Can openers be an easy but vital kitchen tool? If you own one of the most effective can openers, you’ll find a completely unfamiliar one at your friend’s home or in a rental. Don’t worry; below, we’ve laid out a detailed tutorial on how to use all kinds of can openers. Follow these best care techniques to ensure you’re opening your cans in a safe manner and prolonging the can opener’s lifespan.
How to Use a Handheld Can Opener
It is important to note that the majority of can openers for handhelds are made for users with right-handed hands, but left-handed can openers can be purchased at specialty stores.
- Set your cans on a smooth countertop.
- The arms are spread out from the opener. This is a way to separate the cutting wheels that are sharp from the feed wheel that is notched.
- Place the two wheels in a row. The cutting wheel should be placed on the edge of the lid, on one side (with the knob facing the exterior). Check that the cutting wheels and the feed wheel are perpendicular to each other on the side that the container is (not at any angle).
- Press the arms of the can opener to each other.
- Make the turn counterclockwise. It will encircle the lid as the opener cuts the lid. Continue to turn your knob till you’ve either cut the lid completely around the can or left just a tiny part not cut. (The can will turn when you move it around.)
- Securely remove the lid. Use a butter knife, making sure not to cut yourself with the edges of the container.
Is This How You Usually Open a Can?
I’m able to say each time I’ve used a canned opener like this, that’s the way it was. Use the handles to hold the circular metal blades to the lid’s top lid, within the lid’s rim. Then, rotate the crank several times, moving these blades along the entire circumference of the lid. The lid will be open in no time with the lid’s sharp and serrated edges to match it. This isn’t ideal, especially when you’re looking in the can for the lid that will take it out of the container.
Even if you leave a little room in order for your lid to remain in place on the rim of your can, this can result in the lid pointing downwards. Whatever the case, you’ll end up with your fingers within what’s inside of the container and trying to pull the lid away from its sharp edge. Yikes! There’s a better option to use a canned opener for all our recipes that use canned food.
How To Use A Typical Can Opener
Set the container you wish to open on an even surface.
Take the lower and upper arms of the can opener, and this will separate both the cut wheel and the notched one. Place the cutting wheel onto the lid of the container while holding the handles tightly with one hand.
Gently push the arms back to secure the wheels around the outside of the can. Make use of your other hand to rotate the handle clockwise. As you rotate the knob, it will begin to cut the top of the container.
Continue to turn the knob as you move around the container; the can will naturally turn when you turn it.
Continue to turn your knob till you’ve cut the lid off the can. You should leave a small portion of the lid left uncut. This will let you lift the lid up and slowly pull it back. Should you chop the whole lid off from the top, it will get stuck in the can, making it difficult to remove.
Electric Can Opener
Automated can openers can take the hassle out of opening a bottle and save you time. Certain models have magnets to keep the can securely so you can relax and relax as the machine is doing the work for you. Certain models require you to keep the can in place while they cut off the lid easily. Make sure you check the instructions of the manufacturer on the specific can opener prior to use.
How to Open a Can Without a Can Opener
If you’re stuck without an opener for your can, Here are some techniques to try.
Food Network Kitchen’s How to Make use of a Can opener, shown in Food Network.
Use a Spoon
Take a big, solid spoon (like one made of stainless steel) and place it at the bottom of the tool (where it is where the bowl is joined to its handle). Grab the can using another hand and gently rub the top of the spoon bowl to the rim of the can just inside the edge. Continue to rub a small portion inside the lid till it opens. Repeat until you’ve got an opening big enough to remove the lid. Be careful not to touch the sharp edges to avoid injury to yourself.
Chef’s Knife
If you’re looking to open the can a bit quicker and/or feel fairly confident in your knife handling, it is possible to open the can by using the edge of a chef’s knife (the area of the blade closest to its handle) employing it as an old-fashioned can opener. It’s safer than opening the can using a point that can slide (or perhaps break), which can cause injury or damage to the knife. It is necessary to choose a knife that doesn’t have a bolster that covers the heel, nevertheless (the one that covers the heel is the large portion that is located on top of the handle of certain knives).
To begin, you must firmly hold the handle in your hands and place the back edge of the blade (the heel) upright to the inside of the rim. While keeping your fingers free of the blade, pull the heel’s corner downwards and perforate your lid by digging it in at an angle. This is more than a traditional type of lever can opener. Repeat this procedure around the outside of the container until you’ve reduced the strength of the lid to open the can.
Alternately, if you have an ordinary pocket knife or a smaller paring knife, place your can onto a smooth, stable surface and attempt to cut the can using the blade’s tip. Be careful! If the lid or the knife is not controlled properly, the knife could easily slide. Make sure to make holes evenly across the outside of the container, and eventually, the lid will fall off.
Use a Pocketknife or Box Cutter
Make sure you are careful with this technique! Use the pointed blade of a pocketknife or box cutter to slice through the inside of the container and then work your way along the edges until you’re able to pull the can off (use dishes, gloves, or kitchen towels to ensure that you don’t cut your hands on the sharp edges).