Ergonomics in the Kitchen
01/22/2013
by Jennie Gober, AEP
I must confess—I don't spend a lot of time in the kitchen. I'm not a great cook, but I still love kitchen gadgets! As we've mentioned in previous blog posts, an "ergonomic" label on a product may not mean much, but here are three items that I consider truly ergonomic, and that help me in my kitchen:
- Right-angle knife. If food preparation requires repetitive movements, this is a great knife to have. It enables you to chop veggies or trim meat with neutral hand and wrist postures. Neutral
postures are especially important if you're applying force as you cut, for example, when chopping carrots. Check out this complete line of kitchen utensils, which enable you to maintain a power grip while working in the kitchen. - Tilting cake stand. If you've ever watched someone ice a cake, you might notice that they use several different awkward postures as they do it, like bending the neck in all different directions to view all sides of the cake and "winging-out" their elbows as they try to make sure they get frosting where it needs to be. Consider using a tilting cake stand for this task. It not only tilts, but rotates, so you can easily access all sides of the cake. The tilt function enables you to view your work while maintaining more neutral back, neck, and elbow postures as you decorate.
- Step stool. Ok, this isn't a kitchen gadget, but I feel it's a must-have for any kitchen, and is very often overlooked. It seems like on those rare occasions when I do cook, I'm looking for a spice that only gets pulled out once a year, or I want to serve the meal on a platter tucked away on a high shelf, just waiting for a special occasion. A step stool will enable you to easily access all of your cabinet shelves, so that you don't have to stand on your tiptoes to reach your great-grandmother's gravy boat. Step stools also enable you to access items without having to crawl on top of your counter—always a safety concern! Keep your step stool within easy reach to increase the likelihood that you will use it when you need it most.
I'm sure many of you out there are avid cooks and have found some great tools that make your time in the kitchen easier and more enjoyable. What are your must-have ergonomic kitchen gadgets?
