Swing Away Can Opener - Very basic, works great
Written: Feb 10 '02
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Product Rating:
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Pros: Works great, easy to turn, has lasted a long time
Cons: Often leaves a sharp piece of can sticking up - OUCH
The Bottom Line: Durable hand can opener with a lifetime warranty; watch our for the last cut - it leaves a little sliver of metal that can slice your finger.
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| lkvanvoorhis's Full Review: Swing-Away White Can Opener |
I am one of those people that seems to have very bad luck with electric can openers. I received at least two for wedding gifts long ago, and they didn't last, as my mother says, "til the water got hot." I purchased others over the years, under-the-counter types as well as sleek-looking ones that just sit on the counter, looking like they would work great. Unfortunately, I guess I'm just not a good selector of can openers. They all either bit the dust very quickly, couldn't "catch" a can if life depended on it, or just plain didn't work very well. So, we went back to basics - back to the hand-cranking basic can openers.
This particular can opener, the Swing Away Can Opener is probably the most basic can opener out there. We actually received it as a gift, a stocking stuffer a few years ago from the in-laws (at least, that's what I remember). It is stainless steel, has white handles (I like having all appliances in either white or black) and a very basic design making it easy to use. (No strange shapes, or funny 'swishes', or ergonomical touts here.)
The Swing Away has two parts bolted together at the top. Sometimes, can openers with this type style are hard to move, like the parts are bolted together too tightly. No so here. The bolt holds the way it should, allowing plenty of 'give' when you are manipulating it onto the top of the can you're trying to open. Like any basic can opener, you simply pop the rounded blade portion into the can, and turn the handle. The handle turns very easily without any kind of struggle, which makes it great for those who have arthritis (like my mom) or other troubles with their hands.
But, there is a problem. Once you've turned the handle, navigating it all around the can, you run into a snag. After cutting completely around the can, the can opener is supposed to release it, so that you have two pieces, right? You should have the can and the top that you just cut off. But, the last little cut that the can opener makes is not quite right. That last cut for some reason does not go all the way through exactly the way it should. The result is that you have the top of the can holding on to the can itself by a little metal sliver. I can always manipulate the pieces apart, but 9 times out of 10 there is a little piece of the metal can sticking up from the top of the can. I have even sliced my finger on it before not being careful. Now, you would think this would not be that big of a problem, since you're just going to throw the can and top away. But, if you use coffee from a can or anything else like that, you have to be really careful. I have had to take the metal end of the can opener and push down the little sliver that's sticking up, which sometimes works fine, but sometimes doesn't. I still haven't figured out what is wrong, or if something needs to be done differently. I've just resigned myself that this is how it is and I just have to be careful.
My final recommendation - The Swing Away is an easy to use can opener that always works - I recommend it in spite of the flaw mentioned above. (However, I do not think you should let children use the can opener because of the flaw.) But, it's nice to not be in a bind like can happen when the electric one gives out. A very durable product, it has a lifetime warranty. Handwashing is recommended for the Swing Away Can Opener. An added bonus, like most of these type can openers, there is a bottle opener on one side of the stainless steel section of the can opener. Cooking.com sells this product for $9.75.
Thanks for reading!
Recommended:
Yes
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Epinions.com ID:
lkvanvoorhis
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Member: Kelley
Location: West Tennessee
Reviews written: 141
Trusted by: 214 members
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