Which Can Opener is the Best? 

When Bridget went to try and use the safety opener, she reminded me of an As Seen on TV person failing and overexaggerating something simple. I was surprised they didn't recommend a safety opener along with the regular one. Sure, the first time you use one feels weird, but after that it's easy. Plus you can reuse the lid.

Safety openers are the best. Once you get used to it, you can feel it engage and feel when you've reached the end. Most important, it stays clean and food never touches the blade or the outside top of the can. Any glue is food-grade cement that helps seal the can. The blades on the old ones get gunky (or rusty!) and are hard to clean - I DON'T want that blade contaminating my food.

I prefer the safety can openers ...they're very easy to use once you figure it out and the lid can be put back on the can for short-term storage. Also the lid doesn't fall into the food. I have cut myself TWICE in 30 years with a sharp can lid.

The yellow string seen when removing the lid after opening with a safety opener is a bead of sealant on the lid when it is attached/crimped to the can. Think of the rubber on the lid of a mason canning jar. It is nontoxic and harmless if swallowed. Safety opener also allows for more complete removal of contents ie evaporated milk, sweetened condensed milk, tomato sauce, tomato paste, creamed corn etc. I have and use both for different cans and products.

Most of the comments here seem to prefer the safety style can openers and I agree. I don't understand why the testers are so concerned about about how intuitive a can opener is to use. Spend a few minutes learning how to use it and then you'll be using it easily for years. Another advantage of the safety can opener, besides the ones others have listed, is that the cutting wheel never touches the contents of the can.

Rarely do I disagree with ATK but I’m all in with safety openers. I use (and love) a Kuhn Rikon. It does take a bit of practice but most things that are worthwhile do. The top wheel on a side opener likely is the dirtiest half-inch in your kitchen & where does it go? Inside the can where it could touch/contaminate the contents. The top style leaves no sharp edge, no invasion of the wheel into food, no chance of any teeny shard dropping into the can, and it is easy to find in my kitchen tool drawer.

I'm really partial to my Kuhn Rikon safety can opener, I use it just about every day. One of my favorite kitchen gadgets

I have to agree that there is a learning curve with the safety can openers but they are so much more elegant and I feel comfortable giving them to kids. I’ve had a kid slice open their finger with a traditional can opener in the 90s.

I like the safety can openers better as well. No more getting cut by the lid or can. Whereas someone might think glue might get in the food (haven't experienced that), metal filings can get in the food with original style can openers.

Only reason the "safety" opener seems harder to use is because they have been using the regular opener for 30-40 years. If you gave both styles to someone who has never used either, I wouldn't think one would be much more difficult to figure out.... And at least on my safety opener you can tell when you've gone all the way around cause there's less force needed to turn the handle.

Not up to the usual Test Kitchen standards. Bad review, missed pertinent points, and exaggerated the shortcomings of a safety opener. Once I started using the safety opener, I have not gone back. The OXO one is my choice - works great, reasonably priced, and has a little pliers grip to help remove the lid. Problems with the traditional style they didn't mention - metal shavings can get into the food, and unless you've worked in a commercial food establishment - most home cooks don't realize the cutting wheel on a traditional opener gets contaminated with food and needs to be cleaned. That little whee/blade is one of the dirtiest things in a home kitchen. The safety openers leave a smooth edge, keep contamination out of the food, and are just as easy to use - once you get used to their differences. Of course people who haven't used the new style of opener will have more trouble at first. Conducting a test with a bunch of people without teaching them how to use the new style is pointless.

Safety Openers give you the option to "reseal" the can with its own lid for storage, and of course to scoop up the remaining content with a silicone spatula without the risk of ripping it to shreds with the sharp edges the traditional can openers leave; I have both types and you should too.

For those concerned about safety, the Oxo locking can opener with lid catch style with the magnet works just as easy as the tradition, it is like a hand cranked electric version except even easier and safer.

Not all safety can openers are as poorly designed as the one Bridget was asked to try. My Oxo safety can opener didn't even come with instructions. Works well enough that I forgot from which decade I bought it.

you know youre an adult when you care about what can opener is the best.

Took me 2 seconds to figure out how to use safety can opener. Never going back. Won’t even try old style. Keep it.

I’ve got a swing way that’s 35 years old. It works like a charm. Laying it across the top makes it a safety opener and actually works better

The safety kind I like better for two reasons. First the top can be used to cover it back. And no more lose sharp tops all over for recycling, the tops with the lip stay in the can, once pushed inside.

I would like to hear which ones were best for people with mobility issues, i.e., arthritis, etc.

I will never go back to the traditional can opener. The safety can opener is so much better and no food contamination from a crusty cutting blade.

I like my Kuhn can opener that was made in Switzerland and I don't think you can any longer buy it. It's over 20 years old and it's a delight to use cost me $16 at Williams-Sonoma because I was a holiday employee. I don't have the problems with it that you had with yours. The stringy stuff is the sealant and it's really not hard to keep it out of the food, I don't understand your problem

I wish y’all had chosen a winner from each category (regular and safety)

I will say that my OXO can opener is one of my nicer pieces of kitchen equipment. Costs 13/14 dollars but it’s totally worth it and it will last a lifetime. Has a super huge handle and it’s really smooth as you turn it. Highly recommend!

I have the Kuhn Rikon deluxe safety type (the red one in the video). I love it! It's easy to use. Has small parrot beak to grip and lift the lid after cutting. They also make an awesome jar opener.

They didn’t mention how lids can fall into the can and be a pain to remove with the old style. If a can opener is not intuitive, learn how to use it.

Thanks for the review, but I would also like a discussion of how best to clean the opener w/out it rusting. And you must clean or harmful bacteria could get into the food you are getting out the can. I’ve tried dishwashing and hand washing and making sure to dry it throughly, but they still rust.

I have the red safety can opener and I love it. I've never had any issues with the glue even coming close to the food in the can. I'll never go back to a traditional can opener

The technical background provided is not up to your usual standards. You should confirm this comment with canned food processors. The plastic "strings" are not label adhesive or lid sealant. The entire inner surface of every food or beverage can is lined with a very thin (about 2 microns) inert plastic protective layer. It's purpose is to prevent bare metal from contacting and reacting with the contents, which it otherwise would. Most safety openers cut through the metal bead but do not completely cut through this lining because it flexes. This sometimes makes the lid a little difficult to lift without a "gripper" like the one built into my favorite Khun Rikon safety opener.

I have the Kuhn Rikon safety opener and it is the absolute best! Cuts clean and perfect everytime no matter the can size. And it's nice to have an open can of coffee without the edges.

Nope, can't agree with this recommendation or the testing methodologies. The only benefit of a traditional can opener is that it is obvious because of childhood exposure and it's easier to turn because you are slicing through the steel of the lid. You are also potentially introducing whatever was on the lid to the can contents or whatever may have been previously on the opener. A very sharp edge is produced that is coated in food content that can then cut the operator. You have to carefully wash the traditional can opener every time you use it unlike the safety can opener. You should know that the 'glue' is the hermetic safety gasket and is food safe. Also the safety opener produces a lid for the can so that partial contents can be used and the remainder can be stored in the refrigerator for a couple of days. My review of this review is an F.

I’ve had the well-known swingaway can opener for about 30 years and it is still just as good as it was at the beginning. I also have one of the top removal types which is nice on occasion but doesn’t work at all with really really large cans. My swingaway works on everything - with a dented can you have to adjust it more and use some force but it will still open the can.

I have used many openers over my 74 years. I finally found the professional opener and it is great!

The “yellow, stringy stuff” is the plastic lining that covers the entire inside of almost all cans including aluminum drink cans. It prevents off metallic tastes and also prevents the contents from corroding the metal. In a video about cans and can openers: How could you not know this?

Not giving up my Oxo safety opener! It’s great! And yes- no yucky, dangerous lids falling into the can!

I will always use the pampered chef safety opener. It’s easy to get used to and super reliable. Not the cheapest but worth every penny - by far the best I’ve used in 50+ years of cooking.

What you didn't mention about the "safety" can openers is besides there are no sharp edges is that the lid will fit back on the can to store partially used content in the fridge, very handy. On the downside with tuna cans, you can't use the lid inside the can to squeeze out the water or oil, so I keep an old-style opener for that. I love my "safety can opener!

Surprised you didn't include the Oxo Good Grips smooth edge opener. I've used that one for years and it's great.

Traditional openers leave metal shavings in the food.

There's a place for both in my kitchen. Traditional can openers are more convenient and faster in most cases but there are times when safety can openers are necessary. Another benefit you didn't mention for safety can openers is when the can is holding thick fluids like tomato paste or solids like corned beef not having a rim for the food to catch on saves a lot of hassle and reduces waste.

I love my safety can opener. Thanks to it, I haven't had to stick my fingers in tomato juice to fish out a lid in over a year.

I am using a stainless steel Henckels Classic Can Opener, a safety can opener, which is much better than the "old" pincer/pliers style. 1. Safer. No protrude cutting edge/blade. No sharp edge on either side of the can after cut. 2. Easy to carry. Only one simple handle, rather than two handles movement. 3. Easy to use. You don't have to hold handle tight while turning the knob. You can even stop in the middle to do other things, and get back to continue turning. 4. Better hygiene. The cutting blade doesn't touch the content. In addition, the cut lid could be placed back with almost no gap. 5. Better economic. You can pour out all the content without residue.

The #1 Swing-A-Way was our can opener for many years. Then we switched to the OXO safety can opener and have been happy with it. (The other good thing about OXO is that they will replace the product, no questions or returns asked.)

I want to know if left handers had a preference that different from the general results.

Can't read through 400+ comments but my absolute favorite can opener is a manual with a magnet. The magnet helps hold the opener in the right alignment and the lid doesn't drop in the can - mostly. I seldom have trouble with that kind. I'm left-handed so a right-handed tool is awkward anyway. Magnet manual can opener all the way.😊

I have an old wall-mounted crank-style can opener that I've had for almost 40 years. Wouldn't be without it, but I haven't seen one in stores for decades. It's time that someone brought one back to the market. They work beautifully, and is as easy as using an electric one without using any power.

I have this can opener and rust is a major issue after one year.

They did not try any of them on rectangular or odd shaped cans, It is not the first time that the pull up ring has failed.

Do they still make the wall mounted can opener? My favorite currently is a Swing-a-way extended handle opener with a actual crank. It's for not so young folks with diminished hand strength.

Love the fact their "black beans" can is a ring pull can they've just turned upside-down 😂

I gave up the traditional can opener after I went to a friend's house and they had one. After a couple uses I was hooked. I have replace a number of the traditional ones because they wore out or became difficult to use over time. My safety one has been around for years and keeps working very well.

Mine. It leaves the lid in place (via suction probably), it smooths both edges and the sides so you can't cut yourself and there's no rim to get in the way when scraping out contents. I was never a fan of magic but then I found the greatest tin opener in the world. Oh yeah... It's a bit like the one she tried out around 2mins. First time I used it I went all the way round (holding the tin in the air) thinking what is this pos and expecting at best to see a score around the edge. And then the lid came off neatly with a gentle pull. Pure magic.

This might be the first time I disagree with an ATK recommendation. Safety can openers are so much better than the original ones. I think it is worth the effort learning how to use it, because of the many advantages: No dirty lid in my food, no sharp edges, no cutting through my trash bags anymore. Here in Germany, we wash our cans, before recycling them, which is another moment, where I could cut myself, since I have to grab the can and lid, several times. Also, think of a person using a regular can opener for the first time ever? It's also not that intuitive. I also managed to fail to open a can with the old type several times. For me the regular ones are outdated.

I’ve used the Kuhn Ricon for years and would not use anything else. It’s very easy to use. Have given to friends as gifts and they love them.

I prefer the safety can opener. Lid does NOT drop into the food. There are no sharp edges in the trash can when metal cans are discarded. Less likely that bits of metal will get into the food. Because there no sharp edges both the cans and the lids have multiple uses after the food is removed. The lid will loosely fit on the can again. The "label glue" that you mentioned is actually used in the can sealing process. I rarely ever have a problem with it. I'm sure it's food grade and is a very minimal amount of it, if any, that does get into the food. FWIW.. I own a wide variety of can openers, from the p-38 / p-51 used by the military and campers/hikers today. Have the version that has to be pierced into the can before manual cutting of metal begins. Have the "church key" with bottle opener on one end and a triangular can opener on the other end. Have a vintage wall mounted one. Have both safety side openers and traditional hand cranked, as illustrated in the video. Even have access to a large commercial can opener that's ideal for number 10 cans. With all that and more (when a can opener isn't available), I prefer the safety side cutter that cuts through the sealed edge of the lid.

When I switched to a safety can opener, I never looked back. I LOVE IT!

When my son asked what that funny looking thing on my key ring was, I showed him how to use a decades old P38 can opener. He was amazed. A little slow, but it works.

Bought a safety can opener years ago. You get familiar with how it works after just a few uses. Not only does it save fingers from cuts, it saves you from contamination of the content when using an old can cutter. I’ve seen people oil the old style cutter because it was getting difficult to turn. 😳

I had a regular can opener but my hands are bad can not open the can any more so I got a electric can opener it works better for me 😊

Any made for Left Handers? I think the The P-38, developed in 1942, was the most useful, compact, cheap , and easy to use. Only drawback... No Bottle Opener.

This was a fun video for my birthday. Can't say I learned anything new, but good to know that the old can opener is still as good or better than the new ones. At my age, that does not often happen.

My favorite can opener is the Nogent Super Kim can opener, available from Lee Valley Tools. Very compact, so suitable to camping and picnics, as well as about the kitchen, and works great every time.

Love my Swing Away Crank Handle can opener. With arthritis and neuropathy in my hands, those small handles, needing pincer fine motor skills just exacerbate the condition than the overhand grip and full arm movement that the crank provides in opening cans.

When I was in college my professor was taking out her trash and pushed it down severely cutting her wrist. I've used safety can openers ever since. Granted some are easier to use than others but I will never use the old fashioned can opener unless I have no other choice. We have the red one. Simple and easy to use. Rarely have a problem with any size or shape can

Some of those videos (like this one) really show the difference in use between ATK and a normal home. Chefs think differently and have different needs. They need speed, reliability and something that won't slow them down at 100mph. Home users typically want something safer, long lasting, easy to clean or put together and affordable. Recommending expensive 25$ buckets and old fast can openers just goes against 99% of home users. Most people want safety can openers because they're tired of can kids cutting through the trash bags, or they have children or just don't mind taking an extra few seconds to use a can opener. I love ATK and I trust most of their recommendations, but sometimes they forget that not everyone works in a professional kitchen.

I’ve used the since 2014. Made in USA so you support American manufacturing jobs. It works like a charm.

I didn’t see the OXO opener which has been my favorite traditional cutting type nor the LeCreuset safety type which I also have and works exceptionally well!

I have both styles, including the winner here (it is an excellent opener!) and a Kuhn Rikon safety opener. I use both and am comfortable with both. However, when I was a teen, I cut my thumb nearly to the bone on a dog food can lid. I've learned from that and am more careful now, but I would feel more comfortable letting my 9-year-old use the safety opener rather than a traditional opener.

Thanks for the basics of kitchen utilities… yeah a good can opener is a must have! Brigitte you look fabulous as usual, thanks love

But, which of your safety can openers tested was your favorite? I've been using a safety can opener for years. Not only does it cut the can in a more convenient location, but it also cuts more cleanly and consistently over years of can opener use. It would be good to give your viewers your favorite pick of each type, rather than just saying you think safety can openers are not easy to use. It literally took me less than 10 seconds to figure mine out. We are not racing to open cans at home, that 10 seconds is not a big deal, but having to interact with jagged, inconsistently cut lids is more problematic, especially for my young boys, who I'll soon be employing to help me in the kitchen as soon as they can see over the counter.

Umm...how in the *world* did you not test OXO? They have a perfectly good safety opener Also, use a spatula on a can opened by each style, then tell me which one you prefer

Some years back, ATK recommended one that latched closed, captured the lid with a magnet, and had a lever to detach the lid from the magnet without touching it. It is my favorite can opener ever. Why isn't it the recommended one anymore?

There is also the lever type can opener (predates the so-called traditional style, I’d guess), but it’s hard to find in US. While it’s ‘dangerous’ with an exposed sharp(ish) blade and leaves a ragged edge on the cut open lid, it’s easy and fast to use. And unlike the ‘traditional’ and ‘safety’ types with their cranks and gears, even a cheapy one will last decades. By the way, after cutting, just pry open the lid with a spoon/fork/dinning-knife/chop-stick/etc (or just the can opener itself) instead of using finger and there would no risk to finger. (You know, use a tool.)

I think I still like my safety can opener, at least it's safe.

I don't care what you say. I'm not giving up my Oxo safety opener.

I've had my swing-a-way can opener for a very long time and it still works great. I've tried other brands but for me, swing-a-way is the best one.

I love my zyliss traditional can opener so much that I always give it as a wedding gift. It locks. I really expected it to be the winner because it was on the table. But I agree that if the twisting part was a bit longer, it would be even better. I see why the other one won.

So I'm at that stage in life where I legitimately wanted to watch a review video of can openers. That's cool.

Would you please help us finding the best garlic press? Thank you!

Remember a can opener used to have a magnet to hold the lid?

Purchased one! Thanks for the recommendation and the link!

I've been using a Farberware opener that looks similar to their winner. It does the job just adequately, but it has one super feature: It's made for LEFTIES!

Love the equipment tests, but I didn't see my Kitchen Aid can opener and it is excellent.

I must say, I purchased the winning can opener. It is great!!! I would suggest you dry it throughly when you wash it..mine rusted a little but drying it better solved that !

You can actually use a regular can opener to open a can from the side. Just hold it horizontally. I prefer the OXO myself.

The traditional can openers rust in almost no time. I like the safety can openers better.

I was finally able to find a product you recommended in a store. Was lucky to get the EZ-DUZ-IT can opener at Rainbow Restaurant Supply on the Bowery in NYC. It coast me $16.28. Tried it tonight works great.

So ... basically "EZ-DUZ-IT" is a different name & branding for the classic Swing-A-Way can opener, which is my own gold standard. When Swing-A-Way moved their manufacturing to China years ago, I bought the last USA-made one in stock at a local housewares store, just to be sure I had a backup to my current unit. That was probably 10+ years ago, and the extra unit is still untouched. I'm glad these can openers are being made domestically again.👍

I honestly never cut myself on a can lid.

This completely discounts a few really important things. First, people who are disabled or left handed can use a safety can opener where the twisting part is on the top without needing to buy a special, separate one (or have a right and a left handed one for houses with multiple people). People with disabilities, young children, or pets who might get into the trash may need the safety of the safety can openers. I feel like it would have been easy to recommend a top safety can opener as well, for those people who need one either for the usability or for preventing the sharp edges.

Which safety can opener is best??? You didn’t address that in your video. You should do a follow up video just on safety can openers. I fully agree on the difficulty of knowing when safety can openers are on , or are properly working, but when they do, there is more than one thing that is nice about them. In addition to the fact they don’t cut you, is it’s really nice to be able to set the lid removed back on the can. For example if you have a can of green beans, and if you only want to eat half of it, such as a bachelors like myself, you can easily set the lid back on and it won’t fall off, and it seals nicely. Please review these, and give recommendations. So do a full video or just on safety can openers, and get at least 10 different versions to try out.

my top cutting can opener wasn't cutting properly, so I just turned it on it's side and cut from the side instead of the top, works perfectly.

I have a pampered chef safety can opener and I love it. It will open every can even a can of spam.

seems a simple lesson to make the crank handle longer since that increases the torque...

The winning can opener is made by the company who was contracted to make openers for Swing A Way. When swing a way sent manufacturing abroad, the contracted manufacturer here in the USA continued making a similar can opener. I chose the winning can opener merely to purchase one made in the USA

I always buy a SwingAway opener, which looks and costs in the same neighborhood as the recommended opener. They also make a model that bolts to the wall or door frame. Although, I usually have to look at a restaurant supply store for those.

I prefer the good ol Kitchen Aid,served me well for years.

Do you have a recommendation for a handheld can opener for #10 cans? I currently use a Swing-Away, which is nearly identical to your winner. Perhaps larger and/or more heavy-duty? However, I find it eventually gives way to the sturdier and bends enough to no longer work. I’m guessing it’s still my best bet.

I had a more expensive safety opener which I liked but got stolen. Now I have a starfrit little beaver I picked up for $10 at Walmart and it is really easy to operate has good turning torque (better than the more expensive one). Once you realize you put the rim of the can between the two wheels there is no mistaking if it is attached. Way back when I had an electric one which I loved because once attached it was automatic hands-off. But alas it died and we had to go green.

Mine is a Kuhn Rikon safety. Works fine . No need to clean the lid as nothing can fall in , as with a regular opener, no sharp edges , no food escaping either from the side or lid, ten years hard graft and counting, even though it got partly melted on a camping gas rig.

I have that can opener! It works well and a reasonable price! I picked the right one!!