Mincing garlic for Eric Teng was always a chore, especially when he resorted to using a garlic press.
The Garlic Twist went through 10 generations of prototypes before Eric Teng got it right.
“I became a single parent and had to cook for two of my kids,” Teng said. “I tried using a traditional press but it was such a terrible tool. I had the idea to develop my own product.”
That was 14 years ago. After leaving his previous stint at Enron, Teng tinkered endlessly to develop a way to mince garlic quickly and easily. In theory, the concept was perfect.
“The idea of having two pieces, like a hamburger, and turning it to mince in no time, it came to me right away,” Teng said. Getting it to actually work, however was a whole other monster. “I became so frustrated that at one point I put it down and didn’t pick it up for months.”
The Garlic Twist underwent prototype after prototype—10 generations in fact. One morning, Teng woke up early determined to finally get it right.
“I did some scribbling, drew some waveforms and saw how they cross cut,” Teng said. “Sure enough, it worked.”
And it only took a year and a half to develop.
Garlic Twist minces more than just garlic.
The GarlicTwist features two pieces, whose centers have a row of dull-to-the-touch teeth. Peeled garlic is placed on either side of the teeth, turned and minced to perfection. Garlic isn’t the only animal the Twist dispatches. Ginger for a stir fry, chilies for pico de gallo even a handful of peanuts for a sundae can be had with a few turns of the Twist.
And unlike a garlic press, it’s a breeze to clean. A dunk in soapy water and a quick rinse is all it takes. No need to break out a tooth brush or rev up your dishwasher. Unlike a traditional press, nothing gets left behind.
Since debuting, the Garlic Twist has earned six industry awards from organizations such as Newsweek International, the Cooking Club of America and the International Home and Housewares show. Specialty stores like Tess’ Kitchen Store in Grass Valley can’t say enough great things about Teng’s Twist.
“The Garlic Twist has definitely been my hottest item in years,” Rita Burns, owner of Tess’ Kitchen said. “Our customers buy one for themselves, then come back for 3 or 4 more for gifts.” Tess’ is only one of 1,000 stores across the U.S. that the Garlic Twist can be found in. Every year, Teng sells about 100,000 Twists.
That’s a lot of minced garlic.
Teng, and his company NexTrend are still looking to improve the Garlic Twist, and will soon be unveiling the product’s fourth generation. And it all began with a single dad, looking for an easier way to chop up garlic to make dinner for his kids.
“It’s a very versatile kitchen mincer,” Teng said. “I use it almost everyday.”
