# Do you own a can opener? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [December 5, 2018, 9:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-own-a-can-opener/825639 "2018-12-05T21:55:35Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![GaryM](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/garym/32/241_2.png) [@GaryM](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GaryM)\ **Post date:** [December 5, 2018, 11:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-own-a-can-opener/825639/21 "2018-12-05T23:53:24Z")
I’ve opened cans with an ax, with a pocket knife blade, with a P-38, with a concrete sidewalk, and of course with a can opener. We have two Swing Away brand openers. ---
**Author:** ![boytyperanma](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/4491bb/32.png) [@boytyperanma](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/boytyperanma)\ **Post date:** [December 5, 2018, 11:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-own-a-can-opener/825639/22 "2018-12-05T23:54:09Z")
I’m 40. I own a few manual ones, haven’t had a powered one for some time. I don’t remember using one in the past year. Most the can goods i buy have pop top things. I don’t eat tuna because I don’t like it. ---
**Author:** ![Jackmannii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jackmannii/32/311_2.png) [@Jackmannii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jackmannii)\ **Post date:** [December 6, 2018, 12:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-own-a-can-opener/825639/23 "2018-12-06T00:12:45Z")
I did a :dubious: over this business of millennials not owning can openers when I read it in the Wall St. Journal. In my opinion, the OP is engaging in a bit of smart-assery by linking to a story about tuna in the _Mercury News_. ---
**Author:** ![That\_Don\_Guy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/that_don_guy/32/538_2.png) [@That\_Don\_Guy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/That_Don_Guy)\ **Post date:** [December 6, 2018, 12:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-own-a-can-opener/825639/24 "2018-12-06T00:13:34Z")
There are still things - tomato paste and canned tomato sauce comes to mind - where you need an opener to open the can. What I want to know is, does anyone still have an _electric_ can opener? ---
**Author:** ![Ravenman](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ravenman/32/2929_2.png) [@Ravenman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ravenman)\ **Post date:** [December 6, 2018, 12:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-own-a-can-opener/825639/25 "2018-12-06T00:22:34Z")
How the hell does anyone not have a can opener? ---
**Author:** ![silenus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/silenus/32/166_2.png) [@silenus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silenus)\ **Post date:** [December 6, 2018, 12:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-own-a-can-opener/825639/26 "2018-12-06T00:37:42Z")
If I’ve got a knife or explosives, I’ve got a can opener. A quick check shows 2 manual with handles, 1 manual without a handle, an unknown number of P-38s, P-51s and a couple of FREDs. Then there are the SAKs and the multitools… ---
**Author:** ![Dewey\_Finn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dewey_finn/32/4222_2.png) [@Dewey\_Finn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dewey_Finn)\ **Post date:** [December 6, 2018, 12:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-own-a-can-opener/825639/27 "2018-12-06T00:40:27Z")
I own a can opener, but I’m also fifty-something. (And recently acquired a couple of the side-opening can openers. I think that was a worthwhile improvement.) ---
**Author:** ![Tim\_R.Mortiss](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tim_r.mortiss/32/142_2.png) [@Tim\_R.Mortiss](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tim_R.Mortiss)\ **Post date:** [December 6, 2018, 12:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-own-a-can-opener/825639/28 "2018-12-06T00:43:50Z")
You know who doesn’t need a can opener? Popeye, that’s who. You just [squeeze](https://akm-img-a-in.tosshub.com/indiatoday/pop-647_011717035339.jpg?FN4suYmD1riXVbDk7E3YO6T90L8HQyDj) the can until the contents pop out and arc their way into your mouth. ---
**Author:** ![Sage\_Rat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sage_rat/32/399_2.png) [@Sage\_Rat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sage_Rat)\ **Post date:** [December 6, 2018, 12:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-own-a-can-opener/825639/29 "2018-12-06T00:56:01Z")
> [@Jackmannii](#): > > I did a :dubious: over this business of millennials not owning can openers when I read it in the Wall St. Journal. > > In my opinion, the OP is engaging in a bit of smart-assery by linking to a story about tuna in the _Mercury News_. The Wall Street Journal is paywalled, so I looked for a clone article. ---
**Author:** ![Heracles](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/heracles/32/487_2.png) [@Heracles](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Heracles)\ **Post date:** [December 6, 2018, 1:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-own-a-can-opener/825639/30 "2018-12-06T01:42:00Z")
[Obligatory XKCD comic](https://xkcd.com/2080/), although it’s so recent I suspect there might be a causal link. ---
**Author:** ![Sage\_Rat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sage_rat/32/399_2.png) [@Sage\_Rat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sage_Rat)\ **Post date:** [December 6, 2018, 1:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-own-a-can-opener/825639/31 "2018-12-06T01:58:19Z")
One thing that I am sensing from my poll is that we need to figure out how to attract millennials to the site. ---
**Author:** ![blondebear](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/blondebear/32/1022_2.png) [@blondebear](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/blondebear)\ **Post date:** [December 6, 2018, 2:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-own-a-can-opener/825639/32 "2018-12-06T02:02:23Z")
I have several, including a P-38 and an Oxo smooth edge opener. ---
**Author:** ![Fear\_Itself](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fear_itself/32/19637_2.png) [@Fear\_Itself](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fear_Itself)\ **Post date:** [December 6, 2018, 2:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-own-a-can-opener/825639/33 "2018-12-06T02:03:50Z")
Do Millennials not have pocket knives? ---
**Author:** ![Wesley\_Clark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wesley_clark/32/20581_2.png) [@Wesley\_Clark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wesley_Clark)\ **Post date:** [December 6, 2018, 2:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-own-a-can-opener/825639/34 "2018-12-06T02:20:21Z")
Electric and hand operated. Cost me under $10 for both. ---
**Author:** ![JohnGalt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johngalt/32/184_2.png) [@JohnGalt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JohnGalt)\ **Post date:** [December 6, 2018, 2:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-own-a-can-opener/825639/35 "2018-12-06T02:23:44Z")
Own a manual can opener, half of the cans I open are tomatoes and kidney beans and vegetables. And yes, tuna. The cans that have pull tabs are cat food and canned peaches (yum). We used an electric can opener, but a manual one is easier to use, more reliable, and handles a wider variety of cans. ---
**Author:** ![dalej42](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/67e7ee/32.png) [@dalej42](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dalej42)\ **Post date:** [December 6, 2018, 2:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-own-a-can-opener/825639/36 "2018-12-06T02:42:36Z")
Manual can opener, mainly used for refried beans. ---
**Author:** ![Beckdawrek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/beckdawrek/32/3647_2.png) [@Beckdawrek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Beckdawrek)\ **Post date:** [December 6, 2018, 2:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-own-a-can-opener/825639/37 "2018-12-06T02:52:22Z")
I just bought the lil’wrekker one of the safety openers that open the can without leaving a sharp edge on the lid. The particular soup she likes to have in her dorm room doesn’t come with pull tabs. I had to teach her how to use it. So sad. That’s another river we crossed going into adulthood. 🙂 ETA you don’t get to know how old I am, sorry. ---
**Author:** ![pulykamell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pulykamell/32/3166_2.png) [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)\ **Post date:** [December 6, 2018, 3:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-own-a-can-opener/825639/38 "2018-12-06T03:13:59Z")
> [@Fear\_Itself](#): > > Do Millennials not have pocket knives? I doubt most people of any generation own a pocket knife. I certainly don’t and I’m an Xer. Neither does my father. But I do have two can openers (non-electric.) I don’t know if I’ve ever even used an electric can opener. We certainly didn’t have one growing up. ---
**Author:** ![ZipperJJ](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/zipperjj/32/211_2.png) [@ZipperJJ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ZipperJJ)\ **Post date:** [December 6, 2018, 3:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-own-a-can-opener/825639/39 "2018-12-06T03:37:31Z")
Fuck this stupid article. I’m 39, on the cusp of Millennial-dom, and 1) I eat a lot of tuna 2) I haven’t bought tuna in a can in YEARS (since 2000 at least, according to the article) because it comes in those pouches and 3) Tuna is EXPENSIVE. Used to be dirt cheap, which is why I eat tuna because my family was poor and mom served it a lot. We’d get like 4 sandwiches out of a can. Now the $1 cans are barely enough for 2 sandwiches. The single-serving pouches are smaller than the cans even and the family size pouches are too expensive - I often end up giving the last few ounces to the dogs because I don’t eat it in time. Maybe we cared too much about dolphins and mercury poisoning and that’s why tuna is expensive to produce, and we drove the price up that way. I dunno. But it’s not fucking because of can openers. Good grief! ---
**Author:** ![Beckdawrek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/beckdawrek/32/3647_2.png) [@Beckdawrek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Beckdawrek)\ **Post date:** [December 6, 2018, 3:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-own-a-can-opener/825639/40 "2018-12-06T03:39:14Z")
Everybody I know carries a pocket knife. I even have one. Well, we are in rural South Arkansas. I can run a trotline too.😉 [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-own-a-can-opener/825639.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-own-a-can-opener/825639.md?page=3)