At one point in life, some activities like eating – that seemed so obvious to us become an uphill task. When age or disability catches up with us, that’s when we realize that we should not take life for granted.
If you have an aging or handicapped parent or loved one, finding the best adaptive eating utensils for them can be a brilliant idea to make their dining experiences amazing and enjoyable.
Our Top Picks
Buying a set of adaptive utensils will not cost you a fortune. If you want to make a quick decision, you can start by investigating the 3 utensils in the table.
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What Are Adaptive Utensils?
Most elderly people and individuals with health conditions like Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s, hand deformities, tremors, arthritis, stroke tend to suffer from weak grips.
Adaptive utensils are kitchenware designed to specifically help individuals with developmental or physical disabilities enjoy eating moments as they feed themselves.
Generally speaking, they are highly functional, comfortable to hold and slip-resistant. Some weighted silverware helps to stabilize hands and some with wider grip or angled part to relieve pains.
( If you are suffering from these diseases, you may also need a simple microwave for elderly.)
Types of Adaptive Eating Utensils
Weighted utensils
Usually, each weighted utensil weighs more than 7 oz. Patients with essential tremors or Parkinson’s need to use it as the heaviness helps to offset the shaking of hands.
But some patients feel too heavy to hold. Therefore it is important to find ones with appropriate weight. Weighted utensils often come with a large grip for easy holding.
Silverware with large grip
Non-weighted silverware with large grip could be a good option for adult with weak hands. The large handle causes less stress or strain on your hand. It is also good for people with arthritis.
Utensils padding grips
This could be a very convenient alternative as it can turn your regular utensils into adaptive utensils immediately. By wrapping around the handles, these foam grips help to save energy and feel comfortable. What’s more, you could use it on your pen or toothbrushes too.
Rocking knife
Rocking knife changes the way to cut meat or vegetables. By using the downward force, seniors with weak hands could cut their food smoothly. This helps to maintain an independent life.
Angled spoon
If you have restricted finger or wrist movement, this is the right product you need. By moving your hands forward and backward, you could get the food in the bowl. You will not bend your painful wrist or finger anymore
Reviews of Best Adaptive Utensils
Adaptive eating utensils provide a fast and easy solution to any individual who experiences difficulties due to loss of grip strength, arthritis, and tremors.
After reviewing all the top-rated handicap silverware, we’ve researched and selected the following 6 products to make your shopping a hassle-free experience.
1. Adaptive Utensils 4-Piece Kitchen Set By Pulse Brands – Best Overall
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This is a non-weighted utensil set with wide handles that is popular in the market. The affordability and quality make it the top one on our list.
This 4-piece handicap silverware set includes a knife, fork, and two spoons. The wide and textured handle help prevent shaky hands from affecting the joy of eating moments.
Made with stainless steel, this set is easy to clean and dishwasher safe. The handle is made with food-grade safe silicon. This also ensures that it is very comfortable to grip.
It is a universal set for people with arthritis, Parkinson and tremors. If you have no specific needs, it is a good set to start with.
Pros
- Complete functional set
- Non-slip
- Durable
- Highly affordable
- Comfortable to use
Cons
- The handle could be longer for some users.
- The stainless steel is not very strong.
2. Red Complete Table Setting by Essential Medical Supply – Best For Alzheimers and Dementia
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Did you know that red dinnerware increases eating? I thought you should know. When enjoying even a single meal becomes a challenge, you need a bit more support on the table, right?
This red complete table setting includes a scoop dish, scoop bowl, bendable utensils, cup, and rocker knife to cover a wide array of meals.
For seniors or patients with visual impairment, the red color makes the food more obvious. This is great for patients with Alzheimer’s and Dementia cause it is easier for them to identify the food.
We also like its rubber bottom which ensures the bowl stays in place. Each utensil has a front that angle down a little to help you easily see the contents inside.
You can’t put it in the microwave but it is dishwasher safe.
Pros
- Boosts appetite
- Convenient
- A complete functional set
- Easy to identify the food
Cons
- Some elderly or handicapped users find the set to be too bulky for them to use.
3. BunMo Weighted Utensils – Best For Parkinson’s Patients
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This is one of the best weighted utensils we could find in the market. For parkinson’s patients or people who has essential tremors, this would be your life-savor.
The set is composed of 2 spoons, 1 knife and 1 fork, allowing you to enjoy any kind of meals.
It made with high-quality stainless steel, making it a great addition on the table even you bring it to the restaurant. Even better, it comes with a travel wrap for add more portability.
It looks almost the same as other silverware, but the minimum weight of each utensil is about 7 oz. The deep spoon is a nice touch as it effectively reduces the happen of the spill.
Your hands will not shake as they used to by using this elegant silverware set.
Pros
- Very supportive for patients suffering from severe Parkinson’s disease.
- Deep spoon to prevent spill.
- Highly durable and long-lasting.
- A travel wrap included.
Cons
- Some patients suffering from severe Parson’s disease find it to be too large to grasp.
4. Easy Grip Flatware Set by OXO – Best For Arthritis Hands
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If it takes forever to have your grannie take food in her own mouth, finding a good adaptive utensil set would be a great gift for her.
This is a non-weighted set that includes 1 spoon, 1 knife, and 1 fork.
To make feeding easier for the elderly or handicapped, the spoons and forks offers a special twist that allows them to be twisted to any angle.
For people with arthritis or stroke, it is hard to grip while using normal silverware. It is quiet painful sometimes. The textured and ribbed handles of this set makes it much easier for them to hold tightly without taking too much effort.
However, it is relatively large which is not for seniors with small hands.
Pros
- Stability
- Comfortable and flexible to use
- Very hygienic
- Dishwasher safe
Cons
- Not for small hands.
5. GYENNO Parkinson Spoon For Hand Tremor – Best Stabilizing Spoon
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If you find that your aging parent or loved one has difficulty handling regular utensils to feed due to bad tremors, this Parkinson’s spoon could be all they need.
Hand tremors are bad and they make individuals feel ashamed when they spill meals all over the dining linen. This is a steady spoon with a self-stabilizing smart lift kit that is most suitable for individuals suffering from Parkinson’s.
The spoon easily adapts to your hand tremor ensuring that the utensil shakes 85% less than your hand.
This portable tableware comes as a complete set of a spoon attachment, stabilizing handle, charging cable, charging box, and a user manual for directions of use.
When fully charged, Parkinson spoon for hand tremor takes you through 3 meals thus very sustainable.
This is a steady spoon with high technology.
Pros
- Easily adaptive to shaky hands
- Electronically stabilized
- Highly functional
- Dishwasher safe
- convenient
Cons
- Expensive – thus not affordable for all
6. Vive Heavy Weight Stainless Steel Eating Silverware Set – Best Weighted Utensils
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If you want your loved one with hand tremors, ataxia, or cerebral palsy to enjoy freedom and independence during dinner moments, buying an adaptive weighted utensil set can be an amazing idea.
Designed to help reduce tremors and boost their confidence, individuals with difficulties using the regular cutlery find this 4-piece weighted tableware set is very helpful.
Each of the utensils weighs about 7.4 oz to 7.9 oz, allowing patients to have manageable eating by stabilizing their hands. But some may feel they are too heavy. The appearance is not noticeable, making it a good set to use in public.
The handles are very long which are easy to grip.
Pros
- Unique ergonometric design
- Functional set
- Comfortable to use
- Durable and dishwasher safe
Cons
- Some patients find it too heavy or too long to use
7. Sammons Preston-66112 Angled Cutlery – Best Ergonomic Adaptive Spoon
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This lightweight adaptive spoon is a great choice for elderly suffer from arthritis but still want to maintain an independent life.
The reason why we like this angled spoon is that you don’t need to use your wrists while eating. For people who feel painful on their wrists, this product would be a great relief.
The plastic handle is big enough to hold even you have weak strength on your hand. The material is BPA and phthalates-free, making it safe to use in your daily life.
Even though it has a white color, it is still easy to clean and dishwasher safe.
However, the angle of this spoon is not adjustable. Luckily, the manufacturers offer plenty of versions to choose from.
Pros
- Great for arthritis patient.
- Easy and safe to use.
- Lightweight but still durable.
- Dishwasher safe.
Cons
- Relatively more expensive.
8. DMI Verti-Grip Curved Cutting Kitchen and Dinner Knife – Best Rocking Knife
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For seniors with weak hands, cutting the meat could something hard to do. You could consider using a rocking knife instead.
This rocking knife is made with stainless steel and comes with a snap-on cover, making it safe to use and has good portability.
You can cut through the meat or vegetables smoothly without too much strain on your hand or wrist. The handles are very comfortable to grasp and you can use your downward force naturally.
This knife ensure seniors and patients could keep an independent life which is very important for their mental health.
Pros
- Very comfortable to use.
- Cut the meat smoothly.
- Good portability.
Cons
- Need some time to get used to it.
9. Vive Foam Utensil Padding Grips – Best Value
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Instead of buying a new set of handicap silverware, you could opt for some padding grips.
The padding grips from Vive come in three sizes, allowing you to wrap around plenty of equipment such as spoon, knife, pen, or toothbrushes. Plus, you can cut them to any length you want.
By making the handle wider and softer, seniors with weak hands or arthritis could continue to use their regular silverware.
Not like other foam, these tubes are water-resistant and dishwasher safe.
Pros
- Very versatile: You can put it on any items.
- Cost-effective.
- Comfortable to grasp.
- Come in 3 sizes.
Cons
- May not fit some oversized products.
FAQ
How do weighted utensils work?
Weighted utensils are useful for parkinson’s patients or people with hand tremors. The heaviness of these equipments could help to prevent shaking so as to maintain a smooth eating experience.
What are utensils with large grip handles used for?
Utensils with large handles are great for people with arthritis or weak hands. You save a lot of effort while using wider grips and the stress on your joints will be reduced.
Bottom Line
When mealtime becomes a nightmare for them, there’s something you can do to help bring their feeding back on track. Find some good adaptive utensils that could make your life much easier.
