From looking over this blog's (brief) history, I guess it must be nearly impossible for me to write a post without making a follow-up to it. So, well, here's another one.
After giving dishers some more thought, it occurred to me that some types would be unsuitable or at least inconvenient for left-handed people to use. Basically, the sweeper in the scoop can be actuated in one of two ways, either by squeezing the entire handle or by pressing a thumb lever. Squeeze-handle dishers are actually ambidextrous, but to my knowledge thumb-lever dishers are only made for right-handed use. For the dishers listed in my previous post, I've made a chart of which ones are left-hand friendly:
Size
Adcraft (metal)
Adcraft (plastic)
Fox Run
Hamilton Beach
Johnson Rose
Norpro
OXO
Vollrath (metal)
Vollrath (plastic)
Zeroll
6
No
No
No
No
Yes
8
No
Yes
No
No
Yes
No
Yes
10
No
No
No
Yes
No
Yes
12
No
No
No
Yes
No
Yes
16
No
Yes
No
No
Yes
No
Yes
20
No
Yes
No
No
Yes
Yes
Yes
No
Yes
24
No
No
No
Yes
No
Yes
30
Yes
No
No
No
Yes
Yes
No
Yes
40
Yes
No
Yes
No
No
Yes
Yes
No
Yes
50
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
60
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
70
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
100
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
THE TAKEAWAY
If you're left-handed, give squeeze-handle dishers (ice cream scoops) your top consideration. To learn more about disher sizes, see my previous post.
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Something that is often not considered when it comes to dishers with left handed cooks is that it isn't really the handle that is the problem. It is the sweeper inside the scoop.
ReplyDeleteWhen used properly, the sweeper should be clear of the "cutting" edge of the scoop. Then the handle sweeps the sweeper through what's been scooped.
When a lefty uses a disher the sweeper is on the cutting edge and it gets pushed out of place, particularly with harder foods, like ice cream, or squash. Then the sweeper is useless to sweep and remove the food.
What we really need is a disher where the sweeper is on the reverse side.
That's a very good point. I thought about the sweeper's position and movement while food is being released from the disher (and figured it didn't matter, so didn't write about it), but not while food is scooped into it. In this right-handed world, I don't think any dishers are made fully left-handed. Perhaps a left-handed cook can squeeze the handle while scooping and relax it while releasing food, but that seems pretty inconvenient as well.
ReplyDeleteOk, so where can I get a left-handed ice cream scoop where the little wire inside the scoop swings in the right direction for left-handers??
ReplyDeleteI'm not aware of any scoops made that way. As I mentioned in the previous reply, left-handers will have to adapt by reversing the squeeze/open actions.
ReplyDeleteyou try scooping it squeezed and then released its easier said than done. isnt there any way of reverseing the scraper arm so that it can be used by leftys easier? companys should be more considerate of all their clients not just the majority.
ReplyDeleteNice info here. Keep us these great posts!
ReplyDeleteI also agree! I work with someone who is a Lefty, and the scooper companies need to make a scoop that is exactly like the right handed scoop, except opposite in the position of the thumb and the sweeper! While it is kind of funny to watch them try and scoop with a right handed scoop, it is also less productive and I know very very frustrating for them! These companies just need to get over themselves and Make thing exactly as they do for Righties, just opposite... for Lefties!
ReplyDeleteI have a small scooper I use for cookies. And I spend more time popping the dough out with my finger. It's messy and not that easy. I like the idea of the scoop but geesh can't they consider us lefty's. I hadn't considered a squeeze handle I'll have to see if I can find a small one for cookies. the scoop keeps the cookies all about the same size. My husband has to have his cookies. They're more of us leftys than the manufacture's want to admit.
ReplyDeleteOne would think that there would be some left-handed scoops out there somewhere, after all, they make left-handed scissors.
ReplyDeleteIt looks like this one would work for lefty's. I have always wanted a cookie scoop, but never could find one that was truly ambidextrous.
ReplyDeletehttp://www.kitchenkrafts.com/product.asp?pn=BE3298&utm_medium=shoppingengine&utm_source=googlebase&sid=GoogleProdAd&tid=CSE&cvsfa=2792&cvsfe=2&cvsfhu=424533323938&gclid=CO6eg9-Tl7ECFeUBQAodfDOKeA
This might work, but it is a spoon and not a scoop and does not come in different sizes. When you work in a kitchen you need different sizes for different chores.
ReplyDeleteMy ice cream scoop has a thumb release in the middle. Instead of sliding the ice cream, dough or batter with the wire band, it just pushes or dumps the material out into the bowl. Complete ambidexterous! Unfortunately, this very useful tool is very, very hard to find and I have not seen it at all in the various sizes other than "large ice cream scoop"!
ReplyDeleteAnonymous 12/24/12 w/the ambidexterous ice cream scoop...where did you get it? I need something for cupcake batter. I am getting better at using my right hand, but as everyone else said, it's not the lever as much as the sweeper.
ReplyDelete