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Kitchen & Cooking

8 great manual can openers for opening tins with ease

From traditional openers to safety models, these are the top options for your kitchen.

Credit: Reviewed / Jackson Ruckar

Recommendations are independently chosen by Reviewed's editors. Purchases made through the links below may earn us and our publishing partners a commission.

The humble can opener is a kitchen tool we tend to take for granted—you might not think about it much while it’s sitting in a drawer, but you’ll miss it desperately when it’s gone. There are thousands of manual can openers available in stores and online which makes it challenging to pick the right one for you. To save you the money and frustration of another bad purchase, we chose 8 highly-rated manual can openers and put them to the test opening every size can under the sun, evaluating for speed, comfort, durability, and safety, among other factors.

After opening dozens and dozens of cans—from tiny tuna cans to massive chicken broth cans—we have determined that these are the best manual can openers available in Canada.

1. EZ-DUZ-IT Deluxe Can Opener

Credit: Reviewed / Jackson Ruckar

The unassuming EZ-DUZ-IT probably looks exactly like the can opener you grew up with—and for good reason. What it lacks in special features and flashy design it makes up for in pure power and rock-solid construction, making it our top choice for most people. Throughout our testing, the EZ-DUZ-IT easily pierced lids, stayed attached to the edges, and made its way around cans without catching or resisting along the way. Its slim rubberized handles were easy to grip and prevented hand fatigue when opening can after can. And with such an intuitive, straightforward design, there’s little room for user error.

While the EZ-DUZ-It excelled in ease of use and speed trials, its durability is what pushed it ahead of the pack. In a world of flimsy plastic levers and dulling blades, the EZ-DUZ-IT is a steadfast companion that's in it for the long haul. The only drawbacks of the opener are that it produces sharp-edged lids and is designed for right-handed people, but these are standard features of most traditional rotary openers.

Get the EZ-DUZ-IT Deluxe Can Opener from Bed Bath & Beyond Canada for $18.99

2. OXO Good Grips Smooth Edge Can Opener

Credit: Reviewed / Jackson Ruckar

If safety and comfort are more important to you than a decade of use, the OXO Good Grips Smooth Edge Can Opener is the way to go. This ultra-rubberized safety opener easily attaches to the top of cans (with the help of a visual guideline to eliminate the guesswork of placement) and glides around the edges with ease, producing a top that cleanly separates from the can’s base like the lid of a jar.

While this OXO took first place in our overall scoring, its plastic components and safety blade simply mean it won't work effectively for as long as the EZ-DUZ-IT or other all-metal traditional models.

Get the OXO Good Grips Smooth Edge Can Opener from Amazon Canada for $30.66

3. Kuhn Rikon Auto Safety Lid Lifter

Credit: Reviewed / Jackson Ruckar

The lefties and ambidextrous folks at Reviewed have spoken—the Kuhn Rikon Auto Safety Lid Lifter is the fastest, most intuitive opener to use if you lack a dominant right hand. The Kuhn Rikon looks like (and operates similarly to) the OXO Good Grips Smooth, but the knob is situated on top of the opener, rather than the side.

Even as a right-handed person, I really loved using the Kuhn Rikon throughout testing. Its push-button control of small pinchers that lift can lids make it the fastest safety opener we tried, start to finish. Unfortunately, that button is made of plastic, as is most of the Kuhn Rikon’s handle and knob, which leads me to believe it won’t survive as much use as our other top choices.

Get the Kuhn Rikon Auto Safety Lid Lifter from Amazon Canada for $21.60

4. Made in USA Can Opener

Credit: Amazon / Made in USA

If you couldn’t tell by the name, the Made in USA can opener prides itself on American manufacturing, and it’s by far one of the sturdiest, most built-to-last openers we tested. So what’s the catch? It’s actually the same exact product as the EZ-DUZ-IT, down to markings on the central bolt, but costs twice as much. Both can openers are emblazoned with MADE IN USA on the knob in the same place, so it looks like this can opener’s claim to fame isn’t so special after all, especially to those of us in Canada.

In our testing, the Made in USA and EZ-DUZ-IT were basically indistinguishable. If the EZ-DUZ-IT sells out or isn’t available in your area, this opener is the way to go—but it would be foolish to spend twice on the same product otherwise.

Get the Made in USA Can Opener from Amazon Canada for $48.84

5. OXO Good Grips Can Opener

Credit: Amazon / OXO

This standard rotary opener combines the functionality of the classic EZ-DUZ-IT with the rounded, super-padded knob of the OXO Good Grips Smooth Edge. It’s comfortable to hold and easy to use, and it’s OXO’s number-one seller—in addition to a fan favourite on Amazon. We’re hesitant to give it top marks, however, because of the plastic piece that secures one of the gears to the handle. Unlike the all-metal EZ-DUZ-IT, this OXO isn’t likely to stand the test of time.

Get the OXO Good Grips Can Opener from Amazon Canada for $17.97

6. U.S. Shelby Co. P-51

Credit: Amazon / US Shelby

Amazon currently sells the P-51 packaged together with its mini companion, the P-38, for a whopping $4. They’re such small, inconspicuous pieces of metal that we actually lost our first delivery of them in a mess of boxes. Because they were designed to be carried by soldiers in the field, they’re keychain-level portable and wildly durable. One Amazon reviewer claims to own a functioning P-38 from 1944!

Despite their unassuming stature, these WWII-era openers pack a punch, and can open just about any can with some practice and elbow grease. But “practice and elbow grease” aren’t what most people are looking for in a household can opener. While it was fun to try the P-51 and P-38, they took three to four times as long to use as other manual openers and started to hurt my hand. I also had trouble keeping the P-38’s blade propped up and away from its base.

If you want something small to take hiking or to give as a gift to a handy friend, these openers are a great bet—but if you’re just trying to open cans in your kitchen every day, you should probably stick to a device that won’t hurt your thumb or get lost in your drawer.

Get the U.S. Shelby Co. P-51 from Amazon Canada for $22.58

7. Korin Gangy No. 300 Can Opener

Credit: Amazon / Korin

Like the U.S. Shelby Co. openers, the Korin Japanese Can Opener was a blast to use for a limited period of time. It’s sleek, handle-like design and bright red colouring are a fun alternative to traditional American rotary openers in black and chrome. Even the packaging, which looks like it contains a retro bar of soap, caught our eye. Because it’s another fixed opener, there is absolutely no plastic and zero moving parts anywhere on the device, meaning it could last you decades.

Unfortunately, the opener is just too difficult to use to be a good option for most people. It took us multiple attempts to figure out how you’re supposed to move the opener and at what angle, it unhooked itself from the sides of cans on occasion, it splattered me with liquid from the cans, and it left my hand sore. It also requires some brute strength to use and has an extremely sharp, exposed blade that can leave jagged edges, making it unfriendly to children and people with disabilities. Buy this opener if you’re skilled with your hands and want something cool to show your friends, but beware if you’re concerned with safety and actual ease of use.

Get the Korin Gangy No. 300 Can Opener from Amazon Canada for $25.67

8. Nogent Classic Service Super Kim Manual Can Opener

Credit: Amazon / Nogent

Another international, bright red opener, the French Nogent Super Kim takes some getting used to. Truth be told, we never successfully figured out how to attach the opener without just forcing it down onto the lid, puncturing its side with a safety blade. Although its all-metal construction suggests durability, the Super Kim let us down in most other areas. It forces you to grip the can with one hand while you attach and turn, which resulted in splatters and messy hands during testing. Tuna cans posed a particular challenge because of their stout shape, although larger cans caused less trouble.

Get the Nogent Classic Service Super Kim Manual Can Opener from Lee Valley for $19.50

9. Zyliss Lock N' Lift Can Opener with Lid Lifter Magnet

Credit: Amazon / Zyliss

This traditional opener has a nifty magnet on its front end that makes fishing can lids out of cans easy, but we wouldn’t write home about anything else. Its white plastic exterior is unstylish, it’s somewhat difficult to attach to cans, and it has two red plastic buttons that look likely to snap off in time. Although the Zyliss has a high average rating on Amazon, many recent reviews support our theory and point to how often it breaks or stops working. It also feels wrong dipping the head of the opener into the can’s contents to pick up the lid, resulting in a dirty opener that needs cleaning. It will work in a pinch, but you’d be wise to invest in something else.

Get the Zyliss Lock N' Lift Can Opener with Lid Lifter Magnet from Amazon Canada for $18.37

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