Zibra's Scissors Cut Tough Packaging to Ribbons

You know how hardcore a gadget geek you are by counting how many box cutters you've stashed around the house. Yet, as the scars on my hands would attest if they could speak, box cutters are hardly the best way to get inside those nasty, tough, plastic blister packs and clamshells. Enter Zibra's Open It!, a combination of scissors, wire cutters, box-cutter-like slicer, and even a pair of screwdrivers.

If you've seen the OpenX cutter, you know the idea: To offer a tool specifically for getting inside those nasty plastic packages. Open It! improves on that idea, I think, by offering more versatility in a single tool.

The scissors are key. Compared to a fixed blade, the heavy-duty shears let you rip through anything in short order. The blades are offset, too, so you can get right up against the device you're trying to chop your way into. The scissors can also cut through those annoying wires that hold children's toys in place, a real blessing when you're trying to free Dora from her restraints for an anxious, waiting child.

Of course, scissors don't always cut it, which is why it's nice to have the standard razor blade available as well. It's spring-loaded into one handle, so you can just flip the tool around and slide it out as needed. I would have preferred some locking mechanism to keep the blade extended when needed, but it's still handy.

In the other handle you'll find a tiny screwdriver: Phillips on one side and flathead on the other. It's an afterthought, but it's a handy addition for getting into screw-locked battery compartments after you have the packaging open. At the very least, it saves you a second trip to the garage.

The price? $11. A better stocking stuffer you won't find this year!