People Are Obsessed With This Funky Japanese Can Opener

A can opener is like your health. When everything’s working well, you hardly notice how it hums along. But when either doesn't work like it should? Everyday life just got a lot harder.

The best can openers get the job done with little fanfare, but they’re also saving your skin—sometimes literally. Subpar can openers with dull blades and gunked-up gears can leave jagged, sharp edges and make an otherwise simple task (hello, canned soup dinner) more difficult than necessary, even dangerous. Stave off the trip to the emergency room with a can opener you can rely on.

Yes, can openers might not be the slickest tool in your kitchen, but they’re perhaps the most hardworking. Without the essential can opener, how would you crack into a can of chickpeas? Or emergency chili? Or the most important ingredient in your tuna melt? For quick dinners and speedy snacks, the can opener is the unsung drawer hero. Here are our best picks.

Our top picks

How we picked these products

We considered electric and manual models. Our top picks had to balance durability with a decent price point, reliability, and ease of use. Decent looks didn’t hurt, either. As counter and drawer space are always at a premium, we kept size squarely in mind, too.