8 Best Can Openers of 2026

The cushioned handles are the reason the OXO Good Grips earns a place beside the top pick. They are broad and soft enough that the pressure lands across your palm instead of a narrow metal edge, and the oversized knob gives you something to turn without pinching. For anyone with arthritic hands or a weak grip, that changes the job from a struggle into a steady motion.

We think this is the manual opener to choose when comfort matters more than price. The cutting wheel is stainless steel, the handles stay put when wet, and the built-in bottle opener saves a second tool. It is not the cheapest manual here, but the extra surface area and the larger knob are the kind of upgrade you feel every time you open a can.

It is still the one we hand to someone who has stopped opening cans because it hurts. For a strong grip and a tight budget, the KitchenAid is the better value; for daily comfort, this is the upgrade.

The first thing you notice about the Hamilton Beach Smooth Touch is the lid. It cuts around the side of the can, so the top comes off with a smooth rim instead of a jagged edge you have to chase around the trash. That single design choice makes it the electric opener we recommend for anyone who has ever nicked a finger on a can lid.

The one-hand lever is the other practical win. You set the can under the cutter, press down, and the opener does the rest; there is no need to hold a manual knob while the can wobbles. It handles standard, extra-tall, and pop-top cans, and the magnetic lid holder keeps the cut lid from dropping into the food. The chrome-and-black body is bulky enough that it lives on the counter, not in a drawer, but it looks tidy there.

This is the opener for a kitchen that opens several cans a week, or for a cook who has trouble with a manual knob. The one-hand lever is genuinely easier, and the smooth lid is safer to handle. If you open one can a month, the convenience is still real, but a manual opener is the simpler tool.

The EZ-DUZ-IT feels heavier than most can openers here, and that is the point. The 11.2-ounce body is made of heavy-gauge chromed steel, with a carbon steel cutting blade and a swing-style design that does not flex when you bear down. If you have used a flimsy opener that twists in your hand, the rigidity here is immediate.

We like it for the cook who wants a traditional tool that feels like it will outlast the drawer. The gear-driven action turns smoothly, the rubberized handles give you something to hold, and the carbon blade bites aggressively when it is seated correctly. It is made in the United States, which matters to some buyers, and the simple steel body is easy to understand and maintain.

It asks for a firm hand, so it is not the first choice for weak grips. The 11.2-ounce weight is the tell: you feel the steel every time you pick it up, and that is the point of owning it.

The Kuhn Rikon LidLifter opens a can differently. Instead of cutting down through the top, it slices around the outside seam, so the lid comes away with a smooth rim and no sharp edge waiting for a finger. The first time you use it, the motion feels almost too gentle; you are not forcing a blade through metal, you are guiding a wheel around the can.

That gentleness is the appeal. The LidLifter grabs the lid after the cut, so you do not have to fish a sharp disc out of the food, and the built-in ring-pull tool handles pull-tab cans without bending your fingernails. It is lighter than the steel manuals here, and the plastic body is easier to wipe clean.

We recommend it when safety is the priority, especially in a house with kids or anyone who has been cut by a can lid. The side-cut takes a little trust the first time because you are not forcing a blade through the top, but the motion becomes natural quickly. The payoff is a can you can handle without thinking about the sharp bits.

It also takes up little space and does not need a special technique beyond seating the wheel on the rim. If you mostly open cans for soup or beans and want the lid to stay under control, this is the one we reach for after the KitchenAid.

The OXO Steel is the Good Grips opener in a stainless steel body, and the difference is mostly in the hand. The metal shell gives it a more solid, less plasticky feel, and the cushioned touchpoints keep the handles comfortable even when you are bearing down. It looks better on a hook, too, if your can opener lives in view.

The working parts are familiar OXO: a sharp stainless steel cutting wheel, an oversized knob that turns without much effort, and large handles that are easy to grip. It is rated for left- and right-handed cooks, which matters in a shared kitchen, and the built-in bottle opener is there when you need it. The cut is the same top-cut style as the Good Grips, so you still get a sharp lid to handle.

We think the Steel is worth the premium if you want a manual opener that feels substantial and you are willing to pay for materials rather than a different mechanism. It is the one we leave on the hook because it looks and feels better than the plastic-handled models. For everyone else, the standard Good Grips does the same job for less.

The Zulay Kitchen opener is the budget pick that does not feel like a compromise. The soft, slip-resistant handles are shaped for a full hand, and the oversized knob gives you enough leverage to turn without white-knuckling it. For a manual opener in the value range, that combination is more important than a long list of extras.

The stainless steel blade cuts cleanly, and the built-in bottle opener means you can leave a separate opener in the drawer. The brown finish is a small thing, but it is easier to find in a drawer of black tools. It is also light enough to store almost anywhere.

We treat it as a value pick rather than the default for a heavy-use kitchen. If you open a can every day, the KitchenAid is the safer default; if you want a capable second opener or a budget-friendly first one, this is a good place to start.

We were also glad to see that the handles stay comfortable when wet, which is not always true at this price. That is the kind of detail that makes a cheap opener feel less disposable.

The Kuhn Rikon Auto Safety Master Opener is a five-function tool in one handle: it opens standard cans, ring-pull cans, crown-cap bottles, screw-top bottles, and jars. That sounds like gadget overkill until you are standing in a kitchen with one drawer and no bottle opener, and this is the thing that covers all of it.

The can-opening side uses the same side-cut idea as the LidLifter, so the rim comes away smooth and the opener never touches the food. The lock-on mechanism grips the lid without clamping, and the long handle gives you leverage without a lot of wrist strain. The mini pincers lift the lid after the cut, which keeps your fingers away from the sharp edge.

It is more tool than most people need. If you want a simple can opener, this is overkill; if you want one drawer tool that handles cans, bottles, and jars, the extra functions earn their space. The handle is long enough to give you leverage, and the lock-on mechanism means you are not fighting to keep the can steady.

We kept reaching for it on nights when a recipe called for a can and a bottle, because it saved a second trip to the drawer. That is the case for the Master Opener: it replaces a drawerful of single-purpose tools.