Contraptions for Easier Cooking

There are thousands of products available to make cooking easier, regardless of any disability you may have. Here’s just a sampling of items that can make slicing, chopping, mixing, heating, spooning, sipping, and saving food a whole lot simpler and more accessible for every home cook.

• Clever Cutter: This handled tool is a knife and small cutting board all in one, allowing you to cut most items one-handed, from grapes and berries to potatoes, cucumbers, cheese, and even meat. It’s also dishwasher safe.

• Cut- and heat-resistant gloves: These products are made with cut- or heat-resistant materials so that, when worn, they can protect your hands from knife cuts or burns. Some even come with rubber grip pads to help you hold slippery plates or bowls.

• Cool-touch plates and bowls: These products allow you to hold them with your hands or in your lap without burning yourself. Some come with lids, so you don’t have to take the extra step of packing leftovers in separate containers.

• Adaptive tableware: From insulated bowls with suction cups on the bottom to rubber-bottomed plates and cups that don’t slide, to spill-proof cups, to forks with telescopic (extendable) handles, there’s a host of products out there that are designed to help people with disabilities cook and eat with ease.

• Oven-door microwaves: Most microwaves open from the side, making it tricky for those in wheelchairs or who need to remove items with one hand to access the inside. It may be helpful to use a microwave that has an oven-style door that hinges on the bottom and lowers; it enables you to rest items on the door, if needed, in order to change hands or put down items if they’re too hot. 

• Rocker knives and food choppers: These knives have curved blades and can be used with one hand; just rock it back and forth to cut through food.

• Automatic can and jar openers: These products are usually electric, so all you have to do is hold the can with one hand (or no hands!) and let the device open the can for you.

• Talking thermometers: Like the name suggests, these thermometers are good for those with low- or no vision, as they will call out food temperatures aloud.

• Braille or large-print measuring cups: These are handy for those with vision issues, enabling them to measure ingredients.

• Ergonomic knives and peelers: Designed to prevent hand fatigue, these products are easy to hold for anyone with hand-coordination concerns. They may feature extra-comfy or nonslip handles, super-sharp blades, or curved designs that make movement easier.

• Hand, stand, or immersion mixers/blenders: Rather than needing to hold a full mixing bowl with one hand and stir thick ingredients with the other, try an electric hand mixer, a stand mixer (such as KitchenAid), or an immersion blender, which can be operated with one hand and is much more powerful than your arm alone.

• Nonslip cutting boards and mixing bowls: Rubberized on the bottom, these products are designed to stay put, which helps to ensure your cutting and mixing job can be done safely, even if you’re working with one hand.

• Food processors and choppers: From large food processors to miniature handheld choppers, these products are designed to slice, chop, or grate fruits, vegetables, and cheeses at the push of a button.

• Reacher/grabber tools: So handy for cleaning or any other household task, a grabber tool can help you retrieve spices from the rack, pick up spills on the floor, reach dishes from the cabinet, and much more.

• Clear pots and pans: It sounds simple, but a clear pot allows you to see at a glance whether your food is about to boil over, not the right consistency, or needs a few more minutes to heat up, all without ever having to touch it.

• Smart appliances: Refrigerators, ovens, microwaves, and dishwashers can do much more than store food, cook it, and wash up afterward! Many modern appliances can be voice activated, programmed to turn on and off at set times, tell you when you’re running low on ingredients, and more! Some can even be controlled by your smart assistant or programmed through apps on your phone.

• Wheeled carts: A cart that can be pulled or pushed is a great tool for assembling all your kitchen tools and ingredients in one spot and taking it right to where you need it, whether that’s the kitchen counter, the stovetop, or the kitchen table. That way, everything is handy and you don’t have to move back and forth to get what you need.

Helpful Resources

Check these resources for other cooking tips, tools, and recommendations:

• Accessible Chef: This site provides recipes and cooking resources for people with disabilities.

• Mom Prepared: This page contains recipes designed for adults with learning disabilities.

• CookABILITY: This YouTube channel provides videos of easy-to-follow recipes for people with learning disabilities.
• The Blind Kitchen: Find adaptive tips and tools, along with helpful knowledge about cooking for those with low or no vision.