OXO Good Grips Stainless Steel Garlic Press Review
Crush whole, unpeeled cloves with zero hand strain — then pop it in the dishwasher.
Throw an unpeeled clove in, squeeze once, and you're done. No peeling, no garlic-fingers, no wrestling with a flimsy hinge.
What it is
This is OXO's metal upgrade over its older plastic-bodied press. The whole thing is stainless steel, with the brand's signature soft, grippy handles so your palm isn't biting into thin metal edges while you bear down. It typically runs about $15 to $25 on Amazon.
The headline trick is that you don't have to peel the garlic first. Drop a whole clove in the hopper, press, and the skin stays behind in the chamber while the crushed garlic comes through the holes. For anyone who hates the sticky, smelly ritual of peeling cloves one by one, that's the whole pitch.
How it performs day to day
It crushes with very little hand strain, which is the part owners consistently rave about. The large, cushioned handles give you leverage, so even big or tough cloves go through without you grimacing. People with arthritis or weaker grip strength tend to single this one out for that reason.
Cleanup is genuinely the best part. There's a built-in piece on many OXO presses that helps you scrape spent skins out, and the whole thing is dishwasher safe. Garlic gunk does cake into the little holes if you let it dry, so a quick rinse right after use saves you trouble later. Built-in brush or not, a stiff dish brush clears the plate in seconds.
It's heavier and more substantial than the plastic version, and that weight reads as quality rather than bulk. The hinge feels solid, and there's no creaky flex when you clamp down on a stubborn clove.
The downsides
Yield is the honest complaint. Press a clove and a fair amount of garlic stays stuck in the chamber, so you're leaving some behind unless you scrape it out. If you're trying to mince a head of garlic for a big batch of sauce, you'll be reloading a lot, and a knife or a Microplane is faster.
It also takes up more drawer space than a slim tool, and at this price you can find no-name presses for half the cost. Whether the OXO premium is worth it comes down to how much you value the easy squeeze and the durability, both of which the cheap ones skimp on.
Who should buy it, and who should skip it
Buy it if you cook with garlic a few times a week and want the lowest-effort path from clove to crushed. It's a smart pick for anyone with limited hand strength, and a safe gift because the brand's reputation for not breaking is well earned.
Skip it if you mince large quantities regularly, or if you're the type who prefers the flavor and control of a knife. Heavy-volume cooks and minimalists who hate single-use gadgets won't get their money's worth.
The verdict
This is the press to get if you want one that just works and lasts. It earns its slightly higher price with comfortable leverage, no-peel convenience, and dishwasher cleanup. The wasted garlic in the chamber is the one real annoyance, and it's not enough to knock it off the top spot for most home kitchens.
Frequently asked questions
- Do you really not have to peel the garlic first?
- Correct. You can drop a whole, unpeeled clove into the hopper and press. The crushed garlic comes through the holes while the skin stays behind in the chamber, which you then toss out.
- Is the OXO garlic press dishwasher safe?
- Yes, it's dishwasher safe. For best results, rinse it right after use so garlic doesn't dry and cake into the small holes before it hits the dishwasher.
- Is the stainless steel version worth more than the plastic OXO press?
- If durability and a premium feel matter to you, yes. The stainless model is heavier and sturdier. If you press garlic only occasionally, the cheaper plastic version still does the job fine.
Marcus has spent over a decade testing consumer tech and gadgets. He cares about whether a product earns its price in real life — not on a spec sheet.
