Helen Hamlyn Research Centre

Centre for Inclusive Design

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DBA Design Challenge 2003

Factory Wares / Factory Design

The users with severe arthritis who advised Factory Design all loved cooking but their moment of truth came once the dish was ready and had to be lifted from the heat. It was then that the weight and design of the saucepan increased the pain of their condition and led to accidents. Nine million people of all ages in the UK are affected by arthritis and every one of them needs to eat. Factory Design's challenge has been to create a saucepan that will transform the pain of their cooking experience to one where pleasure is uppermost.

Some User Issues

Single multipurpose pan with built-in colander desired
Many saucepans have an unnecessary painful split in the handle
Radius at bottom is often too tight making them difficult to clean
Weight, handling, balance and draining are common problems.

How Does It Work?

Universal pan size to accommodate different cooking methods
Traditional round shape but with conical sides for easy pouring and a large radius to facilitate cleaning
Aluminium body for lightness, non stick interior and copper bottom to enhance cooking and cleaning
Integrated aluminium colander for drainage
Two-part lid in transparent lightweight polycarbonate with an aluminium surround and easy-to-lift hooped handle. The lid turns in on itself to make stacking easy
Ergonomic two-part long handle with a fuller cross-section to assist gripping. Its distinctive shape is angled downward for intuitive use. The oval comfort platform at the end shifts the weight of the pan to the arm from a single point at the wrist making pouring less painful and ensuring greater balance and safety. The handle's main structural shroud is made of lightweight heat resistant material overlaid with tactile foam filled polyurethane to enhance gripping
Secondary hooped handle on the opposite side for two-handed use.

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