When you have a sudden craving for pickles but the jar isn’t playing ball, we have just the hack for you. We spotted this trick in a TikTok from Natasha’s Kitchen and what we wanna know is this: Why don’t they teach this in schools? It’s the simplest method to open a jar, and it’s baffling that it isn’t more common knowledge, considering the amount of time we’ve all wasted wrestling with stubborn lids. All you have to do is place your hands around the lid and … push.
Because the problem with most stuck jar lids isn’t about strength. When jars are closed, they are closed with a vacuum seal, and it’s that friction keeping the lid stuck. Most people think they’ll defeat the stubborn jar lid by simply twisting harder, which usually results in frustration, sore hands, or both. And yes, we’ve tried 10 other ways to open a stuck jar — this is by far the easiest.
Instead of twisting or yanking, just push down until you hear a pop or feel the seal release, then give the lid a twist. It should come off with far less effort. This method looks like it’s a magic trick, but it’s actually just physics at play — no rubber gloves, hot water, or sharp knives required. Even Martha Stewart’s easy hack for opening stuck jars can’t beat it for simplicity.
A versatile hack that works better than other common tricks
In order to verify the trick, I tried it on a jar of salsa, pasta sauce, honey, and pickles that I’ve had in my fridge for ages, and they all opened like a charm. And speaking of which, why not check out Chowhound’s comprehensive list of store-bought pickles, ranked best to worst, so you know which jars are worth the effort and which are better left unopened on store shelves?
This hack is so good and so effective because it takes advantage of the way jar lids are built. The metal or plastic in the lid can flex slightly under pressure, and by pushing inward, you disturb the seal — as if you’re shifting the contact between the lid and jar threads. Once that happens, resistance will drop dramatically, and it should open easily for you.
Another big plus is that because you’re not heating the lid or whacking it against the counter, there’s less chance of damaging the jar or its contents. This means you can easily seal it back up for future use. So next time you’re stuck with a stubborn lid that just won’t budge, you don’t need to declare war on it. Just push!
