Is A Bacon Press Worth It? Geoffrey Zakarian Gave Us His Honest Opinion

There are some nifty little tools that can transform life in the kitchen. A good bench scraper, a strong silicone spatula, and some kind of garlic chopper or mincer come to mind. There are many who love their olive pitters and fruit slicers too, and if you drink a lot of tea, then an electric kettle is a game-changer. But bacon presses? Those can be a little more hit-or-miss, especially for celebrity chefs. We spoke to television star and restaurateur Geoffrey Zakarian during the New York City Wine & Food Festival, where we asked him for his thoughts on whether investing in a bacon press is a good idea.

It turns out that Zakarian has never even used a bacon press. In fact, he admitted, "I have no idea what that is." If you're in a similar boat, a bacon press is basically an efficient grill press used specifically for bacon. A bacon press is typically made from cast iron or stainless steel, and the idea is that you use it to flatten the bacon against the grill or pan so that it cooks evenly. These presses can be handy accompaniments, but to Zakarian, single-use kitchen tools are more often a waste of money. "Most things are a waste of money," the celebrity chef jokes.

Bacon presses aren't exactly an essential item for home cooks, but they are used a lot in professional kitchens, especially in diners and greasy spoons. They're great for crisping bacon all over and creating a more uniform look. They can significantly speed up the cooking process, too. Many restaurants will also use presses to improve the texture of pre-cooked bacon, but Zakarian doesn't see the need.

Bacon presses are often bulky, so storing them at home can be cumbersome. They're also quite heavy, so it may not be worth bringing one in and out of the pantry just to cook a few slices of bacon. It's also important to remember that cast iron needs to be seasoned, and it needs to be cared for correctly to prevent rusting, which can be a process. Because of this, most bacon presses can't go in the dishwasher, which can be especially annoying for ones with intricate designs.

All in all, a bacon press probably isn't worth it for the average home cook, but some have found other uses for them, such as making ultimate grilled cheeses or smashburgers. At the end of the day though, you might just be better off utilizing a heavy spatula or a smaller pan to do the job instead, or make some crispy oven-baked bacon. Those methods might just be a little more chef- (and Zakarian-) approved.