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Best tin openers
Joel has spent six years testing pizza ovens, camping gear, binoculars and more. He’s cooked a criminal amount of pizza, and swallowed the evidence.
The best tin openers are easy to use, but the worst are a frustrating experience and a waste of time and money.
We've tested manual and electric tin openers from popular kitchen brands including Joseph Joseph, Oxo and ProCook, as well as retailer own-brand tin openers from Argos, Ikea and John Lewis to see which is the king of opening cans.
How our tests find you the best
Ease of opening a tin
We worked our way through a tower of tomato soup cans to find a tin opener that will effortlessly slice through lids.
Disposing of the lid
The worst tin openers will have you dipping your fingers into a can of cold soup to rescue a sharp lid. The best offer speedy, hands-free disposal.
Compactness
Worried about kitchen drawer clutter? We measure each tin opener, so you don't have to worry about sacrificing precious kitchen drawer space.
We also test
How well the tin openers are put together and using our specialist accessibility equipment, how they feel to use for those with limited hand dexterity.
Tin openers from our tests
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| Tin opener | Price | Score | Ease of opening a tin | Ease of disposing of the lid |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Sign up to unlock for free Get instant access to these results, plus more reviews of household essentials, by signing up for a free account. Unlock tableAlready have an account? | 100% | |||
| 94% | ||||
| 77% | ||||
| 77% | ||||
| 73% | ||||
| 73% | ||||
| 73% | ||||
| 66% | ||||
| 66% | ||||
| 59% | ||||
| 52% | ||||
| 50% | ||||
| 43% | ||||
| 29% | ||||
| 29% |
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Date tested: January 2025 and January 2022. Page last checked: February 2026. We are not able to show every retailer and cheaper prices may be available.
The tin openers we tested are listed in alphabetical order below.
Only logged-in Which? members can view the best tin openers from our tests.
Argos Home Stainless Steel Can Opener
Available from Argos (£5)
Most recently tested January 2025
Need to know Can be used as a bottle opener
Chef Aid Butterfly Can Opener
Most recently tested January 2022
Need to know Can be used as a bottle opener
Culinaire MagiCan Can Opener
Most recently tested January 2022
Everest Left-Handed Tin Opener
Available from AnythingLeftHanded.co.uk (£9.95)
Most recently tested January 2025
Need to know Can be used as a bottle opener
Ikea 365+ Vardefull Can Opener
Available from Ikea (£5)
Most recently tested January 2025
Need to know Can be used as a bottle opener
Ikea Koncis
Available from Ikea (£4)
Most recently tested January 2022
Need to know Can be used as a bottle opener
John Lewis Stainless Steel Can Opener
Available from John Lewis (£8)
Most recently tested January 2025
Joseph Joseph Can-Do Compact Can Opener
Most recently tested January 2025
Need to know Has quick-release button
Joseph Joseph Can-Do Plus Can Opener
Most recently tested January 2025
Need to know Has a quick-release button
Joseph Joseph Pivot 3-in-1 Can Opener
Available from Amazon (£15)
Most recently tested January 2022
Need to know Can be used as a ring pull opener and bottle opener
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Kuhn Rikon Auto Safety Master Opener
Most recently tested January 2022
Need to know Can be used as a ring pull opener, bottle opener, stuck jar opener or one-press lid ejection
Millbrook Healthcare Multi Use Tin Opener
Available from Millbrook Healthcare (£7.14)
Most recently tested January 2025
Need to know Can be used as a bottle opener, ring pull opener or jar opener
Oxo Good Grips Soft Handled Can Opener
Most recently tested January 2022
Need to know Can be used as a bottle opener
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ProCook Can Opener
Available from ProCook (Out of stock)
Most recently tested January 2022
Need to know Can be used as a bottle opener
ProCook Safety Can Opener
Available from ProCook (Out of stock)
Most recently tested January 2025
Worktop electric tin openers from our tests
Electric tin openers could be your best option if you don't have good dexterity or strength in your hands. We tested four worktop electric can openers to see how they compare. These sit on your worktop to make it easier - in theory - to open tins.
Only logged-in Which? members and free account owners can view the tin opener test results.
Register for free to get instant access to our test results and Best Buy recommendations.
| Worktop electric tin opener | Price | Score | Ease of opening a tin | Ease of disposing of the lid |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Sign up to unlock for free Get instant access to these results, plus more reviews of household essentials, by signing up for a free account. Unlock tableAlready have an account? | 95% | |||
| 80% | ||||
| 75% | ||||
| 61% |
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Date tested: January 2025 and January 2022. Price and availability last checked February 2026. We are not able to show every retailer and cheaper prices may be available.
The tin openers we tested are listed in alphabetical order below.
Only logged-in Which? members can view the best tin openers from our tests.
Cookworks Can Opener
Available from Argos (£17)
Most recently tested January 2022
Need to know 25 x 15 x 13cm (H x W x D), can also be used as a bottle opener
Judge Electric Can Opener
Most recently tested January 2025
Need to know 23 x 12 x 8cm (H x W x D), can also be used as a bottle opener and knife sharpener
Kenwood Electric Can Opener
Most recently tested January 2025
Need to know 25 x 9 x 10cm (H x W x D), can also be used as a bottle opener and knife sharpener
Morphy Richards 3-in-1 Electric Tin Can Opener
Available from Morphy Richards (£29.99) and The Range (£29.99)
Most recently tested January 2025
Need to know 25 x 9 x 12cm (H x W x D), can also be used as a bottle opener and knife sharpener.
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Hands-free electric tin openers
Hands-free electric tin openers are another type of can opener you might reach for if you don't have good dexterity or strength in your hands. They tend to be smaller, and so take up less storage space than worktop electric tin openers, although are still usually more bulky than non-electric tin openers.
Only logged-in Which? members and free account owners can view the tin opener test results.
Register for free to get instant access to our test results and Best Buy recommendations.
| Hands-free electric tin openers | Price | Score | Ease of opening a tin | Ease of disposing of the lid |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Sign up to unlock for free Get instant access to these results, plus more reviews of household essentials, by signing up for a free account. Unlock tableAlready have an account? | 85% | |||
| 84% | ||||
| 84% | ||||
| 81% | ||||
| 79% | ||||
| 66% |
Sign up to unlock for free
Get instant access to these results, plus more reviews of household essentials, by signing up for a free account.
Unlock tableAlready have an account?
Log in
Date tested: January 2025 and January 2022. Page last checked: February 2026. We are not able to show every retailer and cheaper prices may be available.
The tin openers we tested are listed in alphabetical order below.
Only logged-in Which? members can view the best tin openers from our tests.
Cooks Professional Automatic Can Opener
Most recently tested January 2025
Need to know Requires 4xAA batteries (not included)
Culinaire One Touch Can Opener
Our score and verdict 81%, Worth a look
Most recently tested January 2025
Need to know Requires 2xAA batteries (not included)
JML Hands Free Automatic Can Opener
Most recently tested January 2022
Need to know Requires 2xAA batteries (not included)
Kitchen Mama Electric Tin Opener
Most recently tested January 2022
Need to know Requires 4xAA batteries (not included)
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ProCook Electric Can Opener
Available from ProCook (£15)
Most recently tested January 2025
Need to know Requires 4xAA batteries (not included)
Zyliss Easican Electric Can Opener
Available from Sports Direct (£18)
Most recently tested January 2022
Need to know No additional features
Which? Don't Buy tin openers
Our tests uncover the best and the worst. If a product performs so poorly that we think you should avoid it, we name it a Don't Buy.
We've tested three tin openers that we've named Don't Buys. Log in to find out which they are.
Only logged-in Which? members can view the tin opener test results.
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How we test tin openers
A good tin opener will feel effortless to use, bite easily onto the top of a can and also allow for easy disposal of the lid into the bin.
Two left-handers and two right-handers put the bestselling tin openers to the test, assessing them on the factors below.
We buy all the tin openers we test. We regularly revisit the tin openers on sale to see if there are any more popular models that need testing and when we find them we do.
Ease of opening a tin
We use each tin opener to open four tins of soup. The best tin openers require less effort, bite into tins easily and leave the lid with no sharp edges.
Our testers also wear Cambridge Simulation Gloves to identify any tin openers that are particularly easy to use for those who have limited movement in their hands.
Disposing of the lid
Testers rate how easy it is to dispose of the sharp lid once they've opened the tin.
The best tin openers grip the lid firmly until you eject it over the bin, whether with a button or by opening the arms of the tin opener. The worst require you to get your fingers messy and potentially cut them on the lid.
Compactness
We measure each tin opener to rate how much kitchen drawer space they take up. The more compact the tin opener, the better.
Build quality
All tin openers are rated for the quality of the materials and how well they are put together.
Why you can trust us: at Which? we're free from manufacturer and retailer influence. Find out more about our impartiality and how your support helps us to stay editorially independent.
Should you buy an electric tin opener?
Manual tin openers can be difficult to use if you don't have the dexterity or strength in your hands to operate them.
We tested several worktop electric can openers and some hands-free ones too, and found several good options.
If you don't have spare countertop space for a worktop tin opener, then the manual electric tin openers we tested are a brilliant alternative and will store snugly away in a kitchen drawer.
How to use a tin opener
During testing, a keen debate ensued on the best way to open a tin can.
Should you place the cutting wheel inside the lip of the tin so it cuts around the inner circle? Or should it go on the underside of the lip so that it slices off the entire lid?
Most tin openers will allow both methods, but some are better at one way than the other.
The truth is, it doesn't really matter which way you do it – both methods work. But ask your nearest and dearest how they open a tin, and you might be surprised by their answer.
Do you need a left-handed tin opener?
Not really. If you're left-handed, you may find yourself crossing your hands to open a tin, so a left-handed tin opener may seem tempting. We tested one specifically for left-handed use - the Everest Left-Handed Tin Opener - but it wasn't preferred by the left-handed members of our panel.
Their favourite was the best tin opener in our test, the Joseph Joseph Can-Do Compact. This manual tin opener is just as suitable for right or left-handers.