Behind the Design: OXO’s Iconic Good Grips Handles
Words Valerie ListonEver wonder how the comfy, easy-to-grip handles ended up on so many of your favorite OXO products?
One of the first things you probably associate with the OXO brand is our iconic Good Grips line. The soft, non-slip, black handles can be found on many products from spatulas to can openers. So how did these handles come about?
Let’s start at the very beginning, in case you haven’t heard this story yet. Sam Farber founded OXO when he saw his wife Betsey having trouble holding her peeler due to arthritis. This got Sam thinking: why do ordinary kitchen tools hurt your hands? Sam saw an opportunity to create more thoughtful cooking tools that would benefit all people (with or without arthritis) and promised Betsey he would make a better peeler.
Part of that better peeler—as well as the other 14 OXO Good Grips products that were initially launched—was a wide, oval-shaped handle that was easy to hold and control, no matter the size or shape of your hand or the strength of your grip. And while this might not sound like a lot of kitchen gadgets you see in stores now, back in 1990, this wasn’t the standard.
When looking for materials to use on his new idea, Sam went with thermoplastic rubber (TPR), which was pretty innovative in kitchen products at the time. Back then, TPR was mostly only for industrial use, its most common appearance in the automotive industry. Sam chose this material for a few reasons. For starters, it’s soft to the touch and non-slip even when it gets wet. The second reason is more technical: TPR is relatively easy to bond with other materials, which means it’s compatible with a variety of materials that would be used in kitchen tools, like stainless steel and nylon. And last but certainly not least, it’s dishwasher-friendly. Since TPR is used on the internal gaskets of many products, Sam knew it’d be perfect for kitchen tools that need to withstand years of wear and tear in the dishwasher.
Since the kitchen tool market had never seen anything like the Good Grips line before, Sam knew he had to make the big black handles engaging to consumers. And that’s how the “fins” were born. On the sides of each handle were a little set of fins that flexed when you touched them. They invite people to give them a try, and helped get the brand-new Good Grips products in people’s hands.
But the handles weren’t the only way Sam encouraged consumers to get a feel (literally!) for how different these tools were from others on the market. He partnered with retailers to showcase an OXO peeler next to a bowl of carrots so people could walk right up and sample the product right there in the store. Again, he was met with some blank stares—nothing like this had really been done in the industry before. But retail stores soon saw the value of letting customers test products, and now in-store demos and interactive display models can be found in many stores across all of our product lines.
After more than two decades of the OXO brand expanding and growing, the need for a visual cue isn’t quite as important. Now that we’re known for our non-slip Good Grips handles, many of our newer products have the same comfortable grip, just without the fins on the sides. Now we use the fins primarily where there’s a functional benefit, like on our Oil Stopper/Pourer, where the fins are used to fit different sizes of bottle necks. But don’t worry, some of our classic tools still have those signature fins, a relic of our early OXO days. What’s your favorite OXO Good Grips product?
Valerie Liston is part of OXO's Brand Communications team. She is a Bostonian by blood, a New Yorker by choice, a writer, a lover of stories, a self-proclaimed nerd, and a Hufflepuff.
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36 Comments
I am allergic to 3 chemicals used to treat rubber to make other products. I get severe deep tissue hives from touching these products. I haven’t noticed any problems w OXO utensils, but still use a glove to handle the tongs.
You asked about our favorite product. Well — we have a set of knives and love them. I wanted to buy a set for our daughter-in-love, but can only find a knife here or there. (We have a wood block and the set include steak knives) Is this company making knives still????
I love, love, love OXO. I do have arthritis and have had since my 20s. We own many oxo products. I bought myself the coffee pot and grinder for my birthday this year. The best coffee pot I’ve ever owned. So easy and fast! Perfect for a coffee lover. But a unsung hero I just got has to be the stainless steel toothbrush and toothpaste holder!!! I have all my friends buying one. I know when I buy a oxo product it is going to be so thoughtfully put together. I not only love this brand but respect it. You can’t go wrong with Oxo!
My good grip potato peeler blade portion can be removed from the rubber handle and has a ribbed handle. Is this handle insert have a special function or is its removal from the rubber grip just so the rubber handle can be used on another oxo product?
Dear Sirs and Ladies
Please start producing a TWO Blade Peeler for carrots.
The only firm producing this product is the firm Progressive in Germany. But it is not sold in any shop I have been visiting for years.
OXO products are great, I own many. Your wooden spoons are really comfortable to use, well balanced and they don’t stain plus they are safe to use in non stick pans.
I have nothing but praise for OXO. Nearly every comparison of equipment is won by OXO on America’s Test Kitchen and other shows. I particularly like the 16″ grill tongs. Have not only used them a lot, but have given them as wedding gifts. I had a measuring cup a few years ago that lost its internal markings and it was replaced quickly with no questions asked. Great company. Glad to know the history.
Lovely to read the story of OXO’s origin. My very first OXO purchase years ago was a peeler! I was probably in my 30s (with no arthritis), but I could instantly tell this was a peeler that worked comfortably in my hands. No matter how many potatoes or carrots or anything else needed peeling, I could peel them all without a break. I’ve purchased many OXO products since then, feeling sure of both the comfort and the quality of the tool. Thanks so much for being a company with products I can trust, and thank you also for placing visual appeal high on your list. That’s important too.
Are there any plans to bring back the Oxo Good Grips Saw Grip Stainless Steel Bread Knife? I have 4 family members and several friends who have disabilities and have these knives but they are worn and dated and need replacement. I would be really interested in knowing if these will be brought back and if not where I could purchase some. They have helped keep my mums independence which means everything to her so thank you from all of us.
Several years ago my sister bought an OXO good grips handle in America for carrier bags to make them more comfortable to carry and several could be slotted into the handle to keep them together. it was a genius invention and made sure that the handles did not cut into your hands. I have never seen one in the UK and wondered if you have ceased production.
Just purchased the grip bar. Installed and two hours later it fell off. Could not find any instructions. Any suggestions ?
I am allergic to latex so I must inquire if any of your grips contain actual rubber. I know they are “thermoplastic rubber” but is that just a name for a synthetic polymer or does it actually have rubber in it?
You are so wanderul because you showed me some good issues as for the knives.
The connoisseurs of this brand can enjoy all the advantages of such tools. This will make the workflow faster and more efficient. I think you’ll like it.