Handles Are More Than Just A Pretty Look

When the new kitchen is installed take a little time and examine what is required for your kitchen and not just what looks the most attractive. Certainly looks are vitally important but the conditions in a kitchen and the problems that are particular to this area warrant a good examination so that sometime later you are not cursing the choice made. In any kitchen there will be a theme presented by the kitchen units that have been bought and installed and there will be a desire that the theme is continued with the door handles but consider some of the options first.

Any kitchen door handle will have to take a fair amount of abuse as it is an area where the doors are in continual usage and they will be opened in a regular pattern. Also the door handles are often opened whilst the person using them has something else in his hands or a simple one off operation is required. In this case the handle can be damaged or broken.

Cheap plastic handles may look the part but sometimes are not quite robust enough. Check that they do not have protrusions on them that can get caught. Such handles often catch in the aprons or blouse or shirts of the person in the kitchen, not only can this cause damage to the clothes often a person is walking with hot food items or sharp tools each of which could cause an accident. There is even the problem that they are not an anti-ligature handle and so if you catch a tie or other similar item you can cause a serious strangulation injury if you fall at the same time. It sounds extreme but there is lot of design work that goes into the manufacturing to avoid such a problem, as there are still many accidents that occur each year.

Get a door handle that is easy to clean, so many germs are transmitted in the kitchen that it is a major area for the transfer of diseases and germs. Any health scan always comes up with pictures that look like a fiery volcano of germs. One person lays the germs down and the next user picks them up. Handles with nooks and crevices may look good but they can be a nightmare particularly where children are concerned. Choose a door handle with a smooth easily cleaned surface, none or limited protrusions and of a good construction. Ask the supplier and get his opinion.