I'm Terrible at Opening Jars—So I'm Buying This Easy Jar Opener ASAP

I have a series of go-to moves when it comes to opening jars in the kitchen. There's the initial approach, where I foolishly try to open the jar with my bare hands—this almost never works, since I'm a pretty untalented jar-opener. Then I put on a pair of oven mitts, the kind with a silicone grip (like this pair for $15 on Amazon), and try to open the jar with my new extra-strong grip. If that strategy *also* fails, I tap the rim of the lid with the back of a dinner knife—just trust me—until there are little dents along the sides and the jar's seal is broken. Then, I can *usually* open the jar.

Of course, by the time I cycle through all of these steps (plus the cycle of grief after each one inevitably fails), I've lost some valuable kitchen time. It never occurred to me that I could simply eliminate all three of my typical steps by buying a jar-opening tool—at least not until my Instagram algorithm suggested it to me. 

When I saw a post about the EZ Off Jar Opener, I knew I needed to get my hands on one. There are plenty of jar openers out there—these are Amazon's top-selling openers—but most of them take up valuable counter or drawer space, which I'm not eager to give up. The EZ Off installs underneath your kitchen cabinets, so it's out of sight and within reach all at once. Once you've affixed it under your cabinet, you can just reach up and use the opener's v-shaped grip to open whatever jars you have on hand. Bonus: It's under $15.

Buy it: EZ Off Jar Opener, $15, was $20; amazon.com

Reviewers say the EZ Off is just as handy as they hoped, especially if you bend the suggested rules and install it with the point of the V facing you, so that you can pull the jar towards you as you twist. "Finally, someone has invented the perfect jar opener that is simple and requires no space in your kitchen drawers or counters," one review reads. "There was one person who suggested placing the opener with the sharp end of the "V" closest to you and with it placed in the front, right corner under your cabinet. I followed those directions and it works perfectly and easily. I have already placed an order for another one for a gift."

The opener is less than an inch thick, so if you're worried about it looking clunky or out of place in the kitchen, it shouldn't be a concern. And since the tool comes with adhesive backing, it's easy to put in place, then screw in for added stability.

This little kitchen tool might be an especially useful buy for those with arthritis. "Once in a while you stumble on a product that is better than advertised," one reviewer writes. "This is one of them. Having arthritis in my hands, I struggle to open some large jars. This works like a charm and makes it a one-handed operation."

If you're shopping for last-minute holiday gifts, this one promises to reduce kitchen headaches without adding any clutter, making it a perfect pick for a friend who loves to cook.