Best Manual Can Opener for Everyday Use and Your Emergency Kit
Heads up: I own StashAndSet, a home and office shop that's linked below. The can openers themselves are Amazon picks, not StashAndSet products.
The quick answer: get the OXO Good Grips manual can opener. It's comfortable, it looks like a normal kitchen tool, and it works with no power, which matters when there's a storm. If you want to spend less, the Gorilla Grip is the budget pick, and it's a good one.
The short list
- OXO Good Grips Manual Can Opener: the one to buy if you want it to last and feel good in your hand every day.
- Gorilla Grip Manual Can Opener: the budget pick, and a good spare to stash in the emergency kit.
What I looked for
FEMA's Ready.gov supply kit checklist names a manual can opener right alongside water, food and a flashlight. It's easy to forget until the power is out and dinner is in a can. So I wanted something:
- You'd actually use on a regular weeknight, so you know it works.
- Comfortable to grip and turn, even for tired or arthritic hands.
- Small enough for a drawer or a go-bag.
- Normal-looking. It's a kitchen tool, not survival gear.
My advice is to keep one in the kitchen drawer and a second in your emergency kit, so you're never hunting for one in the dark.
Comparison
| Pick | Best for | Price range |
|---|---|---|
| OXO Good Grips | Daily use, comfort, longevity | $$ |
| Gorilla Grip | Budget, a spare for the kit | $ |
The bottom line
Buy the OXO for the kitchen. Grab a Gorilla Grip as the backup if you want to save money. For the rest of the list, I put together an everyday version of the Ready.gov emergency kit checklist and a longer manual can opener guide over at StashAndSet.
Not affiliated with or endorsed by FEMA or Ready.gov.