Show HN: Peanut Butter Spinner
Natural “just peanuts” peanut butter tastes better to many people but separates into oil and solids, making stirring messy and frustrating. A DIY “peanut butter spinner” that slowly rotates jars—essentially a small rock tumbler—prompts comparisons with simpler hacks like storing jars upside down or in the fridge, using mixers, or adding xanthan gum to keep oils from separating. The exchange also touches on packaging design, ingredient trade-offs (pure peanuts vs stabilizers like palm oil), and how much effort or gadgetry people are willing to invest for ideal texture.
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.