Product Advice:
Comfort for All
Appliance manufacturers are cooking up new ways to make kitchens more accessible
Frigidaire's side-swing door wall oven allows direct access to the oven cavity. |
For years homeowners had to cope with cookie-cutter
kitchens designed for average-sized adults who performed kitchen tasks standing up. This one-size-fits-all approach extended to the design and placement of kitchen appliances. Fortunately, as the culture became more inclusive, kitchen professionals came to the realization that better design could empower those of different sizes and abilities in their own homes as well as in public spaces. At first universal design was thought to serve only those with physical limitations but as the movement grew, manufacturers and consumers alike embraced the changes because they benefit everyone. Today manufacturers offer both new appliances in universal design as well as accessories that help make standard appliances easier for all to use.
his Miele front-loading washer offers easy access to people of all heights. |
Incorporating universal design into the kitchen includes not only the location of appliances
but their ease of operation as well. A simple change in the design of an appliance can make
a big difference in accessibility. For example, a wall oven that opens on the side instead
of the top makes it easier for a person in a wheelchair to reach inside the oven. Appliance
manufacturers are rethinking everything from the size of knobs to the shape of a door handle
in order to make appliances more user-friendly. "Now more than ever, appliance manufacturers
are combining a sense of research-based ergonomics with ease-of-use features, to create products
that are convenient for everyone," says Tony Evans, a spokesperson for Frigidaire.
Accent on accessibility
Many manufacturers have done their part in making appliances easier to use. Recent innovations in product design and features include:
Visibility
- Larger-print labels on appliances;
- Larger-print owner's manuals;
- Light-colored ranges with contrasting dark cast-iron elements to help those with limited vision;
- Dryers with audible lint signals that chime when it's time to clean the filter -- ideal for individuals who may have trouble seeing light-colored lint.
Side swing dryer doors are easy to maneuver |
Ease of use
- Side-swing doors on wall ovens and microwaves that provide easier and safer access;
- Bottom-mount refrigerators that allow people in wheelchairs or individuals under five feet easier
access to both frozen and refrigerated foods;
- Adjustable slide-out refrigerator shelving that can be set at more convenient heights;
- Hot water spigots on sinks that provide instant boiling water without the effort of filling and
lifting a hot kettle.
Safety
The child lockout feature on the Kenmore range helps keep little fingers out of danger. |
A lockout device on ranges that shuts off controls with the touch of a control button, preventing accidents caused by both children and the elderly;
A magnetic induction cooktop that offers safety with its cool-to-the touch special surface.
New tricks for old units
For those who have older appliances that need modifying, most manufacturers offer add-on products such as
Braille and large-type overlays for appliances. Owners can also make your their own overlays to help
the visually impaired easily operate an appliance. For example, cut out a letter "P" from felt material
and affix it over the popcorn setting on your microwave touch panel. Or attach a bump to your range
by using a plastic cushion on the control dial set at a standard oven temperature like 350 degrees.
This GE dishwasher is placed 12 inches off the floor, making it easier to load without stooping |
Getting a handle on controls can be an issue, as well. Many older appliances have dials that can
be difficult to grip. Depending on the style, you can replace your smaller dials with larger versions
that easily slip over the existing knobs -- helpful for people who have arthritis or other conditions
that limit their handgrip. If you're after a more immediate and even less expensive solution to hard-to-grip dials and knobs, you can use vinyl jar grippers, or slip a clothespin over fin-style knobs to enlarge the gripping area.
It's clear that advances in universal design offer creative solutions to providing accessible
and safe kitchens for one and all. As more Americans live longer than ever before, how we design
our kitchens and our homes becomes increasingly important.
-- Barbara Winfield
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