This Might Be The Easiest Way To Open A Sealed Jar

Don't give yourself a hernia the next time you need to open a jar. Instead, follow the advice of the Gods of Reddit, who always know exactly what to do, and how.

User Gahlic1 rocked people's worlds a few months ago when she posted the Reddit thread titled "Simple way to open a sealed jar." In it, she lamented how many chefs don't know how to open jars. "You don't bang them, you simply get a bottle opener, stick it under the lid, it releases the seal without frustration or muscle!" she says.

You might be marveling about how you never figured that out before, but the tool is called a "bottle opener," not a "sealed jar opener," so there is some disconnect there. Anyway, the comment reaction was exactly what you might expect. Shock. Awe. And of course, alternatives. 

Some people are all aboard the bottle opener train. "This! It's so much easier and always works," says user WandaGershwitz. Others, however, have their own methods and are sticking to them.

One popular jar-opening alternative basically substitutes a butter knife for a bottle opener. Since many people have more butter knives lying around at the ready than bottle openers, this isn't such a shabby idea. Says SaltyBalty98, "I use a butter knife and use the tip under the seal, push out in a leaver motion and it's done." Similarly, mybellasoul subs in yet another utensil, a spoon. She does this because, "I'm accident prone with anything even as sharp as a butter knife."

Still others are hesitant to bring any other tool into the mix, and use the "bang it on the counter" approach. "I don't own a bottle opener, and even if I did, I feel like it's faster to bang it a couple times than have to go find another piece of equipment," explains hzleyes312.

User Malevolent-K says to hold a chef's knife backwards (sharp side up), then give the lid a good "thwack." "The lid will dent and be super easy to open, but still be usable after," the user says. User wawasus wraps a rubber wristband around the lid, then gives it a good twist, saying it, "Works like magic!" ShaddiJ suggests running the lid under hot water, "for a bit." Or, you could add some grip in the form of a dish towel or piece of kitchen silicone. Place on top then twist, per Taste of Home.

With anything in life, it's good to have options. Even if it's only jar-opening maneuvers.