TIKUSAN Instant Pickle Maker Vegetable Press Tsukemono Container Rectangle Made in Japan BPA Free Green 1.6L Review (2026)

What kind of pickling this container is built for

This is a Japanese-style tsukemono press, a category of pickling tool distinct from a fermentation crock. Tsukemono presses use a turn-down lid and internal pressing plate to force liquid out of salted vegetables quickly, producing a lightly pickled, still-crisp result in a matter of hours to a few days rather than the weeks a full lacto-fermented kraut needs. The 1.6L size reviewed here sits in the middle of a five-size lineup the maker sells, ranging from a compact 0.8L up to a 4.0L container, so buyers picking this size are choosing a portion meant for a small household batch rather than bulk pickling.

Build, dimensions and material

According to the maker's product listing, the 1.6L container measures about 7.8 by 4.9 by 6 inches and is made in Japan from BPA-free plastic. That places it as a compact countertop or refrigerator item rather than something meant to sit on a basement shelf for weeks. The plastic construction keeps the unit light and easy to move once filled with vegetables and brine, and the BPA-free rating matters here since the pressed vegetables sit in direct, prolonged contact with the container walls under pressure. The maker specifies hand wash only, with no mention of dishwasher safety, so buyers should plan to clean it by hand between batches.

How the press mechanism works

The design relies on a turning knob built into the lid rather than a separate weight or stone. Turning the knob lowers an internal pressing plate onto the vegetables, applying even pressure across the whole load so the salted vegetables release liquid and compact down together, which is the mechanism that speeds up a tsukemono compared with letting salted vegetables sit under gravity alone. Two lid locks hold the container closed and are meant to keep the pressurized brine from leaking during use. This mechanical pressing is the main functional difference from a mason jar fermentation setup, which typically relies on a weight and an airlock instead of an adjustable press.

Where it fits against fermentation crocks

Because this is a press rather than an airtight fermentation vessel, it is not a substitute for a stoneware crock when the goal is a traditional multi-week sauerkraut or kimchi ferment that needs a stable anaerobic environment and enough weight to keep vegetables fully submerged for that long. The plastic build and turn-knob press are optimized for a faster style of pickle, the kind eaten within days rather than aged for weeks. Buyers set on longer lacto-fermentation projects, especially larger batches of kraut, are better served by a dedicated crock or a wide-mouth jar with fermentation weights designed to hold a submerged brine for an extended period.

Bottom line

This press earns its place for someone who wants quick, crisp Japanese-style pickles from a compact, made-in-Japan container without committing counter space to a large crock. The BPA-free plastic build, turn-knob pressing mechanism and dual locks are straightforward and well suited to that quick-pickle use case. It falls short as an all-purpose fermentation vessel, since the site's own comparison correctly flags that it will not replace a crock for a proper sauerkraut ferment. Buyers should match the 1.6L size to a small household portion and plan on hand washing between uses.

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