This Genius Kitchen Tool Just Transformed My Cooking

I’m not someone who believes in regret. Sure, I should probably have bought Netflix stock in 2006, and I do wish I’d visited Faviken before it closed in 2019 — but, on the whole, I don’t often wish I’d done things differently. That said, occasionally, I’ll encounter something in my cooking that makes me wonder what my life could have been like if I’d found it sooner. 

Such was the case with a recent addition to my collection of kitchen gadgets. As someone who cooks mainly plant-based dishes at home and thus prepares an incredible amount of tofu on a weekly basis, I’ve had my tofu routine squared away for the better part of a decade — or, at least, I thought I did. Then, I bought a tofu press, and it completely changed my tofu game entirely. I wish I’d bought one 10 years ago.

Tofuture Tofu Press

I always gave little thought to tofu prep — no extraneous gadgets or techniques necessary, just the basics. Like many, I’d balance a cutting board or plate precariously on the edge of the sink, stacking bowls, pots, or pans on top of a tofu block to press out some water and prime it for baking, roasting, stir-frying, or even becoming a sauce. It was a very space-consuming endeavor and, frankly, was not super efficient in squeezing much water from tofu. But it’s what I’d read about in multiple books, so I never considered another way. 

One day, while browsing our website, I encountered a story about the best tofu presses and was intrigued. I wondered if this kitchen tool could improve not only my prep but also the cooking, flavor, and texture of my tofu. Our testing editors thought so, so I ordered the Tofuture tofu press.

On first use, I was shocked at how different the experience was. The press measures 6 x 5 x 3 inches, meaning it takes up a little more space than an actual package of tofu does. Being able to avoid the cutting board and balancing pots was exciting, to say the least. The press comprises three pieces: a base that acts as a reservoir for water, a colander for the tofu, and a top that uses stretchy bands (with three intensity settings) to hook it all together. The top also has two handles that you push closed, effectively putting enough pressure on the tofu to extract water but not enough to break it apart. I was most worried about this aspect, thinking I would end up destroying my tofu. 

After 20 minutes of pressing, I can typically remove a fairly drained block of spongy tofu that’s primed for roasting, stir-frying, or air-frying. The instructions say you can press for an hour for a pretty firm texture, and after four hours, it should be very firm, reducing about half its size. I love how versatile this simple tool is and what a monumental difference it makes. 

The tofu I’ve been making recently cooks and tastes better. It roasts to a firm, flavorful finished product and maintains some real sponginess when I do a scramble. As a professional kitchen gear tester, I live for moments like this. I love discovering something new that actually changes the way I cook and eat. Let this be a reminder to all of us that even if you do something for years in a way you consider effective, it can be highly worthwhile to stay open to other ideas.

Shop More Tofu Presses

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Yarkor Tofu Press

At the time of publication, the price was $21 with a coupon.