Arthritis affects around 58.5 million Americans, according to current estimates. Our nation’s population is aging, suggesting the number of people affected by arthritis will rise. You can buy special tools to relieve the pain while running your daily errands, such as cooking or cleaning.
We’ve reviewed 27 options while picking up the 6 best jar openers for arthritic hands, with the EZ Off Jar Opener as our Editor’s Choice. One of the most essential considerations while choosing the perfect one is whether it is manual or automatic and how this may affect usability for a person with limited hand mobility. Other things we considered are how this determines who can use the product and where they can use it, and the warranty, specifically looking at what guarantees and protections you get from the manufacturer.
More features: under cabinet or cupboard installation, one-hand operation, includes 3 screws
The EZ Off Jar Opener is specifically made to open twist-style lids and does a fantastic job on all types and sizes of jars. Note that it won’t replace a can opener because it is not designed to open cut-style cans.
It installs easily under the cabinet, meaning it won’t take up any space on your counter, and comes with three screws to fix it into place. These are short screws, so designed to ensure that they don’t go through the cabinet and damage it. It also has a strong, pre-attached peel-and-stick adhesive that doesn’t come off with time, which holds the opener firmly while you fix the screws. We tried a little experiment and concluded that the adhesive is strong enough to hold the opener under pressure, and you can open jars with just the adhesive holding the opener in place.
Once installed, the jar opener is super easy to operate. You only need to place one hand on the jar to steady it, and then twist the jar, and the opener will loosen the lid.
More features: simple operation, large release button, built-in power cord storage, collapsible design for space-efficiency
The Black & Decker JW200 Lids Off Jar Opener is designed for use on screw on/off lids with a diameter of 4.5 inches or less and no taller than 8 inches. One of the things we love most about this jar opener is that it’s very easy to use. All you have to do is lift the handle, place the jar on the turntable base, lower the upper part of the opener so that it rests on top of the jar, and press the ON/OFF button continuously until the lid is loosened. Then you can remove the jar and lid.
Should you unwittingly place a can in the jar opener and it gets stuck, turn the can counterclockwise and press the release button at the same time. Another thing we like about this jar opener is that it is collapsible, which makes storage easy.
However, we noticed that the rubber grips on the inside move about, which is unfortunate because should yours come off, you won’t get replacements since Black & Decker no longer makes this model.
More features: requires 2 AA batteries; one-touch operation
The instecho Automatic Jar Bottle Opener is an electric wonder tool that runs on two AA batteries, which means you don’t need any muscle strength to operate it. Simply place the jar opener on top of the jar and press the button on top of the gadget to turn it on. The grips will hold the jar firmly to keep it from tipping over, and the opener will tighten around the lid and loosen it. No effort is required from you.
It’s designed for lids that are 4 inches (or smaller) in diameter, and best of all, you can use it on taller jars because there is no height limit.
The only blot on this otherwise fabulous product is that it does not come with batteries. But this shouldn’t be a problem because AA batteries are widely available and affordable too.
This stores easily in a drawer, but it needs a somewhat deep drawer given that it measures 6.8″ (L) x 2.5″ (W) x 4.3″ (D). If your drawers are small, you can place it in an open box on your counter.
More features: works on smooth-sided and grooved caps
The Kuhn Rikon The Gripper Jar Opener is designed to open lids that are 1 to 3.5 inches in diameter and works great on both grooved and smooth-sided lids. Its long handle gives you a firm grasp and makes the process easy and comfortable. The teeth and clamp are designed to cover the lid without extending to the jar itself, which means it carries no risk of damaging the jar.
It’s easy to operate, but you’ll need to use both hands. For people with advanced arthritis who may have little hand strength, this can take quite some effort. To open a jar, place the jar opener over the jar with the teeth facing down, and then rotate the turn-knob clockwise. This tightens the jaws onto the lid and locks the jar opener into place. Keep a steady hold on the jar, then push the handle counterclockwise to open the lid. Next, loosen the-knob to release the lid. That’s all.
A little detail we couldn’t help noticing is that it’s molded from hardy plastic and feels sturdy and well-made; you’ll probably be counting on it to serve you for a long time.
More features: skid-proof design, ring-pull can opener
The Rtreek Jar Opener is made from hard plastic for durability. Its non-skid design, along with metal teeth that have a solid grip on lids, ensures that jars don’t slip while you’re trying to open them. You can use it on jars that are 1–4 inches in diameter, and it works as desired on a wide range of metal and plastic lids. The pointed end of the jar opener is designed for opening ring-pull cans. Simply insert the end into the ring to widen the gap, and then use your finger to pull the ring. The handle is made in an ergonomic design for extra comfort and grip, which adds to the tool’s ease of use.
The jar opener only weighs 2.4 ounces, so it’s not a burden to lift or carry. You can easily carry it in your purse or put it in the car for ease in opening jars and drink bottles when traveling. It stores easily in the drawer, or you can hang it on a hook via the detachable aesthetic circle on the top of the jar opener.
More features: soft grip handle; can be used by hand or mounted
If you’re looking for a solidly-built jar opener that will last, The Pampered Chef Jar Opener is a good choice to consider. While it’s made from plastic, it is very sturdy and weighty in your hand, and doesn’t look like it could break under any circumstance. The metal teeth are carefully inserted into the opening and firmly set, so they won’t be coming loose either.
It’s designed for lids with a diameter of up to 3½ inches, which covers the majority of jars. The easiest way to use the jar opener for people with arthritis is by installing it under the cabinet using screws, in which case you only need to hold the jar under the opener, turn it to tighten the jar opener on the lid, and then turn the handle to loosen the lid. People with greater hand strength can turn the jar opener by hand without installing it first. In this case, you hold the jar steady with one hand and turn the lever with the other.
A soft-grip handle provides a cushy holding surface for your hands and makes it comfortable to use.
The reviews we’ve covered above clearly outline the different types of jar openers for people with arthritis available on the market and how each works. For example, some are automatic and some are manual. Some are great for opening small jars, while others open jar lids of all sizes. What’s clear is that some jar openers are a better choice for you than others, depending on the severity of your arthritis and how much hand strength and mobility you have. Let’s now look at how jar openers can help people with arthritis and how to choose the right one.
Lack of hand strength and a weak grip are some of the debilitating effects that people with arthritis have to live with. Consequently, the affected have a hard time doing simple everyday tasks like opening jars. Jar openers do all the heavy lifting so you don’t have to struggle with twisting jar and bottle lids trying to pry them open.
Automatic jar openers especially are convenient as you only have to place the jar opener on top of the jar, press a button, and it does the rest. Manual jar openers take some effort to turn, but they are still 100 times better than opening the lid by hand.
It’s no use having a jar opener if it ranks low on the usability scale. You want something that you can count on to pop the lid off any jar you lay your hands on. And this means you have to choose the correct jar opener to begin with. To do so, you’re going to need to know what makes a good jar opener for people with arthritis, which is what we’ll address next.
The type of a jar opener that will suit you best is probably the first thing you should decide on. In general, there are manual and electric openers, but you can actually find more features and benefits in each, like the ability to be mounted, or portability.
Choose a jar opener that can fit most if not all the common jar lid sizes. Most jar and bottle lids are between 1–4 inches, and a lot of the jar openers on the market cater for this. A few, like Black & Decker JW200 Lids Off Jar Opener, fit lids of up to 4.5 inches, so this won’t be a challenge.
The best jar openers for arthritis are lightweight and non-bulky. If the product is too big, it will be unwieldy and difficult to maneuver. If it’s a design with a handle, check that the handle is long enough to ensure your comfort so that it’s not awkward and a hindrance.
The average warranty for a jar opener lasts 1 year. A few exceptions like Kuhn Rikon The Gripper Jar Opener come with a 2-year warranty. To ensure you don’t waste money on a jar opener that doesn’t work like you hoped, buy a model that has a return policy, such as EZ Off Jar Opener, Rtreek Jar Opener, instecho Automatic Jar Bottle Opener, or The Pampered Chef Jar Opener. All these give you 30 days to try the product, with the option for a refund if you don’t like it.
Having these additional features makes using the jar opener invariably easier:
For the most part, jar openers are affordable, with a good number of the manual type selling for less than $10 and an equally large number selling for between $10 and $15. There is no fixed range, though, and you’ll come across manual units that cost more than $25, like The Pampered Chef Jar Opener.
Automatic jar openers are often more expensive than manual ones, with models like the instecho Automatic Jar Bottle Opener going for more than $40. You can find plenty of good ones with prices between $10 and $25, and a few in the $30–35 range. You could also come across discounted offers for both manual and automatic jar openers, and these can significantly bring down the cost.
If the jar opener has several extra features, such as ergonomic soft grip and dual style of use in The Pampered Chef, you can expect the price to be a little higher, in which case it may be justifiable to pay more for it, so always weigh your options.
Our top choice, EZ Off Jar Opener, impresses with its ability to open all jar lid sizes. It also goes under the cabinet, a plus that makes it perfect when counter space is a challenge. We also like how easy it is to install and use.
Our second choice is Black & Decker JW200 Lids Off Jar Opener, an automatic jar opener for lids that are up to 4.5 inches in diameter and 8 inches tall. It’s easy to use, doesn’t need installation, and you can collapse it so that it takes up little space during storage.
Third on our list of best jar openers for arthritic hands is the instecho Automatic Jar Bottle Opener, whose biggest attraction is its automatic design, which means you do not require hand strength to use it. It opens a wide variety of jar lids and you can use it on jars of any height.
