Please assist. I cannot get the lid off my pickle jar. Any ideas?

Question

Hi folks,
Heinz Ploughmans' pickle is the culprit.
I have tried the usual brute twisting with a tea-towel, resorted to the thing with handles that grip the lids of things. Tapped the lid with a small hammer, run the thing under hot water, all to no avail.
All I was aiming for was a sausage & pickle sarny as a snack.
I was on the point of just smashing the jar, but then considered that I do not want shards of glass in the sarny.
I suppose I could mail it back to Mr.Heinz and ask him to open the darn thing, but I thought I would look for tips / ideas on this site.
I have settled for the already opened piccallily for now, and put the pickle muck away for now awaiting your best notions.
10 points for the best solution to my culinary predicament.

Bob.

Answer 1

if its a brand new jar simply turn it upside down & lightly slam it down on its lid
then try opening it again
works for me everytime

Answer 2

Take a butter knife and slip it under the edge of the cap/lid and pry a little (very very little). What you're trying to do is release the vacuum. When the lid is lifted just a fraction, you'll hear air go under the cap and the cap will swell a little.

Now you can use the other methods to open the lid.. It should be a lot easier.

Edit... There's no need to drill a hole as some people have suggested. Also, smashing the jar on the counter just seem dangerous. Besides you've already tapped the lid with a hammer and that didn't work. Prying the lid is very very easy without having to do anything destructive.

Answer 3

I try 2 different ways. Hold the jar on it's side in one hand and use your other hand to hit the bottom of the jar a couple times (this works 99% of the time with me). if that doesn't work get a butter knife and slip it between the jar and the lid and try to pry the lid loose that way....do it maybe once on each side of the jar and then try to twist it off.

Answer 4

Was the first thing to come up when I searched for you.
But also what always works for me is running it under hot water for a couple of minutes then running it under a blast of cold then drying it then the lid comes off. If that doesn't work my mum gets a knife staps into the jar lid and the lid automatically will come off but then we have to cover the lid with cling film to keep it fresh.

But here are the tips from the website -

The first method is also my favorite way to get a lid loose in a flash. It requires no tools whatsoever. All you need is the jar and your hands. Hold the jar raised up in front of you with one hand. Then, take your other hand and firmly smack the bottom of the jar with the heel of your hand three times. Smacking the bottom of the jar with a stubborn lid should break the vacuum seal so you can then loosen it.

The second easy way to loosen a stubborn jar lid is to use a butter knife. Hold the jar in one hand while you tap the side of the lid with the knife handle. Tap the knife in several places around the perimeter of the stubborn lid. It should then up with just a flick of your wrist.

Some people swear by the old "hot water method" to loosen a jar lid. This way does work well because it uses thermal energy to actually expand the metal lid. To use this method, hold the jar by its bottom. Turn the hot water faucet on, then place the jar underneath the water stream so it directly hits the lid. Let the hot water run over the lid for ten to twenty seconds. Then, dry the stubborn jar lid off with a towel and turn it off loosely!

A Word of Caution: Never, ever use boiling water when you're trying to loose a metal lid on a glass jar! The temperature of the water can cause the glass to explode in your hand!

The third easy way to get that stuck lid off is to simply slide a pair of rubber gloves on your hands first. The rubber will help you get a firm grip on both the glass jar and the metal lid. Then, just twist the lid off! This method works well if the jar isn't vacuum sealed tightly.

You can also use a small, flat headed screwdriver to loosen a stubborn jar lid. Simply insert the head of the screwdriver just underneath the lid. Raise it up, then move it around the jar until you hear the vacuum seal break. Then, remove the screwdriver and loosen the jar lid.

And finally, the fifth easy way to loosen a stubborn jar lid is to hold the jar firmly upside down over a countertop. The jar should be about five to six inches above the counter. Hold the jar with both hands so it doesn't slip from your grip. Then, hit the countertop with the jar lid squarely. Invert the jar and try to loosen the lid. If it still refuses to budge, turn it over again and hit it again until the vacuum seal breaks.

Answer 5

Either wrap an elastic band a few times around the jar or try wearing a rubber glove. Failing that, if its sealed, take a sharp ended knife and stab the top of the lid to release the vacuum.....

Answer 6

turning it upside down and running hot water -get dry towel wipe the lid twist

if that does not work take a butter knief under the lid were it screws on and off take the tip of the knief wiggle it back and forth like to pop the lid some to get the air in once it opos twist it will come off

Answer 7

Tap the side of the lid (not the glass) against a firm surface & twist. Works every time. Repeat, if it doesn't twist open on the first try.

Answer 8

Hold the jar in your left hand and tap the edge anticlockwise with an ordinary knife from your cutlery set, it may chip the lid a little but it works

Answer 9

Try tapping the bottom of the jar lightly a few times with a butter knife or your hands, repeat two or three times if it doesn't work and you can also try tapping the edge of the lid with a butter knife.

Answer 10

simple open a door put the jar in the hinge part keep closing the door until it grips fast then turn your jar dont turn it too far or all the juice will run out just enough to loosen it good luck

Answer 11

tap the side of the lid all round on the work surface but not too hard. Good luck