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In January 2002, OXO asked
"How do we make our top performing GOOD GRIPs tools work faster,
easier and better"? After months of extensive observation,
interviews, brainstorms and testing, we welcome the OXO GOOD GRIPs
i-Series. Each i-Series item combines premium materials with
innovative features for a performance difference you will see and
feel.
i-Series Swivel Peeler - Sharpness
Matters
For this project we had to design "the ultimate
performance peeler" that addressed any issue with peelers on the
market."
 We began our study with the peeler blade. We
tried curved blades, thin blades, blades made of ceramic and other
grades of steel, blade coatings such as titanium and Teflon, and
dozens of different blade geometries. Each idea was explored with
prototypes and extensive testing.
 The result: our original GOOD GRIPs
Peeler blade performed the best! We did increase the length of the
blade for better access and added a precision grinding process to
improve blade sharpness.
 The real surprise was the behavior of
professional chefs and food preparers. Because blade sharpness is
critical for these heavy users, they actually throw out and replace
used peelers as often as weekly! "They thought of peelers like
disposable products, almost like a razor," comments designer Anthony
DiBitanto of Smart Design Inc. So we conducted a blind test of
twenty peelers, comparing the difference between old, used peeler
blades and new ones. Wow - could you feel and see the difference!
The new, sharp blade required less force, had wide, even peels and
rode over irregular surfaces smoothly. A peeler blade, like any
knife blade, will dull with use. Since you cannot sharpen a peeler
blade yourself, we designed our blade to be easily and safely
replaceable. We added a spring-loaded blade release to the Peeler,
and designed a unique safety Peeler Blade Replacement Cartridge
(sold separately). For the best results, keep the Peeler, change the
blade!
i-Series Potato Masher
When we set off
to create a more efficient Potato Masher, we consulted cookbooks to
see how mashed potatoes are prepared. While recipes differed, they
all had a common theme. Whether it's a simple mash with milk and
butter, garlic mash, or mashed potatoes with fresh herbs and cheese,
this side dish requires both mashing and mixing!
Armed with
this knowledge, we watched dozens of people mash and mix. Most
people followed a similar cycle: mash, use a silicone spatula to
scrape the side of the pot and mix in other ingredients, and then
mash some more. This laborious process created over-mashed, starchy
potatoes. In addition, the users all mashed in the same pot the
potatoes were cooked in. We cringed as users noisily clanked and
banged the stainless steel masher into the bottom and sides of the
pot, scratching the non-stick coating all the while. In watching
these behaviors we realized the benefit of combining two potato
mashing tools into one, creating a stainless steel Potato Masher
with silicone mixing blades.
i-Series Garlic
Press
Everyone loves garlic in their dishes, but we found
that no one likes to chop or mince it! We incorporated several new
features into the i-Series Garlic Press, including a more efficient
plunger and press plate design that requires less force, a large
capacity chamber, small holes that evenly mince garlic, and longer,
tapered handles for better leverage.
 However we found the most vocal concern of users
was not the pressing of garlic, as much as the clean up. Garlic
lovers were frustrated by the difficulty of cleaning sticky garlic
out of their press, especially when trying to re-load between
pressing multiple cloves of garlic. While a non-stick coating helps,
the most important element of cleaning is accessibility to the press
plate. With our pivoting and removable press plate, you can wipe the
press plate clean, run it under the faucet or toss it in the
dishwasher. Cleaning your garlic press should never again be a
barrier between you and delicious garlic-flavored dishes.
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