So there are a lot of different containers that we use in our daily lives, and for many applications these need to be resealable, or at least close-able, so we have invented the lid to fill this need. We have invited a large variety of lids to be used with our large variety of containers, with different systems for opening and closing. They are a clever machine, solving the problem of sealing a container, but also allowing it to be opened with relative ease. But there are a few that I believe are harder to use than others, and some I think stand out as good solutions to a usability problem.
Bottle Caps
By this I mean the pry-off bottle top, used mainly for beer bottles. I know its cooler to pop off a bottle cap, and it appeals to some kind of tradition, and after some quick Googling we can find that they are apparently cheaper and better for freshness (I'm a little cynical about that). However, should I really have to cut my hand on every bottle's serrated edges before I find out it is not a screw top? I'm not a big drinker, but I do happen to carry around a bottle opener on my keys. I doubt many other people do, and to me, the idea of needing a tool to open a bottle is a bit over complicated. We started with a normal bottle, no lid, then added the lid tool to seal it all in. I'm okay with that. But who decided it was a easier to make the bottle only open-able with another tool? To me it is making problems where they need not be. They shouldn't be serrated and they shouldn't be indistinguishable from screw caps, if these changes were made I could almost live with pry-off caps. A screw top seems perfect to me from a usability perspective.
Childproof Caps
These are just as hard for an adult to use, especially if the child can read the instructions printed on the cap.
Corks
I have to drink the whole bottle in one sitting? Sure if I have some friends over, but what about my (hypothetical) lonely nights at home with the cat and a microwave dinner. I can't be expected to waste a whole bottle of wine on Grey's Anatomy. (Spinster woman cliché used for comedic effect only). Also another lid that needs a special tool to be opened.
Stiff jar lids
We all dread the day when we have to call our grandchildren to come and open a jam jar because of arthritis. Manufacturers need to realise that a lot of people have strength limitations, and that it they need to come up with a way to adequately seal food in, without it being difficult to open. This is a problem that I wouldn't mind being solved by the use of some tool.
Lids are seemingly a simple device, and an old invention. How come we still can't get them to work properly?
I know there are other lids that are difficult to use, please comment :)
Scott Everitt
I would agree with you that trying to unscrew a pry off bottle top can be excruciating. Also, with fewer and fewer people smoking these days, it is becoming a lot more difficult to find someone whose lighter you can borrow to pop off bottle caps with.
ReplyDeleteThere are several things I would like to point out though. The lids which are most difficult to open and require tools like corks and pry of tops are very old technology and have been superseded in recent years by twist off bottle lids. Twist off lids are now being used on quite high end wines. So in a sense, this problem already has a solution. Why are people still using the old style lid? I think people still associate high end wines with having a cork stopper, so that won't change for a long time.
As for pry-off bottle caps, the question should really be why do the twist off caps look exactly like pry-off caps, since pry-offs were around a long time before them. It is possible to make easy-off twist caps on glass bottles, pre-mix Jack Daniels and coke has shown us this (amongst other things). I think production cost is the major factor there.
Sam f
Absolutely agree with you, i think the main causes for this pry-off lid are historical influence, cheap production, keeping fresh and childproof.
ReplyDeleteUnfortunately, even though it is hard to open this cap, i think people like the interface of it, for example, the pop sound can generate pretty good party atomsphere.