Preparing dinner and looking after your child at the same time is no easy task. It only takes a moment of inattention for curious little hands to wander into a hot oven or start fiddling with the oven handles. When choosing household appliances, it is therefore worth paying attention to solutions that minimise the kitchen hazards lurking in wait for little explorers.
Stop the burns
In the case of ovens, the basic and most common safety feature signalling the appliance's operation is the illuminated interior. However, while it may be easy to explain to a five-year-old that the appliance must not be touched in this situation, a two-year-old will not understand the danger. Therefore, a useful solution found in modern ovens is the cold door system.
Using the insulating properties of up to four thermo-reflective panes, the oven door always stays cool, even when the temperature inside reaches its maximum. As a result, touching the glass of a switched-on appliance does not cause burns.
"To ensure greater safety for children in the kitchen, it is also worth swapping a traditional gas cooker for a modern induction hob. The surface of such a hob does not heat up and the heat is only in the cooking vessel. If a child touches the hob with his or her hand, there is no risk of scalding. The appliance, even when switched on, only comes into operation when a metal pot (frying pan, saucepan, coffee maker, etc.) is placed on it.
photo: ojoimages
If you absentmindedly leave a small object (e.g. a spoon) on it, it will not start to heat. Induction hobs are therefore the safest for families with small children," says Alina Chemperek-Gumiela, representative of Candy Polska, a manufacturer of household appliances.
