Which hand do you use to open a jar? (2024)

I recently got a minor cut on my thumb when peeling squash, which led to an intriguing discovery. Because my thumb was sore, I couldn’t open my water bottle. No big surprise there, right?

That depends. The cut was on my left thumb. But when I tried to open the bottle (and any jar, for that matter), I realized I used my left hand to turn the lid. That’s right. I held the jar in my right hand and opened it with my left.

You may be thinking that is pretty normal for a left-handed person. Maybe it is. But I am right-handed.

I shrugged it off, assuming everyone must hold the jar in their dominant hand and turn the cover with the other until I mentioned it to a friend. She laughed and said she held the jar in her left hand and opened it with her right hand.

By now, I was scratching my head and wondering if I’d been doing it wrong all these years.

I asked my husband. He laughed and said he held the jar in his left hand and opened it with his right hand, too, just like my friend.

By now, my curiosity was piqued, and I needed to learn more, so I decided to visit my friend Google for a little more info.

The results have been interesting but seem to confirm that holding the jar in the right hand and turning the lid with the left is the most effective way of opening a jar.

There appear to be three reasons why this will make opening the jar easier.

1. You can exert more strength when pulling the arms in close to the body than moving them away from the body. Because jar lids turn counterclockwise to open them, turning the lid with the left hand and holding the jar with the right hand forces the arms close to the body.
2. When opening the lid with your left hand, the ball of your thumb rests on the rim of the jar lid, giving you the leverage to push the lid as you apply force to open it. (Hence, the reason I couldn’t open the bottle when I cut my thumb!) When using the right hand to open the lid, you need to rely on the strength of your fingers.
3. Others argue that your right hand (assuming you are right-handed) has a firmer grip and can hold the jar more securely, allowing you to turn the lid with your left hand more easily.

Whatever the reason, holding the jar with my right hand and turning the lid with my left has always worked for me, but I’d be lying if I didn’t admit that I will be checking it out the next time I have a tough jar to open.

I’d love to hear how you open a jar and why you think it works best for you.