Are there any household gadgets you found unexpectedly useful after you'd gotten them?
Are there any household gadgets you found unexpectedly useful after you'd gotten them?
I was thinking about how I missed having an indoor thermometer that measures humidity. It's such a small specific thing, one I'd never think of getting unless pushed to it (which I was by one particularly dry winter). But I like having one now.
What are your small, "random" or "junk drawer" type of gadgets that you actually use or like having around?
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Jarkey: https://www.amazon.com/JarKey-Jar-Opener-Original-Solid/dp/B01MSLKIVB/
and
Jar opener: https://www.amazon.com/Suffering-Arthritis-Strength-Non-Slip-Heavy-Duty/dp/B07QVWJ6VN/
Handy to open tightly sealed jars. However, both snapped off after years of use, and this reminds me I should really get a replacement.
For a jar opener, go right past the kitchen aisle or page and into hardware. Get a rubber and plastic strap wrench. if you get the two pack, keep the big one int he garage and the smaller one in the kitchen.
We got the under cabinet Un-skru kind, and it works like a dream.
I find a butter knife has a similar effect as the first tool you linked. Jam it into where the lid meets the jar and then twist and/or pry to pop the seal. It's been the quickest and easiest way to open these kinds of jars for me.
I've seen other people just smacking the lid with a knife for some reason and I have no idea what that is supposed to accomplish lol. Doesn't work that way.
Tapping the corner of the lid on the counter or cutting board a few times will also loosen the lid nicely most times. The main reason this works is it creates a small gap in the lid that equalizes the negative pressure inside the jar to atmospheric which is what makes screw top jars so hard to open most times
Ah ok yeah I've never seen someone try it that way but it makes sense. I like the butter knife trick because it takes very minimal effort and is the quickest to break the pressure differential in my experience.
This is how I completely bent one of my stainless steel table knives - trying to pry a homemade jam jar open 😅