Alessi’s ES20 nutcracker from the Twergi collection is an extraordinarily expressive kitchen tool created by the legendary Italian designer Ettore Sottsass. Shaped like a small totem, the beechwood nutcracker has a simple, twistable mechanism that easily opens nutshells of all kinds. And when not in use, the nutcracker adds a delightful pop of color to the kitchen or table setting.

First launched in 1989, Alessi's Twergi collection consists of wooden objects inspired by the ancient tradition of woodturning. In Italy's woodwork-famous Strona Valley, the word "twergi" is local dialect for "elf". Elves were believed to be both mischief-makers and teachers, for example, in the craft of woodworking. Each item in the Twergi collection is made in Italy, with some parts crafted by hand on a lathe.