I've crushed as many garlic presses as garlic cloves over the past few years, so my advice is:
- Never buy a plastic garlic press. This was certainly the most worthless kitchen utensil I've ever bought, since the grate already broke on the first clove.
- Never buy a garlic press that looks cheap. That hinge looks like it is going to fail? It will.
- Never buy a garlic press that looks fancy. I bought an Oxo Good Grips with a fancy handle and built in cleaning mechanism. Of course this one also failed at the hinge. Seems to be the pivot point in all garlic presses.
- Buy one that has a straightforward design and looks sturdy. Zyliss makes a good one. Yeah they make good cuckoo clocks, watches and garlic presses in Switzerland
WHEN ALL ELSE FAILS:
Peel the garlic clove. Use the blade of a
knife and press the clove on a cutting board.