(3 pack) Mainstays 7 inch Ergonomic Lightweight Black Garlic Press with Built in Slider and Metal Plate.

I got the garlic press and thought it was not going to work well (my husband always picks poor quality kitchen tools). Initially, when I used it, I thought the handle was too weak, but it was actually performing exactly as it should. I’m just so used to having to squeeze my garlic press so hard to get it to work, that it didn’t seem normal not to, but this doesn’t require all that. I was actually surprised at how easily it worked. I loved the scraper feature it had built into the face of the press. I have never seen any press do that and I’ve always used a knife to scrape the face of the garlic press. I thought that was some insightful ingenuity at work. The press was mostly plastic except for the face, which was hinged in such a way that allowed it to swing out of the tool so the garlic wasn’t inside an inaccessible hole that you had to use a tool to probe into. That was handy because we all know you can never squeeze all the garlic through in one squeeze. It seems that every issue that could be encountered while using this garlic press was addressed in the design phase and the result was this perfectly manufactured and useful tool. I don’t know how I went so many years without having one in my kitchen or why it took so long to invent one. All I know is I am glad I got this one and I would recommend it to anyone that they get one.

I have always bought jars of minced garlic because I am too lazy to purchase fresh garlic and mince it myself. My daughter-in-law kept telling me that fresh garlic is so much better than jarred garlic. To be honest, once it is cooked into a meal, I cannot distinguish a difference in taste. However, admittedly, an immense feeling of satisfaction comes from using completely fresh ingredients. It makes me feel like a real chef rather than someone who considers mac and cheese to be a delicacy. I really thought the garlic press would be challenging to use and require more strength than I want to dedicate to any meal, but I was plenty surprised. The garlic press itself is very lightweight, and it didn’t take too much effort for me to squeeze it and mash my garlic—even with my tennis elbow flaring up. After mashing it, as expected, there was a lot of garlic left on the press; however, I slid the red plastic slider across the metal, and the extra mash dropped right off. When I was done using it, the garlic press was easy to clean. I just rinsed it off in my sink and threw it in the dishwasher. (Not so pro tip: rinsing it off right away is much easier than leaving it in the sink for another day). I would call this product a total win!