The gadget is required for you to twist it, can you twist it?

If you have or can find a mini size food processor, you can use it to mince the garlic. Sometimes, I'd do it in batches and keep it in a baby food glass container (asked from a friend).

Well, that twisting motion would do me in...
Just lay the clove down on a cutting boarda nd bash it with the flat side of a chef's knife, cut ab oiut 5 slits lengthwise and then chop...is a lot lesst iem that it would take to wash that gizmo you would have smashed garlic.
Or...put half a clove at a time into the garlic press when you use it...
Linda C

Ok, I can see where this is going !

I can smash garlic just fine, it's only when I need minced garlic that I have so much trouble. Yes, I can use the microplane, but that turns it into more of paste. Sometimes I don't need a paste, I want minced garlic! (I guess I'm particular.)

Linda, I appreciate the idea of 1/2 a clove of garlic in the garlic press. In the end, I don't know if it's worth it to drag out the process, since I tend to use way more garlic than that!

I don't know if I can twist it, since I haven't used this gizmo before. It does say it takes little hand strength, but arthur-i-tis isn't friendly, if you know what I mean. If it's easy to put in your palm and twist, it could be an option for me, but it seems like a pricey way to go if it's going to sit a drawer. Darn it...why doesn't someone invent a garlic press you can push down on with a long lever handle? I wouldn't have any trouble at all leaning INTO it!

Several years ago I bought one of those at a head shop - and it served its advertised purpose very well. Who knew it was really meant for garlic!

Hi Claire,

I have a very similar one that Jessy gave me in a swap. I love it and it's very easy to use. It has stainless steel blades though, not polycarbonate. The twisting motion is very effective and I can do 4 large cloves at a time. It's called Garlic Pro E-Zee-Dice.

Hope this helps!
DONNA

foodonastump, How funny! Well, it's nice to know this is...ah...a multi-purpose unit. Great when something can do more than one thing!

So may I ask how easy this would be for someone who finds certain tools difficult to use? As a garlic mincer, does it make the mincing easier than say, using a garlic press? Does it really need little hand strength? What about the fingers?

Donna, I was typing away befoe I saw your reply. Thank you! I'll give yours a try.

claire - I have it and I love it! I have small hands and little strength. I bought mine from Wm Sonoma and the edges are smooth, not scalloped like the pic. First you whack the cloves with the top to remove the skins. I do 1/4 cut if the garlic clove is large to help me turn it. I remove the garlic with the tines of a fork. I use alot of garlic and this is the only thing I use. It is easy to wash. I don't put it in the dishwasher. If it broke, I'd replace it immediately!
foodonastump - I gave one to my son for Christmas & he asked me why I was giving this "paraphernalia" that was used all over Europe for something other than garlic! He had spent a summer over there - I suppose not learning to cook :).

I appreciate the recommendation magothyrivergirl. Thank you, your description helps a lot!

I see they have them at Bed Bath and Beyond, so I'll run by there and see if I can improve my garlic mincing immediately...

I bought one on sale for less than $1. I really like it. I have an aversion to chopping garlic though. It chops it very easily and evenly. I like it way better than a garlic press. We just had in-laws over and they liked it too. I tried to find one for them but had no luck.

Claire, you need a microplane. It is the best gadget for mincing garlic. I've been using microplanes for over 10 years. And it will be easy on your hands too. Doesn't take any strenght.

Ann

Clare: I have this exact same one and it's very hard to turn if you have arthritis in your hands. I use to use it but can no longer.

Clare, you say you don't want a microplane because they make paste. Did you know they have all kinds of sizes of holes. Some are quite large and produce about the same size as a press would. Just a thought in case this gadget doesn't work for you.

I didn't say I don't want a microplane...what I said is that it turns the garlic into paste. Yes, I've used it, and used the others with different sized holes. I was hoping to find something that would mince garlic.

I guess I'll stick with my grunt guy and call it a day.

Thanks everyone.

Claire, Scroll down to the FAQ. It responds to the issue of strength required.

Here is a link that might be useful: Garlic Mincer

Cathy, Thanks! Obviously, I don't know if this would work unless I try it. If I can purchase it close to home, as long as there is a return policy, it seems worth looking into. If I go ahead and put energy into this, I'll come back and let everyone know how it worked for me. I appreciate it!

"I can smash garlic just fine, it's only when I need minced garlic that I have so much trouble."

I don't get it. How do you mince garlic without smashing it?

Here are the steps I follow:

1. With the garlic cloves on the cutting board, cut off tops and bottoms with a heavy chef's knife.

2. Place the knife flat on a clove and smash with the heel of the other hand, which loosens the skin. Smash all the cloves.

3. Remove skins and mince the garlic.

Happily, I don't yet suffer from arthritis. But I don't see this as something which would aggravate it.

Jim

"I don't get it. How do you mince garlic without smashing it?"

Like I do, when I'm feeling particular about my garlic mincing and don't care about wasting time: Peel by rolling in your palms rather than smashing the garlic, slice, julienne, mince.

Claire - I can understand wanting a neat dice. I'm like that with all my veggies, which is why I never use my FP or Pampered Chef chopper to "dice" an onion, nor do I "run my knife" through a pile of neatly diced veggies, etc. Does it make the least bit of difference in the final meal? No, probably not. But we all have our quirks, and I happen to enjoy this particular one of mine!

Jim, if you don't have arthritis, I respect that you wouldn't understand how it could be aggravated by mincing garlic. Oh boy. It's simple questions that sometimes become the most difficult.

By way of explanation (again):

My Grunt Guy uses the garlic mincer/press for me, which takes a lot of hand strength. I have minced garlic with my chef's (or uli) knife, but to get it fine enough requires a fair amount of knife work, especially when I do a lot of it.
None of my microplanes provide me with minced garlic.

When I smash garlic, I lean into it and SMASH. That motion requires the heel of my hand, which is not and never will be a problem for me....whereas mincing it requires fingers, and/or finger strength, which in my case are arthritic.

I write pages every day with a calligraphy pen, just to keep my fingers exercised, without straining them, which is helping. Sadly, it doesn't solve the problem.

Thank you for all your responses.

If you cut your garlic in half and then just twist the gadget (with your palms) back in forth instead of all around you don't have to use your fingers at all. Plus do one clove at a time. After I had a baby, I got very sore joints for about 5 months afterwards and did find it did help a bit after experimenting with it. Even more so, I do hate chopping garlic so that's why I still use and like this little gadget. Unnecessary, yes, but it does work.

cookie, Thanks, that helps. I'll give it a try.

My sisters and I are always buying each other devices for dealing with garlic. I think we all have museum quality collections.The one I have like yours is a nice cobalt blue. The one time I used it I thought it was a pain to get the garlic out but it did the job okay. Good luck because this is a real issue.

I know what you mean about wanting garlic either minced, chopped, crushed, sliced, etc. depending upon what it is being used for. When using garlic with sauteed mushrooms or in a clam sauce for linguini, I like a larger mince. If I am making a marinade, I will use my microplane to turn it into a paste. My mom has very weak hands so I can sympathize with your dilema. But thank goodness for Grunt Guys! lol!