A garlic press turns a whole clove into fine, fragrant pulp in one squeeze: no peeling, no chopping board and no garlic smell on your fingers. Most presses work in the same way, so the real choice comes down to what the press is made of and how you want to clean it. This guide compares the two types in the Hi Nature® range, shows which one suits whom and explains how to clean a garlic press properly.
The short answer
- A stainless steel garlic press is the easy everyday choice: after cooking it goes straight in the dishwasher.
- A zinc alloy garlic press is the solid, weighty classic: a quick rinse under the tap and it is ready again, and it comes in a gift box.
Both press unpeeled cloves and both have a built-in drip tray. Here is how to choose.
The stainless steel garlic press: straight in the dishwasher
This is the press for cooks who use garlic most days and would rather not think about the washing-up. Drop in a clove, skin and all, and squeeze. The garlic comes through the grid, the skin stays behind in the chamber, and afterwards the whole press goes in with the plates.
- Best for: everyday cooking, pasta sauces, dressings and marinades.
- Keep in mind: even a dishwasher-safe press cleans most easily when you rinse it straight away, before the garlic dries in the holes.
The Hi Nature® Stainless Steel Garlic Press has a durable stainless steel finish, ergonomic handles and a built-in drip tray. The heavy-gauge build is made to take a firm squeeze, the chamber flips open for cleaning, and it also works for ginger and chilli. It is dishwasher safe and comes with a 2-year guarantee.
The zinc alloy garlic press: solid, weighty and ready to gift
A cast press feels different in the hand. Zinc alloy is heavier and stronger than aluminium, so the handles feel solid when you squeeze. Long handles add leverage, which makes large cloves easy to press.
- Best for: large cloves, cooks who like a tool with some weight to it, and a present for someone who loves to cook.
- Keep in mind: clean this one by hand. Rinse it under warm water straight after use and it is done.
The Hi Nature® Garlic Press is cast in rust-resistant zinc alloy and presses whole cloves with the skin on. A built-in drip tray catches the juice, the chamber flips open for cleaning, and it works for ginger too. It comes in a gift box and with a 2-year guarantee.
Stainless steel and zinc alloy garlic press at a glance
- Material: one has a durable stainless steel finish, the other is cast in rust-resistant zinc alloy.
- Cleaning: the stainless steel press is dishwasher safe; the zinc alloy press is rinsed under warm water.
- What they share: both press unpeeled cloves and have a built-in drip tray and a chamber that flips open.
- Extras: the zinc alloy press comes in a gift box, and both carry a 2-year guarantee.
Which garlic press for which job?
- Garlic nearly every day: stainless steel press, then into the dishwasher.
- Large cloves or a whole bulb for aioli: zinc alloy press, with long handles for leverage.
- Ginger for a stir-fry or a marinade: either press. Cut the ginger into small pieces first.
- Chilli for a sauce: stainless steel press, which can go in the dishwasher afterwards.
- A present for a keen cook: zinc alloy press, because it arrives in a gift box.
- A kitchen without a dishwasher: either press. Both rinse clean under warm water if you do it right away.
How to clean a garlic press properly
- Rinse the press straight after squeezing. Fresh garlic rinses off in seconds, dried garlic sticks like glue.
- Flip the chamber open and take out the skin first. It usually comes away in one piece.
- Push what is left in the holes back out from the outside with a washing-up brush or a cocktail stick, then rinse again.
- The stainless steel press can go in the dishwasher. Wash the zinc alloy press by hand in warm water and dry it with a tea towel.
- Garlic already dried on? Soak the press in warm soapy water for ten minutes, then brush out the holes.
Frequently asked questions
Do you have to peel garlic before using a garlic press?
No. Both Hi Nature® presses take whole, unpeeled cloves: the garlic comes through the holes and the skin stays behind in the chamber. Take the skin out before you add the next clove.
Is a garlic press better than chopping?
It is quicker, and the result is different. Pressing crushes the clove into a fine pulp that tastes stronger and blends into sauces, dressings and marinades. Chopped or sliced garlic is milder and keeps its shape, which is nice when you fry it gently.
Can a garlic press go in the dishwasher?
Only when the maker says so. The Hi Nature® Stainless Steel Garlic Press is dishwasher safe. The zinc alloy press is best rinsed by hand under warm water straight after use.
Can you use a garlic press for ginger?
Yes, both presses work for ginger. Cut it into pieces about the size of a garlic clove and squeeze. The tough fibres stay in the chamber, while the juice and pulp come through.
Conclusion
A garlic press earns its place when it is easy to use and easy to clean. Choose the stainless steel garlic press if you want to put it in the dishwasher, and the zinc alloy garlic press if you like a solid, weighty tool or are looking for a present. Whichever you pick, rinse it straight after use and the holes stay clear.
Related Products from Hi Nature®
Find the garlic press that fits the way you cook:
1. Stainless Steel Garlic Press
- View the product
- Durable stainless steel finish, ergonomic handles and a built-in drip tray. Presses unpeeled cloves, ginger and chilli. Dishwasher safe, with a 2-year guarantee.
2. Garlic Press
- View the product
- Cast in rust-resistant zinc alloy, with long handles and a built-in drip tray. Presses unpeeled cloves and ginger. Comes in a gift box, with a 2-year guarantee.