Black & Decker Rice cooker--Ergonomic?

The 5 areas of Ergonomics Research are Safety, Comfort, Ease of Use, Performance, and Aesthetics. And earlier this weekend, I was given a Black and Decker Rice cooker as a gift so it was the perfect object to analyze in regards to ergonomics. So overall, after the third use of this object, I've concluded that this rice cooker contains the 5 aspects of ergonomics research.

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Compared to many other brands of rice cookers, it can be concluded that the Black and decker rice cooker meets the standard of safety. Past experiences with other brands of rice cookers (mostly Japanese brand rice cookers) tended to heat up on the back area of the rice cooker while in use. This made it dangerous or painful to touch. As a result, after using these Japanese brand name rice cookers, I would have to wait until it cooled down or I would have to wear an oven mit to handle the object. Alternatively, when I was able to use this Black and Decker rice cooker, the outer shell was heat resistant. It was safe to touch while in use, and the water from the steam did not drip down and burn my hands.

This American brand rice cooker can also be considered to be a comfortable object in comparison to other rice cookers. Despite the fact that the rice cooker was made of metal, the rice cooker's material enabled it to be very light to carry. This element is very helpful for people with back problems and are unable to carry or lift heavy objects. This rice cooker was so light, that a 7 year old boy (as tested by my baby brother) could lift it with one arm. In addition, the rice cooker is very small, so it is much easier to move around and easier to fit into smaller spaces.

Many Japanese brand rice cookers (including the one I previously owned) did not have handles. This made it hard to carry or move the rice cooker around. The Black and Decker rice cooker included two handles on the side like that of a regular pot. This made it so the rice cooker was very easy to move around and increased its portability. This aspect, I think satisfied the ease of use element of the research of ergonomics. The very clear label of what the rice cooker is doing at the moment makes it very easy to see when the rice would be done. The cover for this rice cooker is clear, so it makes it really easy to see how the rice is cooking.

Many rice cookers are very effective at doing its job. The performance of this Black and Decker rice cooker performed just as well as any rice cooker I've used before. The interior pot of this rice cooker contains a non stick surface, so after the rice was cooked, it did not stick to the bottom as it would if the rice was cooked in a standard pot over the stove. The rice was cooked in less than 20 minutes as opposed to the 30 minutes usually spent on cooking rice on the stove top.

When I think of the brand name "Black and decker" the first image that appears is something black and white. This is true of the black and decker rice cooker-- the rice cooker was black and white. It is a very aesthetically pleasing design as every aspect of this rice cooker has a function in its design. The light on the rice cooker blinks red when it is being cooked, thus signalling the cooker that it is not done. When we see red stop signs, or red traffic lights we think to stop. The red on the rice cooker serves the same function-- it tells us to stop, and not touch it when it is being cooked. Again, the clear cover of the rice cooker gives the cooker the benefit of seeing how the rice is being cooked. It seems that the this particular rice cooker is designed to relate to more audiences. The design of the Black and Decker rice cooker is an imitation of a crock pot or a regular pot--this appeals to a wide audience instead of just Asian Americans.

Overall, this Black and Decker rice cooker meets all 5 aspects of Ergonomics Research. This rice cooker has many aspects that appeal to wide consumers.