The Trick For Opening Stubborn Jars Without Any Extra Tools

There's nothing worse than getting to a critical moment in a recipe, when you need to add an ingredient right that second, and discovering that the lid to the jar won't budge. Heck, even if you're just making yourself a peanut butter and jelly sandwich, a stuck lid is still pretty darn annoying. Fortunately, we've tested a whole bunch of hacks to open stubborn jars, and this one takes the cake. All you have to do is squeeze the lid from both sides until it pops, and voila, easy access (and crisis averted).

There is a sort of vacuum effect that happens when foods are stored in jars. The contents are typically heated to kill bacteria, and then a lid is put on. As the contents of the jar cool, they contract, creating an air-tight seal between the jar and the lid. This tight seal is important for food safety, as it keeps bacteria from reaching the sterile contents of the jar, but it can make it difficult to open. When you squeeze the sides of the lid, you are slightly deforming it, and the pop you hear is the breaking of that seal. Air rushes in, creating a gap between the lid and the jar and significantly reducing the amount of muscle needed to turn the top. 

Unfortunately, while this technique is incredibly useful for many jars, it does still require a bit of muscle. Seeing as the number one goal in that technique is to break the vacuum, another great way to do that is with heat.

As mentioned above, jarred foods are heated at the time that they are sealed, both to sterilize the food and to create an airtight seal. Knowing that, we can reverse-engineer the process to release that vacuum and make the jar easier to open. Hot water is an effective tool for opening stuck jars because the thermal expansion that happens as the jar is heated will reverse the pressure and ease that seal. Just pop the jar in a water bath and wait to hear the pop as the top of the lid releases. It is the exact same effect as you get from squeezing. Then, grab the jar with a towel or a pair of pot holders and carefully unscrew it.

Both of these are effective methods, but there are other techniques that you ought to know. For example, an ounce of prevention can sometimes be worth a pound of cure, such as in the case of jars with sticky contents. You can avoid sticky lids with a bit of vegetable oil when it comes to things like honey. Just wipe a bit around the rim before sealing, and it will keep it from sticking next time you need a bit. Alternatively, if this is a common problem for you, consider investing in a tool for the job. This Jar Opener from Otstar is less than $10 and can make a world of difference.