As my relatives get older I find myself seeking tools to assist in tasks we’ve taken for granted, such as opening jars.
Kuhn Rikon’s Gripper Jar Opener is “good for people with arthritis,” a salesclerk told me. The tool is touted as providing “strain-free lid opening” and “great leverage” for threaded lids that are 1 inch to 3-1/2 inches in diameter.
>> Does it work? Yes. The gadget is quite big at 9-1/2 by 5-1/4 inches, but this is probably better for those who have less dexterity in their fingers and hands.
Open the jaws by turning the knob counterclockwise. Place lid in the center of the three jaws and tighten by turning the knob clockwise. Once the lid is secure, hold the jar while twisting the handle counterclockwise.
I tested the device on plastic water and juice bottles, a mayonnaise jar and a bottle of vitamins. I also had my dad open a salsa jar, which he sometimes finds stubborn. He was pleasantly surprised at how well the gadget worked.
But the real test was having my Auntie Linda try the device because she swears by those rubber pads that provide a good grip on lids.
On her first try, my aunt was unable to open a jar of pickles using the opener because the bottle was too big for her to grasp with her left hand while turning the device with her right. When she opens jars with the rubber pad, she holds the jar against her body and twists with all her might. Kuhn Rikon’s opener was too cumbersome for her to use the same way.
When I held the bottle for her, she opened the jar easily and exclaimed how easy it was to twist the cover.
“You don’t have to use much strength,” she said.
She continued to praise the device, noting how well it worked if someone held the jar. But if someone were there to hold the jar, then that person could open the jar, I said.
But, my auntie replied, “If uncle and I can’t open a jar, then the device is good because we can open it together.”
A half-hour later my resourceful aunt came up with a solution: “I can put the jar between my legs!”
She got a bottle of spaghetti sauce, sat down and put it between her thighs.
“It works!” she exclaimed.
>> Pros: Works on a variety of jar covers. The handle provides good leverage (I found holding the handle closer to the circular part of the device gave more leverage). Easy to use. A decent-sized hole at the end of the handle means it can be hung instead of taking up drawer space.
>> Cons: It’s big. Can be hard to center the lid, so you have to check that all three jaws are touching the lid before twisting off the cap. To clean the gadget, the instructions say to just use a damp cloth, so I’m not sure if the jaws will rust if washed with soap and water.
>> Cost and availability: I found this one at The Compleat Kitchen in Kahala Mall for $22. Amazon.com sells it for $15.17 (free shipping on orders over $25). QVC.com has the same jar opener with a bottle opener as part of the handle for $19.68 plus $8.22 shipping. (I wish I’d seen that one first. It’s called Kuhn Rikon 5-in-1 Jar and Bottle Opener and comes in four colors — green, blue, black and red.)
Williams-sonoma.com has a deluxe version (prettier and dishwasher safe) that costs $22 plus $16.99 shipping. Kuhnrikonshop.com has the regular one for $18 but was out of stock of the deluxe version ($22), plus $25 shipping via second-day air.
>> Worth it? Yes. And my auntie said she preferred it to the rubber pad.
Got a gadget that you love? Curious about one you’d like us to test? Email crave@staradvertiser.com or write Crave, Honolulu Star-Advertiser, 7 Waterfront Plaza, Suite 210, Honolulu 96813.
