Kitchen cabinet and drawer grabber/grabbing tool? I do not care about price as long as it's good

Submitted by WeakLiberal t3_11fnfsk in BuyItForLife

I'm looking for a tool that can help me open my kitchen cabinet doors more easily without causing me pain due to my tendonitis. Unfortunately, my landlord won't allow me to change them and the small circular knobs in the corners of the doors force me to make a claw with three fingers and pull the handle, which is not ergonomic and difficult to control, not to mention excruciating. I'm seeking a lightweight and durable handled grabber that's also ergonomic and easy to use. I'm open to considering different types of tools

Essentially, I'm looking for a tool that can help me open my kitchen cabinet doors more easily without causing me pain due to my tendonitis. The small knobs in the corners of the doors are difficult for me to use

I'm looking for a tool that has positive reviews from recent customers and can be trusted to last for an extended period of time. I'm hoping to find a tool that can help me maintain my independence in my daily tasks and improve my quality of life. Any help is appreciated!

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Assholesfullofelbows t1_jak71eq wrote

Try a kitchen towel, wrap it around the existing knobs or corners of your drawers and cabinets. Kind of a half knot situation, wrap it over the knob or through it and cross it up. You can the take the 2 tail ends in your hand and have increased leverage and grip

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Earguy t1_jakacg0 wrote

I too was thinking of something to attach to the stock knob. Could even be decorative like a macrame loop.

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Assholesfullofelbows t1_jakaiww wrote

Ooohh that's a great idea. Nice long tassels that are easy to grip but also look nice. Top notch idea

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Earguy t1_jakbozg wrote

Thanks, my wife is an occupational therapist, and we often brainstorm adaptive equipment for her patients.

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Assholesfullofelbows t1_jakc2n6 wrote

That's pretty rad my dude. Makes me happy to hear that you're taking an active part in not only your wife's career and self betterment, but also trying to help her help people. That's good wholesome type stuff right there.

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Earguy t1_japi57u wrote

Thank you. I'm just a product of my dad, who grew up through the depression and WWII, when ingenuity and re-use was the norm. His 1940s house's main source of framing was discarded pallets. ~~~~

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sirfuzzitoes t1_jak9e07 wrote

I'm not a lawyer but they sounds like an accessibility/ADA issue. Regardless, if I were you, I'd just swap to more convenient drawer pulls and stash the current ones. If/when you move out, replace them.

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HalfPint1885 t1_jakf2ti wrote

I agree. I'd either push from the ada angle or just switch them out myself.

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Drok00 t1_jakcppw wrote

It might be worth asking in a 3D printing reddit, they might be able to make something that attaches readily.

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bblickle t1_jal1bxv wrote

Could you use something like these Cellphone Straps? They’re only about $2 each and my thinking was you’d just leave them attached by the small end and leave the big loops hanging. You could then just hook a finger or two into the loop to open. I liked this idea because they won’t slip off unexpectedly which I fear is the risk of most things you’d attach each time.

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ChillinVillain9019 t1_jakwc6n wrote

Former landlord here. Also, laws/regulations can vary depending on where you’re located. So, your “mileage may vary”, but… What I learned (the hard way) was that, if the medical diagnosis/necessity was disclosed upfront, the landlord was responsible for making sure the unit was “usable” but the tenant. Basically, a landlord isn’t allowed to knowingly rent to a person who wouldn’t obviously be able to reasonably live there (e.g. renting a 2nd floor unit w/o elevator access to someone who relies on a wheelchair, etc.). The flip side to that is, if they do, then they’re responsible for making the space “livable” to that tenant. In your case, that would mean swapping out the hardware for something more user-friendly to your condition. This would/should be an easy case in court if it ever got that far I would get.

If your condition entitles you to any kind of rental assistance that your landlord receives, reach out to that agency, and explain your situation and ask for a compliance visit. I can almost guarantee it’s be a slam dunk case for them.

Fortunately, the previous posters gave some awesome, easy solutions which would save a ton of frustrations if they work for you because few landlords take it kindly when they get tattled on.

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