Recommendations for Vintage Can Opener

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scoots

scoots

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Oct 21, 2008
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444
Location
Chattanooga TN
About 2 years ago, my folks bought a Black and Decker can opener (EC475B) which has been a disaster. It's one of those bladeless openers, and it's the fussiest thing in the kitchen. The can has to be at exactly the right angle to the cutting edge, or the thing will skip, leaving you to go around again and again until the top at last comes off.

The final straw came the other day when this PIECE of CRAP left metal shavings on the counter and on the can top. Needless to say, the food in the can was thrown out on the spot as well as the can opener.

What's everybody's favorite vintage can opener? It can be motorized, wall mounted, hand cranked, or even a hand held "manual". Any period would be fine, (mid-century, 60's or 70's). It just needs to work well.

My main concern is that the cutting edge is accessible for cleaning.

scoots++2-4-2016-19-08-49.jpg
 
I remember those ads from the mid 70s for Rival Click and Clean...imagine the voice of God intoning...the dirtiest inch in your kitchen. ISTR those ads on the noon news for the homemakers in St. Louis...Rival was from Kansas City as I recall so might well have bought spot on the local stations...
 
I cant remember the name, maybe Rival. But they made a cabinet mount with a crank handle that snapped apart for easy cleaning. I have a vintage Can-o-matic, even though it works fine, it does not come apart for cleaning. I use the cheapie openers from Wally-world. But most cans today have the pull tabs. Save those tabs for any Shriners you may know as they go to their Burn Centers and any life saved is worth saving a pull tab.
 
I think the cabinet mount model Tim is referring to in post #5 was a Swing-a-Way. They we very popular before electric can opener's came out. I use a hand can opener by Swing-a-way. It's very dependable, easy to use and store.
Eddie
 
Sunbeam NIB, on the fleabay. I have 2, most likely from the 70's. Both came still in original box. 1 avocado and 1 woodgrain and avocado, the cutter and magnet remove with a lever for the DW. Both have knife sharpeners that work very well. The NIB, vintage Sunbeam offerings are getting slim. I have had them for several years now.
 
You don't need to go vintage to find an excellent manual can opener. Like Lawrence, I swear by the OXO Soft Grip or OXO Magnetic Locking can opener. I have one of each. Both do an excellent job. I tend to use the magnetic locking opener more often. The handles lock so you don't have to squeeze them while turning the knob. When the can is open, simply press the button. The handles unlock and the lid is lifted off the can by a magnet. These photos came from Williams-Sonoma.

Photo #1: OXO Magnetic Locking model
Photo #2: OXO Soft Grip model

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frigilux-2016020517293601390_2.png
 
It really depends on the can.

 

For aluminum cat food cans, I like the Hamilton Beach "bladeless" or side cutting can opener, which looks suspiciously like the one you listed as B&D. Its advantage is that it has no problem cutting cleanly through aluminum, and it leaves the can top as a lid so I can serve the cat 1/2 the can, put the rest in the fridge with the can lid back on, and server the cat the rest the next day.

 

For steel cans, it's more fussy. It seems to do best on small, lightweight cans. But can seams can vary and the more beefy ones defy it.

 

For stuff I want to drain right away, I prefer a B&D Spacemaker that is mounted under a cabinet. I think these may be out of production, but I found a nearly new one on eBay for a reasonable price, to replace one I've had for many years. The cutter is removable for cleaning.

 

For the big cans, I picked up a large format Swing-A-Way with a 4" long crank. It does great on those, and handles smaller cans very ably also, although one may have to position the can at the end of the counter to allow for the swing of the crank.

 

Then there are the ring pull self-opening cans. I generally don't like those because inevitably when the top pops off it sends sprinkles of whatever is inside across the counter. I guess that's progress!

 
 
We have 3 vintage hand held Swing-A-Way can openers that can also be put in the dishwasher.  Nothing works better, and you don't have to worry about needing electricity to use it.
 
I typically use a cheap hand-held can opener but I have a 1956 Udico electric that works well, see my thread on it:

www.automaticwasher.org

1950s Can Opener Motor - Need Help

I bought this can opener at an estate sale awhile back (and I posted pictures here back then too). I cleaned it and lubricated the gears but it has stopped working in that the motor is too weak to function with a can in the jaws. It works otherwise and turns easily by hand. I know nothing about...
www.automaticwasher.org www.automaticwasher.org
 

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