The best can openers

The best can openers will last you for years or even decades.
If you need a new one, the Made in USA Can Opener is our pick because it’s simple to use and cuts well.

Can openers are an essential part of every kitchen. Yet, from your dollar store find to high-end options at department stores, there are a lot of terrible can openers on the market. Fortunately, with a little bit of research, you can find a device that is durable, sanitary, and simple to use.

Most can openers also function as bottle cap openers, and some even open large jars. If you’re looking for a device that will serve a variety of purposes, the Kuhn Rikon Auto Safety Master Opener and P-38 Can Opener and P-51 Can Opener can openers. But if you’re looking for a solid can opener that does the job, the Made in USA Can Opener is our top pick.

We chose our top picks based on their track record of accurate cutting, reliable performance, and price.

Here are the best can openers:

The best overall: Made in USA Can Opener
The best electric can opener: Hamilton Beach Smooth Touch Can Opener
The best ergonomic can opener: OXO SteeL Can Opener
The best versatile can opener: Kuhn Rikon Auto Safety Master Opener
The best compact can opener: P-38 Can Opener and P-51 Can Opener

Prices and links are current as of 7/30/2020. We previously recommended an electric can opener as the best overall, but in the end, most of us don’t have that kind of counter space. Instead, we think the Made in USA Can Opener will serve most people well.

The best overall

The Made in USA Can Opener is a manual can opener with reliable and consistent results. The handles have a grip for comfort and the sharp blades cut cleanly.

The Made in USA Can Opener features a skip-proof feed wheel, is gear driven, and is made from carbon steel. The gears, wheel, and cutter are all zinc plated and heat treated.

It works like a traditional manual can opener: Press the cutting blade on the top of the can along the lip, hold the thick handle pads, and turn the crank until you have almost completed a rotation. Use a butter knife to flip the lid up. Empty the contents, then press the lid down into the can.

Though we didn't find any complaints about this model rusting, we recommend wiping your can opener down with a cloth and hot water or vinegar to clean it. The handle grips should be comfortable to use, even if you have to open several cans at the once.

This method of opening cans isn't ideal for those with limited mobility, but we have an electric option that might suit needs better.

Pros: Consistent performance, long-lasting, efficient

Cons: Leaves sharp edges, manual can opener might not be ideal for those with limited mobility

The best electric can opener

Foto: Source: Hamilton Beach

When you want to open a can with minimal mess, effort, or little chance for contamination, the Hamilton Beach 76606ZA Smooth Touch Can Opener is a smart choice.

For those who want or need a can opener that requires little effort, an electric one is a good option. This one from Hamilton Beach operates with just the press of a button.

To operate, you just press the large ergonomic lever until the can has made a complete rotation. The magnet holds the can in place as it cuts along the sides instead of the top, so the lid won't fall into the food. The cut leaves smooth edges, and the blade of the opener, which can collect harmful microbes if you don't wash your cans, doesn't make contact with the food, either.

There were some complaints that the cord is too short, but this is likely because many users didn't realize that most of the 26-inch cord is stored within the unit itself. You just pull it out.

Other expert review sites also rate the Hamilton Beach Smooth Touch Can Opener as the best electric can opener. However, reviewers found it was hard to use the lid to strain the can's contents due to the sidecut.

Pros: Easy to use, leaves smooth edges, works for cans of all sizes, strong magnet

Cons: Requires electricity, might have trouble with thick-rimmed cans

The best ergonomic can opener

Foto: Source: OXO

When you have to open several cans to cook a meal, the OXO SteeL Can Opener's large ergonomic knob means you won't tire out.

What sets the OXO SteeL Can Opener apart from the other models on this list is the large, soft turning knob. The large-size makes it more ergonomic than other manual can openers, and the grips are helpful if you're operating the opener with wet hands too.

The opener is made of sleek stainless steel. The blade is sharp and makes cutting easy to manage, and there is also a handy built-in bottle cap opener.

Other review sites claim that the handles' metal coverings slide down, and there were many grooves that collect grit and can be hard to handwash.

Pros: Feels comfortable in your hands, long track record

Cons: Hard to clean, the handle may slide

The best versatile can opener

Foto: Source: Kuhn Rikon

If you want to streamline the number of tools in your kitchen, the Kuhn Rikon Auto Safety Master Opener opens cans, jars, bottles, and more.

The Kuhn Rikon Auto Safety Master Opener opens pop-tops, cans, pull tops, jars, and bottles. Like the Hamilton Beach model, this device is a side cutter that does not come in contact with the can's contents.

Unlike the Hamilton Beach or Made In USA models though, this is not intuitive to use and would require reading the manual.

You place the tool on top of the can with the two half circles lined up with the can's rim. Once you twist the knob, the opener will grip the lid and cut. You will feel less resistance after a full circle. You should stop at this point and remove the top using the mini-pliers push button. If you try to do more than one revolution, you may get slivers or burrs of metal in your food.

Shoppers appreciated how easily it opened cans without leaving any sharp edges, especially those with injuries, poor motor control, and for those with weak hands. Reviewers were also impressed with this model's ability to open jars and bottles, including two-liter soda bottles.

Pros: Performs a variety of tasks, leaves smooth edges, dishwasher safe

Cons: Requires reading a manual, knob is hard to turn

The best compact can opener

Foto: Source: US Shelby

If you're preparing for stuff to hit the fan or just want an easy way to open cans while backpacking, the P-38 Can Opener and P-51 Can Opener are inexpensive and lightweight options.

Though it is not an official US Army-issued item, the P-38 and P-51 can openers have been used by our armed forces since they were first introduced in 1942. Nicknamed the "John Wayne" and manufactured by the US Shelby Co. in the United States, these can openers get their name for how long they are. The P-38 is 38 millimeters long and the P-51 is 51 millimeters (or about 2 inches), and both are popular among survivalists and veterans.

These durable slabs of steel fit on a keychain. There are many websites devoted to celebrating this can opener, and the list of uses is virtually endless. US Shelby advertises the P-38's ability to clean fingernails, clean grooves, open cans, open seams, screw drive, and cut items.

For can opening, you rotate the cutting edge 90 degrees from the stowed position. You then hold the can opener with the blade directed downward and rotate the can with your other hand as you cut the lid off.

The P-38 takes about twice as long to open cans as their cranking counterparts, and there appears to be a little bit of a learning curve and a need for elbow grease. Yet, users are thrilled with them once they get the hang of these can openers. Many keep their P-38 or P-51 on them at all times and use them as a flat blade screwdriver, to open battery compartments, for cutting string, and for opening packages.

Pros: 75-year track record, compact, inexpensive

Cons: Works slowly, requires a little elbow grease, leaves sharp edges

Check out our other kitchen guides

Foto: Source: Amazon

The best can openers