Abstract: A two-stroke hand operated container crusher designed for crushing various recycling materials that have deposit payments associated with them. It is a rectangular shaped box comprised of four solid sides, a base, and top, which creates a hollow chamber. This chamber houses the crusher mechanics and the containers to be crushed. A crushing head is operated manually by a handle, which forces the piston down. This downward force crushes the container housed at the base of the unit. The crushing force is amplified by the use of a fulcrum, hinge, and a pivot system. A guide groove is provided in which a pawl slides to lock the head at a first stage position to permit the lever to be retracted and re-applied to effect a second stroke of a two-stroke operating system results in dimension savings while still maintaining a required distance of crushing.