To find Aldi jars insanely difficult to open??

[MaybeIWillFuckOffThen]

Nearly broke my wrist this week opening a jar of strawberry jam. Had to literally change dinner plan at short notice yesterday as literally Could Not open the fucking pesto. Why???

You need dycem! It’s similar to silicone but sticky feeling.
Disabled relative was given some by OT, it’s so brilliant that the rest of the family bought a roll of it from Amazon and divided it up, you can just cut it to size.

Dh uses it on his desk to stop pens rolling everywhere.
All the pets have it under their bowls - stops them sliding everywhere.
We all keep it in wallets or handbags for opening bottles etc out and about.
A piece in the kitchen drawer for jars etc - it works brilliantly for marmite jars that are glued shut with marmite!
Relative has a bit in the car, as used to struggle to open the petrol cap, can now fill up independently.

(I don’t work for them, honestly)

Love this

I pierce the lid with a knife.
However the downside is that some of the contents might spill.

Not aldi jars in particular but I do buy a couple of things regularly that I always have difficulty opening.- and I am youngish and fairly strong! I try to remember to open them before they go into the fridge when I get back from shopping. Otherwise, I find putting the jar in hot water for a minute or two makes them easier to open.

but there's no need to buy anything. One thwack on the surface of the lid and the vacum is gone and you can open the jar with ease. Easier than submerging it in hot water and easier than using a bottle opener. And less hazardous than piercing the lid with a knife.

I also want to know how to open things like marmite/bovril once they're stuck on after use or even before use, its not the same techniques as discussed above

If the product gets on the rim of the jar or in the thread of the lid it will act like glue. I run those jars under a warm tap to soften the "glue" and that usually works. I then wipe the rim or clean the lid before putting it back on in the hope of avoiding the warm water faff next time.

Easiest way - this works with most jars!! Get your bogstandard tin opener like in photo. It's not shown on this pic but if you turn it over there's a small "catch" type protrusion on one side, you can use this to lever the lid off in seconds and break the vacuum but it will leave the lid fully usable. You don't need a fancy jar opener or anything else.

Safer to stand it upside down in very hot water.

I bang jars on the side normally works but I agree they are unnessecarily tight. In fact all of aldis packaging is shit.

I had a jar of Aldi pesto this week, and both me and my son struggled to open it. TBH though OP, you dodged a bullet by not getting the pesto jar open, I wish I hadn’t managed, because it was so disgusting we actually threw our dinner away, no joke. Even teenage DS who will eat anything couldn’t eat it. Don’t know if there was something wrong with it or it’s usually that disgusting, but it was absolutely foul.

Put washing up gloves in and then open it

Oddly I used to do all of that. But my hands are so knackered it is no longer viable - I can manage the can opener version. Banging stuff against the worksurface hurts my hands - and dents the wooden work surface.

For bottle, when the can opener doesn't work, I use the silicon sheets.

And no, I don't have washing up gloves, again, my hands. Anyone with arthritis etc will tell you just how fucking painful they are to get on/off.

The cap shaped silicon thingy works wonders on smaller caps - again, my hands, I can't get a grip/close my hand small enough to grasp say a squash bottle lid.

Sometimes the breezy "Oh just do this" responses don't cover common issues some of us have! I wouldn't wish any arthritic condition on anyone!

I agree OP and I lift weights and I'm strong! I struggled with a jar of gherkins the other night. Finally got it open by wearing a rubber glove.

Yes insanely hard. I have to ask dh to help and even he struggles sometimes.

True but takes longer. Too impatient for that chutney!

This...no actual snakes were harmed in the process 🐍

Oooh! I like the look of that. Wonder if I could grip it properly?

Off to have a look

Ah, and all becomes clear. Thank you @ByTheGrace !