5 Best Electric Can Openers That You Need for Your Kitchen
We updated this article in August 2022 to ensure all picks previously tested and vetted by the Good Housekeeping Institute Kitchen Appliances and Innovation Lab are available and reflect current pricing.
Whether you want to hop in the kitchen to experiment with a can of versatile pumpkin puree or need to open tomatoes and coconut milk for a quick chicken curry, you likely don't want to spend time fighting with cans. Electric can openers make opening cans faster, easier and safer. They're particularly helpful for people who suffer from limited hand mobility or arthritis and anyone who frequently cooks using canned ingredients.
To find the best electric can openers, our experts in the Good Housekeeping Institute Kitchen Appliances and Innovation Lab, looked for models that feature an easy to attach and remove lever (good for cleaning), a magnet strong enough to hold the can on its own and an automatic shut-off feature so you don't have to monitor the process to prevent repeated cutting (which can increase the risk of metal fragments falling into your food). They also noted extra features like a retractable power cord. In addition to ease of use, testers checked for spillage, tipping, how clean the cut was and whether there was any metal debris leftover in the can. Here are our picks for the best electric can openers for 2022.
Our top picks:
(amazon)
Cuisinart
amazon.com
$29.95
Cuisinart's stainless steel deluxe can opener has a sleek design, so it looks a bit more high-end if you want to leave it on your kitchen counter. It also a sturdy, wide base and rubber feet to keep it stable during use. During our tests, the magnet held cans up to 32 ounces in place without help, and the one-touch auto shut-off feature worked well. It was even tall enough to open a 48-ounce can of chicken broth. The lever removes easily for cleaning, and this model comes with a three-year limited warranty. Many reviewers on Amazon mentioned that they selected this opener due to arthritis pain, with one noting that "it sure makes my life a whole lot easier!"
(Cuisinart)
BLACK+DECKER
walmart.com
$19.10
The Black and Decker EasyCut can opener performed well in our tests, especially for the affordable price. While the unit felt lighter in weight than competitors, its magnet was able to hold 32-ounce cans, and the auto shut-off feature worked well. One drawback is the bulky nature of the lever, which made it hard to see the blade when attaching the can. But our tester thought it earned its place on your counter as a one-stop shop for opening: A removable multitool stores on board that can be used to remove bottle caps and open pop-tops. There's also a knife sharpener built into the back of the unit.
(Black + Decker)
Kitchen Mama
amazon.com
$35.99
This nifty battery-operated electric can opener from Kitchen Mama is proof that size isn't everything: It easily attached to every can we tested. Its side-cut operation left smooth sides on both the can and the lid, and it was the most user-friendly can opener we tested. This model has an aut0 shut-off feature, so you don't need to hold the tool while it opens the can — just set it on the can properly and press the button. It was even able to open cans with dented lids. We liked that there is less risk of tipping and spilling since the can stays on the counter. It requires 4 AA batteries, which you will need to purchase separately. Because of the smooth-edge cutting style, one reviewer noted that "if you don’t use the entirety of the can‘s content, you can just put the top back on, and it fits perfectly like a lid."
(Kitchen Mama)
Oster
amazon.com
$29.99
This Oster model has a wide base with a protruding lip foot to help prevent tipping. It includes a built-in bottle opener and knife sharpener. The retractable cord keeper — designed to work with just the push of a button — is handy, but it didn't work seamlessly every time in our tests. The lever was easy to attach and remove for thorough cleaning. It has an auto shut-off feature and left no spills when we opened cans.
(Oster)
Hamilton Beach
walmart.com
$37.88
This electric can opener from Hamilton Beach has an easy-to-use lever for attaching cans. During our tests, we found that the placement of this lever — at the top, angling back — helped prevent tipping forward with up to 32-ounce cans. Unlike many of our electric can opener picks, it cuts from the side which leaves a smooth edge on the cut and even works on pop-top cans. The base also has a built-in scissors holder (though scissors are not included). The caveat with this model is that it does not include automatic shut-off; this means you must hold the lever the whole time and that you run the risk of repeat cutting, which can lead to metal being shaved into the food. Some online reviewers said they encountered metal shavings after use.
(Hamilton Beach)
✔️ Upright vs. handheld: There are two main type of electric can openers: For upright and under-counter models, you simply attach the can; for handheld ones, you place the opener on the can and press or hold a lever or button to start the opening process. The opener applies the pressure and does the gripping and turning for you, which spares you the most uncomfortable motions.
✔️ Top cut vs. side cut: Top-cut can openers pierce the lid just inside the rim of the can from above, often leaving a sharp edge. Top-cut lids can be helpful for draining liquid from the can without the use of a sieve, but because the blade makes contact with the food, it has to be cleaned well after each use to remain sanitary. Side-cut can openers cut under the edge of the lid, creating a smooth rim; this style also allows you to open pull-tab cans if you have trouble lifting and pulling. Side-cut can openers don't make contact with the food, so they often stay cleaner, but they can make draining cans without a sieve more awkward.
(Hearst Owned)
Sarah Wharton is the senior editor and analyst for the Good Housekeeping Institute, where she tests products and covers the best picks across home, kitchen, tech and cleaning. She has developed recipes for numerous brands and has been testing kitchen appliances and gear since 2016. She holds a certificate in professional culinary arts from the International Culinary Center (now Institute of Culinary Education).
(Hearst Owned)The best-tested electric can openers for opening large and small cans, including countertop electric can openers and battery-powered handheld electric can openers.