9 everyday kitchen essentials that are actually design masterpieces

Philippe Starck’s squid-like citrus juicer has to be the world's most famous kitchen accessory-cum-design masterpiece. With its tentacles treading water somewhere between functional tool and sculptural art, it's practicability can be debated – but it's undeniably beautiful. This is isn't a squeezer to hide in a cupboard.

Alessi's equally sculptural Todo Giant Cheese Grater is also on sale, reduced from $125 to $77.32.

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The Kitchenaid stand mixer was designed in 1937 by designer and artist Egmont Arens. Colour options, tools and internal components have changed, but the design retains the same classic rounded silhouette. I've had a Series 5 for over two years and use it to make bread, Argentine chipa and even just to beat eggs.

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The Moccamaster is as famous for its distinctive pump-free design and quality build as it is for producing high-quality coffee through optimal control of the brewing temperature and water dispersion. Our design editor is obsessed with his.

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Declared the greatest product design of all time on Reddit, the Zeroll Ice Cream Scoop was patented back in 1933. It's designed to transfer heat from the user’s hand to fluid inside the handle, which defrosts the scoop. Today, it has place in the MoMA's permanent inventory. descendants still exist today, and you can add it to yours for just $19.95!

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This stainless steel corkscrew wine opener is famous for being well-built, simple and fun to use and effective on even the most stubborn corks. And since it looks like a fish, it would look great next to that Philippe Starck lemon squeezer to continue the marine theme.

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Coffee seems to inspire great design. I've already mentioned the Moccamaster, but there's any number of lower-tech coffee-making solutions that I could include in this list, from the Chemex to the French press. But I have a soft spot for the Alfonso Bialetti's Moka Pot.

Invented in 1933, this stovetop coffeemaker has no flashy features, but looks great with its octagonal aluminium body. As Mike Goldsworthy, creative lead at ilk Agency, told us, it's a clear, honest piece of engineering that's "accessible, durable and quietly beautiful."

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Alex Edwards, design director at Seen Studios, chose this kitchen tool as his pick in our piece on everyday design masterpieces. It's a precision instrument that perfectly blends form and function and a staple in professional kitchens.

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The should really live in a rucksack, but ours tends to end up in the cutlery draw. Invented by Victorinox's founder Karl Elsener as a soldier's knife in 1891, the Swiss Army Knife in its various forms remains just as usefully compact, functional and versatile today and has become a symbol of preparedness.

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Not strictly a kitchen item, but I have them in my kitchen for writing shopping lists (yeah, I'm old school). The ballpoint pen was first commercialised by László Bíró's Biró Pens of Argentina in 1940s. It became ubiqutous since it solved the problem of fountain pens leaking and clogging in a neat and practical way.

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