Which type of can opener is best?
A can opener should make your domestic life easier, so it’s crucial that you pick the right one. Here's what you should consider before making a purchase.
Manual: Manual tin openers are the most widely available type. They are affordable and compact. For them to work, the small serrated wheels must be attached to the tin and the ‘key’ twisted; full mobility is required for this. The butterfly is a classic design, but if you have mobility issues or are battling family chaos as you prepare dinner, the ‘knack’ required to use them can make them quite frustrating.
Electric: Electric tin openers were all the rage in the 1970s when they were considered works of time-saving genius. Their retro looks still have a place in the modern kitchen, especially for people who don’t have a full range of motion in their hands and wrists. They are more expensive on initial purchase than all other tin openers and will take up a significant amount of room on your worktop.
Battery operated: Battery-operated tin openers provide their own energy, are easy to use and don’t take up much room in the kitchen. However, you need to remember to replace the batteries, and purchasing multiple sets of AAs will make a battery-operated automatic tin opener more expensive. These are great options if you struggle with upper limb mobility issues, however.
Ambidextrous can openers: If you or a member of your family are left-handed, a tin opener that will cut both ways will be helpful. Right and left-handed can openers can be either manual or automatic.
What’s the best can opener for arthritic hands?
The best can opener for people with arthritic hands or mobility issues is an automatic one, either battery-powered or mains-operated. We recommend either the Kitchen Mama Automatic Can Opener or the Kenwood Electric Tin Opener.
If you only occasionally struggle with pain and grip strength, the best manual tin opener would be the OXO Good Grips.
What's the best way to open a can?
Can openers aren’t the necessity they once were, as many tinned products now have ring pulls that efficiently peel back the lid. That said, for some people, ‘easy-open lids’ are anything but. A sturdy spoon used as a lever will help, but an automatic can opener will still be a valuable addition to the kitchen. Also, ring pull tins are often more expensive. The difference between a standard and an ‘easy-open’ can of tuna can be as much as £1.
If you’re using a tin opener, you’ll notice that some will remove the entire lid, whereas others will leave a hinge. Some will do both, and where you place the cutting wheels, on the side or on top of the lid edge, will make the difference.
Whichever way you open your tins, be careful of the razor-sharp edge you have just created, especially if you’re trying to wriggle the lid free of its hinge. If you have children, look for tin openers that blunt the edge as a safety precaution.
What is the best can opener to buy?
There’s nothing more annoying than when opening a can of beans for a quick lunch becomes a fiddly, time-consuming chore, so many Mumsnet users had strong opinions on their favourite tin opener.
Our best can opener is the Lantana 2-in-1 Tin Opener. It's super easy to use, has a clever design and comes at a great price.