A small hand tool that drives a plunger through a cherry and pushes the stone out the other side, leaving the fruit whole. Single-fruit pitters work like a pair of pliers or a spring-loaded stamp; multi-cherry models pit four to six at a time. The same tool pits olives, which is why it is also sold as an olive pitter.
Pitting by hand with a paring knife or a straw works for a handful of fruit, but a pie or a batch of preserves takes a kilo or more and the pitter keeps the fruit intact and the juice off the counter. Whole pitted cherries are what pies, jams, clafoutis and cocktail garnishes call for.