Kitchen Gadgets for Seniors (and Southpaws?)

[FauxPas]

I'm a SouthPaw and I have always hated standard can openers, whether hand-held or electric. I received a One-Touch opener a couple of years ago and I love it.

We gave one to my husband's parents, who are in their 80's and they absolutely loved it. They mentioned that several things are more awkward in the kitchen for them as they age, and I am wondering if anyone knows of any items that might make their cooking experience a bit easier.

It makes me think of the studies that car engineers/designers did with women, finding that improvements that made women happier also made men happier. In other words - an engineering design improvement can benefit everyone!

[Mjx]

OXO tools are pretty good on both counts.

The thick, soft rubber handles on OXO tools are quite kind to hands with a lot of mileage on them (after initially resisiting it, my parents came to love the OXO can opener I gave them), and they're (apparently) designed for ambidextrous use, so I have quite a few of them, too (my boyfriend and I are both left-handed). However, I've found that as long as tools aren't designed to be used with the right hand specifically, I have no problem using with them.

[Darienne]

My hands can no longer make a regular can opener work and we have now killed two electric can openers (or they just died), the latest one being quite expensive, a Cuisinart.

Our daughter gave me this strange little can opener from Lee Valley for Christmas, only $14.50 CDN and it's incredible and I can use it. Oh yes, I'm old.

Nogent Super Kim Can Opener. #EV123 Lee Valley catalog

It doesn't look like much of anything and I couldn't think that it would work, but believe me, it's amazing and doesn't take much strength at all.

ps. Lee Valley Jar Opener. #50K41.01. Amazing. Lee Valley link

Edited July 4, 2011 by Darienne (log)

[andiesenji]

I do have trouble with manual can openers and I have the "One Touch" from Sharper Image (no longer available)

And I have "a few" vintage electric can openers made by Sunbeam, West Bend, Waring, Sears, etc., and some wall mount crank type made by Dazey, Swing-A-Way, Rival and Can-O-Mat.

Here's a Sunbeam on eBay

I've picked up a lot of these at thrift stores and yard sales for so little that when they die I toss them and bring out another. Anything to keep my arthritic hands from developing pain.

[MelissaH]

My grandmother appreciates her electric jar opener. No clue what kind of can opener she has, though.

MelissaH