the Zulay Kitchen Garlic Press does

The Zulay Kitchen Garlic Press works the way a good garlic press should, with a few thoughtful extras. You place a peeled clove in the chamber, squeeze the long handles together, and minced garlic is pushed through the holes while the skin stays behind in the chamber. The long handles give real leverage, so the squeeze takes less effort than cheaper presses, and the set includes a built-in cleaner whose raised pins push leftover garlic out of the holes, so you are not picking at them with the tip of a knife.

It also comes with a small peeler tube. Roll a clove inside the tube and the skin slips off, which removes the fiddliest part of the job before you even start pressing. The set also includes a mini brush and a peeler, so the whole routine from whole clove to clean tools fits in a drawer, and the stainless steel is rust-proof and dishwasher-safe for easy cleaning.

What buyers like

Buyers report that the Zulay Kitchen Garlic Press feels solid in the hand, with handles that do not flex under pressure, and that it minces a clove quickly and evenly enough that they reach for it every time a recipe calls for garlic. The amount of force needed gets specific praise from buyers with weaker grips, and the cleaning system is described as genuinely useful rather than a gimmick. Many buyers say it has become a daily-use tool and the set’s second item, the peeler, gets almost as much use as the press itself.

Buyers also like that the parts come apart and rinse clean in seconds, with no motor, cord or assembly, and the price is low enough that replacing it feels painless if you ever need to. It is the kind of kitchen tool that quietly becomes part of the routine.

What to watch out for

There are honest limits. The chamber holds one or two cloves at a time, so cooks who need a whole head of garlic for a big batch will be pressing in rounds. Garlic can also cling to the holes if it is left to dry, so rinsing right after use saves scrubbing later, and the cleaner pins need a quick rinse of their own. Some buyers note the Zulay Kitchen Garlic Press is heavier than a basic plastic model, which is the trade-off for the sturdier handles, and very small or soft cloves can slip around in the chamber instead of pressing cleanly. It is also a single-purpose tool, so if you rarely cook with fresh garlic, it will not earn its drawer space.

Who should buy it

If you cook with fresh garlic a few times a week and want the mincing done in seconds, the Zulay Kitchen Garlic Press is an easy fit for your kitchen. It also makes a practical gift for a home cook who is setting up a kitchen. If you buy pre-minced garlic in jars, or you only reach for garlic occasionally, a knife will do the same job and save you the money. And if chopping is your other bottleneck, our Fullstar vegetable chopper review covers another time-saving prep tool.

As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.