Top 6 Best Tofu Presses in 2022

The best tofu presses

Did your tofu dish come out soggy… again?

If you’ve encountered such a situation, the most likely culprit is inadequate pressing of the tofu.

Most store-bought tofu is filled with water, which helps to keep it fresh. But when you want to get the most, especially with regards to flavor, then you need to drain all that water.

What if I have been using the old school plate and paper towel trick to press my tofu. What do I need a tofu press for, you ask? Well, while this method may have been working for you, it’s extremely tiring and inefficient.

Your tofu will not dry out properly. It will also end up being uneven or worse, cracked. To prevent this, consider investing in the best tofu press. In the following post, we’ve reviewed some top-rated tofu presses on the market.

Best overall

Tired of your makeshift tofu press and are planning to get something better? If so, you should invest in the best there is, the Tofuture’s Tofu Press.

This press boasts of a compact and lightweight design, so it does not take up too much space in storage. It has three components made of plastic but BPA-free. These features include the strainer, the bottom container for collecting water, and the lid.

To use this appliance, all you need to do is put tofu in the strainer, then place it over the bottom container. Next, use the lid to cover, then clamp it down with the handles.

The whole pressing process is very hands-off. There are silicon rubber bands on the handles that control the pressure. Once you attach them to any of the three-level hooks on either side of the press, you won’t need to keep adjusting the pressure.

You can leave the press working its magic and by morning and find you’ll find your tofu ready to cook.

If the bands wear out, you can buy new ones from Tofuture’s website at an affordable price.

The only downside to this tofu this press is the fact that its bands are too tight. This makes it difficult to pull them over the hooks.

Best ease of use

Are you a busy person and are looking for a fast and easy-to-use tofu press? Then, look no further than the EZ Tofu.

Featuring one of the simplest designs, this plate-style tofu press is made using two food-grade plastic plates that are both BPA-free. The plates are connected by a couple of bolts and grommets.

Now all you need to do is adjust the pressure of the press every few minutes. While this may seem a little taxin, it’s worth it as you can have your tofu ready in 15 minutes or less.

The advantage of adjusting the pressure yourself is that you can choose the firmness of your tofu. If you want soft, then simply avoid exerting too much pressure. Conversely, if you want it to be extra firm, keep adjusting pressure till all the water is drained.

Unlike most presses in this list, this EZ press is large enough to accommodate different sizes of tofu, not just the standard size.

That said, there is one major setback with this press. It does not have a drain tray. This forces you to find creative ways to drain the water. Otherwise, you’ll end up with a whole lot of mess in your kitchen. You could opt to press the tofu in the sink, for example, or place it on a bowl or plate.

Best for extra firm tofu

Everybody wants tofu that explodes with flavor when you eat it. The easiest way to achieve this is to ensure that your tofu is extra firm. And, there is no tofu press capable of making that extra firm tofu better than TofuBud.

There’s a lot to love about this press. For starters, it is made of 100% food grade and recyclable material. So it is not only safe for you and your family, but also for the environment.

So what are the other perks of owning the TofuBud press? Well, it can get your Tofu to the desired texture in just fifteen minutes. The two pressure levels allow you to choose the firmness of your tofu; either firm or extra firm.

The press is easy to assemble and use. It also doesn’t require a lot of maintenance and is dishwasher safe.

As a bonus, there is a recipe book filled with tofu ideas included in the package. This is perfect, especially if you’ve just started your tofu journey and need inspiration.

The press has a removable drain that collects all the water coming off the tofu, but you have to be careful when pouring it out.

If you do it too fast, the liquid will leak over the edges and create a mess. Another disadvantage is that this press is pricier compared to others.

Best dishwasher safe

A lot of time and effort goes into food preparation, and this often translates to having a ton of  dirty dishes to clean afterward.

Are you planning to make tofu? Well, you can cross this Tofudee Tofu Press off the list of items you need to clean manually as it’s dishwasher safe.

But this tofu press has more to offer other than just being dishwasher safe. Tofudee claims that their press creates flavor holes, as opposed to cracks. How? It has self-adjusting spring technology that automatically adjusts tension. This helps to avoid pressing the tofu into crumbles, eliminating the need for constant monitoring.

Just cover with the lid, twist the pressure knob at the top and leave the press to do its work. Amazing, right?

Better yet, the tofu press includes a drip tray. This is handy for collecting drained water coming from the tofu.

Moreover, this appliance can also be used as a press for kimchi, cheese, and paneer. You can even use it as a yogurt strainer. The 12-month warranty only serves to sweeten the deal on this tofu press.

The press has one major drawback though; it’s not very sturdy. Therefore, if you prepare tofu a lot, this wouldn’t be an ideal buy for you.

Best affordable

If you are in the market for a tofu press that is both functional and budget-friendly, this Yarkor Tofu Press should be your top choice.

This one is perfectly suited for a newbie, not only because of its affordability but also its ease of use.

Simply, place your tofu in the strainer that sits on a spring attached to the drip tray. Then, cover the whole thing with the provided lid.

The spring will exert pressure on the tofu so as to drain the water. And, your tofu will be ready to cook in 15 to 20 minutes.

Also, you won’t be cleaning up a mess because all that water strained from the tofu collects in a drip tray attached to the press.

Most of the components of this press are made of BPA-free plastic, so you do not have to worry about harmful chemicals slipping into your tofu.

And the icing on the cake? Yarkor offers a 90-day-money-back guarantee alongside a one-year warranty.

This press is not ideal for anyone who likes soft tofu. You cannot control the pressure on this one, so the spring will always exert maximum pressure, creating firm tofu.

Best eco-friendly & BPA free

Are you an environmental enthusiast? Do you avoid using anything that’s made of plastic? If you answered yes to either one of these questions, then the Bamboo Tofu Press is perfect for you!

With this plate-style press, you can have your tofu ready to cook in as little as five minutes. According to the manufacturer, the longest duration this press takes is fifteen minutes.

To use it, place your tofu between the two plates. Then, tighten the screw and bolt on either side to apply pressure and remove water. Keep doing this every few minutes until you get the texture of tofu you want: soft, firm, or extra firm.

Unlike most plate-style presses, this one has an inbuilt drain tray with a large capacity. It can collect most of the water from the tofu, saving you from having to drain it every few minutes.

The downside is that if you like products that are ready to use straight out of the box, this tofu press is not for you. The bamboo comes untreated, and therefore you would have to treat it with oil often to keep it from splitting.

Additionally, bamboo is not dishwasher safe. This means that you’ll have to wash it manually with soap and water.

What to look for in a good tofu press

You can eat tofu in a variety of ways. You can grill it, steam it, use it to make a mousse or a vegetable stir-fry. The list is endless. However, you may not achieve your desired flavor if the tofu isn’t pressed properly. And proper pressing requires you to have a good press.

But a good tofu press is not just one that can press the water out of the tofu. Rather, it’s one that’s capable of applying the right amount of pressure, so your tofu doesn’t wind up flavorless.

Here are a few things you should look for when shopping for a tofu press:

Type of tofu press

Tofu presses are available in two major types, plate-style presses, and box-style presses

• Plate-style presses

They are made using two plates. These can be made of metal, wood, or plastic, and they’re connected using screws or springs.

To drain water from a block of tofu, you would need to increase pressure on the plates periodically using knobs. These presses are fast, and the whole pressing process takes roughly ten to twenty minutes. You can also use them to press blocks of any size and shape.

However, most plate-style presses do not have drainage trays. You need to use them in a sink to avoid creating a mess in your kitchen.

• Box-style presses

With these types of presses, you place the tofu inside a box, and then put a plate over it. The plate provides constant pressure that drains the water from your tofu. You do not have to keep adjusting it with knobs, like with a plate press.

Most of these presses have drainage trays for collecting the water. But on the flip side, they take a longer time to drain tofu properly. They are also not so versatile, as they are only designed to press a regular size rectangular tofu.

Material

How long a tofu press lasts depends on the material used to build it. The most durable ones are those made with stainless steel, bamboo, or wood. Plastic presses are also good, but their durability depends on the scope of work they’re subjected to.  

The same logic applies to the knobs on plate-style presses. They should be made of steel, brass, or bamboo. They also need to be large enough to give you a good grip when tightening them.

Ultimately, the material you choose boils down to your preferences.

Ease of use

Tofu presses are supposed to make your work easy. So, if you’re buying one, ensure that it’s practical and easy to use.

If the appliance isn’t user-friendly, then there’s not much difference between you and the person stuck using a makeshift press.

That said, most people find box-style presses easier to use compared to plate presses. The reason is you only need to set the tofu and wait for the press to do its magic. No need to keep adjusting the pressure.

Drainage tray

Also known as a drip tray, a drainage tray collects the water being drained from a block of tofu. This avoids messes and makes cleaning very easy.

Important to note though is that there are several quality presses that don’t have drainage trays. So it is up to you to decide which one you would prefer.

Maintenance

Yes, tofu presses also require maintenance, something you should consider when buying one. Some are dishwasher safe, and you don’t have to do much in terms of cleaning.

But others require manual cleaning because the material used is not dishwasher safe, or you need to wash between crevices.

Others, like those made of bamboo, require that you treat them with oil every so often to avoid splitting.

Another maintenance aspect is assembly. There are those presses that require you to assemble them after buying, and that means you also have to keep track of all the parts, such as screws, and replace them in case they get lost or broken.

FAQ

Final verdict

If you enjoy tofu every once in a while, a tofu press would be a wise investment. There are numerous options available, which are sure to meet your basic and budgetary needs.

But, if you are interested in the whole tofu-making process and prefer making yours from scratch, there are presses designed for that too. They may cost a little extra than regular presses, but they’re still affordable.

As discussed earlier, there is a variety of presses to choose from in terms of material and even style.