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THE BEST: Can Opener


Fat Guy

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I have exactly the same experience here. Almost everything is with the ring pull. Some years ago when I could no longer use the hand can opener I decided to buy an electric can opener. I bought three or four that just didn't work. A friend of mine, after listening to me bitch and moan, finally gave me her ancient Proctor Silex that does work, sort of. I might use it about twice a year so I figure it will last as long as I do.

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I use this one and have for a very long time.  It's simple, very easy to turn and removes the in one go.  I actually have two, one is for me, the other for dogfood.

from Amazon:

(larger than life-size)😁

 

61ztbcwvslL._AC_SL1500_.jpg

Edited by lindag (log)
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Curiosity got the better of me, so I dug out the opener. As you can see it is old and somewhat tarnished, but it is clean and the cutting wheel still sharp.

 

canopner.thumb.jpg.1e5808bbb45fa667350c8f65c743d887.jpg

 

As I suspected the lip on the top of the can was too high for the cutting blade to engage, but I flipped the can over and was able to cleanly remove the bottom.

 

Now I have to eat 120 g of Russian fake salmon roe for supper!

 

fakesalmonroe.thumb.jpg.6d2d736acd5a78c569d7a6486ed95daa.jpg

 

 

Edited by liuzhou (log)
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...your dancing child with his Chinese suit.

 

The Kitchen Scale Manifesto

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  • 2 weeks later...

The EZ-DUZ-IT Deluxe Can Opener is a classic and works extremely well for me.  They cost between $8~$13 each depending on where you shop.

 

The Kuhn Rikon 'seamless' can oper works really well for me but, can be a bit tricky to use on some cans with weird rims since that is where the seam is a cut.  It is really nice not having a lid end up in a can of tomato sauce so, to me it is worth the effort on tricky cans when I am making something that needs tomatoes and other vegetables!

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Tonight I used my electric safety can opener and videotaped the whole thing in action on a can of coconut milk. Unfortunately, I've discovered that I can't convert a video to a .gif as I'd hoped so I could post it here.

 

Thoughts and observations:

 

1. By now, @JAZ has probably already made her choice. Nonetheless I stand by my recommendation (eG-friendly Amazon.com link). This little gizmo is almost as entertaining and gratifying as a FoodSaver while being considerably less expensive. It is a little startling when I accidentally bump it in the gadget drawer and it buzzes to life. 🙂

 

2. I haven't tried it on something as narrow as a can of tomato paste, so can't comment on its size limits.

 

3. I tried it specifically on a can of coconut milk, after having looked at many cans of coconut milk before making my purchase. I really can't see why coconut milk cans would be any more challenging than any other produce cans. I have not tried this on a can of condensed milk, which doesn't have a neat rim. Maybe that would be problematic.

 

4. The lid AND the can edge were both smooth. I'd be able to use the can as a biscuit cutter, but I wouldn't be afraid of cutting myself on either the lid or the can rim.

 

Sorry that I couldn't come up with good photos of the process!

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Nancy Smith, aka "Smithy"
HosteG Forumsnsmith@egstaff.org

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"Every day should be filled with something delicious, because life is too short not to spoil yourself. " -- Ling (with permission)
"There comes a time in every project when you have to shoot the engineer and start production." -- author unknown

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On 12/20/2023 at 8:16 PM, Smithy said:

Tonight I used my electric safety can opener and videotaped the whole thing in action on a can of coconut milk. Unfortunately, I've discovered that I can't convert a video to a .gif as I'd hoped so I could post it here.

 

Thoughts and observations:

 

1. By now, @JAZ has probably already made her choice. Nonetheless I stand by my recommendation (eG-friendly Amazon.com link). This little gizmo is almost as entertaining and gratifying as a FoodSaver while being considerably less expensive. It is a little startling when I accidentally bump it in the gadget drawer and it buzzes to life. 🙂

 

2. I haven't tried it on something as narrow as a can of tomato paste, so can't comment on its size limits.

 

3. I tried it specifically on a can of coconut milk, after having looked at many cans of coconut milk before making my purchase. I really can't see why coconut milk cans would be any more challenging than any other produce cans. I have not tried this on a can of condensed milk, which doesn't have a neat rim. Maybe that would be problematic.

 

4. The lid AND the can edge were both smooth. I'd be able to use the can as a biscuit cutter, but I wouldn't be afraid of cutting myself on either the lid or the can rim.

 

Sorry that I couldn't come up with good photos of the process!

Your recommendation was enough to make me pull the trigger and order one. I like our (my) handheld Swingaway crank handle opener.  My Sweetie, however, is a leftie and finds it basically impossible to use.

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Porthos Potwatcher
The Once and Future Cook

;

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1 hour ago, Porthos said:

Your recommendation was enough to make me pull the trigger and order one. I like our (my) handheld Swingaway crank handle opener.  My Sweetie, however, is a leftie and finds it basically impossible to use.

 

I hope you like it. So far we love ours for its utitlity and compactness. As a bonus, there is the giggle / startle factor when it's accidentally activated in the gadget drawer. "What's that?" exclaims my darling. It deactivates quickly when it doesn't sense the proper pressure.

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Nancy Smith, aka "Smithy"
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"Every day should be filled with something delicious, because life is too short not to spoil yourself. " -- Ling (with permission)
"There comes a time in every project when you have to shoot the engineer and start production." -- author unknown

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3 hours ago, Smithy said:

 

there is the giggle / startle factor when it's accidentally activated in the gadget drawer. "What's that?" exclaims my darling.

Sort of like at the airport when something embarrassing and "unmentionable" goes off in your luggage

 

I too have ordered one - thanks for updating us especially with regards to the smoothness and safety of both the can and the removed lid

 

p

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@FauxPas suggested elsewhere that I upload a video of my can opener in action to YouTube. Here it is.

 

 

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Nancy Smith, aka "Smithy"
HosteG Forumsnsmith@egstaff.org

Follow us on social media! Facebook; instagram.com/egulletx; twitter.com/egullet

"Every day should be filled with something delicious, because life is too short not to spoil yourself. " -- Ling (with permission)
"There comes a time in every project when you have to shoot the engineer and start production." -- author unknown

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17 minutes ago, Smithy said:

@FauxPas suggested elsewhere that I upload a video of my can opener in action to YouTube. Here it is.

 

Oooooh, I like it! Very similar to mine, but yours has a higher tone. Mine has a slightly deeper rumble. I love these types of openers!!!!  🙂

 

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I can't tell from photos or the video. Is the round part on the opener level/straight? I ordered one and it looked bent to me. I contacted them and they sent another and I've got the first one ready to return. The second one arrived and it is the same. I can't figure out if they are defective or supposed to be that way. Would you be able to post ore photos of the under side of yours, @Smithy? Thank you!

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Deb

Liberty, MO

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2 hours ago, Maison Rustique said:

I can't tell from photos or the video. Is the round part on the opener level/straight? I ordered one and it looked bent to me. I contacted them and they sent another and I've got the first one ready to return. The second one arrived and it is the same. I can't figure out if they are defective or supposed to be that way. Would you be able to post ore photos of the under side of yours, @Smithy? Thank you!

 

Funny, I hadn't noticed it before! But yes, the cutting wheel has a slight angle. It's most noticeable when looking at the gizmo end-on. 

 

20231224_080153.jpg

 

If it dies in the next few uses we'll know it isn't supposed to be like that. 🙂 But it's been working fine so far.

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Nancy Smith, aka "Smithy"
HosteG Forumsnsmith@egstaff.org

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"Every day should be filled with something delicious, because life is too short not to spoil yourself. " -- Ling (with permission)
"There comes a time in every project when you have to shoot the engineer and start production." -- author unknown

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We liked this one so much we now have it at each of our homes.  I have had multiple hand surgeries and treatments for my Dupuytren's Contracture in both hands and find this one lightweight and quick.  

 

From Good Cook at Amazon.  

 

 

good cook opener.jpg

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On 12/24/2023 at 6:48 AM, Maison Rustique said:

I can't tell from photos or the video. Is the round part on the opener level/straight? I ordered one and it looked bent to me. I contacted them and they sent another and I've got the first one ready to return. The second one arrived and it is the same. I can't figure out if they are defective or supposed to be that way. Would you be able to post ore photos of the under side of yours, @Smithy? Thank you!

 

On 12/24/2023 at 9:04 AM, Smithy said:

 

Funny, I hadn't noticed it before! But yes, the cutting wheel has a slight angle. It's most noticeable when looking at the gizmo end-on. 

 

20231224_080153.jpg

 

If it dies in the next few uses we'll know it isn't supposed to be like that. 🙂 But it's been working fine so far.

 

Here it is, working on a very small can of jalapenos -- about the diameter of a can of tomato paste. It worked like a charm.

 

20231225_145151.jpg

 

@Maison Rustique. I think the angle of the cylinder is necessary so that the cutter is going halfway from top to bottom of the top seam. Note the angle of the body of the opener while it was in action. Even on this small can, when it was done I had a smooth edge on both the lid and the can.

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Nancy Smith, aka "Smithy"
HosteG Forumsnsmith@egstaff.org

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"Every day should be filled with something delicious, because life is too short not to spoil yourself. " -- Ling (with permission)
"There comes a time in every project when you have to shoot the engineer and start production." -- author unknown

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  • 3 weeks later...

don't throw your old style can opener away . . .

 

seems the Asian canners have invented a new can "lip" / "seal" that the side openers do not work on.

ran into that problem on some tuna cans from Costco, and more recently on Bumbee Red Salmon can - had to resort to my old P-51 C-Rats opener . . .

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On 1/14/2024 at 6:45 AM, Maison Rustique said:

I will keep a manual opener or two just in case I run out of batteries or whatever. You never know!

 

That's fair, and what I've done too. And I still have my Swiss Army Knife with the can opener as a backup to the backups. But boy, I sure like my little electric safety-style can opener!

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Nancy Smith, aka "Smithy"
HosteG Forumsnsmith@egstaff.org

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"Every day should be filled with something delicious, because life is too short not to spoil yourself. " -- Ling (with permission)
"There comes a time in every project when you have to shoot the engineer and start production." -- author unknown

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1 hour ago, Smithy said:

 

That's fair, and what I've done too. And I still have my Swiss Army Knife with the can opener as a backup to the backups. But boy, I sure like my little electric safety-style can opener!

 

SAK's are nice but, a classic P-51 for the #10 cans works much better for me.  If I use a SAK, the old Wenger versions work much better than the Victorinox versions in my experience.  I will note that Victorinox bought Wenger so, the differences have vanished to my disappointment.

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