The average person eats about two pounds of garlic per year. That amounts to over 300 cloves, and you’ll need somewhere to store all of that garlic.
The best garlic keeper can make garlic last longer. You can stock up on garlic at the grocery store, but you won’t have to use it all at once. Keep reading to learn about the best garlic keeper options.
- Material: Stoneware
- Dimensions (inches): 7 x 5.5 x 5
- Weight (ounces): 29.28
- Material: Ceramic
- Dimensions (inches): 4.5 x 4.5 x 5.5
- Weight (ounces): 12
The Best Garlic Keeper Reviews
If you’re looking for the best garlic keeper for your kitchen, here are a few models to consider.
1. Fox Run Garlic Keeper
- Decent ventilation holes
- Fits a couple of small to medium garlic cloves
- Works well on many counters
- Keeps garlic in a dark environment
- Won’t absorb garlic smell or coloring
- Smaller than average
- Can accumulate fingerprints and kitchen grime
The Fox Run Garlic Keeper is a white ceramic garlic keeper that looks good in any kitchen. It features vent holes near the bottom of the keeper so that air can flow in and out. That way, you can use the lid to protect the garlic from bright light sources.
This keeper can ensure your garlic stays cool and dry, and the ceramic material won’t absorb any smells from the garlic. It also will absorb moisture, so it can make your garlic last longer.
The keeper measures 5.75” by 5.25” by 5.5”, which is the perfect size for the kitchen counter. It can fit a couple of small garlic cloves, or it can fit one larger one. You may be able to fit up to three garlic cloves if you cut one or more of them in half.
The keeper’s opening is about two and a half inches, so individual cloves will need to be smaller than that to go into the jar. However, cutting up cloves to fit can decrease the shelf life even with the help of the keeper.
While you shouldn’t put the keeper in the dishwasher, you can soak it in water and hand wash with soap. Be sure to let the jar dry for about a day to make sure it doesn’t have any moisture that could affect your garlic.
2. Mud Pie Garlic Keeper
- Easy to put garlic cloves in and take them out
- Affordable option
- Fits on and with many kitchen counters
- Works well to preserve garlic
- Keeps light and moisture away from the garlic
- Much smaller than some garlic keepers
- The lid doesn’t completely seal
Another contender for the best garlic keeper is the Mud Pie Garlic Keeper. It’s a ceramic garlic keeper with a cork lid, and it features ventilation holes near the bottom. But some models have the holes closer to the top.
The white color and neutral design make it perfect for almost any kitchen. You can keep your kitchen organized thanks to the embossed “garlic” on the side. And while it is small, that means you can put it in a corner or elsewhere on your kitchen counter.
You can use the cork lid to cover the top of the keeper to prevent moisture and light from getting in. It measures 4.2” by 3.5” by 3.5” on the outside, and the inside diameter is about 2.5 inches.
The keeper can fit small garlic cloves, but you may have to cut up larger cloves to fit through the opening. As long as they can go through the opening, you can put up to three small cloves inside. However, it’s much smaller than some other garlic storage containers.
This garlic keeper is great if you always have a bit of extra garlic. You can’t store a ton of cloves in it, but you can store enough until the next day or week.
3. Norpro Deluxe Stoneware Garlic Keeper
- Fits plenty of garlic cloves
- The opening is wide enough to fit larger cloves
- Neutral color and design looks good in many kitchens
- Has many small holes to help with ventilation
- Affordable choice
- Takes up a lot of space on your counter
- Ventilation holes are a little small
The Norpro Deluxe Stoneware Garlic Keeper is an excellent option if you need to store a bit more garlic. It measures 7” by 5” by 5.5”, and it can hold up to six garlic cloves at once. There are multiple small holes that let air move in and out of the pot.
That way, the garlic can get the air it needs, but the lid and the rest of the jar can keep the garlic from getting too much light. This keeper won’t absorb odors or moisture from the garlic, so you can use it over and over.
You can put this garlic keeper on your kitchen counter, and you can hand wash it between uses. If you need to put it in the dishwasher, you can do that as well. However, you shouldn’t put it in the oven.
The inside diameter is roughly three inches, so you can put small or medium-sized cloves into the jar. It will take up quite a bit of space on your counter, but that can be worth it if you cook with fresh garlic a lot.
The ceramic garlic keeper is durable, and it has a nice gloss finish. Because of that, you don’t have to worry about it getting any stains or absorbing any weird smells. You can put it on your counter and use it to maintain your garlic cloves until you need them.
4. HIC Harold Import Co. Garlic Clove Keeper
- Not too big or too small
- Can fit a couple of small garlic cloves
- The neutral color looks good in a variety of kitchens
- Very affordable
- Protects garlic well
- Can easily develop stains
- Can be hard to get the garlic out
If you want a mid-sized garlic keeper, you should consider the Garlic Clove Keeper from HIC Harold Import Co. It features a few larger ventilation holes near the bottom to help air circulate to reach the garlic.
The design can help keep the jar from getting too humid, but it also won’t dry out your garlic. You can move the keeper with the two handles, and you can place it on your kitchen counter. The lid also helps protect and preserve your garlic.
You can store up to three garlic cloves at once in the keeper, and you can also use it to store ginger or shallots. This keeper will preserve garlic for up to three weeks, and you don’t need to put it in the refrigerator.
If it gets dirty, you can hand wash the keeper then let it dry before putting garlic in it. However, it doesn’t have any glaze or other finish to protect it. But you don’t need a glazed garlic keeper, so that’s not a huge issue.
You can even paint the garlic keeper if you want to, but that’s not necessary. If you do paint it, make sure you use a non-toxic paint that won’t harm the garlic. That way, you can use this ceramic garlic keeper as normal.
5. Joie Terracotta Garlic Keeper
- Fits one garlic clove perfectly
- Looks cute and matches many kitchen designs
- Doesn’t take up much space
- Has decent ventilation holes
- Affordable option
- Doesn’t fit multiple cloves
- Quality control issues
While the other garlic keepers have been ceramic, this one is terracotta. It works the same as ceramic garlic keepers, but it has some differences. This particular keeper is very small and can only hold one garlic clove.
The design is that of a clove, so you can make sure the garlic clove doesn’t get any light. Like other keepers, it does have small ventilation holes on the top so that the garlic doesn’t get too dry. It can also absorb any humidity to keep your garlic fresh.
Because it only fits one clove, you can put the keeper almost anywhere on your counter. You don’t need to dedicate space for a large jar. When you’re ready to use the clove, you can take the top of the keeper off and easily grab the garlic.
This keeper is roughly 2.5” tall and has a 3” diameter. It has the perfect dimensions to fit a large garlic clove, but the top and bottom match up for smaller cloves as well. The outside is a glossy white glaze, which protects the terracotta and looks good on your counter.
You can keep the garlic for a few days to a week with this garlic keeper. However, you should keep it away from kids and pets who may break the terracotta or expose the garlic.
Pre-Purchase Considerations
When shopping for the best garlic keeper, here are some things to consider.
Materials
The most common garlic keeper materials are ceramic, terracotta and stoneware. All three are great for storage on a countertop and at room temperature. If you want to put your keeper in the oven or freezer, you should look for a high-fired stoneware garlic keeper.
However, you shouldn’t need to put your keeper in those extreme conditions. In most cases, your kitchen counter or pantry should suffice.
Finish
You should also consider if a garlic keeper has a porous or non-porous finish. A non-porous is excellent if you want to avoid stains. You can touch the keeper or have it near where you cook without worrying about splatters.
It’s also easier to clean than a porous finish, which will attract stains. If you get a porous garlic keeper, you should keep it far away to avoid stains and other issues.
Glaze
If you want to further prevent stains, the best garlic keeper for you has a glaze. The glaze makes it easy to wipe off fingerprints and things that may stain your container.
You can also put a glazed keeper in the dishwasher, and you won’t have to let it air dry before you put garlic in it. So if you always have garlic but need to clean your keeper, a glazed model is a good option.
Lighting
You also need to make sure your garlic keeper’s lid closes completely. It doesn’t need to seal and be hard to open. However, the lid needs to keep light from getting into the top of the jar.
Garlic lasts longest when you store it in a dark environment, and a proper lid can help with that. It doesn’t matter if the lid is ceramic, terracotta or cork; the best garlic keeper has a decent lid.
While you will usually have ventilation holes that may let some light in, you want to minimize that. If possible, you should choose a garlic keeper that you can fit somewhere away from your kitchen lights.
Airflow
When choosing the best garlic keeper, consider where the ventilation holes are and how many there are. Some keepers have a few large holes near the bottom. This works well because light usually comes from above.
The large holes allow for better airflow, but they’re low enough to not attract much light. However, this isn’t the only design.
Other keepers have more small holes near the top. As long as there are enough holes, the air can still move in and out easily, but the holes shouldn’t be on the top or on the lid.
Size
You should think about how much garlic you need to store at a time. If you keep a lot of garlic on hand, you’ll need a bigger garlic keeper. The same is true if you gravitate toward larger garlic cloves.
If you put a large clove in a small keeper, it will be hard to get it out when you’re ready to use it. But if you keep a few small cloves around, you’ll also need a large garlic keeper.
You should also consider the shape and if your garlic cloves will fit. Many keepers look like teapots, but not all of them. For example, the Mud Pie Garlic Keeper looks more like a standard jar. The Joie Terracotta Keeper looks like a garlic clove.
Design
Along with the size, your kitchen may determine the best garlic keeper design. Most keepers are neutral with an off-white color. The design isn’t usually very wild, so you can choose one that probably matches your kitchen.
You can then place the garlic keeper wherever you choose, and it will look good with the surroundings. But if you can’t find a garlic keeper that looks good with your kitchen, you can store it in the corner or in your pantry.
Price
The cost isn’t a feature like the other things you should consider, but it’s important. You should determine your budget for a garlic keeper. A lot of keepers are relatively affordable, so you shouldn’t have to break the bank.
But you should think about the value you get. It may be worth spending a bit more for a larger keeper to store more garlic cloves. On the other hand, getting a smaller one can be smart if you don’t have much garlic to store.
Frequently Asked Questions
Here are some common questions you may have about the best garlic keeper.
How Do Garlic Keepers Work?
Garlic keepers have special materials and designs that give garlic a cool, dark, dry place. Ventilation holes allow air to flow in and out, and the keeper material helps prevent excess humidity, which can make garlic go bad.
By storing your garlic in a keeper, you can make sure it doesn’t get too much light or moisture exposure. So you can make the garlic last a lot longer than if you left it on your counter.
How Should You Store Garlic?
You can store your garlic and garlic keeper somewhere dark and cool. The ideal storage temperature for garlic is 60 to 65 degrees Fahrenheit, so keep it away from windows and ovens.
If you want to store it in the refrigerator, you can also do that. You can use a stoneware keeper that can go in the fridge, or you can place the garlic in a mesh bag in the crisper drawer. That will keep the garlic smell from reaching your other foods.
How Long Does Garlic Last?
You can store a whole head of garlic for up to about six months in ideal conditions. If you have peeled cloves, they can last for about a week before you need to use them. And if you have chopped garlic, it probably won’t last more than a day.
But before you use garlic in any state, you should check to make sure it’s fine. Discoloration, like yellow or blue, is a sign that the garlic isn’t good to use anymore. And if you see the garlic start to rot, that’s another sign you should toss it.
Choosing The Right Garlic Keeper for You
You can compare many garlic keepers to choose the best one, and you should. The design, materials and size can all affect how you use a garlic keeper. All of the keepers on this list are great, but the Fox Run Garlic Keeper stands out for being an average size and shape.
However, if you want something more unique, consider the Joie or Mud Pie Keepers. You can put them almost anywhere, and their designs will catch your eye.
