Best tin openers

Discover the best tin openers that impressed us most in our tests of manual, electric and left-handed tin openers.

The best we found was highly rated by all who tried it but it's relatively pricey. 

However, we also found a great-value option that impressed for just a few pounds.

We rated all the tin openers for ease of opening (even if you have limited grip), disposing of the lid and compactness.

The best tin openers

Compare results and prices at a glance in the table below or read on for our full reviews.

Best Buy: Joseph Joseph Can-Do Compact Can Opener

Pros 

• Most compact we tested
• Effortless tin opening
• No-mess lid disposal

Cons 

• No extra features

Our verdict Does exactly what it says on the tin. 

Need to know Has quick-release button

Our favourite. It's incredibly easy to use, cuts through cans effortlessly, and its quick-release button disposes of lids with zero mess. 

It's also the most compact tin opener we tested, so doesn't take up much valuable space in your drawers. 

The innovative design made it easy to use, even while wearing Cambridge Simulation Gloves, which help a user empathise with those who have hand mobility issues, such as arthritis. 

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 Kuhn Rikon Auto Safety Master Opener

Pros 

• Feature-packed
• Well made
• Easy to clean
• Straightforward to use and dispose of lid

Cons 

• Not as compact as some

Our verdict Feature-packed almost Best Buy

Need to know Ring pull opener, bottle opener, stuck jar opener, one-press lid ejection all included

This is a good tin opener that's pricey, but it's packed full of useful extra features. 

It only just misses out on a Best Buy because it isn't very compact, and it's not quite as easy to use as our Best Buy. 

But if you're interested in the additional features on this tin opener, and have the drawer space, then it's one to consider. 

 Oxo Good Grips Soft Handled Can Opener

Pros

• Comfortable
• Easy to use
• Easy to clean

Cons 

• No significant cons

Our verdict Bulky

Need to know Bottle opener included

This tin opener bites into tins and slices them open easily. It also grips firmly on the lid so you don't have to get your fingers anywhere near it to dispose of it. 

The soft rubber handles are comfortable and it's hard to fault this can opener. 

But for our Best Buys we're looking for perfection, and this one is just a bit bulkier and not quite as effortless to use as our Best Buy. 

Ultimately, none of our testers would pick this can opener over the Best Buy, so it just misses out. 

Great Value: Ikea Koncis

Pros 

• Build quality is good
• Easy to clean
• Opens tins easily

Cons 

• Not as compact as some

Our verdict Does the job for less

Need to know Bottle opener included

This tin opener opens tins and disposes of the lids with little fuss, and it's easy to clean too. There's a small screw near the rotating blade that allows you to adjust its tightness if it comes loose over time.

All this costs just £4. So, while it isn't up to Best Buy standards because it isn't quite as effortless to open cans as it could be, it's well worthy of our Great Value recommendation.

Discover the the best saucepans we've tested

 ProCook Can Opener

Available from ProCook (£8)

Pros 

• Good build quality
• Easy to clean

Cons 

• A bit stiff to turn the handle to open tins

Our verdict Attractive but average

Need to know Bottle opener included

It's an attractive tin opener, but it's only average at opening cans. 

It's weighty and well made. There's a small screw you can tighten to adjust the cutting wheel if you need to. 

The wheel that you turn to slice through the top of the can is quite stiff compared with others we tested. 

It's also bulkier than our Best Buy.

 Chef Aid Butterfly Can Opener

Pros 

• It doesn't take up much space in a drawer

• Easy to clean

Cons 

• Difficult to use to open tins and dispose of lids

Our verdict Disappoints at the basics

Need to know Bottle opener included

It's a classic design, but with underwhelming results. 

Compared with the other tin openers we tested, this one was difficult to get to bite into the can and it was generally a bit of a pain to use. 

It's compact, cheap and easy to clean, but this Chef Aid disappoints at the basics.

 Joseph Joseph Pivot 3-in-1 Can Opener

Pros 

• Easy to clean
• Additional ring pull feature

Cons 

• More difficult to get to bite on the can

Our verdict Sub par

Need to know Ring pull opener and bottle opener included

Unless you're interested in the additional ring pull feature, we wouldn't recommend this tin opener.

We found it very tricky to get it to bite down on cans, although once it connected it was easy enough to use.

It was also sometimes difficult to get the arms to sit back nicely together after using them, which is irritating if you're trying to put it away in a hurry.

Oxo GoodGrips Magnetic Can Opener

Pros 

• Good build quality
• Comfortable in the hand

Cons 

• Bulky
• Tricky to use
• Magnet doesn't always engage with tin lid

Our verdict Over-engineered

Need to know Magnetised top to hold tin lid, quick-release button

We deemed this tin opener slightly over-engineered and, as a result, not that easy to use. 

We were impressed with the build quality and the soft rubber handles though, but this can opener just doesn't really work as well as others we tested. 

Testers struggled to get it to bite into the tin at first, and the magnet that's supposed to grip the lid after it has been cut doesn't always work. 

It's also very bulky and would take up a lot of space in your drawer.

Culinaire MagiCan Can Opener

Pros 

• None

Cons 

• Poor build quality
• Hard to clean
• Tricky to bite
• Not particularly compact

Our verdict Disappointing

Need to know This tin opener has no additional features

You'll be disappointed with this sub-standard tin opener. 

Our testers struggled to get this tin opener to bite into tins, and they also found it tough to clean because there are hard-to-reach spots.

Furthermore, it looks and feels a bit cheap and it isn't particularly compact either.

Red Handled Left-Handed Can Opener

Available from AnythingLeftHanded.co.uk (£9.95)

Pros 

• It's easy to clean

Cons 

• Difficult to open a can even if you're left-handed
• Struggles to bite
• Lid disposal is messy

Our verdict Not rated highly by our left-handers.

Need to know Bottle opener included

Neither of our left-handed tested particularly rated this tin opener, as they found it difficult to use to open tins. 

It was a struggle to get the blade to bite, and you needed to use your fingers to dispose of the tin lid. 

Our left-handers preferred our Best Buy, which is suitable for right and left-handers, over this one. 

The best worktop electric tin openers

Electric tin openers could be your choice if you don't have good dexterity or strength in your hands. We tested four worktop electric can openers to see how they compare. These sit on your worktop to make it easier, in theory, to open tins.

Compare our results and prices at a glance in our table below or read on for our full reviews.

Best Buy: Swan Electric Can Opener

Pros 

• Easy to open tins
• Simple to dispose of the lid
• Extra features
• Our panel's favourite worktop tin opener

Cons 

• Takes up a lot of space
• No nonslip feet

Our verdict Best worktop tin opener

Need to know Bottle opener and knife sharpener included

This is the best worktop electric tin opener we tested and it has handy extra features. 

It's very effective at its core job of opening tins. They attach easily to the device and are held securely.

Unlike some we tested, the magnet that grabs the tin lid also works well, meaning that you don't have to go dipping into the can with your fingers to get the lid out. 

We would have liked to have seen some non-slip feet, but otherwise the build quality is good and it looks nice on a worktop. 

Unfortunately, it does take up quite a bit of space. If worktop space is an issue for you, then you might be interested in our other Best Buy electric tin opener, the Culinaire One Touch Can Opener, which is a handheld model. You can read all about how it impressed us further down the page. 

Morphy Richards Multifunction Can Opener

Pros 

• Lots of additional features
• Nonslip feet
• Opens the can easily

Cons 

• Lid disposal is difficult

Our verdict Weak magnet

Need to know Jar opener, bottle opener, twist cap bottle opener, ring pull can opener, packaging opener all included

This feature-packed tin opener is very close to a Best Buy, but it's let down by a poor magnet.

It's very easy to use, and our panel loved all the extra features on this worktop can opener. 

But the magnet that's supposed to lift the lid out of the can, which works well on so many of the other worktop can openers we tested, hardly ever worked on this Morphy Richards. This means that you must dip your fingers into the tin to get the lid out, which is very irritating. 

So despite the useful extra features and the good build quality, including non-slip feet, this tin opener doesn't get our recommendation. 

Kenwood Electric Can Opener

Pros 

• Magnet grabs the lid every time
• Extra features

Cons 

• Hard to seat the can

Our verdict Tricky to grab the can

Need to know Bottle opener and knife sharpener included

A good worktop option, but it's let down by difficulties with seating a can on it correctly. 

Our testers liked this worktop electric tin opener, but it was a bit more tricky to get it in place. 

Once the tin is in the correct position, it's opened at the touch of a button, and the magnet is effective at lifting the lid out of the tin too. 

Cookworks Can Opener

Available from Argos (£17)

Pros 

• The magnet that grips the tin lid works well

Cons 

• Hard to attach the can correctly
• Build quality is poor

Our verdict Fiddly to use

Need to know Bottle opener included

It simply takes too long to get the can seated correctly and properly connected to the cutting tool. 

We can't recommend this tin opener because attaching the can is a tricky job which none of our panel could perfect.

It's also made of cheap plastic, is poorly finished, and it slides around on the worktop. 

The best handheld electric tin openers

Handheld electric tin openers are another type of can opener you might reach for if you don't have good dexterity or strength in your hands. They tend to be smaller, and so take up less storage space than worktop electric tin openers, although are still usually more bulky than non-electric tin openers. 

Compare our results and prices at a glance in our table below or read on for our full reviews.

Best Buy: Culinaire One Touch Can Opener

Pros 

• Effortless can opening
• Easy lid disposal
• Soft-touch grip

Cons 

• Bigger than a manual tin opener

Our verdict Effortless and relatively compact

Need to know No additional features

This well-designed device is the best handheld electric tin opener we tested. 

Relatively compact, it has a soft touch grip and is well put together compared to some of the other flimsy handheld versions we tested. 

It's very easy to pop this device on top of a tin, press the button and then stand back and watch it do its work. 

Grips firmly onto the tin lid for easy disposal too, so there's no need to put your fingers anywhere near the sharp edges. 

While it isn't as compact as a manual tin opener, it's the smallest electric version we tested and would still fit comfortably in a kitchen drawer. 

Darmai Electric Can Opener

Pros 

• Very easy to open the can

Cons 

• Bulky
• Poorly put together

Our verdict A bit rough around the edges

Need to know No additional features

We weren't impressed with the build quality and robustness of this tin opener.

There's no denying it makes opening cans a doddle.

But the battery case is loose, it's bulky and we don't think it's as well made as some of the others we've tested.

JML Hands Free Automatic Can Opener

Extra features None

Pros 

• Effortless tin opening

Cons 

• Very poor build quality
• Quite bulky

Our verdict Looks a bit cheap

Need to know No additional features

This is another electric tin opener that's let down by poor build quality. 

Similarly it does the job of opening cans incredibly well. 

However, the battery casing is loose, and it's much bulkier than our Best Buy handheld electric can opener, so we can't recommend it. 

Kitchen Mama Electric Tin Opener

Pros 

• Easy to open the can and dispose of the lid

Cons 

• Not quite as compact as our Best Buy

Our verdict Effective, but bulky

Need to know No additional features

This is a good handheld electric can opener, but it's not the best we tested. 

The build quality isn't as high as with our Best Buy, and it's bulkier too.

Despite this it opens a tin with ease, but it's still not quite good enough for our recommendation.

Zyliss Easican Electric Can Opener

Pros 

• Compact
• Solid build

Cons 

• Not as easy to use as others we tested

Our verdict It's more compact than most electric tin openers, but it's not as easy to use. 

Need to know No additional features

We struggled to seat this device on top of tins compared with the others we tried. 

It's compact, and well put together compared to many of the handheld options, but it's not good enough for a Best Buy.

How we test tin openers

A good tin opener will feel effortless to use, bite easily onto the top of a can and also allow for easy disposal of the lid into the bin. We purchased all the tin openers we tested. 

• Two left-handers and two right-handers put these tin openers to the test on a tower of tins of tomato soup.
• Our testers wear Cambridge Gloves (see photo above) to identify any tin openers that are particularly easy to use for those who have limited movement in their hands.

Ease of opening a tin

Each tin opener is used to open four tins of soup. The best tin openers require less effort, bite into tins easily and leave the lid with no sharp edges. 

Disposing of the lid

• The best tin openers grip the lid firmly until you eject it over the bin, whether with a button or by opening the arms of the tin opener. 
• The worst require you to get your fingers messy and potentially cut them on the lid.

Cleaning

After the test, each tin opener is cleaned in a washing-up bowl.

Compactness

The more compact the tin opener, the better. 

Build quality

All tin openers are rated for the quality of the materials and how well they were put together. 

What's the best way to open a can?

During testing, a keen debate ensued on the best way to open a tin can. 

Should you place the cutting wheel inside the lip of the tin so it cuts around the inner circle or to the underside of the lip so that it slices off the entire lid? 

Most tin openers will allow both methods, but some are better at one method than the other. 

The truth is, it doesn't really matter which way you do it – both methods work. But ask your nearest and dearest how they open a tin, and you might be surprised by their answer.

Should you buy an electric tin opener?

Manual tin openers can be difficult to use if you don't have the dexterity or strength in your hands to operate them.

We tested several worktop electric can openers and some handheld ones too, and found several good options.

If you don't have countertop space to spare for a worktop tin opener, then the manual electric tin openers we tested are a brilliant alternative and will store snugly away in a kitchen drawer. 

Do you need a left-handed tin opener?

Not really. While it's true that left-handed people sometimes need to perform an annoying manoeuvre where they need to cross their hands to open a tin with some tin openers, we found that the best tin opener in our test was just as suitable for right or left-handers. 

We even tested a tin opener that's specifically for left-handed use, and it wasn't preferred by the left-handed members of our pane