Say Yes to Garlic with the Pampered Chef Garlic Press

Garlic adds wonderful flavor to all kinds of foods- soups and stews, stir fries, marinades, sauces, dips, and all kinds of meat. If you enjoy cooking with fresh garlic, the Pampered Chef garlic press is a must have tool for you because it saves time and is easy to use.

When I attended my first Pampered Chef show, I heard several people rave about the company's garlic press. As a dedicated garlic powder user, I must admit I was a little skeptical to invest in it but decided it was worth a try. Now, a few years later, the Pampered Chef garlic press and fresh garlic are staples in our kitchen.

It is an incredible time saver. Chopping garlic can be time consuming, and leaves you with a pungent knife and cutting board. A garlic press is much quicker and produces crushed garlic instead of inconsistently sized pieces that may not cook evenly. With most other garlic presses, the garlic must be peeled before it can be pressed, which can leave you with bitter smelling hands. Peeling is not necessary with the Pampered Chef garlic press. Instead, all you have to do is pull a clove or two off the bulb, place it in the press, and squeeze down on the handle. The handle is even contoured so it fits into your hand nicely and is easy to squeeze hard enough to get every bit of garlic out. We also use ours to crush ginger root for stir fries and other Asian dishes.

Garlic presses can be difficult to clean; this is not so with the Pampered Chef garlic press. It comes with a handy tool that is designed with small prongs to help clean out the holes on the press and also has a special arm for removing the leftover peel. Both the tool and the press are dishwasher safe, making clean up even quicker. Also, the cleaning tool conveniently snaps onto the press for easy storage. This was a major selling point for me- I knew the cleaning tool would be lost forever in our utensil drawer otherwise.

Priced at $15.75 plus shipping, the Pampered Chef garlic press is slightly pricier than one you'd pick up at WalMart or Target. However, it is well worth the extra expense, especially if you and your family are garlic lovers. It is easy to use and easy to clean. If there is one kitchen utensil I couldn't live without, it is definitely the Pampered Chef garlic press.