A hinged hand tool with a small chamber and a perforated plate: a clove of garlic goes in, the handles are squeezed and the flesh is forced through the holes as a fine paste. Many models press an unpeeled clove, leaving the skin behind in the chamber. Also called a garlic crusher.
Pressed garlic is finer than minced and releases more of its pungent compounds, so it tastes stronger and cooks faster than a knife-chopped clove; recipes that fry garlic gently as a base often want slices or a coarse mince instead. The press shines where raw or near-raw garlic should disappear into a dressing, aioli or marinade. Rinse it at once, since the paste sets hard in the holes.