I seem to encounter more inconsequential pleasures in the kitchen than anywhere else. The other day I was making borscht which usually involves me grating beetroot by hand, a very awkward and tiring job given the quantity I usually make. This time though I had the Magimix....

25 year old Magimix still going strong

This is a great piece of design. It feels solid, the plastic exterior wraps around a weighty motor that could run forever, indeed, this Magimix is around 25 years old. Best of all it has no buttons. To operate it you do no more than set the container on the base and snap the lid into place. Genius. It is so straightforward I find it charming. No instructions are required; it cannot work any other way. Not only isn't it overcomplicated, it also doesn't add complexity to the tasks it's designed to help accomplish.