Bought one "many years ago"?! I Invented it may be 5 years ago. The first production unit came out only 3 years ago. All our first year sales were in the Sacramento area where people had a chance to watch my demonstration and love it. (As a result now there is one unit being used by a happy home chef in every 100 homes in the Sacramento area.)
Unlike Europe, we have hardly exported any units to Japan so far. You must be a lucky few who received one from a freind in the US, and have received it so "many years ago". May be the guy who made my prototypes gave one to you at that time, I'd never know.
Yes the Garlic Twist does evereything you said which your tedious hand mincing can do (except slicing garlic into thin pieces), but there're 19 "blades" doing the job of your one blade. For you, you have to chase garlic, it sticks on your blade and on your chopping board, and it gets on your hands. Last but not least, your chopped garlic is never as even.
"Much easier to clean"? HEAVENS, NO! It takes the same few seconds to rinse clean the Garlic Twist. Then I'd fold up my arms to watch you clean your chopping board good, and then your hands -- see you later, alligator!
Are you sure you're talking about our Garlic Twist LINK REMOVED, or are you talking about something else? You sure you didn't get one of the many cheap knock-offs?
Or is it a SEVERE case of different strokes for different folks?