Can openers are a staple kitchen tool that you’ll find in pretty much every home. Whether you need one to open canned beans or for their ability to give you fast access to niche ingredients like coconut milk and chipotles in adobo, they’re a must-have tool without a substitute. However, if you open a lot of cans or have issues with your hands, they can be a challenge to use. Enter the electric can opener, which is here to make a somewhat tedious chore quicker and easier.
The best electric can openers work fast and are intuitive to figure out on the first try. During our tests, we particularly loved the Hamilton Beach Smooth Touch Can Opener, which can open even dented cans on the first pass. Although it’s a vastly underrated kitchen tool, an electric can opener saves you time and manual labor, making your dinner prep a simpler task. We’ve rounded up our favorite ones, and they’re kitchen tools you can’t afford not to have on hand.
This Hamilton Beach electric can opener is all about just needing one hand to use it. And it will glide smoothly around any can, from large to small, and perfect to dented. We found it very easy to use right out of the box, with intuitive instructions and little to no setup. It’s simple to wipe down and clean after use as well, but we also appreciated that no mess was left behind on the machine once it was finished.
Unlike some hands-free models that stop automatically when the can is open, this one does require you to stop it by pressing down atop the machine. And while it did take two passes to open some larger cans, we found that medium and small cans were always done on the first pass. Best of all, there were never any sharp edges left behind, no matter what the can size.
Dimensions: 4.7 x 10.5 x 5 inches | Weight: 3.1 pounds | Corded: Yes
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Sleek and slim in design, this electric can opener is a treasure trove of small kitchen tools: Along with the mechanized opener that took just one pass to open cans no matter their size, it also houses a knife sharpener and a bottle opener.
We experienced no spillage regardless of can size, and we liked how little counter space it takes up, especially for its multifunctionality. It’s a great value pick for anyone in a small space looking to get the most out of an electric can opener. But you will want to read the instructions — once you do it’s simple to use, but we did find them necessary.
Dimensions: 4.9 x 5.6 x 12.4 inches | Weight: 3 pounds | Corded: Yes
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Another electric opener that you can store away in a drawer, the Kitchen Mama handled every size can we opened in only one pass, dented cans included. We found it a little tricky to use initially when it came to getting the batteries in, but once we got it ready to go, it was a breeze to use and performed quite nicely. Thanks to the magnetic top, it keeps a lid secure once the can is opened, making it a fully hands-free model. Plus, you can wipe it clean with a damp cloth if you get any splatters, which takes only a moment.
Dimensions: 2.8 x 7.1 x 2.2 inches | Weight: 0.53 pounds | Corded: No
Food & Wine
Our Favorite Electric Can Opener
The Hamilton Beach Smooth Touch Can Opener snagged our top spot for a reason. It’s easy to use right out of the box, quickly tackles any size can, and requires only one hand to use. If you prefer a cordless model, we’d recommend the Hamilton Beach Walk ‘n Cut Electric Can Opener.
How We Tested Electric Can Openers
We tested 20 different electric can openers on cans of all sizes, including 8-, 15-, and 28-ounce cans. We looked for the proper balance of weight to ensure that they would be heavy enough to not tip over, but light enough not to be cumbersome for everyday use. We began with the operating manual to see how easy or challenging each can opener was to set up and use, and from there we used them on numerous cans to test their opening abilities. After using them, we cleaned them to find out how high or low maintenance that element of ownership would be.
Factors to Consider
Upright vs. Handheld
An upright electric can opener takes up more space than a handheld one, making it a better choice for people who open cans often and have the counter space to house one. If you’re lacking in space or don’t open cans much, a handheld model that fits in a drawer might suit you better. Handheld models can also be easier to keep clean, but you do sacrifice the hands-free operation that you get with some upright models.
Side-Cut vs. Top-Cut
Some electric can openers open cans by cutting the top of the lid, while some cut the side instead. Most of the electric can openers we tested were side-cut, which we chose due to their added safety. Top-cut can openers leave a sharp circular edge on the can and the lid, which is easy to slice a finger on. However, side-cut can openers leave a much smoother edge since they cut the can at its rounded lip. If possible, it’s much better to go with a side-cut model over a top-cut can opener.
Power Source
Electric openers can be corded, cordless with a built-in battery and charger, or entirely battery-operated. If you want a countertop model, corded is probably the answer. But if you want something that can fit in a drawer, it’ll likely be a cordless one. Battery-operated openers require disposable batteries, which you’ll have to replace each time they run out. Although a battery-operated model did earn a spot on our list due to its impressive performance, that won’t always be the most practical option.
Other Electric Can Openers We Tested
Strong Contenders
Oster Electric Can Opener with Knife Sharpener ($35 at Amazon)
We liked the look of this opener, but not its larger size. It also left shredded can label paper behind, and didn’t perform the best on dented lids.
Bella Electric Can Opener ($17 at Amazon)
This Bella can opener had some liquid spillage, which we didn’t care for. However, we did like that it’s hands-free and stops on its own when it’s finished.
POHL SCHMITT Electric Can Opener ($23 at Amazon)
Less than intuitive, this can opener required some assembly, and it was difficult to position the cans properly since we also had to hold down the cutting arm. Additionally, it left some jagged edges.
Handy Can Opener ($16 at Amazon)
We liked that this model stopped on its own and had a magnetic top. However, it was on the harder side to clean.
What Didn’t Make the List
Can openers that didn’t make our list had issues such as dropping the cans, excessive spillage, and tipping over due to weight imbalances. Some couldn’t handle dented cans, and others were difficult to clean. We liked the attachments on the Hamilton Beach Electric Automatic Can Opener and the Amazon Basics Electric Can Opener, although they didn’t quite make our list.
Our Expertise
Contributor Ariane Resnick is a special diet chef, certified nutritionist, and bestselling author. She has written for platforms such as Simply Recipes, The Spruce Eats, Allrecipes, Huffington Post, and Health.
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