One morning after getting out of bed, I made my way into the kitchen to find my child looking at the can opener in a funny way. He had tried to use only to find that it was not working. The can was stuck in the can opener and he was truly upset because he had really wanted his fruit. (Need to buy more of those fruit cups!) And he thought he had broken it and thus thinking I would be mad with him.
I looked at him and laughed for his look was so precious, of course I was not mad with him. But the can opener, well that was another problem! We all have experienced at one time or another our can openers dying on us. It can be very frustrating.
My son looking up at me with those blue eyes of his said to me, “But Mama all I did was put the can in it like you taught me and it wouldn’t work.” Taking my son into my arms, for he was really upset, I told him “I know son and it’s okay.” However, the can opener got a look to kill!
So what do you do to make your child happy? To make life easier in the household, (because an electric can opener was only made to make things easier in our lives, ) you go and buy another one.
However, I must say this and that it is a good thing to keep a manual can opener around, this way when the electric one breaks down you can still get those cans opened until you get a chance to get a new electric one! And sometimes a can will just simply not opened underneath an electric opener or will actually mess up, so a manual comes in handy in these types of situations.
When I choose a new electric can opener, and I have chosen a few in my lifetime, I like to look at the quality of the can opener and the price and I compare this with all the can openers. I always go for the price because I have learned that the most expensive one will work just as well as the cheaper one and the cheaper ones will last just as long as the more expensive ones.
When you get to any store you should certainly go to the household section because most stores will have their can openers on display for you to look at. And do just that, look at them, feel them, hold them, imagine them in your home. I’m serious, this is important in choosing your new can opener. If it is not going to look good in the home, then don’t get it! Because then you will not be happy with your purchase! Then you have to take it back and get another one, so why put yourself through that hassle? It’s just not worth it, so consider how your choice will look in your home!
I can remember when you could get a can opener in yellow, green, white or almond and they were pretty much shaped the same way. But over time the shapes of can openers have changed and the colors have as well. Of course you can still choose the white or the almond, but not so much the almond anymore, but you can also get black, purple, and yellow. These are to coordinate with the newer, modern kitchens! But for the older kitchens they look fine in as well!
I like to look at the blade of a can opener. I will actually take my finger and touch the blade gently. I will pick up the sample model and really look at the blade, but I will also look at the handle. I will lift it up and down to get a feel for it. If the can opener is to light weight I won’t buy it. I want one that will stand its ground when I put a large can of coffee underneath it! I want that will not tip over easily when my children use it! So I go for one with a little weight.
I also look at the ones that will extend upwards so that I can get those tall cans of Ravioli under it. And I like having a knife sharpener on my can opener. This of course I have to remember I have! Which is not always the case. I know several times I have used my husbands knife sharpeners then remembered there was one on the back of the can opener!
And you should shop around. For instance some of the Department Stores will carry the same can openers that the Discount Stores do and some of the Dollar Stores will have them even cheaper! So, don’t pay a higher price for the same can opener. I don’t know why it is that people think that they got a great product at the Department Store because they paid a high price for it, only to discover that they could have gotten one cheaper some where else! This makes no sense to me at all!
But most of all you need to look at your “needs” in buying a can opener. Don’t get something that you can’t afford, but what you can afford. And it doesn’t have to a name brand either. Look at the quality, but look at the price. And, sometimes when you buy the cheaper ones you get what you pay for. For instance, I have had a can opener that only cost my 5 bucks at the Dollar Store and it only lasted a few months. I have had can openers that have cost me 10 or 15 dollars that have lasted for a couple of years. And I have had the expensive ones that cost as much at 60 dollars that have only lasted a couple of years.
The best can opener I ever owned was the one given to me when I married many years ago. That can opener was that pookey yellow, but it lasted me ten years! The can openers made today are not made that well any more. But there are good ones out there and for a lot less than you may think!
Shop around! I can’t stress this enough! Get what you want within the budget you can afford!
I hope that this has helped in some kind of way.
God Bless!
©LKD 2002