Rating Viral Pumpkin Carving Hacks
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I recently tested out ten different viral pumpkin carving hacks and was genuinely surprised by the results. I want to save your time, money, and precious pumpkins from falling victim to BAD viral hacks! So the beginning of this list includes popular ideas that just didn’t work for me. The hacks that I ranked highest in the list are truly incredible and consist of some really great ideas in pumpkin carving! So if you are looking to spice up your usual jack o’ lantern sculpting traditions, I highly recommend checking out my top suggestions. I hope you enjoy my top ten list ranking the most popular pumpkin hacks of 2023!
10. Mason Jar Lid Scrapper
I thought this was a great idea. Scraping out the inside of your pumpkin always seems like such a chore and part of the problem can be that your spoon handle gets in the way. Using the ring from a mason jar lid eliminated the spoon handle, allowing you to easily access the inside of your pumpkin. In theory! Ironically, I had trouble gripping the ring and the rounded edge made scrapping far more difficult than it needed to be. I ended up switching to a regular kitchen spoon to finish the job.
9. Power Washer
Okay, so my experience with this is skewed because I discovered that my power washer was broken in the process of testing this hack. However, I’ve seen others use this method and it results in a jagged designed and a goopy mess. Eye-catching method? Yes. Better than a knife? No. Not even close. That being said, I love my power washer and it does a great job cleaning things… Like the dried, caked pumpkin mess a few days after making jack-o-lanterns with your kids. If you’re looking for a good power washer, check out this one.
8. Pumpkin Gutter Drill Bit
The idea is you attach this special tool to your drill to gut your pumpkin quickly and easily. I really wanted/expected this one to work well. But it rattled around the pumpkin, tying the pulp into knots more than scraping off the walls of the pumpkin. I ended up using one of the other tools on this list to finish the job. (More on that in a bit.) Here’s the tool I used if you want to give it a try.
7. Jack-o-Lantern Push in Kit
This was an impulse buy as I was out shopping. This kit includes facial features that you simply push into the side of the pumpkin. It did exactly what it says it did, but I feel like it sucked all the fun out of carving your pumpkin. No creativity, no sense of accomplishment and no ability to light up the pumpkin with a candle. I will say that it’s a great option if you don’t like carving pumpkins at all, but you still want to be festive.
6. Chicken Pumpkin Carving
Honestly, I was not expecting my chickens to be able to carve a pumpkin, but it worked! I scraped a design into the pumpkin by removing the outer skin, and then left the pumpkin out for the chickens to peck at. After three days, they had broken through parts of the design. You’re not going to get a nice looking pumpkin out of this method, but it is an interesting experience and the chickens seem to enjoy it.
5. Cut the Bottom of your Pumpkin
My whole life, I was told that the first step of pumpkin carving was to cut the top off. But by flipping the pumpkin and cutting from the bottom, you end up with a nicer looking pumpkin and it is SO much easier to light the pumpkin up at night. I have burned myself trying to either light a candle from above or place a lit candle into the base of the pumpkin from a hole cut in the top. With this method, you light the candle on the base and then safely and easily place the carved pumpkin on top.
4. Pumpkin Carving Cookie Cutters
Instead of using a knife or saw to cut the design in your pumpkin, you use these metal stencils and a mallet to punch out facial features. I wasn’t expecting this method to be as fun/satisfying as it was. The kit we ordered had a lot of different facial features to choose from, and the stencils were very sharp, so the pumpkin didn’t break as we hammered them in. If you’re nervous about using a knife, or you like to have a bit of a guide but still make some creative choices, this is the best option for you.
3. Use a Bowl to Steady the Pumpkin
This works especially well if you start your pumpkin carving from below because it gives you a steady base without having to worry about the stem of the pumpkin. Pumpkin carving can be awkward, slimy, and slippery, having a nice sturdy grip on your pumpkin works wonders to avoid accidents. I recommend a large bowl, like this one, with a grippy bottom. This stainless steel set we keep in our kitchen year-round worked nicely for steadying the pumpkin and collecting the delicious pumpkin seeds for roasting.
2. Drywall Saw
Over the years, I have used a plethora of cutting devices to carve my pumpkins. Knives, safety pumpkin saws, electric carvers; but nothing was as comfortable, quick and reliable as a drywall saw. This won’t fit those tiny detail cuts, but for taking the top (or bottom) off and getting those larger cuts done, I haven’t found anything that has worked as well. This tool is SHARP, though! Make sure an adult is dong the cutting with this one.
1. Pumpkin Scraper Glove
I usually avoid gimmicky holiday gizmos that boast a miracle new way to deal with an old problem. But the pumpkin scraper glove is truly a game-changer!! It is basically a long glove with a serrated scooper-flipper thing attached at the end. Using it made the whole pumpkin experience less messy, more comfortable, and quicker. I am genuinely shocked to place an item like this at the top of my list, but it is well-deserved.
That's a Wrap!
Well, there you go, my ranking for hacks the internet told me would make my pumpkin carving life better. I hope this helps you make your perfect Halloween pumpkins and have some fun in the process. Check out the full video below. Happy Halloween!
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I want your seed recipe too! Mine always end up burnt or chewy!
The push in kit looks the least like a Halloween pumpkin, but also looks the easiest. It’s a conundrum!