What does the garlic press have to do with the bicycle? The inventor of the kitchen utensil, a Swiss bicycle mechanic by the name of Karl Zysset, was inspired by the principle of the brake lever.
Whether it’s a fondue, a hearty risotto or an Indian lentil curry, garlic adds a certain depth and zest to many dishes. But its in- tense flavour isn’t always what you want – if you like to cook with fresh garlic, you might want to go to the soap dispenser a couple of times after chopping it to get the strong lingering smell off your hands. The garlic press is faster and more practical: simply put the whole clove in, squeeze the handle and job done.
This clever chopping aid is a Swiss invention found in house- holds all over the world – reason enough to dedicate a place in the set on Swiss inventions to this successful kitchen utensil (after the hook and loop fastener in 2023, the Barryvox in 2022 and the Menzi Muck in 2021).
Everything under control
The history of the garlic press begins at the end of the 1940s, when Karl Zysset (1907–1988) is running a bicycle shop in Lyss (BE). In 1948, inspired by the principle of the handbrake, he tinkers with ideas for a tool for pressing garlic cloves. The curved handle on his first model is made of aluminium and is held in
the hand in the same way as the bicycle brake levers of the time. The difference: “For the brake, the force from pressing together
is transferred to a bowden cable. For the kitchen utensil, it’s dif- ferent – the leverage force acts directly on the space between the two opposing pieces, so that it works as a press,” explains Michael Steffens, who nowadays is responsible for products and marketing for the Zyliss brand worldwide. To prevent the garlic cloves from falling out, Zysset designed a hopper and a freely moving plunger that pushes the clove through the perforated opening.
A handy design
For the production and sale of his invention, Zysset puts everything on the line: in 1951, he gives up his bicycle business and founds a company named Zylyss, a combination of his last name and home town of Lyss. “His ambition was to bring en- joyment to the kitchen with technical innovations and sophisti- cated design,” says Steffens.
Zysset’s idea goes down well. In 1952, the Schweizerischer Werkbund association awards his design the “Die gute Form” prize, praising both its simplicity and impressive ergonomics.
The principle behind his first model, “Susi,” is still used today, al- though there have been a few adjustments in the two subse- quent models. In addition to the modernization of materials and ergonomics, there were two main changes: “The hopper was enlarged to allow larger cloves to be pressed in one go.
The popular utensil was also optimized to allow cloves to be pressed without peeling them,” says Steffens, explaining its evolution. The third and current version also includes a small cleaning brush. And this model bears the name Susi as well. Where does the name come from? “That’s a question we’ve of- ten asked ourselves, too. The name is stamped on the first models, but I’m afraid that’s all we know – it’s a secret that can’t be pried out,” says Steffens.
