Cooking with limited mobility, dexterity, or grip strength can be challenging. Most home kitchens weren’t designed with disabilities in mind, and many common cooking tasks (think chopping vegetables for an extended period) require a certain amount of strength and stamina. Luckily, there are many innovative kitchen tools designed to overcome these challenges.
1. FinaMill Battery-Operated Spice Grinder
For people with arthritis or other conditions affecting the hands and arms, grinding pepper and other spices manually can be painful. A battery-operated spice grinder solves this issue, making grinding spices a quick and easy task. This FinaMill model uses interchangeable “spice pods” that keep each spice separate, and features a wide opening for easy refilling. It’s also pretty enough to leave on the countertop, with eight retro-inspired colors to choose from.
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2. Cuisinart Mini-Prep Food Processor
Chopping garlic, onions, and other vegetables can present problems for many individuals. The Cuisinart Mini-Prep Food Processor chops them for you, and does so in seconds. Use the push-button control panel to chop or grind whatever ingredients you put inside. It comes with a 24-ounce work bowl with a handle, and the bowl and lid are dishwasher-safe for added convenience.
3. Sinnsally Garlic Peeler, Three-Pack
Getting the skins off garlic is one of life’s most loathsome tasks. Yes, you can buy prepeeled garlic, but that gets expensive quickly. The solution? This handy and ultra-affordable silicone tube. Just put your garlic clove inside and roll it; the skin comes off instantly.
4. HUMANFUN Jar Opener
If you have weak grip strength, opening jars can pose a real problem. This jar opener does the work for you — just place it on the lid and turn. It comes with a nonslip gripper pad, as well as a bottle opener to assist with pull tabs. It’s also great for children who like to cook or occasionally need to open jars.
5. Cuisinart Deluxe Electric Can Opener
Similarly, electric can openers are widely used by people who can’t operate manual ones. This Cuisinart electric can opener has a sleek, simple design, allowing users to open cans of any size by gently pressing a small lever. Tip: Stick to trusted brands such as Cuisinart; cheaper alternatives have a tendency to fall apart or malfunction. This product comes with a limited three-year warranty covering defects in materials and workmanship.
6. KAYCROWN Ulu Knife
For people with hand or forearm issues, an ulu knife, also called a rocking knife, is typically easier to use than a standard one. It’s gripped from above and uses a rocking motion (as you may have figured out) to cut. This particular ulu knife has a comfortable wood handle that’s easy to hold onto, and it can chop almost anything. (Chop carefully, though, as reviewers note that the blade is extremely sharp.)
7. OXO Good Grips Three-Piece Plastic Mixing Bowl Set
Have you ever used a mixing bowl that slid around while you were whisking? It’s a great way to ruin your day. Mixing bowls with rubber bottoms are a staple in any kitchen, and they’re especially essential for those with dexterity issues. This three-piece set by OXO (a brand built on the philosophy of Universal Design) is affordable, comes in multiple colorways, and features precise pouring spouts on each bowl.
8. Starfrit Rotato Express Electric Peeler
The Rotato, an “as seen on TV” product, is both super useful and incredibly fun to watch in action. It spins the potato while a cutter blade works its way down the spud, causing the skin to come off in long strings. Use it to help with Thanksgiving dinner and keep the kids entertained in the process. The Rotato can also peel other fruits and vegetables, such as apples, pears, cucumbers, and zucchini.
9. ZAYAD Grabber Reacher Tool
A grabber isn’t strictly a cooking tool, but it certainly shines in the kitchen. For anyone needing assistance reaching high counters or shelves, this grabber extends to 32 inches and features an ergonomic trigger handle. The head of the claw grabber can also rotate up to 90 degrees.
10. TAO Cicada Plastic Bag Holders, Two-Pack
These handy gadgets keep gallon freezer bags open, allowing you to transfer food into them without having to worry about the bag collapsing. They feature a nonslip rubber base so the plastic bag stays securely in place. This affordable set of two is a convenient option for people with limited dexterity or anyone who does a lot of food prep.
