3D Printed Tofu Press

Hey Makers! My name is Ash and this is my debut Takeover project as a guest on the blog. In this post, I will be talking about the 3D Printed Tofu Press, a must-have kitchen gadget if you’re a tofu lover!

Inspiration:

Tofu is every non-meat eater’s dream. It packs a mean punch of protein and is so versatile it can be turned into anything: from the best-marinated stir fry topping; to plant-based “fish” (trust me, it’s better than it sounds!); to the creamiest smoothies. Sounds too good to be true?

Well, tofu is made from soybeans and is basically an edible sponge, it comes in water that needs to be pressed out in order for the tofu to firm up and soak up all the delicious flavours you’re trying to cook it into. And this pressing process can be quite annoying.

Anyone who cooks with tofu knows the struggle of trying to hand press it with paper towels or stack heavy kitchen objects on top of a tofu brick, see exhibit A, and then sadly end up with an unevenly squished side, or worse, a pile of broken plates that toppled over.

I enjoy making tofu, but man, that pressing process really puts a damper on my tofu addiction. I learnt about a nifty gadget called a tofu press and found many designs on Thingiverse! Obviously, I’m not the only person who didn’t want to buy one! The press has made preparing tofu easy and manageable. I can now press tofu evenly, without breaking any more plates or dropping a stack of cast iron pots! And my tofu comes out firmer, ready for marinating or crumbing, to be used in stir-fries, miso soup, vegan fish or whatever your heart desires.

Requirements:

First, you will need to download the files from Thingiverse. The diagram on the Thingiverse page shows you how it all fits together. I have also included a list of products used for this project.

Thingiverse Link:
Tofu Press by sifugreg

• Fillamentum PLA Mint
• Creality Ender 5 (Or any 3D Printer)

Instructions:

When slicing you need to add supports for the box and the press top. I suggest printing the press-top on its side as it prints very well, requires minimal support, and much less tidy up is needed.

Post-Printing:

There will be some rough edges that require some sanding and tidying up. Most notably on the box edges which requires a smooth finish for the press-top to slide in smoothly. The designer suggested printing the press top and screw slightly larger if you don’t have finishing tools, however, I kept all my dimensions to the original and managed to assemble it well after some sanding and filing.

1. Place tofu in the tofu box. (Size of tofu differs- in the video I packed in 8 small firm tofu blocks but I usually buy the large soft tofu blocks (roughly 6.5cm x 6.5cm) and fit one block in the box at a time.
2. Place the press plate on top of the tofu in the box. If the tofu doesn’t fill out the entire box, try to centre it in the box so that the weight is placed in the centre of the tofu for even weight distribution.
3. Slide the press top lid in the grooves of the box.
4. Using the screw, tighten it a few turns to gently press down the press plate. The instructions suggested turning once every 20 minutes for 1 hour or leaving in the fridge overnight. Slow and steady will keep your tofu in a nice shape. If you’re impatient like me, then tighten 1 turn every 2-3 minutes. Just a warning, the quicker you press your tofu, the more chance of the tofu crumbling.
5. Place the tofu press over a bowl/sieve to catch the water.
6. Once pressed to the desired firmness, you can now marinade/batter/cook your tofu to your heart’s desire.

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Final Thoughts:

I was incredibly happy with how this design came out! It did require some sanding and filing of the rough edges but once that was done, the press assembled well together and I’ve used it countless times since!

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