Okay, so what about a garlic press? Do you really need this single-use tool in your kitchen or is it just taking up precious space?

What is a garlic press?

This metal hand-held tool kind of looks like a nutcracker. To use it, place a peeled garlic clove in the device, swing the arm around, and squeeze. Voila! Fresh and finely grated garlic emerges from a grid of small holes, ready to use in your cooking.

The gentle pressure crushes the clove into small, soft pieces, releasing the delicious flavor and aroma of this beloved ingredient, says Emily Kyle , RDN.

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Should you get one?

Let me be real for a second: prepping garlic can be a pain, not to mention sticky and stinky. If you wince at the mention of mince in a recipe, or you arent super-confident in your knife skills, a garlic press may be a good tool for you.

A garlic press can make enjoying fresh garlic quick and easy, enhancing the overall flavor of your meal, says Kyle. If a recipe calls for a large quantity of garlic, the gadget can also make it easier to prep your ingredients faster.

And if using a garlic press means youre incorporating more of the aromatic ingredient into your cooking, that can be a good thing. Garlic is a heart-healthy superfood with many beneficial anti-inflammatory and immune boosting properties, says Kyle. Research demonstrate that garlic has the potential to decrease risk of cardiovascular disease by increasing blood vessel flexibility. The sulfur-containing compounds in garlic also may be beneficial to the upper digestive tract and the stomach.

Where can you buy a garlic press?

If you're all set on buying a garlic press, but don't know where to begin, check out some of the best garlic presses on the market:

Before you commit, consider how you prefer to use garlic in your cooking. Do you prefer finely grated garlic? Look for a garlic press with smaller holes. If smaller cubes of garlic are more your jam, opt for a press with larger holes. Whichever one you pick, get ready for your cooking prep to get a whole lot easier.