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This question got me thinking about "garlic keepers" or "garlic jars" which are a gift item in the US and probably elsewhere (see photo). My question is:

Do garlic keepers actually provide any measurable benefit in garlic preservation, longevity, flavor while ageing, or other storage factors?

My belief has always been "no", but I'm willing to be persuaded based on evidence. Ideally, this would take the form of an article citation or personal head-to-head test (pun intended).

(I've done some searching on this topic, and all of the accounts of the benefits I've found come from garlic keeper makers, which are therefore not trustworthy)

picture of typtical ceramic garlic jar

FuzzyChef
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No citation, so not a 'real' answer; but common sense would say, "It's got air holes & it's dark" which makes it better than a sealed jar or glass jar.

Whether it's better than the cellar, outhouse or salad crisper in your average modern fridge… well, it looks pretty ;-)

Tetsujin
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    Ha! Yeah, agrees with one potter I know who makes them: "Now, it’s no better than a paper bag in the closet except that it is right there on the counter and more aesthetically pleasing." – FuzzyChef Sep 16 '19 at 18:27
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    I agree, the general advice is dark, cool (but not in fridge), whole...these devices are simply designed to look decent on the countertop. Though, if someone has one, I like the idea of a "head to head" test. I just don't keep garlic around that long. If I had to make it last months, it certainly would not be on the countertop in my kitchen. I would hang it in the coolest part of my basement. – moscafj Sep 16 '19 at 19:01
  • Yeah, I harvest around 4 dozen bulbs a year from my garden, and they get woven into braids and hung in the basement. – FuzzyChef Sep 16 '19 at 20:27