Which Jar Opener works best?

When I was younger my wife would ask me to open jars from time to time now when I need a jar open, I ask her. I have arthritis in my wrists so opening a jar or bottle is sometimes difficult. I am not alone, many older adults often find opening jars and bottles and other containers hard, due to weakness in their hands, arthritis, or just reduced strength in their arms. We have a jar and bottle opener, and it works for us. The folks at Longevity Explorers at Tech Enhanced Life took a look at this problem. Here is what they found out:

There are many "gadgets" that have been developed to help overcome this difficulty. When you look on Amazon you see literally hundreds. But which one to pick?

The Explorers at several of our circles wanted to find answers to this question, and we engaged in a series of discussions and some hands-on evaluations to learn which jar opener would work best and for whom. Unsurprisingly, we found there was no such thing as a "best" jar opener. But there were definitely products that worked best for certain people.

Different opener types solve different problems

Broadly speaking there are three things these jar openers are designed to "help" with: Grip; the need for two strong hands and arms; and strength & leverage.

In the absence of a gadget to help, opening a jar requires the following.

·         Grip: One hand needs to grip tightly the jar lid. If the lid is slippery or if one's grip is not very strong, then the hand will slip, and it will not be possible to turn the jar lid.

·         Two strong hands: The other hand needs to grip the jar itself. If the jar is big or slippery this can be hard for anyone. If one's grip is not super strong in the second hand, or if one has small hands, or the jar is slippery, this second-hand grip can also fail, and the jar will not open.

·          Strength & Leverage: Even if both hands grip well on the jar and the jar lid, one needs adequate strength to turn the lid and jar in opposite directions and break the seal. This can be hard for anyone, and harder still for people who are frail or who have arthritis.

Some of our Explorers cared mainly about grip, some cared more about the need to have two strong hands, some needed leverage or strength, and some needed help with all three of these things.

Here is a link to their: Most Popular Jar Openers