With only about one in 11 people actually being left-handed, it’s no wonder why the world is built for righties. Still, this design discrepancy can make mundane household tasks far more dismemberful than need be. Here are five kitchen tools every southpaw should own.
Left-Handed Chef’s Knife
Unless you’ve unlocked your dual-wield ability, waving around an 8-inch blade weighted and shaped for a right-hander is neither comfortable or efficient. That’s why a number of knife manufacturers also produce mirrored versions of their cutlery. The Shun 8-inch Chef’s Knife, for example, is a commercial-quality stainless steel blade that features a reverse D-shaped handle designed specifically for left-handed use.
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Swivel Peeler
Trying to skin a potato with the peeler in your opposite hand is awkward to say the least — you’ve got to hold the peeler backwards and pull the blade towards you rather than push it away, which slows down the peeling process and exposes your fingers to accidental slices. The Rosle Left-Handed Swivel Peeler however, utilises a reversed blade so that lefties can easily peel away from their bodies with their dominant hand.
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Ambidextrous Kitchen Shears
Just getting the bird out of its wrapper, much less sectioned, can be a challenge when using offhand kitchen shears. If the blades aren’t slicing in sync with one another, the act of cutting requires significantly more force, which is going to tire your hand a lot faster. But that’s why the Henckels Twinshear Kitchen Shears are so awesome. Their blades curve inward slightly so that they remain in perfect alignment regardless of which hand is using them.
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Southpaw Can Opener
Right-handed can openers are left-handed people’s natural predator; seriously, just watch a lefty try to manhandle one of those things, it’s hilarious. So, to save the 11-percenters from further embarrassment (and potential starvation) Monopol has developed the reverse-grip Safety Left can opener. It uses a counter-clockwise twisting mechanism so that lefties aren’t forced to pull back on the lever to operate the opener. Plus, the handles double as pincers to grab and remove the cut lid without putting your fingertips in danger.
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Rotary Cutter
You’d think that putting a cutting wheel at the end of a stick would result in a generally ambidextrous pizza-dissecting tool. But if you use a traditional rotary cutter with your left hand, the finger guard blocks you view of the cut. The Gingher Left Hand Rotary Cutter, on the other hand, is designed in reverse, providing both a clear view of what you’re slicing while keeping your fingers safely behind the guard.
Is there another left-handed kitchen tool you can’t live without? Let us know in the discussion below.
Top Image: Dawn Gilfillan