Alessi

Alessi is an Italian design house from Crusinallo, Piedmont, producing tableware, kitchenware, and homeware in collaboration with some of the world's most celebrated designers including Philippe Starck, Achille Castiglioni and Naoto Fukasawa. The collection blends sculptural form with practical use, from iconic kettles to espresso pots, cheese graters and wine openers.

Alessi is an Italian brand, with headquarters and production based in Crusinallo, in the Piedmont region of northern Italy. The family-owned company has operated since 1921, and most metalwork is still produced in the original Crusinallo factory. Some tableware and homeware pieces are produced by partner workshops elsewhere in Italy and Portugal.

Alessi has collaborated with over 300 designers across its history, including Philippe Starck, Achille Castiglioni, Ettore Sottsass, Naoto Fukasawa, Jasper Morrison and Michael Graves. The brand's strategy of pairing celebrated designers with everyday kitchen objects is what has made Alessi pieces recognisable across the world, from the iconic Juicy Salif lemon squeezer to the 9090 espresso pot.

Most Alessi pieces are designed to function as well as any mass-produced alternative, while adding sculptural character. A famous exception is the Starck-designed Juicy Salif lemon squeezer, which the designer openly acknowledged was more design statement than practical juicer. Each product page clarifies the balance between form and function for the specific piece.

Alessi produces both induction-compatible and gas-only versions of its iconic hob-top kettles and stovetop espresso pots, with the specification clearly marked on each product page. Induction-compatible pieces use a ferromagnetic base layer, so check the compatibility label before ordering if induction is the household's main heat source.