I had an old electric GE can opener that finally crapped out.
Decided there was no good reason to waste electricity to open a stupid can------besides, in Floriduh with hurricanes, can’t really depend on electricity sometimes.
I remember old manual can openers working very well–20 30 years ago.
But the last 2 I bought just recently have both been a pain in the ass to use. (I bought the second one because I thought I had bought a cheapo the first time and therein the problem and therefore bought the most expensive can opener available at Ace Hardware.
Second can opener not much better than the first. Doesn’t cut deep enough into the can. If you play with it long enough it will actually open most cans except for the last teeny bit--------stick a knife in and you can pry the top of the can open. Kind of like Popeye’s spinach cans.
Do they make manual can openers differently than 30 years ago? Are the cans made differently?
Or have I just been unlucky and bought a couple of lemons?
Buy a Swing-A-Way. Be sure to get the heavier model that also has a bottle opener on it. The one I have I bought in 1980 and it still opens cans with no problems. I think I have seen them in the $12-$15 range at most stores that sell kitchen gadgets.
Like you, I put up with substandard can openers for many many years. I finally said, “I’ve had it with piece of sh!t can openers!!” and bought me a ***real * **can opener. It’s an OXO SteeL 58081. I loved it so much I bought another for work. It works great.
They also make a great pseudo-martial arts weapon.
And in the cold, dark yesteryears, I used to use the Swiss Army Knife standard can opener blade to great effect, until I got a Leatherman, which is even better.
Cheap & junky, or elaborate & complex can openers are like cheap & junky or elaborate & complex corkscrews; not worth the effort and pinched fingers required to operate them.
I recently had occasion to replace my ancient can opener, the name of which I now forget. I was faced with the choice of multple cheapies which I suspect wouldn’t have done the job or two whose names I was familiar with but which cost the earth. Swingaway was one and Magican was the other. I’m not sure now which is which but one of them I’ve used before and it left a lethal sharp edge at the top of the can because of the daft way it worked.
I ended up spending only a couple of dollars more for an electric can opener.
Our new (by new I mean 2 years old) can opener is great. I don’t remember where we got it, but it says “Good Cook” on the label. It opens cans from the side, not the top, leaving lids that perfectly set on top of the rims. The cut away tops don’t have sharp edges, they are blunt. And it cuts with absolutely no difficulty or raggedness. Great gadget.
We bought one at the grocery store, 7 1/2 years ago, that works just fine. It’s made by Starfrit. It attaches to the can and turns from the top rather than the side, and makes a clean cut under the rim, that isn’t sharp. The only problem I have with the design is that cutting a can open from under the rim lets a little bit of water (soup, what-have-you) escape while you’re cutting. Not enough to be of concern, but still, you lose some, and have to wipe up the counter.
I have one like that, made by Kuhn-Rikon. and love it. It takes a bit of getting used to, to figure out how to place the opener on the can, but the no-sharp-edges opening is great.
I haven’t seen an electric can opener that was worth a crap in years.
I still remember that old General Electric or maybe Kenmore can opener my Mother had when I was a kid…it was Avacado Green to match the rest of the appliances. It worked great for about 20 years. And it was heavy duty as well as heavy–like 8 lbs. When you opened a can with it, the lights dimmed and the cats came running into the kitchen.
This is the first electric can opener I’ve ever owned so I’m not an expert by any means. It’s a Kenwood and works OK. I decided it was worth the extra dollars because I’m getting a bit of arthritis in my hands and I resented paying so much for a manual.
The electric one I ended up pitching was about 30 years old and a GE and harvest gold. Heavy old sucker. The teeth or the gripper or something was starting to wear out after all those years and it had gotten a little erratic in cutting.
However it still worked better at 30 years of age than the couple new manual ones I recently bought. And I don’t remember having any problem with the manual can openers I had 30-40 years ago.
Looking back on it, maybe I should have tried to find replacement parts for that old moose. For almost 30 years opening a can without any problem was a given, something you accepted as part of modern techological society.
Could it have something to do with the Chinese making just about everything these days?
Heh, the first thing I thought on reading the title was “He didn’t get a Swing-A-Way” The heavier model has a gear driven cutting wheel, it is far superior to the free spinning style. They haven’t changed the design in decades, because it works.
I’m always surprised by people who have really lousy can openers in their kitchens. The Swing-A-Way is under $10, and tough as nails, so I always suggest that you have one stuffed in your drawer, even if you get an electric or other fancier model. One day, in a pinch, or a blackout, you will need a can to be opened, and the old Swing-A-Way will be there to save the day.
My mom bought one of the side of the can/no sharp edges can openers. Over Thanksgiving, we had to call her over every time we wanted to open a can because nobody else could figure out how to use the damn thing.
I have an OXO brand can opener (but a different model than Crafter Man’s), and it’s lasted at least 10 years. It’s the one with heavy rubber grips.
It’s working just fine, and opens cans quite easily. I have two, actually; one in the kitchen and one in with the camping gear.
I also have a cordless Black & Decker Gizmo, (which I see is featured in the Google ads ) and it works well, but I often forget to put it back on the charger and always pull out the trusty handheld OXO. Well worth the few extra dollars.
I use an old fashioned, all metal, hand-crank can opener. And a church key. They work every time.
I’ll tell ya what REALLY pisses me off. My dad has a corkscrew that is “this far” from going through a window. The spiral metal that goes into the cork doesn’t point directly down, so it’s a major project to get it to go into the cork. Always a lopsided drill…always a traumatic extraction. I hate that fuckin’ thing.
Another satisfied Swing-A-Way owner here. Only cost $8 at WallyWorld and doesn’t get all nasty like electric openers I’ve had. And they’re still made in the USA to boot.
OXO has a bunch of different kinds in the Good Grips line - I’m very happy with mine, and I’ve given them as gifts. They have the kind that makes the smooth edge, although I’d never tried it. Actually all of their gadgets are fabulously wonderful, except I like the Zyliss garlic press and Microplane graters.
) and it works well, but I often forget to put it back on the charger and always pull out the trusty handheld OXO. Well worth the few extra dollars.