Robo Twist is an automatic jar opener which is advertised as a way to open even the toughest of lids. Here is my Robo Twist review.

About Robo Twist

Robo Twist is an As Seen on TV device which can supposedly tackle even the hardest-to-open lids. It’s said to be ideal for seniors and kids, or those with conditions such as arthritis. The website states that it “works on any size jar.”

What does it cost?

Robo Twist costs $19.99 plus $6.95 processing and handling, which totals $26.94. You can add a Robo Can Opener for another $10, which brings your total to $36.94, should you opt for that.

The official website is buyrobotwist.com. A Canadian version of the website can be found at robotwist.ca. Both of those domains were registered in January 2016.

You can find Robo Twist in stores for about $20.

Robo Twist Review: Pros and Cons

The problem of opening stuck jars is an age-old menace to mankind, and I admit that I’ve found myself cursing a tight jar – wondering what possessed the evil entity who tightened it to feel that level of tightness was necessary! But now we can forget prying, using a rubber opener, or asking a beefcake nephew to power it open: Robo Twist has come to the rescue. This automatic jar opener supposedly “works on any jar and the toughest of lids.”

To use this device, you merely place it on top of a stuck jar and hold the button for three seconds. Then, with Ironman-like automation, it clasps the jar with two hand-like protrusions, grasps the lid, and begins to spin until the lid pops off. Your pesky jar will be unlocked and you can rejoice that technology has once again prevailed. The single button can be used to start the opener and to release the lid.

In short, it works most of the time.

The “pros” of this particular item are that it generally works as advertised – for most jars.  I’ve been able to use it on jars of a variety of sizes, even down to bottle-sized lids – although its effectiveness starts to get iffy at that size. A ketchup bottle, for example seems to be on the small end of what this device is capable of opening. The instructions tell us that a 1.2 inch lid is the minimum, which seems sufficient enough for most uses. Battery life does not seem to be a problem, nor does durability. I’ve had it fall off of a few jars without incurring any damage. There may be times you have to hold the opener in place in order for it to work properly, which isn’t really a major problem.

The obvious “con” of Robo Twist is that it doesn’t work perfectly on every jar. I’ve seen the grip slip off of some tapered jars, which means you need to try again and hold Robo Twist in place. It’s also louder than I expected, although a noisy kitchen appliance isn’t exactly a deal-breaker. Extra wide jars (those over 3.5 inches) will also not fit in Robo Twist’s grasp.

Keep in mind that if you pull a moist jar out of the fridge, you’ll need to dry it off first. Robo Twist tends to slip when a jar is damp.

And now, a note about new products.

When this review was first published in June 2016, several customers had complained that they ordered Robo Twist weeks (or even months) earlier and it took an inordinate amount of time to receive it. Although this is frustrating for consumers, it is actually a common complaint with new products. New items are often test marketed before going into full production. That means that only a small number of units are produced initially, and they tends to sell out quickly. A second, larger, production run usually follows and complaints of delayed shipping are then alleviated, which is what seems to have happened here. Unfortunately, the initial shipping complaints tend to drive consumer ratings down for a product with an onslaught of initial negative reviews which focus solely on slow shipping and not on the product’s merits.

Now that Robo Twist is available in stores, you should have no problem picking one up without shipping costs or delays.

My Video Review

Check out my full hands-on review of Robo Twist in the YouTube video below.

Alternatives

Robo Twist – like virtually every other As Seen on TV product – is marketed as a newfangled device which just might revolutionize the art of jar opening. And, as is typically the case with items marketed in this manner, it’s actually not the first product like this on the market. As demonstrated below, Robo Twist could actually be described as a knock-off of another product.

If an automatic jar opener is in your must-have column, you may want to investigate two other popular options.

First is the Hamilton Beach Open Ease Automatic Jar Opener, which bears an uncanny resemblance to Robo Twist, as both products use virtually the same mechanics. That item costs about $28 and has about a 3.8 star rating on Amazon.

Both of those products are knockoffs (or perhaps licensed copies) of the One Touch Jar Opener, which appeared more than half a decade ago.

If you want to move up to the big leagues, you may want to consider the Black & Decker JW200 Off Jar Opener. This $123 beast can handle jars up to 4.5 inches wide and 8 inches high. Those who shell out the extra cash for this one are not disappointed.

For a non-electric option, the $17 EZ Off Jar Opener is tough to beat. This simple under-cabinet design boasts an astonishing 4.8 star rating with about 1,500 reviews.

Conclusion

While not Robo Twist doesn’t work 100% of the time, it should handle the vast majority of jars out there. Price-wise and performance-wise, it is on par with the competition. It’s not the only game in town, but it’s a solid entrant in the jar-opener category.

If you’ve tried Robo Twist, tell me what you think in the comments below.

Revised: November 30, 2016