Electric Can Openers

[Dawgluver]

I like my electric Hamilton Beach. I like the no edge thing, makes for a good makeshift storage lid for anything still left in the can. I also like my manual Swing-aways, but my arthritic thumbs are pretty much useless with the turning on a tough can. The Swing-aways are being saved for the apocalypse or an electrical outage.

 

[CWS4322]

That's a lot of the reason I like my Kuhn Rikon no-sharp edges, lefties have a hard time with regular can openers, I just didn't notice until you mentioned it.

I am a lefty and it takes several tries to use the no-sharp edge kind. Mind you, I don't own it, I use it when I housesit at a friend's and that is what she has. I have a swing-away--have had it for years. It is the ONLY kind of canner opener I've ever been able to use time and time again. As hard as it may seem, learning to use a can opener is a big challenge for lefties. A friend's son (lefty) is struggling with can openers. His mom said it is painful to watch. He'll master it, it just takes time. Fortunately, I use my can opener about once every 3-4 months since I rarely have canned goods in the house. Most of the time, it resides in a drawer.

 

[Addie]

The old style can be used like the side cut in most cases. You just need to rotate it 90 degrees.

I have done that on many occasions. It is much easier for someone who is lefthanded. Sometimes if my can is extra tall, I resort to the manual one.

 

[ahoymatey2013]

I know the survey is closed but I'm just going to say what I think would be an improvement..... stop making them period. I never had a good one, ever.

I now have a Pampered Chef hand opener, I had a different kind before but took that one up to my camper but the Pampered Chef one has to be the best one I ever owned.

 

[PrincessFiona60]

I am a lefty and it takes several tries to use the no-sharp edge kind. Mind you, I don't own it, I use it when I housesit at a friend's and that is what she has. I have a swing-away--have had it for years. It is the ONLY kind of canner opener I've ever been able to use time and time again. As hard as it may seem, learning to use a can opener is a big challenge for lefties. A friend's son (lefty) is struggling with can openers. His mom said it is painful to watch. He'll master it, it just takes time. Fortunately, I use my can opener about once every 3-4 months since I rarely have canned goods in the house. Most of the time, it resides in a drawer.

I get the Swing-A-Way on the can with my right hand and then I turn it with my left...makes Shrek nuts to watch me with a knife or the can opener.

 

[Addie]

I get the Swing-A-Way on the can with my right hand and then I turn it with my left...makes Shrek nuts to watch me with a knife or the can opener.

I used to do the same thing. Drove everyone nuts watching me open a can. No I just open it on the side by putting the works on its side on top of the can.

 

[chopper]

I used to do the same thing. Drove everyone nuts watching me open a can. No I just open it on the side by putting the works on its side on top of the can.

Wow Addie, you thought of that too just like PF. Who knew?

 

[PrincessFiona60]

Wow Addie, you thought of that too just like PF. Who knew?

Lefties often learn how to do things "backwards" to make them work correctly. Many people don't have the patience to teach a leftie, because we have to adapt what we see with what feels right for us, so we only look like we are doing things backwards...

 

[chopper]

Lefties often learn how to do things "backwards" to make them work correctly. Many people don't have the patience to teach a leftie, because we have to adapt what we see with what feels right for us, so we only look like we are doing things backwards...

Lots of lefties in my family. They seem to have gotten really good at using the right hand for certain things. My brother even golfs right handed because he learned with my Dad's clubs that were right handed. My son can cut with either the left or right hand. Oh, and Mom taught my brother how to tie his shoes from in front of him and it worked like a charm since she was right handed.

 

[ahoymatey2013]

I may be a 'righty' but I did teach myself to use my left hand with everything I could but I never tried to use a can opener. I never thought about that before but I will give it a try next time I open something up. That should be interesting. I do use my left hand at work for most of my tool changes though so I know I can use allen wrenches & other tools with both hands.

 

[PrincessFiona60]

Lots of lefties in my family. They seem to have gotten really good at using the right hand for certain things. My brother even golfs right handed because he learned with my Dad's clubs that were right handed. My son can cut with either the left or right hand. Oh, and Mom taught my brother how to tie his shoes from in front of him and it worked like a charm since she was right handed.

I bowl and shoot pool right handed. Everything else is left. I can use right handed scissors, just can't get them to cut, no idea why, if I turn them upside down and in my left hand I can cut anything.

 

[Claire]

Husband is ... well, he can do both. He is mostly a leftie, but as you mentioned, he learned to do a lot right-handed. It is weird that he can do a lot with both hands. He's almost ... omnidexterous? Is that the right word?

 

[PrincessFiona60]

Husband is ... well, he can do both. He is mostly a leftie, but as you mentioned, he learned to do a lot right-handed. It is weird that he can do a lot with both hands. He's almost ... omnidexterous? Is that the right word?

ambidextrous

 

[Claire]

Thanks. For some reason that side of my brain wasn't working! Anyway, my husband claims to be a "leftie", but in fact he can do both. He writes and eats like a leftie, but almost everything else he can do with either hand. thank heaven his mother did NOT try to switch him. In his era it was very common to try to switch your left-handed child to right. I think it is interesting that he had a left-handed cousin whose mother tried to "switch" him. He developed a stutter. It is interesting in that I have a friend whose mother tried to switch him and he has a (mild) stutter as well. Thank heaven we've gotten over that!

 

[chopper]

Thanks. For some reason that side of my brain wasn't working! Anyway, my husband claims to be a "leftie", but in fact he can do both. He writes and eats like a leftie, but almost everything else he can do with either hand. thank heaven his mother did NOT try to switch him. In his era it was very common to try to switch your left-handed child to right. I think it is interesting that he had a left-handed cousin whose mother tried to "switch" him. He developed a stutter. It is interesting in that I have a friend whose mother tried to switch him and he has a (mild) stutter as well. Thank heaven we've gotten over that!

My Dad's teachers hit him on the hand with a ruler when he used his left hand. He was switched to a righty the hard way. At one point they had to tie his arm behind his back to keep him from using that dreaded left hand. So sad. I'm glad that doesn't happen in this country any more (as far as I know).

 

[PrincessFiona60]

My Dad's teachers hit him on the hand with a ruler when he used his left hand. He was switched to a righty the hard way. At one point they had to tie his arm behind his back to keep him from using that dreaded left hand. So sad. I'm glad that doesn't happen in this country any more (as far as I know).

Sure way to get PF hot on the trail...

 

[chopper]

Sure way to get PF hot on the trail...

I would be right there with you.

 

[PrincessFiona60]

I would be right there with you.

We be scary...

 

[chopper]

 

[Addie]

Wow Addie, you thought of that too just like PF. Who knew?

The world is not built for lefties. They do make things for us, but they always cost a lot more. Try finding a watch for a lefty.

I grew up when you weren't allowed to be left handed. As a result I can use both hands for a lot of things, some things I can only do with my left and some only with my right. When I was taking piano lessons, my left hand was the stronger one, yet my brain could read the melody easier than the bass. You think that isn't confusing to a child. When I picked up a violin or guitar I went for the position of the left hander. I prefer a left handed fridge door.