Saturday, August 10, 2013

The Value of Manual Can Openers

              
Lehman's best can opener which is named "Simply the Best"



 Our daughter who bought her own house last year is not fond of electrical appliances. Most things she has are manually operated.  She has a number of manual can openers.  Lately she has noticed that they break rather readily when she, or her boyfriend are opening things. She had forgotten that many of them have a lifetime warranty and they were thrown away before she found the guarantee.   She has broken a metal one made by Ecko, and her boyfriend broke the one made by Oneida, both normally good makes.
                 I suggested that she spring for one from Lehman's. This is the one I like the best, which seems to be holding up the longest. The page below also has reviews from other people. It's $15.95 and works for years.   This appears to be a Lehman's exclusive.
                The next step up from this one is an aluminum one which is designed for food service use at $118.00 and it is designed to be screwed to the counter to be immobile for #10 cans.  I need mine to be mobile. 
           If you have another manual can opener which has been functional for years, despite cans of dog food etc., please let us know.
                 

https://www.lehmans.com/p-497-our-best-can-opener.aspx



This is an Edlund can opener designed for food service.  It's very good but I don't open that much, and don't have counters that should have a permanently mounted opener like this.




16 comments:

Linda said...

Ecko breaks every few years, and I just take it back to the store where I bought it and never need proof of anything. The problem with most can openers is the directions say not to get them in water or wash. I really think all that gunk on the blade is toxic. What do you do about that? It is impossible to completely clean it, even the first time.

I hate electric can openers because they just seem nasty.

JaneofVirginia said...

Linda, That's a great point. I do wash ours, by hand, after each use with a little bit of soapy water and then rinse. I lubricate it about once a week with a little drop of olive oil. I just can't have something touching tuna and then growing bacteria for innoculation onto another days tuna or soup, even though they say not to wash it.
I dislike electric can openers. I do have one that we got as a wedding present twenty-five years ago. It still works but it comes apart to permit washing and it's more work. It probably still works because I don't use it much !

Sr Crystal Mary Lindsey said...

I like ring pull on cans, they should all be like that Besides that, I only use a manual one myself, we have so many electrical gadgets these days, we are far too spoiled. And yes, I wash mine by hand and they can get very yucky and can be germ spreaders.

JaneofVirginia said...

Yes, a lot of cans have ring top pulls now, although those don't last as long in storage as the thicker conventional cans we must open. I actually don't use much canned food except for canned dog food on top of the dry from Sam's Club. However, we do buy those large freeze dried #10 cans from Augason Farms with freeze dried strawberries, raspberries, apples, potatoes, and vegetables for sou mixes. Those just have to be opened with a big can opener ! Since a lot of those are our emergency food supplies we would be in big trouble without some reliable can openers. Thanks for posting, Crystal Mary.

lotta joy said...

Here's another tip: Don't wait til a 'situation' before you test your manual can opener.

I was surprised when I tested my el-cheapo, and it wouldn't work!

Stephen said...

I will only use a manual can opener and love it. I keep two to three at all times. You have, without a doubt, one of the best blogs on the net.

JaneofVirginia said...

Stephen, Thanks so much for your kind comment. Apparently, the IRS likes it too.

JaneofVirginia said...

Very good point, Lotta Joy ! I have been disappointed a number of times by simple items that need to work and then won't when I need them !

lotta joy said...

What???? IRS? Speak woman!

Sunnybrook Farm said...

I have a Military P38 or as Marines call them "John Wayne" on my key chain. I can open any can at any time, it always works and the end can be used as a screw driver.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/P-38_can_opener

Sixbears said...

I was going to say the P38 but Sunnybrook Farm beat me to it. I've carried and used mine for over 20 years. Always works. With practice, it's possible to get pretty fast with it.

JaneofVirginia said...

Thanks Sixbears, Sounds like a good carry.....unless of course your taking a plane ride ! LOL

Knucklehead said...

As mentioned above, for literally $2 you can toss a couple p38s on keychains and a couple p51s (slightly larger for bigger/tougher cans) secured somewhere else (I have 'em in the "hurricane/blizzard box").

JaneofVirginia said...

I have a couple of P38s in the evacuation kit in my car. They are tough to use on the #10 large cans. I will have to get some P51s. Either way, they are an important thing to have. Thanks for posting !

Kristin said...

I've had the same OXO can opener for 15 years. We went to the beach this summer and the only can opener there was an electric model. You should have seen my family of manual can opener users trying to figure it out.

JaneofVirginia said...

Oxo is another good can opener ! I can barely use the electric can opener we got as a wedding present !