Tofu is a great product. It is also known as bean curd and with the spreading of the vegan lifestyle, it gained huge popularity due to all its nutritious properties. And even though tofu might seem like a new trendy thing, it was originally invented in China more than 2000 years ago. If you are a vegan, you should check this list of important tools.
Tofu contains twice more protein as meat, it is fully vegan, raw, and low in calories. It has a little bit of specific taste if you eat it uncooked, but that’s its main thing – you can add any sauce and make it taste in the way you want. It can also be roaster or fried – but those kinds of tofu already have a more specific flavor, so try it before buying.
Tofu is a food prepared by coagulating soy milk and then pressing the resulting curds into solid white blocks of varying softness. After it is ready, it is being the resulting curds into solid white blocks of varying softness. So as you can see, you can make your own tofu at home if you want. You even can make your own soy milk and enjoy home-made delicious food.
You’ll need water, 3 cups of dry soybeans and 2 TBSP of salt. You can easily find the recipe on the Internet. The only thing, when you’ll be finished, you will need a good tofu press to get the traditional chunk of this product in the solidity that you need.
In this article, we collected the most convenient and easy to use tofu press from which you can choose one to make a perfect bean curd!
Our Top Pick Tofu Press
Other great tofu press
1. Tofu Press by Tofuture
Stylish, effective and inexpensive. What else to look for in a good product? Especially if it’s a tofu press. In addition to that, this model will be extremely helpful for the people who travel a lot – it is highly portable. Its bright green and white colors will surely add the positive vibe to your mood while you’re making your bean curd.
One of the great things about the Tofuture Tofu Press is the fact that it is made from BPA-free plastic. Moreover, it is totally safe for a dishwasher and it has grooved handles on either side for an easy grip.
However, this item is quite fragile so try to be careful with it, otherwise, you can break the handles. Remember that if you break them, then the whole press will be out of use. It comes with bands that work in conjunction with the handles.
What you need to do here, is to simply push down the handles to remove the water from freshly created tofu. By the way, while doing that, remember to apply a lot of pressure. During the process, the water drains into the outer container so you won’t need any additional vessels or any cleaning afterward.
In general, it is a lightweight and compact press that won’t occupy too much space on your refrigerator’s shells. However, if you want to make bigger sizes of tofu, you should look for a more spacious model.
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2. Raw Rutes – Tofu Press
Now we’re moving on to something serious and durable. This tofu press by raw rates works efficiently and at the same time, it is quite easy to use, which makes it a good choice even for the beginners. Besides, it is made of stainless steel which guarantees its long life and resistance to damages. By the way, the product has a lifetime warranty.
Removing the excess water is easy with this press and the shape of the block will stay retained. And unlike the previous item, this one is totally suitable for those who want to make large portions of tofu. There will be no need to cut or reshape the tofu to fit. Simply place the block inside, put on the lid and push down the level.
Another convenient feature of this tofu press is that it has a big level in the center of the lid which is easy to grip. The only aspect here is that it comes without the tray so you need to hold it above the sink while pressing. And just like the case with the previous tofu press, here you will need to apply lots of pressure to remove the water.
Actually, it’s a rare case when the tofu press doesn’t require much strength to apply for it. It may be the product for making the tofu, but it won’t do the whole job for you – so if you feel like you’re not too strong it’s better to ask someone around to help you for better results.
Considering all the other aspects, it’s a great tool to make your own tofu. It will serve you for a long time. Apart from that, there is a possibility to choose this press in two variants of design: the Ninja and the Sumo. The Ninja is more of a straight shooter, with sleek sides and a black knob. The Sumo has a laser-cut design on the sides and a red knob.
By the way, for all of those who are concerned about the natural impact of the production, then Raw Rutes makes its tofu presses 40 percent of the recycled materials. And you can use this press not only for the making of tofu but for milk-based cheeses as well.
3. Gourmet Tofu Press
In case you are looking for a more versatile tool, then this tofu press will be an excellent choice for you. Well, it’s not only the tofu press, but it’s also suitable for making vegan yogurts (that’s just an example). Also, you can make yogurt with a special device. What is more important, this is that kind of the press that doesn’t require applying tremendous efforts to actually extract the product.
The mechanism of it is constructed in a way that you can do that effortlessly. It also erases the problem when the product comes too overpressed or misshapen. And this item has a built-in tray to collect all the excess water that will occur in the process.
This tofu press will work best for the beginners. It is easy in usage and it doesn’t require too much effort to clean. Another bonus here is that it comes with a recipe book in the set, that will give you some tips on how to make your tofu (or another product you’re making with this press) better.
The one significant disadvantage of this tool is its small size, It’s perfect for smaller portions, but for those who would like to get a bigger amount of product – it’s not suitable. But the thing that can decrease the inconvenience is its easiness in usage so you can make new portions over and over.
By the way, you should also keep in mind before making some specific product except tofu is that the pressure here cannot be adjusted.
4. The Original Simple Tofu Press by TofuPresser
This option will be the best choice for those who are looking for a traditional tofu press without any extra features. The Super Tofu Press comes with two plates with screw clamps on either side. Simply put the tofu inside and adjust the clamps to squeeze out the excess water.
The construction of this item consists of BPA-free plastic plates and food-grade stainless steel bolts. The press has recommended itself as a durable and reliable product because of its construction. With proper care, it can last a lifetime. And even though it is officially a tofu press only, it is also can be used to press vegetables.
The press uses four-spring technology to make it compatible with a firm and extra-firm tofu. Here if you apply even a small amount of pressure, even the fresh and soft homemade tofu will become firm enough to fry. Will the product you will get you will also be able to make salads, sandwiches, and a wide range of other dishes.
Obviously, this item comes without a tray so make sure to place this press over the bowl or the sink before extracting the water. The press is manufactured in the US and has quite an affordable price.
5. EZ Tofu Press
The item is extremely similar to the previous one, but its main feature is that it extracts the water exceptionally well from the tofu. Just like the previous item, it has a classic construction of a tofu press. The usage of this item is simple as well. All you need to do is to place the tofu blocks and apply some pressure.
Here the adjustment of the pressure is more mechanical. Each plate has a screw and bolt at the side that can be tightened to remove the water. Remember to do regulate the pressure right, otherwise, your tofu can crumble under the plates. Normally, it should take you only a couple of minutes to make a good tofu.
In the center of the lower place, there is a special mark that allows you to place your tofu right in the center without any measuring. When you are applying the pressure you should tighten the knobs every two-three minutes. To release the tofu back, you just place the press back on its feet and loosen the screws.
By the way, one of the advantages of this press is that it doesn’t have any limiting borders so you can produce large chunks of tofu with it. The only thing you need to remember is where you are going to collect the water after the press – it doesn’t have any container or tray.
The possible drawback of this tool is that once again, you might have to apply lots of pressure.
6. Mangocore Tofu Press
This tofu press looks different from the previous ones and you might wonder why. The main thing about it is that this item is totally environmentally friendly. But it doesn’t diminish its properties – on the opposite, it is a great tool for the tofu making. In addition to that, it is incredibly affordable.
It is also lightweight and easily portable. It is made of food-grade plastic. This particular mold kit measures 5.6 inches x 4.5 inches x 3.7 inches. And don’t worry that it’s going to eject some weird odors or toxins harmful for the health – the tests have shown that even heated, it doesn’t have any of these negative aspects.
Moreover, it has a sturdy and durable construction. In fact, this is not only the tofu press alone, but in the set which is coming together with it includes the cheesecloth. This gives you the possibility to branch out a little. Both cheese and tofu will be perfectly molded and delivered at a pleasing consistency. The only negative aspect of that cloth is that it’s extremely thin – be careful while using it.
And for those who wanted to create extra-large portions of Tofu – this is your choice! This item is capable of producing really big chunks of tofu and cheese. Moreover, here two batches of soy milk can be used at the same time. This feature helps you to save time dramatically while making tofu or cheese.
And here you should also keep in mind that this press is not for the weak people. To extract the tofu, you will need to apply a lot of pressure.
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7. Simple Drip Tofu Press
This is a bigger item and it has more functions. It is similar to the traditional tofu presses, but in this case, we have a full metallic construction and an additional tray for the water extracted. Yes, this is an option for those who don’t like all that hassle with searching the right vessel to collect the water – but be ready for it’s going to have a bigger price as well.
The drip tray is attachable and when it’s full, you can release it and clean. The size of this product is 3 width and 0,5 inches in height. It has the barrels made of the stainless steel and plates made of the BPA-free plastic. The handles are placed on the top and they are easy to turn.
Another great feature of this press is that you don’t need to apply strong pressure to get your tofu. Moreover, being a classic-size model, it allows you to make big portions as well as the smaller ones. At the same time, it is compact enough to be placed in a refrigerator.
The wholes under the lower tray are precisely aligned to process the water to the tray. In general, it is a great product designed to make the tofu making process as easy as possible. Hundreds of reviews of satisfied buyers are confirming that, so if you want to have the next-level tool for tofu making, you should go for this one.
FAQ for tofu press buyers
1. How does a tofu press work?
A tofu press works by applying pressure on to a block of tofu squeezing out the water in it. The press has two flat plates, and the block of tofu is placed in between the two plates, which are then mechanically driven towards each other with a torsion knob.
Other tofu press designs rely on a dish like contraption with a small dish that fits into the larger one. The block of tofu is placed in the larger dish, and the small dish is placed on top of the block, and force is applied to push it downwards. The water escapes via small holes at the bottom.
2. What exactly does the tofu press do?
A tofu press squeezes a block of tofu to extract the water in it, making the tofu firmer.
3. How long does it take to make tofu?
A standard tofu press requires about 15 to 45 minutes to drain a 100 g block of tofu. If you are using a press that you did yourself and that relies on weights, you will have to allow it about 1 to 4 hours.
4. How to press tofu so I wouldn’t break the press?
If you are not sure about the robustness of your press, then you should go for applying gradual force on the tofu press. Use the tension screws to progressively and evenly bring the plates together. The process will have more uniform results if you place the block of tofu at the center.
5. Do I need a tofu press at all?
If you eat tofu often and you like to create things yourself then tofu press is a good investment. While there are other ways to get the job done, a tofu press makes it much easier and faster to drain the tofu.
In case you don’t have one you can rely on, you can work with the equipment that’s available in the kitchen such as cutting boards, heavy skillets, and paper towels.