I appreciate your article acknowledging the challenges of the hand-handicapped baker. I am one of the people that you described. I have rheumatoid arthritis and have had seven hand surgeries. However, I have not let my remodeled hands stop me from having fun in the kitchen and have found ways to work around my limitations. Researching a product before I purchase it is essential. I am currently shopping for a new mixer, so I have watched numerous YouTube videos of people showing how to use the mixer and its attachments. Doing this has helped me to judge whether I can, with my particular limitations, push, pull, connect or otherwise manipulate the mixer's various parts. I have also read any descriptive information on the mixer that I can find. Weight, size and ease of use are always serious concerns when it comes to appliances and to any purchase I make for my kitchen. In the case of the mixer, I will ultimately have to move it around on my counter, so I need to make sure that I can do it. I have found that the easiest way to move heavy objects on my counter is to store them on flexible cutting mats. When I need them, I just slide them to the place where I want them. I use handicapped knives, the kind that are "L-shaped" with handles that are at a 90-degree angle to the blade. The handles of this type of knife are built up for easy gripping. I wouldn't be able to work in my kitchen if I didn't have an assortment of them. They have taken the stress out of cutting, slicing and peeling. Readers who are interested in checking out this kind of knife can do a quick "Google search" of handicapped knives and find pictures and names of purveyors. Medical supply company catalogs are a very good source. I look forward to reading the "tips" of others in the King Arthur community.

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