Why is everything so hard to open?

[RadishRose]

I haven't tried this yet, but i think the opener should be fairly new ; sharp.

 

[OldFeller]

This morning I went to open a carton of Almond Milk and couldnt unscrew the cap no matter how much I tried.
I finally had to get out the pliers. WTH. Trust me. I am not a weak woman.
Makes me worry about people with mobility issues.
Anybody else having trouble or is it just me.

And dont get me started on how everything is hermetically sealed in indestructible plastic.
If youre not careful you can destroy whatever is inside trying to get it out.
Ive learned to keep a razor knife handy in the kitchen.

Beef broth as well as light cream have plastic caps that require pliers to open also.
I've been wondering what is up with that.
It doesn't help to employ a towel to reduce slipping. It has to be pliers.

 

[hearlady]

Usually my grip pad will work or my rubber gloves. However, some require more strength than I have!

 

[Murrmurr]

you know that rubberized shelf liner from Dollar Tree? It comes on a roll and in different colors. Cut off a hand sized piece, hold it in your hand and use it to open things! It's a god send to us. Works to open jars, caps, milk containers, frozen juice cans with the pull tab, etc.

Those sink plugs shaped like a rather large flat disc work, too.

 

[Murrmurr]

I haven't tried this yet, but i think the opener should be fairly new ; sharp.

That probly works, but you know what's kind of funny? I've never owned an electric can opener until about 2 yrs ago, when I started having having trouble using a manual one. But I wonder if an electric can opener would open a clam shell pkg?

Some, probably.

 

[outlander]

Those damn packages and bottles! I keep a samurai sword and shotgun handy

 

[Disgustedman]

I buy these little four packs of soup from Campbell’s and boy are they dangerous to open!!!

They have a very sharp metal pop top and the container is filled to the brim, I end up making a mess about 3 out of every four containers but I hate to give it up.

The same with these little fruit snack cups, very difficult to open without making a mess but I still buy them.
View attachment 436563
I guess I’m just a slow learner!

I'm getting to the point of not buying cans with "Pop-tops" due to the difficulty in opening them. I've started using a "Side can opener" which cuts the can on the side, no jagged edges.

 

[OldFeller]

I use a box cutter to open clam shells. Sometimes it takes me awhile to figure out where to open them. Often I have some false starts depending on the product.

I had to go to an electric can opener a few years ago.

 

[jujube]

Many years ago, my daughter had to go through 2 1/2 hours of "micro-surgery" to save the tendon in her index finger. She had bought a Christmas tree-top angel that was in a circular plastic enclosure and couldn't get the top off. Soooo, she decided to stab the plastic with a sharp knife.

Yep, you know what came next. The knife glanced off the plastic and severed her tendon. To this day, she can't totally straighten her finger, nor can she totally bend it.

She learned her lesson, the painful way.

 

[OldFeller]

I'm getting to the point of not buying cans with "Pop-tops" due to the difficulty in opening them. I've started using a "Side can opener" which cuts the can on the side, no jagged edges.

Since I keep my fingrrnails clipped, I often have to start the pop-top cans by plying up thevpull tab with a butter knife.

I had a manual side cutting opener but that got old fast.

 

[Fritz]

Beef broth as well as light cream have plastic caps that require pliers to open also.
I've been wondering what is up with that.
It doesn't help to employ a towel to reduce slipping. It has to be pliers.

I wonder if the machines at the plant aren't screwing them on too tight or something.

 

[Marcy Sheiner]

It's become difficult to open most new packaging. I had to give up Talenti Ice cream after the first one had me going with a scissors, knife and hammer.

 

[Aunt Bea]

A gilhoolie adjustable jar opener might be a good stocking stuffer.

I have an old short handled adjustable jar opener similar to this one that works most of the time but the long handled gilhoolie would give more leverage.

 

[OldFeller]

It's become difficult to open most new packaging. I had to give up Talenti Ice cream after the first one had me going with a scissors, knife and hammer.

Its pretty bad when someone is making videos about it.

 

[Marcy Sheiner]

I sometimes wrap a rubber band around a lid to make it easier to unscrew. Or use latex/rubber gloves.

 

[papa tiger]

Try tearing up Junk mail and envelops. Need scissors there too.
Junkers spend lots on developing mail hard to not notice.
Give junkers 2 weeks and nothing else fits in the curb side mail box.
Postmen complain, where will we put the mail today? (Junkers)

 

[Marcy Sheiner]

Its pretty bad when someone is making videos about it.

Thank you @OldFeller --I really love Talenti so now I can eat it again!

 

[debodun]

I just use a table knife to pop can tabs.

 

[debodun]

Stick it all in a zip lock bag and be done with it.

I have had to resort to that several times.

 

[Rich]

 

[Veronica]

I buy these little four packs of soup from Campbell’s and boy are they dangerous to open!!!

They have a very sharp metal pop top and the container is filled to the brim, I end up making a mess about 3 out of every four containers but I hate to give it up.

The same with these little fruit snack cups, very difficult to open without making a mess but I still buy them.
View attachment 436563
I guess I’m just a slow learner!

Just a thought. Have you tried sitting them inside a large pot. corning ware etc when opening.
That way whatever spills is contained in your cooker.

I've not had any trouble getting into my Almond milk yet. Usually it's the pull tab under the screw lid that's harder to open for me. Getting into pill bottles is my main pain. Some of the plastic inserts don't seem to work right so when you push down and turn they don't always open.

When my mother had RA she had to have dad open everything.

Pill bottles. Funny how kids have no trouble opening child proof caps.
I know just what you mean. There have been a few times I had to pop off a pill lid with a screwdriver.
In our house I always had to open the husbands pills.

Some pharmacies will give you the old style caps if you ask.
Im bad. I just dont put the lids back on once I get them off.

 

[debodun]

View attachment 436602

That wouldn't happen with a wireless mouse.

 

[Veronica]

A gilhoolie adjustable jar opener might be a good stocking stuffer.

I have an old short handled adjustable jar opener similar to this one that works most of the time but the long handled gilhoolie would give more leverage.

I have both of those and that hook thing for pop tops in my gadget collection.
Usually I dont have any trouble opening stuff. I was wondering if I was getting old when I couldnt get that cap off.
Some of the old kitchen stuff works much better than the new stuff.

 

[Aunt Bea]

Just a thought. Have you tried sitting them inside a large pot. corning ware etc when opening.
That way whatever spills is contained in your cooker.

Thanks!

I learned the hard way to hold them firmly on the floor of the kitchen sink, it definitely helps to contain the blast when the pop top finally lets go.

 

[katlupe]

This morning I went to open a carton of Almond Milk and couldnt unscrew the cap no matter how much I tried.
I finally had to get out the pliers. WTH. Trust me. I am not a weak woman.
Makes me worry about people with mobility issues.
Anybody else having trouble or is it just me.

And dont get me started on how everything is hermetically sealed in indestructible plastic.
If youre not careful you can destroy whatever is inside trying to get it out.
Ive learned to keep a razor knife handy in the kitchen.

I have trouble with opening the heavy cream cartons. That cap will not unscrew most of the time. I use a jar opener to get it started.