Can Openers Guide

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.

Electric can openers operate with just the pull of a lever or press of a button; the gear mechanism pulls the can in tight while it spins under a dull blade, removing the top.

These units are designed to accommodate a variety of can sizes. Electric can openers are a favorite of K-12, colleges and universities, and healthcare applications due to their easy single hand operation. They are typically suitable for 75 to 200 cans per day, at 4-7 cans per minute, though light duty models are available. Many electric can openers are also UL and NSF Listed.

A crown punch can opener is ideal for heavy volume use where speed and durability are must-haves. A circular set of blades is inserted in to the lid of the can and the entire lid is cut free in one swift motion.

Crown punch can openers can easily open between 100 to 3000 cans per day, at 6 – 10 cans per minute. The blades on a crown punch can opener are normally set to open standard #10 food service cans, but other sizes can typically be configured as well.

Manual versions use a lever to push the blades down, but air-powered models are a desirable choice for the highest-volume applications, since they don't require an electrical connection and instead use pressurized air to force the blade down. You might also consider a unit with a magnetic lid remover to make it easier to move from one can to the next.