Show HN: Peanut Butter Spinner

Purpose of the Peanut Butter Spinner

• Designed to solve separation in “natural” peanut butter (just peanuts, maybe salt) where oil rises to the top and solid “peanut brick” forms at the bottom.
• Goal is “set it and forget it” mixing with no manual effort, akin to a small rock tumbler.

Reactions to the Device

• Many find it clever, fun, and appealing, especially for peanut butter, tahini, and spicy oils.
• Some worry it only works for thin PB or very large jars, or would need to be run very slowly for a long time.
• Noise in the demo video is criticized; suggestions include slower rotation to reduce noise.
• Several note it’s basically a rock tumbler / ball mill and mention repurposing rock tumblers.

Non-Mechanical Hacks

• Storing jars upside down (often in the fridge) is a common suggestion; experiences range from “works surprisingly well” to “doesn’t work for me.”
• Techniques: stir once at opening, refrigerate (sometimes upside down), alternate fridge/freezer to manage consistency, or leave a small room-temp portion out.
• Tools: butter knife vs spoon, metal chopstick, silicone spatula, careful “mix on the bread” instead of in-jar.
• Some pour off excess oil at first use and re-add later; others add a bit of xanthan gum once to keep it mixed.

Fridge vs Pantry & Spoilage

• Disagreement about spoilage: some report rancid PB at room temp, others say 100% peanut butter lasts months unrefrigerated.
• Possible factors raised: temperature, humidity, consumption speed.
• Refrigeration solves separation but makes PB harder to spread; this tradeoff repeatedly discussed.

Mechanical Alternatives

• Hand mixers (often with a single beater or dough hooks), power drills with paint-mixer or beater attachments, and even paint shakers are cited as effective but potentially messy.

Packaging and Product Design

• Calls for jars with more headspace or wider, “butter tub” style designs to make stirring and scraping easier.
• Concern that extra headspace seems like “empty” product and costs shelf and shipping space.
• Some discuss collapsible/expandable lids; others think that would be too complex or expensive.

Peanut Butter Types and Preferences

• Separation mainly associated with additive-free “natural” PB; stabilizer-containing brands usually don’t separate.
• Debate on taste: some prefer “pure peanuts only,” others prefer stabilized “garbage” PB for flavor and ease.
• Regional differences noted (EU vs US) but ultimately tied to recipe, not geography.