As Alberto Alessi notes, speaking of the Scoiattolo nutcracker, "the squirrel motif has already been used many times in this type of tool and there is nothing groundbreaking in (Andrea) Branzi's use of this metaphor, but the hand of a master is evident in his interpretation". The elegant tool has been included in the Officina Alessi catalogue along with other items from the Autumn-Winter 2010 collection. Made from a combination of wood and polished, mirror-finished steel, the nutcracker draws attention to itself with its stylised squirrel silhouette with a long curved tail acting as a convenient lever.