World's best jar lid opener

[frauenfelder]

Originally published at: https://boingboing.net/2020/05/14/worlds-best-jar-lid-opener-3.html

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[stephen_schenck]

The reason it’s hard to open jar lids is that the vacuum seal is pulling the lid tightly against the jar.

/pedantry

The vacuum isn’t pulling tightly. The atmosphere is pushing tightly.

[DrDave]

The Jarkey is one of the few single-use kitchen implements that I think is worth the drawer space. We used our first one so many times we wore down the tip of the pry hook, so replaced it with the metal version. (Metal Jarkey) There’s also an extra-deep version for taller jar lids.

I imagine there will be comments about how it’s unneeded because you can run the jar under hot water, or whack the lid with the back of a knife, or pry under the lid with the tip of a table knife, or whatever. I know all those methods–but this tool leaves me with a dry jar, undamaged lid and intact knives in a couple seconds.

[anon32019413]

Very clever. I use brute force and a lever in the form of a Swing-A-Way jar opener. It’s useful for jars that aren’t under vacuum like honey or gelato. (yes, I buy gelato with a twist-off lid)

I’m thinking I also need a Jarkey

[Hypoxia]

We bought a second after the first broke. Very useful, not too costly but still an overpriced bit of plastic. We’ll look for the metal version aka big churchkey.

[p96]

We have something like this which is similar, in that brute force way, to the Swing-A-Way.

It does the job and you have the satisfaction of overpowering the lid.

[gracchus]

It works well for me, but even better for my mother who needs it more when my jar-opening services aren’t available.

[teknocholer]

We’ve used something like this for years*.

I haven’t used the Lee Valley opener, but it looks sturdy enough.

@Hypoxia

…big churchkey.

For the seal on two-piece canning jars, I use the blunt end of one of these. 25 cents at a garage sale near you.

ETA: *Oops, @p96 beat me to it. Fortunately, I have just the thing to open a bottle of Coke.

[anon67050589]

We just use a can opener, upside down and gently. Works great for us.

[blackanvil]

I just use a rubber & nylon strap wrench, designed to get off stubbornly stuck oil filters, but works beautifully on even the most stubborn jar lids. Cheap, gives you tons of leverage, and it doesn’t damage the lid edge, and it doesn’t matter if there’s a vacuum in there or not, that lid is coming off.

[sosumi]

I use either a churchkey like @teknocholer’s or one of these, whichever I spy in the drawer first.

[teknocholer]

@gracchus

…even better for my mother…

A friend bought one of these for her arthritic parents. Surprisingly, it actually works, and it’s fun to watch.

[RHK]

“That’s when I grab my Jarkey…”

Come on, I can’t be the only one.

[BethanyAnne]

I have both the Jarkey and the Swing-a-way. The swing-a-way is so much better than the jarkey, no contest.

[MalevolentPixy]

I was about to suggest an oil filter wrench like that. Just not the same one you use on the actual oil filters.

[lizard-of-oz]

This thing does the job for me::

[SocialMaladroit]

The old “open a stuck jar with a spoon” method usually works fine. Of course, you could end up with a bent spoon, and you certainly would miss out on buying another nifty gadget to add to your collection.

Open a Stuck Jar with a Spoon

[futnuh]

“Everyone wants to be the pickle jar guy.” - Larry David.

[PathogenAntifre]

Nice post! Search Thingiverse - Thingiverse I’m about to have an equivalent with “1 hour shipping”