Openers

These devices help open a variety of food containers which may be too stiff to do so unaided.

For people with a weak grip, reduced strength or hand tremors, tools to open food and drink containers are invaluable daily living aids.

Yes, these devices work almost like a vice used for wood-work.

Made of plastic, they attach to the edge of the kitchen worktop.

They have an in-built wide clamp, into which a jar or can can be inserted.

The turnkey on the clamp can then be manually tightened, holding the jar or tin firmly in place.

An opener can then be used on the lid, with the body of the object held steady by the clamp.

Yes, because conventional metal can or tin openers often dig into the user's hands, alternatives with broad grips are available.

These are much more comfortable to use, and are particularly appropriate for those with arthritis in the hands.

The turning mechanisms are smoother and require less finger and hand strength to operate.

The 'Can Key' is a simple plastic tool designed for just this task.

People with reduced strength in the fingers may have difficulty opening this type of seal.

The Can Key is a simple lever with a narrow end, small enough to initially lift the ring pull.

The shaft of the opener then provides extra leverage, allowing the user to prise open the tin.

Yes, there are numerous products designed to solve this problem.

Some come in the shape of soft plastic domes which have an aperture which fits the shape of the lid.

These provide a surface which is much easier to grip than the lid itself, making it easier to twist off.

Another popular design has similarities with a traditional nutcracker, with two hinged, plier-like levers and jaws which fit around the lid.

Once clamped on it, the long handles provide great leverage, making twisting the lid a much easier process.

For those with arthritis in the hands and fingers, sometimes even large-handled tin openers may be painful to use.

An alternative is an electric automatic can opener.

As the name suggests, this device opens tin cans without requiring any physical exertion.

Yes, there are multi-openers for just this purpose.

Like swiss-army knives, these have multiple components built-in to the same device.

They open cans, tins, bottles and numerous kinds of lids, so are a great space saver in the kitchen!