Trudeau Graviti Battery-Operated Pepper Mill, Red
As its name implies, the Graviti battery-operated pepper mill from Trudeau leans heavily on the laws of physics for its function and appeal. A sleek and amusing gadget that also makes great ground pepper, the piece turns on automatically when flipped upside down. This saves grinding effort, of course, but it is also useful for the stirring cook who only has one free hand to add spice, not to mention that it serves as a fun conversation starter. To ensure that the Graviti is not mere gimmickry, Trudeau equips it with a durable and efficient ceramic grinder, and a finely tunable knob for adjusting coarseness. The grinder works well for both pepper and sea salt and arrives filled with gourmet peppercorns. It washes up by hand, runs on 6 AAA batteries, and stands 7-3/4 inches high. Trudeau makes the mill in several attractive colors and backs it with a five-year warranty.--Emily Bedard