Can Opener.. handheld or electric?

[Mandi]

I want to get a new can opener. Nothing wrong with the one I have, but it's white and all my new appliances are black. :) I'm debating on just going with a nicer handheld one (already have a cheapy basic one) instead of buying an electric. One less thing on the counter. What do you all have? Are you happy with it?

[Alysia]

We have a handheld KitchenAid one in a navy blue color! I didnt think I would like it as much as having an electric one but I love it!

[BonnieG]

We also have a good handheld one. We then bought an electric that was mounted under the counter and after using that a couple of times, we went back to the handheld. We just like it better!

[TtownAnne]

Handheld. We don't use enough canned good to justify an electric one!

[Darcy]

Electric. We got it a few years ago, but I notice we don't use it that much. Most of the cans we open have the pop top lid.

[Nichole]

We have a pretty decent handheld one. I don't like counter clutter, so we just have one that I can chuck in the drawer.

I used to have the kind that cut around the outside and it was nice that the cut top didn't fall into the food. But it was a POS and broke quickly. I'd like to find a quality one of that type.

[magoo]

We have the pampered chef hand held one. It "unseals" the can so there are no sharp edges.

[Nichole]

How long have you had it, Sarah? I'd love to find a good one like that and would pay a little more if I knew it would last a long time.

[magoo]

Hmmm... I can't remember when I got it. Maybe a year and a half ago? My parents have had theirs longer. I don't forsee it breaking any time soon.

[Mandi]

Handheld. We don't use enough canned good to justify an electric one!

That's partly our deal too. We don't do canned veggies or anything. Just the occasional canned soup for the girls. And alot of those have pop tabs. Hmmm the more I think about it the more sense it makes to just go with a handheld one. :nod:

Now which one to chose....

[Nichole]

That's good to hear. Thanks! :aok: (do you have to buy PC stuff through a distributor? or can you order it online?)

[Dennis]

Handheld, and I can't remember the last time I used it. It seems like all the canned stuff we get have pop tops now.

[Karri]

Electric here. I had too many bunk handhelds and finally caved. I use it quite often (canned beans, canned tomatoes/tomato sauce/paste, soups, etc). The brands I buy don't come w/ pop tops, I guess :dunno:

[LISA]

Ours is electric and I curse it everytime I use the d@mn thing ..half the time it won't hold the can the other half it won't work at all..I swear, next time I'm out shopping at the dollar store I'm picking up a regular hand held one and tossing this one..that is if I ever remember to do that :blush:

[Shel]

I have a Pampered Chef handheld that is almost as old as Jacob :lol: It just a few months ago started to crack on the turny thingie, but it still works :) I figure the cost wasn't bad at over 10 years worth of use.

[Bev]

We had a manual one like this all the time growing up:
http://www.kitchenfantasy.com/shopping_cart/thumnails/071584006092thumb.jpg (http://www.kitchenfantasy.com/images/071584006092.jpg)

I currently have this Starfrit one but mine is blue. It takes the whole top off the can, like it cuts underneath the seal if that makes sense:
http://www.kendyck.com/images/mightican-can-opener.jpg (http://www.kendyck.com/images/mightican-can-opener.jpg)

[Bev]

Sorry for the jumbo pics. I tried to edit the second one but I guess it didn't work.

[Girlo]

We have 2 handheld ones. :) We have one that cuts the lid from the top (I like using it for stuff like tuna, where you can drain the can with the cut lid), and one that cuts it from the side (no sharp edges). I can't imagine having an electric one....seems like overkill when the manual ones work so well. :dunno:
Plus, it's one less thing taking up real estate on my counter!

If I were to buy a new one, I'd either choose an OXO one or a Pampered Chef one. :aok: You can't go wrong with either of these brands, IMO.

[Hilary]

We also have a good handheld one. We then bought an electric that was mounted under the counter and after using that a couple of times, we went back to the handheld. We just like it better!
I have one of these. I like it. :nod: It came with the house.

I hate hate hate using a handheld canopener. :lol:

[Mary DK]

We have an electric one that mounts under the counter and I really like it. I like not having to find a place for it in the drawer or the counter and that it's always there when I need it.

[gulp!]

handheld. I seem to be a bit, um, challenged using electric ones. :lol:

[Cami]

I hate hate hate handheld can openers. But we've only had crap ones so that's the problem. I am surprised so many people use them! I thought electric can openers were kind of a given.

[Hilary]

Me too, Cami. :lol:

This is the one I have. It has bad reviews, but once you figure out how to get it in the charger right it works fine.

http://www.amazon.com/gp/explorer/B00005MF94/2/ref=pd_lpo_ase/104-0208557-7521502?

[TtownAnne]

I went through alot of crap handheld can openers and you know what? Those seemed to be the more expensive ones. The handy-dandy ergonomic one, the special stainless steel one, blahblahblah, they were all crap. They I bought the $1.29 one from the grocery store "appliance" aisle, and it has worked for YEARS. So this is definitely not a case of "you get what you pay for".

[Bridget]

Oh man I'm always opening cans. :lol:

We have an electric under the counter one. And we have a handheld too. You know I am always waiting for the end of the world, so in case of now power I want to be able to open my cans. ;)