Karen Brix-Hansen was an octogenarian in Denmark who couldn’t wait for her son to come over every week-and not just for the company. There were jars to be opened.
She had arthritis. And not only did she have trouble with twist-off lids, she could not use the slew of jar openers on the market. They work by easing the twist-off motion but still require some hand strength.
Her son, Helge Brix-Hansen, happened to be a mechanical engineer with an idea-why not attack the problem from a different angle? Instead of easing the twist, why not find a way to break the vacuum seal that makes those lids so darn tight?
The idea became JarPop, a handy little kitchen implement that gets our vote for superior design, function and value. You simply place JarPop on the rim of a stubborn lid, lift up on its handle (the leverage you get from the length of the handle makes it easy to lift) and listen for a small “pop,” which signals the vacuum has been broken. The lid now is a quick spin to freedom.
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Find JarPop (now in translucent, candylike colors) for $4 at Bed Bath & Beyond, Linens `n Things, The Container Store, Lechters and most Ace Hardware locations; Kmart will carry it in April.