I don’t know about you, but for the past several years it seems like most food and pill containers have become more difficult to open.

• Bags inside cereal boxes have to be cut open with scissors instead of pulled open with your hands.
• Safety seals inside over-the-counter medicines, vitamins and other supplements have to be opened with a sharp knife.
• Many “child-resistant” prescription vials are also “adult-resistant” … unless you remember to ask your pharmacist for caps that aren’t child-proof.
• “Convenient” pull-tabs on cans of food and soda can’t be lifted without breaking a fingernail.
• Twist-off jar lids are so tightly sealed that they can’t be twisted off unless you bang them against the edge of your kitchen counter.
• Twist-off plastic caps on bottles of milk and soda have to be opened with pliers.

OK. I’ll admit it. These don’t happen all of the time. But, they do occur often enough to be a hassle that I don’t need.

No, I haven’t grown weaker. It just seems like companies make changes to suit their needs and, in the process, make life more difficult for their customers.

The good news is that we have a variety of inexpensive solutions. Here are just a few examples:

The All-Out Universal Opener makes opening everyday food packages and containers much easier. This multipurpose opening aid gives you the added leverage you need to open most food boxes, bottles and cans. A blunt V-shaped prong opens glue-sealed box tops, a hook on the back lifts pull-tabs on cans and pokes through cellophane covered food trays, a twist cap bottle opener opens bottle caps, and a slotted opener opens crimped caps.

The Wall Mount Zim Jar Opener opens or closes all types of screw-on lids, from jar lids to bottle caps. Simply slip the jar top or bottle top into the steel jaws until it wedges and turn the jar. It’s designed to be mounted on a wall at a level that’s convenient for you to reach (the screws are included).

The patented handle on the Good Grips Jar Opener provides a flexible, non-slip grip for easily opening twist-off lids from ½ to 3 ¾ inches in diameter. The metal grip strip has sharp, stainless steel teeth that grip the jar lid firmly as you open jars and bottles. The soft grip handle is ergonomically designed to fit the palm of your hand comfortably, providing leverage for twisting jar and bottle lids open with less pressure on your hands. The pressure-absorbing rubber handle puts less tension on the hands, while providing an outstanding grip, and is dishwasher-safe.

The Juvo E-Z Open Grip Claw helps open containers and jars. This gripping “mitten” allows you to use all four fingers and your thumb for gripping and opening stubborn jar lids. The padded silicone feels good to your skin and is contoured to fit your hand for maximum gripping power. The material grips a variety of container shapes, including round jars, oval jars and bottle tops. The gripping surface is textured to prevent slipping.

These and many more can be found in our Kitchen Openers section.