My Garlic Press just broke. - Page 3

Food Network Fan · 01-11-2008, 10:06 PM

I think the one I had was plastic. It looks like it's metal but I don't think it is. When I bought it I thought it was light, but it looks like the aluminum baking pans so I assumed that's what it was. That's the thing about Williams Sonoma, most of their things aren't in a package with the details on it.

bakerman · 01-26-2008, 06:38 PM

I had all but given up on garlic presses, my last few were more like garlic juicers, completely useless.

I finally found the Zyliss Suzi deluxe in Linen n' Things today, and I snatched it up, it is an amazing little gadget, I was a little concerned that the wholes were so much smaller than all of the others that I had looked at. I put in a clove of unpeeled garlic, squeezed and it shot out the garlic in the blink of an eye, leaving only the peel behind, I am now impressed.

All of the other presses that I used, if I didn't peel the garlic, I would lose most of the clove, and when I peeled, I would still get less than the whole clove, and more juice than anything.

Makes me wonder, how can one press work so well, and other not work at all? It seems that they are all very similar in design.

MAC

bluejeanz · 01-27-2008, 04:38 PM

Yesterday's ep of 'America's Test Kitchen' had an equipment comparison of garlic presses again. They said the Zyliss, which was the #1 press on the last tests they did, became corroded. Now they showed one that looked pretty bad and they said they used it in their test kitchen, which means they use it 24/7. All I can say is, I still stand by this garlic press and, for home use, it should last a lifetime. Heck, I'll bet you could even pass it down to your grandkids, LOL.

Their #1 pick this time was a Kuhn Rikon stainless steel number that was $35. Their runner-up was a Trudeau for $12 that had cushioned handles and, if you flipped it over, had a rubber thing with teeth that made it self-cleaning.

bakerman · 01-27-2008, 06:29 PM

I wonder if they were using a current model. The one that I bought has a non-stick coating, and if I hand wash it as opposed to the dishwasher, I can't see this finish corroding, I think the finish has changed from what I have read on the amazon reviews, time will tell! The couple of people who complained about corrosion, had their presses replaced by Zyliss no questions asked, being told that Zyliss was aware of the problem and has fixed it with the current models.

This press works so well, that if I had to replace it every couple of years, I would be OK with that.

MAC

bluejeanz · 01-27-2008, 08:08 PM

The guy did say theirs had a non-stick finish but mine is definitely cast aluminum. The head on mine (where the garlic comes out) is scratched a bit and it looks like brushed aluminum there so I know it doesn't have a coating on it.

Chefnot · 01-27-2008, 10:44 PM

It's a pain to clean them. I think we have the one Suzie describes.

bakerman · 01-27-2008, 11:03 PM

That is the main problem that I had with my previous ones. The last one I had was uncoated aluminum (don't know what brand, bought it at a flea market) after the first pressing, the skin adhered to the inside of the crushing chamber, and in the holes, I was never able to get it completely out, it was the strangest thing.

The non-stick coating on this one seemed to make it easy to clean, I didn't use the cleaning tool, just my kitchen scrubber brush on the holes, it worked like a charm.

MAC

Food Network Fan · 01-27-2008, 11:45 PM

I saw one this weekend when we were up in PA so I thought I would give it a try. It's the Pedrini Self Cleaning Garlic Press

bluejeanz · 01-28-2008, 12:26 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bakerman

That is the main problem that I had with my previous ones. The last one I had was uncoated aluminum (don't know what brand, bought it at a flea market) after the first pressing, the skin adhered to the inside of the crushing chamber, and in the holes, I was never able to get it completely out, it was the strangest thing.

The non-stick coating on this one seemed to make it easy to clean, I didn't use the cleaning tool, just my kitchen scrubber brush on the holes, it worked like a charm.

MAC

Even if you didn't have that cleaning gadget that comes with it, you can always use one of those dish brushes on the outside and take a toothpick and smoosh it around on the inside to loosen anything stuck and just rinse it out. I don't have a dishwasher so anything that I put in the sink that needs to be washed, I normally just fill it with water so you don't need a blow torch to get it clean, LOL. When I'm done with my press, I just put it upside down in a bowl of water so the stuff doesn't dry onto it.

radiodugger · 01-28-2008, 09:30 PM

The trick with the Zyliss "Susi", is, clean it immediatley! Don't let it sit, while you finish cooking...you'll be FORVER cleaning those little holes...no, train yourself to clean it right after usage, with the dish brush, yes, that's better than the little tool they give you, but don't lose the little tool, as it comes in handy, if you forget to clean the press...the hard plastic pops thru those holes effortlessly!

Radio Doug