Alessi Juicy Salif Citrus Juicer

Most people recognize the Juicy Salif by its silhouette before they know its name. Philippe Starck drew it as a squeezer with legs that look like a small lander, and it is cast in aluminum and mirror polished, so the counter behind it shows up in the surface. The PA feet keep it steady while the central cone does the squeezing.

It is more sculpture than efficient juicer. At 30.5 cm tall with a base of 13.7 by 11.4 cm, it claims real estate on the counter, and the juicing is a hands-on job. I would not expect it to be the quickest route to a pitcher of orange juice. Its strength is that it gives a plain chore an object worth looking at.

Put it in front of a design lover who keeps picture books on the coffee table and wants the kitchen to show some taste. Anyone who receives it should have room for a piece that will sit in plain view every morning, and will likely get asked about it by guests.