Samuel Farber (November 16, 1924 – June 16, 2013) was an American industrial designer and businessman.

Farber and his son, John Farber, co-founded OXO, a manufacturer of kitchen utensils and housewares.^[1][2] Farber is credited with revolutionizing the kitchen utensil industry by developing and introducing a line of utensils with plastic-coated black handles through OXO.^[1] While more expensive than traditional utensils, the new soft, black handled utensils proved to be a success with consumers.^[1][2]

Sam Farber was born on November 16, 1924, in New York City, though he was raised in nearby Yonkers, New York,^[2] the son of Rose (née Winograd) and Louis Farber.^[3] His father founded the Sheffield Silver Company and Farber Brothers, which sold serving ware; and served as the president of the Jewish Community Center of Yonkers.^[3] He had one brother, Israel Farber.^[3] His uncle, Simon Farber, founded Farberware, which manufactures kitchen appliances and cookware.^[1]

Farber served in North Africa and Turkey during World War II as a member of the Army Air Forces.^[1] He received a bachelor's degree in economics from Harvard University in 1946.^[1]

In 1960, Farber founded Copco, which manufactured enamel-coated, cast iron cookware.^[1] He sold Copco in 1982, largely retiring from the industry at the time of the sale.^[1]

Farber founded OXO as a result of improvements he made to an everyday vegetable peeler.^[1] While vacationing in a rented home in southern France, his wife, Betsy Farber, who suffered from arthritis, was trying to peel apples, which proved difficult using a peeler with a standard design.^[1][2] The difficulties presented by available peelers (and their handles) sparked an idea for Sam for a more inclusive design. He and his son, John, hired Smart Design, an industrial design firm based in New York City, with whom they created a new product line of kitchen utensils fitted with soft plastic-coated black handles, which made them easier to hold and utilize, and more aesthetically appealing than other utensils.^[4]

Farber unveiled the new line at the Gourmet Products Show in San Francisco, California, in 1990.^[2] He named his company "OXO" for its "backward, upside-down and vertical graphic symmetry."^[2] Farber's OXO products were more expensive than competitors', but the line proved a hit with consumers, who were willing to pay more for the new, easier-to-use utensils.^[2]

The Farber family sold OXO to General Housewares Corporation in 1992. OXO is currently owned by Helen of Troy Limited, as of 2013.^[1]

Sam and John Farber later created a line of products sold by chef Mario Batali.^[1]

An art collector, Farber served on the board of directors for the American Folk Art Museum in Manhattan.^[1]

He was a longtime resident of Manhattan but lived in Lexington, Massachusetts, during his later years.^[2]

Farber was married twice. His first marriage to Joan Levine^[5] ended in divorce;^[6] they had two sons, John Farber (born c. 1976, married in 1996 to Wendyll Brown)^[7] and Thomas Farber,^[2] a criminal court judge in New York.^[7] In 1985, he married Betsey Wells Kriegsman, an architect, in a nondenominational ceremony in New York City;^[6] he has two stepchildren from her previous marriage, Mark Kriegsman and Sue Kriegsman.^[2]

Farber died in East Meadow, New York of complications from a fall on June 16, 2013, at the age of 88.^[1]