Is there anything worse than dealing with a jar lid that just won’t budge? At the factory, bottles and jars are tightened for your safety. Before your favorite products even make it to the supermarket, changes in temperature and pressure during transport can tighten those lids even further. The same thing can happen in your fridge or pantry, which is why you might have issues opening a jar that you had no problems with earlier.
Luckily, automatic jar openers are here to save the day. The best jar opener can make quick work out of any stubborn lid. These gadgets have a very practical purpose. Not only do they help everyone avoid the frustration and wrist pain that comes with struggling with a jar or bottle, but they can also help out those with some physical limitations.
Jar openers are particularly useful to those who suffer from joint pain or weak hands. In these instances, opening even a standard jar can be a painful process. Lid openers take care of all the hard work for you in seconds.
You won’t have a problem finding the right jar opener for your needs. The market is flooded with gadgets in all shapes, sizes, and designs. Here’s a collection of some of the best.
Kuhn Rikon The Gripper Jar Opener
Despite this opener’s simple look, it’s surprisingly effective at getting jars open. The gripper jar opener grabs onto smooth or grooved lids with ease. Just place the bottom of the opener on your bottle cap or jar. Then, turn the knob on top. Doing so causes the three grips to grab hold of the jar. Then, it’s just a matter of using the long handle to get more leverage.
The device is made out of durable plastic. If you make a mess opening your jar, don’t fret. Just wipe it down with a clean cloth and you’re good to go. Overall, the opener is a great option for anyone. It’s small enough to fit into a small drawer. Yet, it’s powerful enough to open up jar lids as big as 3.5 inches in diameter.
Pros:
Works on lids with a diameter between 1 and 3.5 inches
Easy to wipe clean
Provides more leverage
Hanging hole
Compact size
Holds onto lid
Cons:
Can’t be used in a dishwasher
Kichwit Jar Opener Stainless Steel
Tough lids are no match for this Kichwit jar opener. The design is quite simple. It features a telescoping grip and a large handle. The T-shaped handle is designed to provide you with a better grip and a bit more leverage as you turn. It has an ergonomic shape for comfort.
The opener is made out of tough materials for lasting durability. Aside from the plastic handle, the opener is made out of stainless steel. Because the device grips onto the lid, it’s virtually mess-free.
Pros:
Made of stainless steel and hard plastic
Opens lids between 1 and 3.7 inches in diameter
Small size
Comes with stainless steel bottle opener keychain
Lifetime warranty
Cons:
May be painful for those with arthritis or carpal tunnel
Hamilton Beach Open Ease Automatic Jar Opener
Whether you need to open a jar of pickles or a small plastic jar of baby food, this automatic jar opener has you covered. It’s an electronic device that’s powered by AA batteries. There are only two buttons to worry about. One button initiates the opening function. The other releases the lid.
To open a lid, the opener uses two jar grippers. The first tightens around the lid. The second closes in on the sides of the bottle or jar. Both have non-slip rubber for better performance. While the gadget is electronically powered, it doesn’t take up a ton of room. It’s designed to be hand-operated, so you can easily pop it in a drawer when not in use.
Pros:
Electronic operation
Simple two-button operation
Opens lids up to 4 inches in diameter
Durable construction
Grabs lid for clean open
Cons:
Uses AA batteries
Slow operation
EZ Off Jar Opener
The EZ Off jar opener has a unique approach to removing stubborn lids. Rather than being a handheld or electronic device, it mounts onto the bottom of your kitchen cabinet. The low-profile opener comes with stick adhesive and screws. Thanks to its small footprint, you don’t have to take up any storage space in your cabinets or on your countertops.
The opener features a triangle grip. One side has two rows of teeth to grab onto lids. To open up the container, just slide the lid into the triangular opening until the teeth have a firm grip. Then, turn the jar.
Pros:
Mounts to bottom of a cabinet
Includes two rows of steel teeth to grab the lid
Opens virtually any lid size
Discreet and out of the way
Cons:
Included mounting adhesive isn’t that strong
Not as effective on smooth lids
Can be difficult to take the removed lid off
Kuhn Rikon Deluxe Gripper Jar Opener
This is another great option from Kuhn Rikon. It operates on the same basic principles the brand’s other device on this list. Three grips on the bottom can grip onto a range of jar sizes. To adjust the grippers, all you have to do is turn the finger knob on top. When everything is tight, use the long handle to get more leverage and open up your jar.
It’s a great arthritis jar opener. Instead of using your entire hand to grab onto a lid, let the device do all the work. The long handle makes it easy to open even the toughest lid without exerting too much pressure.
Pros:
Opens lids between 1 and 3.5 inches in diameter
Stainless steel handle
Stylish modern design
Compact size
Provides more leverage
Cons:
Can’t be put in dishwasher
Not as effective on smooth lids
Can be difficult to take the removed lid off
OXO Good Grips Jar Opener with Base Pad
From OXO is this manual jar opener. It features a triangle-shaped opening to grab onto lids of varying sizes. You can use it on small water bottles or larger sauce jars. The opening features metal teeth on one side. The jagged teeth improve grip.
The unique thing about this opener is that it includes a base pad. It’s made of non-slip material and can make opening containers effortless. Just place the pad on a solid surface, place your jar on top, and use the opener. The pad gives you more stability. Best of all, it slips right into the back of the opener so that you don’t lose it.
Pros:
Stainless steel teeth
Comes with a rubberized base pad
Compact design and hanging hole
Modern design
Dishwasher safe
Cons:
Only one side of opener has teeth
Still requires a lot of physical force to open jars
Black & Decker Home Lids Off Jar Opener Plus
If you have room on your kitchen counters, this opener is a great option. The Black and Decker opener is electronic and can be turned on with a push of a button. It’s capable of opening large jars. While it won’t open smaller lids, the telescoping sides make opening taller containers a breeze.
We like the two strong grips used on this opener. The top of the device automatically adjusts to grab onto the lid. Two grippers on the bottom move closer to add some counterpressure on the jar itself. This multi-grip design makes the opener very effective at opening even the most stubborn jars.
Pros:
Electric opener
Telescoping height
Grips onto lid and base of jar
Modern design
Cons:
Requires you to push the top of opener down onto the lid
Lid release lever can be tough to engage
Doesn’t open bottles
Prepworks by Progressive 6-in-1 Multi Opener
This device from Progressive International has a unique design. It’s made to open a wide range of containers. It can take care of standard jars, small bottles, or even nail polish lids. On top of that, it has a standard pop-off bottle opener, plastic cutter, and foil remover. Plus, it can be used on pull tabs. It’s a truly multi-functional device.
The cool thing about the Progressive jar opener is that it does all of those tasks without taking up much space. It’s cleverly designed to take as little space as possible. Plus, it’s relatively comfortable to use. The handles have a soft-grip coating. While it’s not quite non-slip rubber, the coating provides a bit more resistance than the hard plastic.
Pros:
Compact design
Opens many different kinds of containers
Dishwasher safe
Modern design
Soft-grip coating for comfort
Cons:
Weaker grip on jars
Can be harder for those with small hands
Dr. Fasting Automatic Jar Opener
This electronic opener has a robo twist feature. Once initiated, two separate gripers will work to grab onto the jar. One will hold onto the base while the other removes the lid. The two grippers turn in different directions, creating counterpressure that pops off lids in seconds.
To keep your kitchen mess-free, the opener has a small magnet on the bottom. It holds onto the lid so that it doesn’t fall onto your counters once your jar is opened. The entire unit is also fairly small. Even though it’s electronic, it doesn’t take up much room. It only measures less than 7 inches long.
Pros:
One-button operation
Electronic opener
Lid magnet
Opens lids up to 3.4 inches in diameter
Dual-grip design
Compact design
Cons:
Uses AA batteries
Won’t open small bottles
Evriholder Easi-Twist 2pk
The Evriholder jar opener is great for those with arthritis. It’s designed to provide better traction and more leverage. The tool is very simple in design. There are spots for four different lid sizes. The smallest opens bottles with a lid that’s only 1.2 inches in diameter. On the largest opening, you can remove lids that are 2.7 inches in diameter.
The inside of the opener has rubber to grab onto both smooth and textured lids. On the outside, you’ll find ergonomic molding. The handles have grooves for your fingers, which can help prevent slipping as you use the opener.
Pros:
Comfort grip jar opener
Opens four different lid sizes
Made of BPA-free plastic
Opens lids up to 3.4 inches in diameter
Comes in a pack of two
Very small and easy to store
Cons:
Prone to snapping on very tight lids
Won’t open larger jars
Why Use a Jar Opener?
Whether you have mobility issues or not, automatic jar openers have a lot to offer. The biggest benefit they offer is that they’re much safer than trying to open a tough lid on your own. There are plenty of DIY solutions to open tight lids. However, they all include some potentially dangerous tasks. With a lid opener, you don’t have to worry about any of the safety risks. Even a young child could use one.
Another benefit of using a lid opener is that they’re virtually mess-free. Some models are hands-free. All you have to do is put the jar or bottle on a flat surface, attach the opener, and press a button. The device will open the container cleanly. Plus, they’re portable and don’t take up any space. So, you can use them at picnics and store them in out of sight.
Things to Look for in a Jar Opener
Not all lid openers are made the same. To find one that’s right for your home, keep the following considerations in mind.
Manual vs. Automatic Openers
Generally, jar openers are separated into two different categories. Manual jar openers require you to exert some physical pressure on your own. They have an ergonomic design to maximize grip and torque to handle tight lids with ease. The advantage of a manual opener is that they tend to be cheaper and compact enough to fit into a cabinet drawer. The downside is that they’re not the best option for those with arthritic wrists.
Automatic openers run on electricity. They take care of every step of the process. They can pry the lid off completely with a push of a button, making them a good choice for anyone. The downsides? Well, they tend to take up more space and cost a bit more than their manual counterparts.
Counter Space
Like any other single-purpose kitchen tool or appliance, it’s important to consider how much room you have in your kitchen. If you’re tight on space, you might want to consider going with a manual model to avoid clutter. Otherwise, there are many electric jar openers that will look great as a permanent fixture on your counters.
Lid Gripper
Jar and can openers can benefit from a gripping feature. Essentially, they’ll catch the top of the container so that it doesn’t fall into your food. They make cleanup a breeze. Some models use magnets while others have pincers to hold onto the lid.
Durability
Next up, consider the durability of your opener. A solid device made out of high-quality materials is capable of lasting decades. Stainless steel is one of the most durable materials out there. It’s resistant to rust and holds up to wear and tear. Plus, it looks great in the kitchen and complements modern appliances.
Comfort
It’s important to have comfort features if you’re going with a manual opener. Look out for ergonomic grips that are shaped to follow the contours of your hand. Straight handles with hard edges will only be uncomfortable to use. You can also get openers with a non-slip coating to improve your grip even further.
Maintenance Requirements
Not every opener is going to make contact with your food. However, those that do will need to be maintained every once in a while. Whether you choose a manual or electronic jar opener, see how easy it is to clean up. Removable assemblies are ideal, as you can easily rinse off parts of the opener that touch your food.
Conclusion
Whether you have arthritis or you’re simply tired of struggling with tight jar lids, these openers have you covered. They’re all easy to use and provide much more opening force than your hands alone. Take some time and choose a device that’s right for your needs. Once you find the perfect opener, it’ll be a staple in your kitchen and pantry.