How to open a jar quickly

A stubborn jar is a thing that even a strong man can be struggling about, whether it is a jar of sauce or pickles. The reason can be that the vacuum seal gets tight once it cools down during production or transportation, or that the contents get stuck in the lid side. Having wiped your hands, you fail again. Are there any smart ways to open your jar quickly?

Get a grip

Sometimes it’s just because the lid is slippery. Just wrap a wet towel around the lid and twist it anti-clockwise. You’ll find opening the jar much easier. Wrapping an elastic band or a sheet of plastic can also increase your grip. If you have rubber gloves already, you’ll be more flexible to twist open the jar.

Break the seal

Most new jars usually come with a tight air seal. You can smack the bottom of the jar with your palm, which can push the air bubbles up to the lid. Similarly, you can also use the back end of a knife or spoon to tap the lid. Give the lid several taps from different directions, then you’ll screw the lid off easily.

Other useful tools include the bottle opener, which has a hooked edge that enables you to pry up the lid. There are also some jar-opening gadgets on the market specially designed for jars. They are really easy to use, however, note that the lid may not close again.

Heat the jar

If all the methods above don’t work for you, try heating the jar. Rinse the lid with hot running water for about 1 minute. The lid will expand, therefore making it easier to open. However, do make sure that the hot water doesn’t touch the main body of your jar, as some contents like pickles may taste the way you don’t like once getting warm.

Work with others

Sometimes the jar is too big or has a special shape that you can hardly control. If there’s someone beside you, why not ask them for help? One person holds the jar firmly, while the other person twists the lid with both hands. If there’s no one else around, just ask a neighbor to help you.