I think something like Ferrari Enzo super car is in certain degrees the equivalent for the Stark’s Juicy Salif in car design, non of them are useful in the way an ordinary car or juicer are to the user and although both of these products are far too different in the degree of simplicity.Stark’s design is dominant by the stress it puts on the process of juicing the orange thus for example eliminating the container which other ordinary juicers have, the same is about the car which has concentrated just on driving, nothing should distract you from the driving pleasure and this idea in both of the products is been formed in a style that makes the product and the owner unique, both of them are looking strange, special and likely to have position in the design enthusiast’s collections.
Before I knew what product design was, before I knew who Philippe Starck, I wanted one of these. Ended up nicking it from my IT company during the dotcom boom/bust. Still love it.
I love my Juicy Salif! It proudly stands on the kitchen counter like a piece of functional sculpture! The form works incredibly well with its function. However, after I purchased it, I learned that the acids from citrus fruits can damage the surface, which is really frustrating. Couldn’t a different material have been used? That would truly make this the sexiest kitchen accessory ever.
I bought Juicy Salif because it was one of the products I used for my master thesys research… I studies the usability of products with strong aesthetic appeal, like alessi products, and performed some comparative usability studies with some alessi products.
I must say that, after testing Juicy Salif, a couple of my participants were actually bleeding… it is extremely unstable and once it falls, you not only break the glass that is under it (collecting the juice) but its sharp legs turn into a weapon. I remember that by the time I was doing my masters I read somewhere in the web that Juicy Salif was used as a weapon to kill people in a b-horror movie… I would love to see that!
another problem of juicy salif is that, if you bought it to catch people’s attention in your house/kitchen, or to start a conversation (as Philip Starck claim is it’s function), never try to use it as a lemon juicer… because you will have to throw it away the next morning… the day after I had the first pilot of my study (where the participant was asked to squeeze a lemon in it, wash it, dry it…) I could see the first signs of rust. it didn’t shine anymore and there were dark spots all over it… I must say that, after 30 lemons were squeezed on it, I had to throw it away… it was disgusting to look at it.
I think Juicy Salif is one of the most dissapointing products of all times… It creates such an expectation and the results are disastrous…
Functionality looks to be minimal in this design. The designer is reported to have said that the design is meant to “start conversations”. That will surely be met, as an observer vehemently starts complaining about the uselessness of the product.
“Form must follow function!” Unless form is the products predominate function. Say what you want, but it’s an $80 manual juicer that barely works, and it still sells like crazy.
After reading the comments, I looked on my counter and there stood the alien looking three legged spider that broke a glass and cut my hand. This product is a perfect example of, “Humans have been on the planet too long”
Fine semiotic exemplar of PoMo triadic signification … object in its self … abject to function … subject to intention. Idea art. It is whatever you want it to be … including poetic symbol for the collapse of narrative re: design — to designate …to propose purpose …
Strark had designed everything from tooth brushes to toilet brushes ( and they look quite similar..so be careful) but the Juicy is probably his most iconic design. I found it an impractical juicer but a beautiful object.
folks… Please, quit calling this product “a beautiful object” or worse, an “icon”. Its shape sure became iconic.. Or perhaps was it already engraved in our experienced designer eyes? . Tintin’s rocket? Anyone?
October 22nd, 2008 at 2:59 am
I think something like Ferrari Enzo super car is in certain degrees the equivalent for the Stark’s Juicy Salif in car design, non of them are useful in the way an ordinary car or juicer are to the user and although both of these products are far too different in the degree of simplicity.Stark’s design is dominant by the stress it puts on the process of juicing the orange thus for example eliminating the container which other ordinary juicers have, the same is about the car which has concentrated just on driving, nothing should distract you from the driving pleasure and this idea in both of the products is been formed in a style that makes the product and the owner unique, both of them are looking strange, special and likely to have position in the design enthusiast’s collections.
October 25th, 2008 at 2:47 am
Before I knew what product design was, before I knew who Philippe Starck, I wanted one of these. Ended up nicking it from my IT company during the dotcom boom/bust. Still love it.
October 29th, 2008 at 10:41 am
I love my Juicy Salif! It proudly stands on the kitchen counter like a piece of functional sculpture! The form works incredibly well with its function. However, after I purchased it, I learned that the acids from citrus fruits can damage the surface, which is really frustrating. Couldn’t a different material have been used? That would truly make this the sexiest kitchen accessory ever.
November 6th, 2008 at 4:34 am
I think it represents conspicuous consumerism. Good products should fulfill their basic function before going on to delight the senses.
November 7th, 2008 at 5:15 am
I bought Juicy Salif because it was one of the products I used for my master thesys research… I studies the usability of products with strong aesthetic appeal, like alessi products, and performed some comparative usability studies with some alessi products.
I must say that, after testing Juicy Salif, a couple of my participants were actually bleeding… it is extremely unstable and once it falls, you not only break the glass that is under it (collecting the juice) but its sharp legs turn into a weapon. I remember that by the time I was doing my masters I read somewhere in the web that Juicy Salif was used as a weapon to kill people in a b-horror movie… I would love to see that!
another problem of juicy salif is that, if you bought it to catch people’s attention in your house/kitchen, or to start a conversation (as Philip Starck claim is it’s function), never try to use it as a lemon juicer… because you will have to throw it away the next morning… the day after I had the first pilot of my study (where the participant was asked to squeeze a lemon in it, wash it, dry it…) I could see the first signs of rust. it didn’t shine anymore and there were dark spots all over it… I must say that, after 30 lemons were squeezed on it, I had to throw it away… it was disgusting to look at it.
I think Juicy Salif is one of the most dissapointing products of all times… It creates such an expectation and the results are disastrous…
November 10th, 2008 at 6:53 pm
Functionality looks to be minimal in this design. The designer is reported to have said that the design is meant to “start conversations”. That will surely be met, as an observer vehemently starts complaining about the uselessness of the product.
November 19th, 2008 at 5:27 pm
“Form must follow function!” Unless form is the products predominate function. Say what you want, but it’s an $80 manual juicer that barely works, and it still sells like crazy.
December 2nd, 2008 at 5:36 pm
After reading the comments, I looked on my counter and there stood the alien looking three legged spider that broke a glass and cut my hand. This product is a perfect example of, “Humans have been on the planet too long”
May 8th, 2009 at 12:55 am
Fine semiotic exemplar of PoMo triadic signification … object in its self … abject to function … subject to intention. Idea art. It is whatever you want it to be … including poetic symbol for the collapse of narrative re: design — to designate …to propose purpose …
August 17th, 2009 at 10:45 am
Strark had designed everything from tooth brushes to toilet brushes ( and they look quite similar..so be careful) but the Juicy is probably his most iconic design. I found it an impractical juicer but a beautiful object.
November 13th, 2009 at 2:54 pm
folks… Please, quit calling this product “a beautiful object” or worse, an “icon”. Its shape sure became iconic.. Or perhaps was it already engraved in our experienced designer eyes? . Tintin’s rocket? Anyone?