Safety is a big part of operating major appliances, especially if you hope to get your children involved in the housework. Nowadays, cooking and cleaning appliances aren’t the hazardous, earth-shaking products they once were; modern appliances, especially smart appliances are quiet, energy-efficient, and they feature top-of-the-line safety features built right in.
You can find wall ovens that automatically turn off to prevent your food from burning, refrigerators that act as a personal assistant, and washing machines that can be started from your phone while you’re at the office. If your kids are at that age where they want (or need) to start helping with the household chores, it’s never been easier for them to get involved.
Participating in the kitchen is usually one of the first household related tasks a kid wants to help with. Usually, their idea of helping is licking the spoon, but there are a ton of great kid-friendly tasks for the youngins’ to help with if they’re brand new to the kitchen.
And it helps to give parents peace of mind knowing their kids can remain safe while learning how to use household appliances. So, without further ado, let’s look at some kitchen and laundry appliances that are great for beginners to safely and effectively operate.
Appliances and Safety Features with Children
If your kids are tasked with putting dinner in the oven, select GE wall ovens feature an added integration with the Nest app to automatically turn off your appliance if it looks or smells like something is burning. When the first puff of smoke is detected, the Nest integration is activated, and your oven will turn off immediately to reduce the internal temperature of the oven.
If your family does a great deal of cooking on your range or cooktop, certain induction appliances work with a virtual flame to reduce the risk of burns, flare-ups, and boil-over spills. A virtual flame combines the visual of gas cooking with the precision of induction cooking, and the LED surface lights shine onto pots and pans providing visual cues that the cooktop is on so no one accidentally grabs onto the hot surface.
Sometimes kitchen safety is determined by the construction of the appliance. A French door oven range like this model from GE Café offers a walk-up experience with both doors opening at once so kids can take food out of the oven much easier without having to hunch over. The appliance height is more conducive for multitasking and limiting the chance of getting burned.
Gas cooking may be the preference in your household, so if that’s the case, this Whirlpool slide-in gas range features an industry first, hinged cast-iron grates that lift up for easy cleaning and provide access to the bottom of the cooktop without having to remove the grates completely. Kids can wipe up spills without the risk of jamming any fingers or getting too close to the burners while they’re trying to clean. And the best part is, these grates are dishwasher-safe.
Kitchen and Cooking Related Chores
Once your kids are comfortable with the kitchen appliances and can use them safely, it’s time to dish out some chores. Start with something small, like recording the grocery list before you go shopping. The Samsung Family Hub makes it easy to write and leave notes on the Family Hub screen and syncs your grocery list to your smartphone. And if you happen to forget the list, have your kids help you shop with three built-in cameras that allow you to see the contents of the refrigerator and add items you need to your grocery list.
If you want your kids to participate in the meal-prep, the same Whirlpool range with the hinged grates also comes equipped with the Yummly Guided Cooking App to provide step-by-step cooking tutorials for hundreds of meals. If you want to spice up Taco Tuesday or Spaghetti Saturday, you can find a recipe to enhance all your favorite meals.
Scan-to-Cook technology makes meal-prep even easier, choosing the ideal settings for frozen food so you always know how long to cook your meal. Just scan the barcode on the food item with your smartphone and the oven responds with customized settings. The kids will never overcook their pizza bagels or dinosaur nuggets ever again.
And if you decide chores day means the parents get the night off from cooking, send your kids to the kitchen and let them prepare dinner (if you think they’re ready). If you remember a while back, we shared a blog on the reasons you should cook with your kids, so it might be time for a little refresher.
There are all sorts of fun, family-friendly recipes kids can prepare. Give them the reins and let their creativity flourish.
Laundry Chores
Next, let’s examine some of the laundry-related chores kids can do with the help of a safe and reliable washer and dryer. Whether they’re cleaning sports jerseys or school uniforms, the stack of dirty laundry can’t be left behind.
Laundry is a great starter chore for kids because it’s easy, it teaches responsibility and routine, and it provides a sense of accomplishment and ownership. If your little ones need a little motivation, these appliances might help them get started.
Explore the 4-in-1 laundry pair featuring FlexWash and Flex Dry. This set allows you to wash and dry four loads of laundry at once and both the washer and dryer include a separate compartment on the top of the appliance for smaller items. The top compartment on the dryer is also the designated area to treat delicate items, and the large-capacity laundry pair is app-enabled so you can monitor laundry cycles from your smartphone.
Kids and families can seriously step their laundry game up with a Whirlpool Front Load Washer (WFW9620HC). You can stay connected from anywhere and start a wash cycle using the Whirlpool app. If you need to simplify the laundry routine while your kids are still getting the hang of it, simply fill the Load & Go XL Plus dispenser with detergent and fabric softener once and it will last for 40 wash cycles. It makes it easier for first-timers because they don’t have to lug out the heavy detergent jug every time and risk making a mess. You'll even receive notifications when you’re nearing 40 loads and running low on detergent.
This front load washing machine connects with other compatible smart devices, like the Nest Learning Thermostat. Intuitive controls guide you to the right cycle combinations or allow you to customize up to 35 of your own wash cycles to get the right type of fabric care for whatever you're washing. If the kids fall asleep or get caught up with homework and forget to transfer the laundry, a built-in fan activates after the wash cycle is over, tumbling clothes for up to 12 hours so your fabrics stay fresh.
If stains are a weekly occurrence, the Steam Clean option helps remove everyday stains, which gets deep into fabrics with increased wash action and heat.
Dishwasher Chores
Lastly, the most dreaded chore of them all—dishes. No one likes cleaning up the mess after meals (especially children), but if you find a way for your kiddos to get in the habit of starting the dishwasher and find ways to make after-meal cleanup more enjoyable, they are more likely to finish their chores without instruction.
The first thing you want to do is teach them how to properly use the dishwasher. Instruct them on how to load the dishwasher, add detergent, what can and cannot go in the dishwasher, and proper dishwasher maintenance. This will help set the foundation for understanding how a dishwasher works.
It helps to have a dishwasher that handles most of the work and makes it foolproof for children to do the dishes. The Bosch 100 Series Dishwasher does exactly that.
This model features a long silverware basket, an adjustable upper rack, a self-latching door, a delicate wash for fine china, an Express Wash cycle to rapidly clean dishes in 30 minutes or less, Overflow Leak Protection, and the Sanitize Option used to eliminate bacteria and enhance drying results.
Get Back to Work
Smart features, expert precision, and a little dedication are all it takes to handle your chores with ease. If you want to get your children involved more in cooking or helping around the house, any of these cooking and cleaning appliances would be a great introduction.
If you have any questions or would like more information regarding any of our cooking and cleaning products, don’t hesitate to give us a call or visit us at Albert Lee for all your appliance needs.