Plier-type olive and cherry pitter, 19 cm, ref. 62973, Lacor

The Lacor olive pitter (ref. 62973) is a 19 cm metal plier-type tool that takes the stone out of an olive in a single squeeze: you place the olive in the cup, close the handles and the punch pushes the stone out through the other side, leaving the olive whole and unbroken. It is made of zamak (zinc alloy) with a chrome-plated finish, has a safety catch so it can be stored closed, also works with cherries and carries a 3-year guarantee. In our shop it usually goes out in batches of several units to bars and kitchens that stuff olives or prepare tapas every day, although at home it does the job just as well.

How it works

It uses the same principle as a stapler: one handle carries a cup with a hole in the bottom and the other a punch lined up with that hole. Rest the olive in the cup, squeeze the handles and the punch goes through the flesh and pushes the stone out through the hole underneath. The body of the olive stays whole, with a clean tunnel through the middle, ready to be stuffed with anchovy, pepper, cheese or almond, or to be chopped into a salad with no risk of anyone biting on a stone. As the stone drops out underneath, it is best to work over a bowl or the sink.

The safety catch at the end keeps the handles together when the tool is not in use, so it takes up no more room than a knife in the drawer and will not spring open on its own. Being a one-piece plier-type tool, with no springs or parts to lose, it lasts for years.

Which olives it suits, and what else

• Green and black olives of medium size, manzanilla (a Spanish variety), gordal and similar: this is the main use. Very small ones (arbequina) or very large ones may not sit properly in the cup.
• Cherries and picotas: Lacor itself calls it an “olive and cherry pitter”. For clafoutis, jam or cherries in liqueur without staining your fingers.
• Kitchen and bar: home-made stuffed olives for the vermouth hour, tapenade, salads, pizzas and focaccias with no stones.

If you stone large quantities of stone fruit, tabletop stoners with a collector are more comfortable: take a look at the Westmark Steinex-combi cherry and plum stoner. For olives with a different system, the Westmark Olivus olive stoner is made of aluminium, and for occasional home use there is the Ibili cherry and olive pitter or the Ibili cherry pitter. To serve them already stoned at the table, the Ibili olive and pickle scoop drains the liquid as you lift them out of the jar.

Material and care

Zamak is a zinc alloy that casts with great precision, which is why the cup and the punch line up perfectly; the chrome plating gives it the bright surface you can see in the photo, it is not marked by the oil or the olive juice and it cleans with a rinse. We recommend washing it by hand in hot water and drying it afterwards, especially the hinge and the inside of the cup, to keep the chrome looking like new.

Lacor is a kitchenware manufacturer from Bergara (Gipuzkoa, Spain) founded in 1949; you can see its full range of utensils on the Lacor page, and the rest of the tools for removing stones and cores in pitters and corers and in the cutting tools section.

Frequently asked questions about the Lacor olive pitter

How do you use a plier-type olive pitter?

Place the olive in the cup, squeeze the handles and the punch pushes the stone out through the hole underneath. The olive stays whole, with a tunnel through the middle ready for stuffing.

Does the olive break when it is pitted?

No, as long as the olive is medium-sized and properly cured: the punch goes through the flesh and pushes out only the stone. Very soft or very small olives can lose their shape.

Does it work with cherries?

Yes. Lacor lists it as an olive and cherry pitter: it works in exactly the same way with cherries and picotas for desserts and jams.

What is it made of, and is it dishwasher-safe?

It is chrome-plated zamak (zinc alloy), 19 cm long. We recommend washing it by hand in hot water and drying it to keep the chrome in good condition.

Does it spring open in the drawer?

No: it has a safety catch at the end of the handles that keeps it closed when it is not in use.

Is it for home or professional use?

For both. Because it is so sturdy, bars and kitchens that prepare stuffed olives or tapas every day tend to buy it in batches, but at home it works just as well for the vermouth or for salads.