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Tinned food – it’s brilliant, isn’t it? Cheap, cheerful, and lasts forever! The sheer variety of food you can get in a can these days is bewildering, and you probably have cupboards full of tins of food that you’ve forgotten about! The thing is, while some modern tins have ring pulls on, making them easier to open, most do not, and we all know what a chore it can be to use a standard can opener that simply doesn’t do a very good job! And then there’s the sharp edges – a nightmare if you happen to catch your finger on them!
The great thing about tinned food is the convenience, but the problem of find a tin opener that works is one that everyone has experience of. The traditional tin opener – you know the one, it’s chrome with the butterfly-type mechanism – is a clever device, but one that does not promise a very long life. Then there are more sophisticated models, some of which are very impressive, yet they also go blunt quite quickly, leaving you with an implement that is next to useless sitting in the drawer.
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That’s why we have taken the time to look at one of the most useful devices you will ever buy – and a surprisingly affordable one too – the electric tin opener. If this sounds like a step too far, you clearly haven’t used one! Electric tin openers are an absolute must; they make life so much easier for everyone, and safer too, and they take up very little space in the kitchen. Believe us when we say that once you have used one of these, your old tin opener will go straight into the bin! So, before we give you our top 10, let’s have a look at what they do, and why you need one.
The Top 10 Electric Can Openers
1: Kenwood 3-in-1
We begin our list with a very nice model from one of the biggest names in electric kitchen devices, Kenwood. With a vast range of appliances and implements, Kenwood has been in the business for some years, and this can opener is typical of the well-designed yet simple and effective items it supplied. With an easy to use mechanism – it is practically automatic and will start to open the tin once you push the lever – it is very effective, and also quite a stylish device so will look good, too.
A clever design touch is the magnetic holder which keeps the lid safe and out of the tin, and the rubber handle is a neat safety device. It is also multi-purpose, and can be used to open bottles and as a knife-sharpener to some extent. The chrome finish is attractive and will not look out of place in a modern kitchen environment, and at under £15 it is also surprisingly good value for a machine of this capability – one for the shortlist.
Pros: Kenwood, 3 functions, safe to use, automatic, affordable
Cons: can’t find any
2: Morphy Richards 46718
Another giant in the kitchen implements and appliances world, Morphy Richards offers this very impressive if unusually-designed model, which does quite a lot more that open cans! Of course, that is the purpose we are reviewing, so how does it perform? Very well, in fact, and wit relative ease and efficiency, too. Notably, this one is dishwasher-safe so will happily be washed on a regular basis along with all your crockery and cutlery, and it is safe to use when opening tins, too.
It works in the usual fashion – slip the tin onto the blade and away you go – and is fast and effective, and can also be used for many other purposes, such as opening jars, bottles and plastic containers. As such, we reckon one of these is a must in your kitchen! It’s not the most attractive such item – but practicality is the name of the game here – and is finished in a rather dour black, and at not much less than £30 is among the more expensive, but it does a good job.
Pros: multi-purpose, well-made, great brand, efficient
Cons: odd-looking, quite expensive
3: Kenwood C0600 3-in-1
As far as we can see, this one is the same as number one, but finished in white! Kenwood has been in the business for some years, and this can opener is typical of the well-designed yet simple and effective items it supplied. With an easy to use mechanism – it is practically automatic and will start to open the tin once you push the lever – it is very effective, and also quite a stylish device so will look good, too.
A clever design touch is the magnetic holder which keeps the lid safe and out of the tin, and the rubber handle is a neat safety device. It is also multi-purpose, and can be used to open bottles and as a knife-sharpener to some extent. The white finish is OK and will not look out of place in a modern kitchen environment, and at under £15 it is also surprisingly good value for a machine of this capability – one for the shortlist.
Pros: Kenwood, 3 functions, safe to use, automatic, affordable
Cons: perhaps looks better in chrome
4: Culinare One Touch
Culinare is a brand with a wide variety of kitchen implements, and this very clever and handy little tin opener is something you should have in your drawer ready for use. It is a single-purpose device, in that it opens tins and that’s it, but then that is what we are reviewing here! This is a stand-alone model that works on batteries – not included in the price – and you simply attach it to the tin lid, press the button and it does the trick.
It has a magnet so you don’t have the lid falling into the can problem, and it works surprisingly easily and quickly. It’s very neat, small and easy to use, and is finished in a neutral white so will fit in nicely with your other kitchen equipment. It is designed for standard size and bigger cans, so will be able to open just about any in your cupboards, and is great for people who have trouble with their hands. At not much more than £10 it is also good value.
Pros: small, cheap, easy to use, effective, magnet
Cons: only opens tins
5: Swan Electric 3-in-1
While not as big a name as some we have seen on here, Swan is nevertheless a well-known brand in kitchen items, and this multi-purpose device is very similar to the two Kenwood items we have seen so far. It’s a 3-in-1 model that opens tins, sharpens knives and also opens bottles, and it works with a clever one-touch operation that makes it very simple to operate – and very effective, too. It’s finished in a stylish chrome, so will look great in your kitchen.
This one comes with the magnetic lid holder for added safety, and is a neat little model that does all the tricks you expect. It has a powerful 60-watt motor, too, so you will find it can tackle just about anything you need to be opened. In short, we like this one and it conforms to what is a pretty standard design, and at about £20 it is what you would expect to pay for a good one of these.
Pros: cheap, quality, chrome finish, magnetic
Cons: none, it’s good
6: Cooks Professional Premium
It would appear that there are two main types of electric tin opener: those that are multi-purpose and more sophisticated devices, that can also open bottles and such, and smaller, single use models such as this one. This is a very small device that will help anyone who has trouble with the movement in their hands to open tins: simply attach it to the top of the tin, press the button, and it does the job. It’s quick, simple and effective.
You don’t have to worry about the lid falling off, either, as it has a magnet to retain it when it is removed from the tin itself. This one works on batteries – you have to add them to your purchase, but it means no mains connection is needed and it can be used anywhere – and is a small and unobtrusive device that is very useful in and around the kitchen. In short, it does what it says it wants to do, and at less than £10 is great value.
Pros: neat, easy to use, great for disabled or elderly, efficient
Cons: no batteries included
7: 3-in-1 Electric Can Opener
This unbranded model comes with the promise of four functions; it can open tins, open bottles, open plastic containers and even sharpen knives, and is finished in a rather neat black and chrome design that will fit in with any kitchen décor. With an easy to use mechanism – it is practically automatic and will start to open the tin once you push the lever – it is very effective, and also quite a stylish device so will look good, too.
A clever design touch is the magnetic holder which keeps the lid safe and out of the tin, and the rubber handle is a neat safety device. It is also multi-purpose, and can be used to open bottles and as a knife-sharpener to some extent. The finish is nice and will not look out of place in a modern kitchen environment, and at under £15 it is also surprisingly good value for a machine of this capability – one for the shortlist.
Pros: 4 functions, safe to use, automatic, affordable
Cons: Not a brand name
8: Tower T19007 3-in-1
This stylish and very well-made model is from the Tower brand, perhaps not as well-known as some we have mentioned, but still a major player in small kitchen implements such as these. It offers the usual style – it’s a counter-top model that looks neat and tidy and does the job – and is easy to use, plus it can perform bottle opening and knife sharpening duties if required, so is well worth a look at the price. There is nothing special about it, but what you want in one of these is practicality and durability, and it has both.
A high-quality blade promises long life and efficient operation, while the cord – it’s a mains model – can be stored away neatly, a nice design touch that will be appreciated by those who like to keep their kitchens tidy! The black and chrome finish is pleasant yet neutral, and it is easy to use with a one-touch function for starting and stopping, plus the magnetic lid retainer. This is a typical electric can opener that does the job – and a bit more – and at under £20 is good value.
Pros: nice design, good price, effective, quality blade
Cons: none that we can see
9: Kenwood CO606
Another one from its vast range of impressive appliances, Kenwood has been in the business for some years, and this can opener is typical of the well-designed yet simple and effective items it supplied. With an easy to use mechanism – it is practically automatic and will start to open the tin once you push the lever – it is very effective, and also quite a stylish device so will look good, too. Indeed, this is perhaps as stylish as an electric can opener gets!
A clever design touch is the magnetic holder which keeps the lid safe and out of the tin, and the rubber handle is a neat safety device. It is also multi-purpose, and can be used to open bottles and as a knife-sharpener to some extent. The stainless-steel finish is attractive and will not look out of place in a modern kitchen environment, and at under £20 it is also surprisingly good value for a machine of this capability and style, so definitely worth a second look.
Pros: Kenwood, 3 functions, safe to use, automatic, affordable
Cons: can’t find any
10: Final Touch Magnetic 3-in-1
Electric tin openers are not, let’s face it, the most exciting items we are ever going to review, but once you use one of these, you will wonder how you ever did without it. This one is of the more compact type, and can be used to open not only standard cans but also those with tabs, plus is designed to help with screw-top bottles too. It’s very small, neat and easy to use – with a one-touch operation – and great for the elderly who may have difficulty opening tins and bottles otherwise.
We like this style of tin opener – it also has the magnetic holder for the lid, and will attach to a fridge door, for example, so you can find it easily – as it is very simple to use. Be aware that you will need to buy the AA batteries for it as they are not provided. This sort of implement will undoubtedly make life a lot easier in the kitchen, and at less than £10 could also be a great gift idea.
Pros: cheap, easy to use, one-touch, opens bottles
Cons: batteries not included.
How It Works
The electric tin opener is a simple idea: basically, instead of having to manually drive the cutting blades, they are driven for you by a mains electric current. Sone of these devices stand on a counter top, others may be mounted on a wall, and all are very useful indeed. There are many different types but, when all is said and done, each of them does the same thing – opens tins of food! The process is quick, efficient and safe, so you don’t suffer those nasty cuts you get from exposed sharp edges ever again!
One of the major benefits of canned or tinned food is that it is preserved for an extraordinary length of time: it is recommended that around five years is the usual safe period, but many foods can be stored in an airtight can for much longer. Canning food in this state was first tried in the early 1800’s in France, and we have never looked back since! In fact, some years ago a number of cans of unopened food were recovered from a shipwreck in America, where they had lain for more than 100 years. Tested scientifically, the food within was deemed fit to eat!
So, your electric tin opener is designed to make life a lot easier, and much safer, and will do so without much effort and no trials and tribulations. You can find them in many shapes and sizes, in a variety of different designs, and from a wealth of well-known brands, and they are far from expensive and really should be on your shortlist of must-have kitchen items. Let’s not hang around, then, so here is our list of the top 10 electric can openers on the market right now.
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So, that’s our list of the top 10 best electric tin openers concluded, and as you will have seen, some of these do much more besides! Before we give you our summary, let’s have a quick recap of some important features to look out for.
Important Points to Consider
Among our many reviews, this one features items that are very specific in their intentions, so it is hard to pinpoint the features you need to look for. However, we do have a few pointers, so here’s a quick recap so you can make your choice more easily.
Counter Top or Not – some of these are designed to be counter-top based, and others are more for dropping into a drawer and using when needed. The choice is yours, as each of them does the job it is intended for.
Battery or Mains – again, some of these are mains operated, while others need batteries. The former are obviously more reliable, but also tend to be more permanent.
Multi-Purpose – if you want a tin opener that can also open bottles and jars, you have plenty of choice among the above!
Magnetic – a magnet that catches the lid is an added bonus, and many of these offer this function.
Brand Name – we make a big thing of brand names throughout our reviews, as they do tend to offer better guarantees and quality, so check out those that are from the big names above.
We would have mentioned cost, but as these are all within a few pounds of each other it is not really a priority point, so all that remains now is for us to wrap things up!
Let’s Wrap It Up!
So, now you have read our review, you have a clear understanding of just why you need the best electric tin opener in your life! No more struggling with a manual can opener, you simply press a button and it’s all done for you! But, which one do you choose?
It’s really up to you which type you want – the portable single-purpose design or the more permanent models that also open bottles – but we recommend you look at a mains-powered model, and also that you check out those from Kenwood, one of the biggest and most reliable names in kitchen implements.
I’ve used the Swing-A-Way jar opener for years without any problems. I always run hot water over the lid first. This helps with the opening and also washes out any dirt or debris sitting around the edge of the lid, which would be sucked in when the vacuum is broken. It’s slim and fits easily into the overflowing kitchen gadget draw.