Can openers

[Jenise]

My Oxo can opener bit the dust the other day. Somebody must have dropped it (though we both deny it) because it just won't align, and I've been opening cat food cans with my Swiss Army Knife. Really must hunt down a new one today.

Does anyone have a can opener they just LOVE? Is there anything sleek or revolutionary that I should be hunting down to the exclusion of all others?

We're talking hand-cranks here, btw--electric can openers will not be considered.

[ChefCarey]

I have the second one down on this page.

http://www.servu-online.com/Restaurant- ... peners.asp

[Bob Ross]

We still like the OXO best, Jenise. Regards, Bob

[Robin Garr]

Does anyone have a can opener they just LOVE?

I'm with Bob on this. My inner foodie might wish I could lay out a hunnert smackers for one like Joseph's, but as a practical matter, we've never had a can opener better than the OXO, and it's great QPR.

And I agree with you that electric can openers are ridiculous.

[Howie Hart]

I stilll love my P-38.

[ChefCarey]

I stilll love my P-38.

I still carry mine from Vietnam on my keychain. Opened many a can of C-Rations with it.

[Jenise]

I'd love to have one like Chef's too, but I don't have a counter area where it wouldn't be too in the way so whatever I buy has to go in a drawer.

Went to Amazon.com since I asked this question, btw, and found the Oxo seems to be the only game in town. Unless you're left-handed and need a specially made tool, that is. I have nothing against the Oxo--I liked the one I had--it's just that the one that just quit on me (after only three or four years) was an Oxo, so I'm a bit peeved.

[Jenise]

Hey, look at this one!

Long link embedded

Can't say I've been getting cut up by the traditional cut-lid-on-inside types, but at least this one's different.

[ChefCarey]

[quote="Jenise"]I'd love to have one like Chef's too, but I don't have a counter area where it wouldn't be too in the way so whatever I buy has to go in a drawer.

Jenise, you can remove the long arm and keep it in a drawer. All that need remain out is the base.

[Howie Hart]

When I took over my mothers kitchen a few years ago, I acquired a side cutting model that she apparently sent away for with labels as it has the Campbell's Soup logo on it. It works quite nice. So I checked out the Campbells' website and they list several recommended can openers, both manual and electric, that will also work on the pop-top cans, as the openers are side-cutters. Look about half-way down the page and there are links to the manufacturers.

http://www.campbellsoupcompany.com/faq_ ... p?cpovisq=

[Bill Spohn]

That big instrument of Chef's (I am talking about the can opener, Jenise - wash your mind out with soap!) reminded me of something.

There are various yuppie have-to-have-the-best items out there and one of them is the table mounted several hundred buck crank operated fancy shmancy mega-corkscrew, in brass with bronze accents, costing as much as a bottle of Mouton.

I attended at a friend's place and lo and behold - his latest and proudest acquisition was one of these ridiculuous monstrosities.

I asked him if it would open any kind of bottle used for wine and he rambled on about how he had used it on halves, singles, magnums. I then told him I'd love to see it in action and pulled the bottle I'd brought out of the bag and handed it to him - an upwardly mobile excellent Aussie Cabernet - in a screw cap bottle.....

So mark my words - there will soon be a comparable apparatus decked out in golden finery for removing screw caps - jealous yuppies just gotta have them (and will restaurants be far behind?)

[Jenise]

Oh, Bill, that's...awful! Where'd he get that--Pedophiles R Us?

[Bill Buitenhuys]

OXO used here as well.

[Mike Filigenzi]

Hey, look at this one!

Long link embedded

Can't say I've been getting cut up by the traditional cut-lid-on-inside types, but at least this one's different.

We have this one, Jenise. I haven't used the OXO, but I love the Rosle. It works quickly and smoothly, with no ragged edges on lid or can. The only downside is that it takes a little practice to get it to engage when you first put it on the can. After you've done it a few times, it's second nature.


Mike

[Jenise]

Thanks for all your reccos, but here's the one I ordered:

long link embedded

The Customer Reviews were good, it seems relatively compact and it was so inexpensive that if I don't like it, I'm not really out anything.

Mike--I'd talked myself into the Rosle, and then went to open a can of Science Diet for the kids. Which act forced the realization that I'm fond of pushing the lid back into the empty can for recycling purposes. Empty, rinsed cans stack up in the pantry over a few days before going to the garage bins, and if the lids won't go inside the can my husband will dump them all in the trash. He didn't want to recycle cans anyway, it's me who insists on it.

[Karen/NoCA]

I have had a Swing-a-Way for years. No problem with it at all. Small, light weight, always works. I tried an electric one once, too loud, hated it.

[Randy Buckner]

We're talking hand-cranks here, btw--electric can openers will not be considered.

??????????? Am I the only one using an electric? Love 'em myself.

[Bob Ross]

Jenise, that looks like a really nice opener. Suggestion: send your OXO back and I'll bet they refund or replace your old one. If it's like mine, the tool is riveted together and you can't repair it yourself. But I've heard only great things about OXO's customer service, and they gave me a refund for the mango corer I bought no questions asked.

You might even contact them by the 800 number and see if you need to return the out of whack one to get a replacement.

Never hurts to have two can openers. :-)

http://www.oxo.com/oxo/cserv_contact.htm

Regards, Bob

[Bill Spohn]

Ah good - on to the next product.

What are you guys using for nut crackers.......

[img]http://www.oldsouthjerseyglass.com/images/legs.jpg[/img]

[Randy Buckner]

What are you guys using for nut crackers.......

Depends on the kind of nuts we're talking about. Now back to those electric can openers....

[Mike Conner]

A little late to the post, but I have (in hand crank) a type that cuts the lid as the one you ordered (the Oneida), and a style similar to the Rosle (sp?).

I do like the style that cuts the outside of the lid for most purposes - it doesn't leave any sharp edges, and if I don't use all the contents, the lid almost always fits back on and I can just put a small rubber band around to keep it in place (obviously, not for long-term storage, but a few days on a half-used can of tomato paste when I make myself some pasta... it does quite well.

The reason I keep the other style around is for those times when you want to use the lid for squeezing moisture out of the contents (as in tuna, although I stopped buying normal canned tuna so this is almost a mute point).

Anyway, got my outside cutting opener at the local Kroger store when they had 25% off listed price. Was like $8 all said and done. Not a known brand, but so far, I haven't done it any damage.

Anyway, good luck with the Oneida!

Mike

[Jenise]

Mike, excellent point--having two for different needs. I hadn't considered that option, and it's a good one for just the reason you named. I think I'll get the Rosle, too.

Speaking of half-used tomato paste. I used to freeze little mounds of tomato paste on waxed paper, then peel off the frozen blobs and put them in a bag for later use. It seemed so often all I needed was a tablespoon or two. Well then along came Mr. Garr years ago with a better idea--put the whole can inside a plastic bag, smoosh it down into a thick patty, freeze that. Done in one step. Then just break off what you need from time to time.

[Bob Ross]

I like the tomato paste in a tube -- just like toothpaste. :-)

[Jenise]

I like the tomato paste in a tube -- just like toothpaste.

Food should not come in squeeze tubes. Personal hygiene products come in squeeze tubes. Tomato paste is a food, not a pesonal hygiene product. Therefore, it should come in a can. [she said, making fun of one of her pet phobias]