I’ve been cooking family meals for years and, apart from the monotony of creating a weekly meal planner that keeps everyone happy, daily food prep can become tedious. That’s why I was delighted to try the GarlicZoom — just looking at it will make you smile.
You could be confused into thinking this small kitchen gadget that chops garlic is a toy. It certainly took me back a few years and reminded me of my son's car collections. Its wacky, non-traditional appearance looks nothing like one of the best garlic presses, but I was eager to try it out to discover if the GarlicZoom is fun and functional. What's more, if you have an aversion to getting garlic on your hands, this garlic chopper will keep your fingers odor-free.
Happy cooking, happy kitchens
Unsurprisingly, the GarlicZoom is designed by Chef’n, which creates fun, funky, and functional kitchen gadgets. All products are based on solving problems in the kitchen to make food prep easier and more enjoyable and are designed in-house in Seattle. The company believes that happy cooking makes happy kitchens, and this ethos is evident in the design of the GarlicZoom.
What’s more, the first product designed in the 1980s came from the founder, David Holcomb, who was frustrated with pressing garlic one clove at a time. As a result, he invented the garlic machine that presses and stores garlic cloves at once. The company’s garlic-chopping designs have moved on since then, and it now also boasts a wide range of other problem-solving gadgets, including its Cheese Storage Slice’n Store ($19, Amazon), which is among its best sellers.
The design concept
The Garlic Zoom is a nifty gadget that won’t clutter your kitchen drawers. It’s neat and compact, measuring 2.17 inches in length, 2.56 inches wide, 3.35 inches high, and weighs 3oz.
It’s based on two sections, with the lower part containing the green rolling wheels and gear mechanism that operates the movement of the four blades. The blades are separated in two and positioned 180° apart. The blades and part of the wheel section are enclosed by a clear plastic sphere-like shape, with sides that open at the top to form two flaps. This opening allows you to insert up to three cloves of garlic for chopping. It can also be used to chop other ingredients, such as ginger.
How does the GarlicZoom work?
If your garlic pressing experience only extends to using a traditional press, such as Dreamfarm’s Garject Garlic Press, you might wonder how the GarlicZoom works. Fear not; it is simple to use, and when you’ve used it once, you’ll be on a roll the second time. Excuse the pun. Here's how it works:
1. Add the garlic cloves inside the body. Once inserted, close the flaps securely.
2. Place the GarlicZoom, wheel side down, on a chopping board or countertop. The garlic won’t escape, so placing it on a countertop is fine. Then, placing your hand on the top section of the gadget, roll it forward and backward in a regular motion. As a guide, I moved the GarlicZoom forward between 4 and 5 inches before reversing the device.
3. Repeat the action until the garlic is the desired chopped consistency. The capsule is clear, so you’ll easily see the progress the chopper is making and how long it will take to repeat the action. The more garlic you add, the longer it will take to chop.
4. Reopen the top flaps and tap the garlic out onto a surface. Give it a few more taps to release all of the garlic. Removing the blade section (the bottom half) may also help. You can do this by aligning the blades vertically and gently squeezing the center of the wheels to release the bottom section. If you don’t succeed, it’s likely the blades aren’t in the correct position.
5. Now that the GarlicZoom has been used, you can clean it. Again, it’s best to take the two sections apart and rinse them under running water to remove any remaining garlic before washing them in warm suds. Ensure the gadget is completely dry before reassembling. It is also dishwasher safe on the top rack.
What's the catch?
One issue with garlic presses and choppers is that it can always be a bit tricky to remove the last remnants of the chopped cloves, although this isn’t such an issue with the Joseph Joseph Garlic Rocker, as its minimal design means there is one part to clean. However, with the GarlicZoom, as long as you take the gadget apart, you shouldn’t have a problem cleaning it.
Another potential issue is the blades, which traditional garlic presses don’t have. So, if you are cooking with young children, who might be excited to use the GarlicZoom — because who wouldn’t be, whether you’re a child or an adult — then make sure they are supervised. I advise against them inserting the cloves or cleaning the gadget, but there’s no reason why they can’t use the rolling motion to chop the garlic.
You might also find that your garlic takes longer to chop than it would if you were using a garlic press. But, a few extra seconds is a no-brainer when you're having so much fun.
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