COVID home chefs experiencing accidents in the kitchen
- Written by Tess Sanders Lazarus
With many people confined to their homes during lockdown, Aussies are turning to cooking in the kitchen to experiment with new recipes and gadgets and recreate their favourite restaurant experiences. They are also spending more on alcohol and kitchen mishaps are on the rise.
While alcohol and cooking tend to go together, James Cheney is warning Aussies to be careful.
James Cheney is the founder and CEO of Kleva Range. Kleva Range is an Australian owned and operated online store with over 300 everyday innovations listed for sale at any one time. Founded in 2010, Kleva Range is the largest supplier in Australia for out-of-this-world inventions and gadgets guaranteed to impress your guests.
Some of the more common kitchen accidents include knife cuts and burns.
“Most people think a sharp knife is far more dangerous in the kitchen because of its keen edges and pointed end, however, a dull knife is significantly more unsafe. This myth needs to be tackled and spread from kitchen to kitchen across the country,” Cheney said.
“Every year our emergency services see thousands of people with accidental knife injuries; filling our waiting rooms with wounds that often could have been completely preventable. Sharpening all of your knives in your kitchen is one way to help keep yourself, your family and your roommates’ fingers safe, and in one piece.”
According to Cheney, the reason that you should only use sharp knives is very clear. Dull knives require significant force to use and press through the food you’re cutting. This means that you’re more likely to lose control of the knife and cut yourself or somebody nearby.
“When you apply more pressure to cut something with a blunt knife, you increase your chance of the knife slipping with a greater force behind it. Whereas, a sharp knife bites the surface more readily as it glides through the material without much effort. A dull knife is far clumsier and more awkward to handle for the user, which can directly increase your chances of losing control and putting yourself in a dangerous situation,” Cheney explained.
“Take cutting a carrot for instance, if the blade of the knife it blunt, it will require you to apply more pressure in order to cut through the hard vegetable. With greater force, the pressure can lead to a slippage where the carrot rolls to one side, and the knife slithers through whatever is in its line of vision – which could easily be your finger.
“What’s more, repeatedly using a blunt knife can teach you bad habits. Just like any skill, proper knife technique is learned through practice. Things can go askew if you repeatedly practice knife skills with a dull knife, due to the fact that when you have a sharp knife in your hand you may automatically apply the same amount of force and cut yourself.”
According to Cheney, you only need to sharpen your knives a handful of times a year in order to reap the benefits of sharp knives. Using an at-home knife sharpener is cost effective and convenient. The key is to ensure you are using a good sharpening system otherwise you can take too much metal off the blade.
“Opening your kitchen drawer and pulling out your knife sharpener every time you notice your knives are dull is a game-changer. Only keeping sharp knives in your kitchen is a must, and being able to keep up with maintaining their sharpness from the comfort of your home is ideal,” Cheney added.
According to Cheney, the team at Kleva Range have been seeing knife sharpeners fly off their e-shelves as Aussies have committed more time in the kitchen during COVID. He has revealed that these at-home devices are one of the site’s top selling products that have changed the game for countless Aussie households.
“Knife sharpeners are one of the biggest selling items on our KlevaRange.com website – yet, still many people are experiencing serious accidents in the kitchen due to blunt knives every week. Knife sharpeners should be a household staple under every roof, however some people still need convincing,” Cheney said.
“Our most popular, Kleva Sharp Original, instantly replaces the edge of your old knives with specifically designed ultra tough tungsten carbide technology, which is precisely positioned at an angle that makes sharpening your knives fool proof and effortless. The Kleva Sharp comes complete with a quick lock handle to securely suction the sharpener to your bench top for safe, hands-free, easy sharpening, and is adapted to sharpen all knives including harden steel knives, serrated and scalloped blades.”
Cheney also suggests being careful with hot water especially boiling hot water from unregulated hot water systems. Use simple gadgets like a Kleva Clip On Pot Strainer Colander that is heat resistant for easy draining of all pots. Simple kitchen gadgets can reduce risk and improve overall safety in the kitchen.
Finally he also recommends responsible drinking in the kitchen while cooking. Cooking should be fun, not dangerous!
Kleva Range creates innovative products that Aussies love. They offer fast shipping on all orders, including to regional Australia, as well as pay later services including ZipPay and AfterPay.
Kleva Range creates innovative products that Aussies love. They offer fast shipping on all orders, including to regional Australia, as well as pay later services including ZipPay and AfterPay. Kleva Range is the home of the best selling Sumo Slicer, Kleva Sharp knife sharpener, Diamond Earth cookware sets, Deep Tissue Percussive Massage Therapy Gun, and so much more.
