Some of you may have been known, perhaps once, to have struggled with opening a jar. Some females, and even some males … ! Well, imagine how annoying it would be if that same sort of effort and strength was required from you just to open closed doors in your own house. It’d be a pain in the butt, and that is why people have developed door knob grips. You don’t need to change all of your round handles to lever handles, either because you or someone staying with you is having trouble opening the door. That means you don’t have to give up your gorgeous antique ones either!

Door knob grips come in two types, there are those that fit over your existing round door knobs to create short lever handles – these are generally a bit cheaper. However, keep in mind that a lot of them use teeth and springs to grip the door knob … so if yours is made of a material that you don’t want scratched, then these might not be the best option for you. Quite a few are called ‘slip-resistant’ in the product descriptions too, so I can imagine that means that they still slip, only less frequently when they’re new and more as they age… The other option within this type are those that you attach with screws. This may not be an option if it is your antique door that you value more than your antique handle (after all, you can always put a different handle underneath the grip for the duration – or a lever handle!). But they are much more reliable and sturdier. All required bits and pieces are included with these grip sets.

Or you can use the type favored by pitchers and baseballers for throwing specific balls, those that are like a jar opening grip. My personal jar-opening grip is a teatowel… although these are not quite like that! They are more small rubber mats, or circular pieces of rubber that can fit over your door knob and stay there. Obviously the ones that stay on your knob will be much more convenient. These are much kinder to your knobs, but if arthritis or another joint problem is keeping people from opening your doors, they don’t do much good. But they do glow in the dark! A winner for me :)

Then some clever cookies have integrated the two models. The Sammons Preston doorknob turner (and possibly other brands…) is plastic, fits over your existing doorknobs, has a huge extension so a minimum of effort is required, can be right or left handed, and also has a hook for the best usability. The only thing that remains to be seen is whether it slips…

Plus they don’t glow in the dark!

Photo credits: Door knob turner by disability-warehouse.co.uk

          

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