I’ve been cooking family meals for years and aside from the monotony of creating a weekly meal plan that keeps everyone happy, daily meal prep can get tedious, so I was excited to try out the GarlicZoom – just looking at it puts a smile on your face.
You might think this little garlic chopping kitchen appliance is a toy. It certainly took me back a few years and reminded me of my son’s car collection. Its crazy, unconventional appearance doesn’t look like one of the best garlic pressesbut I was keen to try it out to see if the GarlicZoom was fun and functional. And if you’re not a fan of garlic on your hands, this garlic chopper will keep your fingers odor-free.
Happy cooking, happy kitchens
Not surprisingly, the GarlicZoom was designed by Chef’n, a company that makes fun, quirky and functional kitchen gadgets. All products are based on solving problems in the kitchen to make food preparation easier and more enjoyable, and are designed in-house in Seattle. The company believes that happy cooking creates happy kitchens, and this ethos is evident in the design of the GarlicZoom.
Plus, the first product, developed in the 1980s, came from founder David Holcomb, who was frustrated with having to press garlic clove by clove, so he invented the Garlic Machine, which presses and stores garlic cloves simultaneously. The company’s garlic slicing machines have evolved since then, and they now also offer a wide range of other problem-solving devices, including the Cheese Storage Slice’n Store ($19, Amazon), which is one of their best sellers.
The design concept
The Garlic Zoom is a convenient device that won’t clutter your kitchen drawers. It’s neat and compact, measuring 2.17 inches in length, 2.56 inches in width, 3.35 inches in height, and weighs 3 ounces.
It consists of two parts, with the lower part containing the green rolling wheels and the gear mechanism that controls the movement of the four blades. The blades are split into two parts and spaced 180° apart. The blades and part of the wheel section are enclosed in a ball-like shape made of clear plastic, the sides of which open at the top to form two flaps. Through this opening you can insert up to three cloves of garlic for chopping. You can also use it to chop other ingredients such as ginger.
How does GarlicZoom work?
If you only have experience with pressing garlic, such as Garject garlic press from Dreamfarmyou might be wondering how GarlicZoom works. Don’t worry, it’s easy to use and once you’ve used it once, you’ll be all over it the second time. Excuse the pun. Here’s how it works:
1. Place the garlic cloves inside the body. Once you have inserted them, close the flaps tightly.
2. Place the GarlicZoom on a cutting board or countertop with the wheel side down. The garlic won’t escape, so you can safely place it on a countertop. Then place your hand on the top of the device and roll it back and forth in a regular motion. As a guide, I moved the GarlicZoom forward between 10 and 12 cm before flipping the device over.
3. Repeat the process until the garlic is the desired minced consistency. The capsule is transparent so you can easily see the progress of the mincer and how long it will take to repeat the process. The more garlic you add, the longer it will take to mince.
4. Open the top flaps again and tap the garlic on a surface. Tap a few more times to release all of the garlic. It may also help to remove the blade section (the bottom half). You can do this by aligning the blades vertically and gently squeezing the center of the wheels to release the bottom section. If this doesn’t work, the blades are probably not in the right position.
5. After the GarlicZoom has been used, you can clean it. Again, it is best to take the two parts apart and rinse them under running water to remove any garlic residue before washing in warm soapy water. Make sure the unit is completely dry before reassembling. It is also top rack dishwasher safe.
What’s the catch?
One problem with garlic presses and mincers is that it can always be a bit difficult to remove the last remnants of the chopped cloves, although this is not such a big problem with the Joseph Joseph Knoblauch Rockerbecause the minimalist design means there is only one part to clean. However, with the GarlicZoom, cleaning should not be a problem as long as you take the device apart.
Another potential problem is the blades, which traditional garlic presses don’t have, so if you’re cooking with young children who might be excited to use the GarlicZoom – because who wouldn’t be, child or adult – make sure they’re supervised. I don’t recommend letting them insert the cloves or clean the device, but there’s no reason they can’t mince the garlic using the rolling motion.
You may also find that it takes longer to mince the garlic than it does with a garlic press, but a few extra seconds are a breeze when you’re having so much fun.
