Kitchen Checklist
Take a look around your kitchen. Will you be able to use your kitchen safely as you get older? What about your grandchildren? Other adults? Here's a good way to find out. Complete this checklist or print it to complete by hand. Use your answers to discuss possible home remodeling ideas.
For more information on how to modify your kitchen, use the link at the top of each section of questions.
General Features
| Yes | No | |
| The kitchen is near the door where I unload groceries. | ||
| The kitchen floor has a non-slip surface. | ||
| I have a fire extinguisher in an easy-to-reach place. |
Microwave Oven
| Yes | No | |
| The microwave is at least 48 inches from the floor. | ||
| There is a shelf nearby. | ||
| The microwave has touchpad controls. |
Kitchen Sink
| Yes | No | |
| My sink is no more than 6 ½ inches deep. | ||
| It is 34 inches from the floor. | ||
| It has one faucet, not two. | ||
| I can control hot and cold water with one handle. | ||
| I use lever handles - not knobs - to turn on the water. | ||
| The faucet and controls are at the side of the sink. | ||
| There is knee space under the sink. | ||
| I have a spray hose on my sink. | ||
| My sink has an anti-scald device. |
The Dishwasher
| Yes | No | |
| My dishwasher is eight inches off the floor. | ||
| There is enough space next to the dishwasher to fit a chair. | ||
| The dishwasher has button controls. | ||
| The shelves slide in and out easily. |
Countertops
| Yes | No | |
| At least one of my counters is 36 inches from the floor. | ||
| That counter has knee space underneath. | ||
| I've cleared all my counters of clutter. | ||
| The countertops are well lit. | ||
| They have rounded edges. | ||
| These edges are a different color than the rest of the counter. | ||
| My countertops are smooth enough to slide a pot across. | ||
| They have a heat-resistant surface. | ||
| I have countertops on both sides of the sink, refrigerator and stove. |
Refrigerator
| Yes | No | |
| I have a side-by-side refrigerator. | ||
| The shelves of my fridge slide in and out. | ||
| My refrigerator has a water and ice dispenser on the door. |
Cabinets and Drawers
| Yes | No | |
| My upper cabinets are only 48 inches from the floor. | ||
| My lower cabinets are six inches above the floor. | ||
| All my heavy pots and pans are stored below my counters. | ||
| I can hang my pots and pans on the wall. | ||
| I have a shelf below my upper cabinets. | ||
| My shelves are no more than 10 inches deep. | ||
| The shelves on my lower cabinets slide out. | ||
| All my cabinets have u-shaped handles. | ||
| I have a Lazy-Suzan on a deep shelf or in a corner cabinet. |
Cooktop and Oven
| Yes | No | |
| I replaced my range with a separate cooktop and oven. | ||
| The cooktop is on a counter that is 32 inches from the floor. | ||
| There is knee space below that counter. | ||
| My oven is mounted in the wall at a height I can reach. | ||
| The oven has a door that swings to the side. | ||
| My cooking controls are at the front of the stove. | ||
| My cooktop burners sit below a smooth, glass top. | ||
| My burners are staggered (not in a straight line). | ||
| A light on my cooktop that tells me when burners are hot. | ||
| I have push-button controls. |
Results
Did you answer "yes" to a question? Great! That part of your kitchen should be easy to use for many years to come. Did you answer "no" to a few questions? These are aspects of your kitchen design that don't meet universal design standards and may cause accessibility issues at some time.
