Avoid the ER With These Safety-Focused Kitchen Tools

I say this without any exaggeration: Every time I use a cheese grater, I nick my finger against the sharp blades. I keep bandages in my kitchen drawer for that exact reason. Though I much prefer freshly grated cheese to pre-shredded store-bought bags, the fear of cutting myself again means my grater is tucked away in the very back of my kitchen cabinets.

Kitchens can be dangerous places. Knife injuries alone send approximately 350,000 people to the ER each year. According to one studylacerations and burns are two of the most common cooking-related injuries that lead to hospitalization.

After reading those not-so-fun facts, I resigned myself to a life of pre-shredded bagged cheese—at least, until I saw a specialized cheese grater on Amazon. It’s designed to keep fingers far away from sharp blades. The brilliant, safety-focused redesign got me thinking: What other dangerous kitchen tools have safer alternatives? Here’s what I found.

Best Kitchen Safety Tools on Amazon

• Geedel Rotary Cheese Grater$20 (was $30)
• NoCry Premium Cut-Resistant Gloves$15 (was $18)
• Lodge Silicone Hot Handle Holder$7
• Good Cook Safe-Cut Manual Can Opener$10
• Dash Safe Slice Mandoline Slicer$31 (was $40)
• Hoan Original Bagel Guillotine Universal Slicer$20 (was $28)
• OXO Good Grips 3-in-1 Avocado Slicer$10
• Gorilla Grip Heat-Resistant Silicone Oven Mitts$17 (was $30)
• BergKoch Splatter Screen for Frying Pan$10
• SecuCaptain Emergency Fire Blanket, 2-Pack$14 with Prime (was $17)

Geedel Rotary Cheese Grater

We have to start with the cheese grater, of course. Instead of the traditional box shape, this grater uses a rotary drum to shred fresh cheese. Feed the block into the chute and crank the handle to get uniform strands of cheese ready to top tasty tacos or make a crowd-pleasing dip. The rotary grater comes with three drums for slicing, shredding, or finely shredding cheeses, vegetables, nuts, and more. Since it’s $10 off right now, I’m strongly considering adding it to my cart.

NoCry Premium Cut-Resistant Gloves

Unfortunately, I’ve cut myself on more than just cheese graters. My knife skills are pretty good, but accidents happen. If I’d worn these cut-resistant gloves while preparing potatoes, maybe I wouldn’t have a 1-inch scar on my knuckle. The heavy-duty gloves offer protection without sacrificing dexterity. They’re available in multiple sizes, so you can find the right fit. Nearly 53,000 Amazon shoppers gave these gloves five stars.

Lodge Silicone Hot Handle Holder

Burns are another common kitchen injury. Cast iron cookware is notorious for scalding hands. If you don’t want to fumble with a kitchen towel, try a silicone sleeve instead. Lodge has a hot handle holder that slips right onto the cast iron handle, offering cooks a cool and comfortable grip. Available in multiple sizes and colors, this affordable little hack is an easy way to avoid burns.

Good Cook Safe-Cut Manual Can Opener

Ever open a can only to slice your finger on the jagged edge of the lid? (I have). Good Cook’s can opener is designed to protect your hands at all stages of the process. The small stainless steel cutting wheel is surrounded by a metal ring, which guides the wheel along the can while also keeping your fingers away from the blade. You can also use that wire to pop the lid out. Best of all, the can opener cuts smoothly, without any jagged or sharp edges on the lid.

Dash Safe Slice Mandoline Slicer

While mandolines are fantastic tools for quickly preparing vegetables, home cooks run the risk of cutting their hands if they move too fast. Fortunately, there’s a mandoline model with safety built right into the name—Dash’s Safe Slice Mandoline. Feed a cucumber into the chute and push a button to press it against the interior blade. Voila! Now you have sliced cucumbers. You can adjust the cut thickness and pop the whole thing into the dishwasher for easy cleaning.

Hoan Original Bagel Guillotine Universal Slicer

Two foods send more people to the ER than any other—bagels and avocados. Instead of risking your hands on a breakfast bagel, check out this brilliant slicer. The cleverly named Bagel Guillotine features a triangular blade safely housed inside a handled container. Slip a bagel into the holder, push down with the blade, and enjoy two evenly sliced halves.

OXO Good Grips 3-in-1 Avocado Slicer

Doctors treat thousands of cases of “avocado hand” each year. It’s all too easy for a knife to slip off the tough rind or big pit of the fruit. Luckily, there are many avocado tools available to make preparing guacamole safer. OXO’s 3-in-1 tool cuts, pits, and slices fresh avocado without endangering your hands. The rounded safety blade, pit gripper, and scooper make it easier than ever to create avocado toast or enhance chicken salad.

Gorilla Grip Heat-Resistant Silicone Oven Mitts

Every kitchen needs a reliable set of oven mitts. Gorilla Grip has a heat-resistant silicone pair that Allrecipes tested for ourselves. We found them wonderfully flexible, grippy, and comfortable. They’re heat-safe up to 484 degrees Fahrenheit, so you can confidently grab cookie sheets from the oven or a cast iron pan off the stove. The set is 43 percent off for a limited time.

BergKoch Splatter Screen for Frying Pan

I joke that my hands are toughened from years of burns from operating a 400-degree popcorn machine at my local movie theater. Nevertheless, it still hurts whenever a droplet of hot oil jumps from a frying pan onto my hand. This simple splatter guard reduces the risk of grease or oil burns while you cook. Fit the 13-inch screen over your sizzling pan and cook in peace. You can also use the fine-mesh screen as a cooling rack or strainer. Talk about multipurpose!

SecuCaptain Emergency Fire Blanket, 2-Pack

Everyone should have an emergency fire blanket in their kitchen. I hope you never have to use it, but it’s better to be safe than sorry. If a kitchen fire does break out, grab this reusable fiberglass blanket and throw it over the flames. The tightly woven fire-retardant fabric will smother the flames while you call for help. Unlike a fire extinguisher (which you should also have in your home), the blankets don’t make a mess or run the risk of expiring. You can grab them now at $7 each. It’s well worth it for extra protection and peace of mind.