It has finally happened. Twist off lids on jars are getting tougher to open. For pickle jars, I found if I poke a hole in the metal lid with an awl, it releases the vacuum and it opens easier, but I tried to twist off the lid on a jar of peanuts with no vacuum and that trick doesn't work. There's a bunch if you Google but who knows how well they work. Need geezers with experience.
Try holding the jar upside down over a stove burner just until the lid gets hot. Metal expands and cuts loose. It always works for me. Sometimes just holding the top under the hot water faucet works too.
Depending on the design, a bottle opener can be hooked under the lid & pried up to release the vacuum. I've also used this device with some success: (similar products on QVC, HSN, Amazon) It grabs the lid in 3 places. But it only works if you tighten the handle just right. If it's too tight, it crushes the lid against the jar tighter. If it's too loose, it slips off.
I’ve found a lot of jar openers are just plain useless and damage my preserving jar lids making them useless for reuse I seen a battery operated one being recommended to seniors a few days ago, didn’t take to much notice of brand I’ve got this one but I find it useless it slips on lids rather than opening them
This one is supposed to be good, but it takes patience. I heard it takes around a minute. Robotwist Jar Opener, Automatic Jar Opener, Deluxe Model with Improved Torque, Robo Twist Kitchen Gadgets for Home, Electric Handsfree Easy Jar Opener – Works on All Jar Sizes, As Seen on TV[/paste:font] 4,077 5K+ bought in past month $19.99$19.99 List: $29.99$29.99 FREE delivery Wed, Dec 6 on $35 of items shipped by Amazon Or fastest delivery Tomorrow, Dec 2
@Ed Wilson we love this,one. and you can even open cola bottles with worth every penny. On amazon $14
I find it difficult to open a jar of pimentos because the jar is so small that it's hard to get a grip on. I take a heavy spoon and tap it around the edge as I turn it. Tap it the way you will turn it to open it. I have an opener from Amazon that works great for regular sized jars.
There are several on Amazon. We have one that mounts under one of our kitchen cabinets. Aside from the fact that I forget it's there and resort to banging on the edge of the lid with a butter knife, it seems to work well enough when i use it. I don't know if it's the best one because it's the only one I tried, but this is what we have - The Grip Jar Opener
My wife's uncle used to make these with old hacksaw blades and a piece of Masonite or plywood. They worked okay. I usually rely on the hot water method stated by @Nancy Hart but I would never hold a jar over a gas burner, as the chances of the heat differential causing the jar to break might be catastrophic. If you get a bit of latex tubing or a flat piece of said substance, the increase in grip can be wonderful. Using can openers/church keys can chip glass splinters off the rim of screw-type jars, so be careful if using that one.
When we was kids we’d jam a jar in the hinged part of doors to open jars / bottles , it damaged the doors of course by forcing the door to a closed position to jam ….the jar / bottle
Keeping it old school and on hand I use this (the smaller side aka bottle opener) after my Robotwist broke.
How did you like that RoboTwist, Von? Reviews I read are mostly good, with some number of people saying that it broke not long after they bought it. The one that Tony posted is a "New & Improved" version.
I loved it and had it for a very long time. It only broke because it fell on the floor. I super glued it but It never worked properly after that.