Get Ergonomic Expertise in the Kitchen

It's the little chores that will get you - peeling potatoes and opening jars are likely to leave you with those funny little muscle cramps or chafed skin. But designers are constantly trying to come up with tools that are effective, stylish and easy to use. Ergonomic, you might say, and they're becoming a trend in kitchen gadgets.

Oggi, for example, has designed a mixing bowl that tilts for mess-free pouring and has a wide, curved lip that makes it easier to stir. OXO has made another hand-straining chore a bit easier with its Good Grip jar opener, which has a nonslip grip for better leverage and a wide opening to accommodate all size lids. It also reduces your chances of injury with the screwdriver or knife you usually use to try to open jars or from banging your head on the counter when the darn thing stays shut.

Zyliss, too, is an innovator, with symmetrical kitchen tools that work just as well for left- and right-handers. If you're the type who constantly scrapes bits of human skin with the potato peel using whichever knife is on hand (or ends up gouging the spud mercilessly), the company had you in mind with its Swivel Peeler. It features an angled, ergonomic handle that reduces strain on hands and wrists during long peeling stints and the grip is nonslip plastic. The blades, too, are just the right distance apart so you're transformed into an efficient peeler instead of always being the one who spews large chunks of, say, apple peel when making a pie.

More Info

Jar opener
OXO International
www.oxo.com

Zyliss swivel peeler
www.zyliss.com

Oggi products
Kitchen Etc.
www.kitchenetc.com