Can Openers Guide

Manual Can Openers

Manual can openers work by punching the lid with a blade and turning a crank handle, which rotates the can against the blade and cuts the top free. This design makes them a great basic choice for a #10 can opener, though they can handle many other can sizes common in commercial foodservice, too. There are three types of manual can openers, and generally as you progress from light, to standard, to heavy duty the number of cans that each unit can handle increases.

• Light-Duty: Occasional use
• Standard-Duty: 2-3 cans per minute, 15-25 cans per day
• Heavy-Duty: 4-6 cans per minute, up to 50 cans per day

Often the difference between standard and heavy duty can openers comes down to the size – A standard duty can opener is a bit smaller, with a shorter handle that may require more turns to open the same can. A heavy duty can opener is larger and features a more heavy-duty construction. When considering which one to buy, you’ll also want to look at other design points, like whether it is NSF or UL listed, and whether it uses a screw-in base that’s designed for permanent mounting, or a clamp base that can be moved around as needed. Some higher-end can openers also remove the threat of metal shavings and jagged edges by cutting the lid off along the side wall of the can instead of cutting out the top.