I have two Swing-A-Way can openers back in Utah. They are like true and trusted friends, solidly built and likely to outlast just about anything else in the kitchen.
Packed in box 2500 hundred miles away, they are useless to me. Here in Raleigh, yesterday, in an extended-stay motel, I needed to open a can of Bush’s Black Beans. The motel provided a useless prop of metal and plastic that has all the appearances of a can opener, but without any of the functionality. Shame on Chefmate. None of the parts are loose or damaged, but this thing will not open can of anything. It’s unreal that companies like Chefmate will spend the time to design and manufacture items that are essentially broken before they are even used. Again, shame on you Chefmate. I will make sure I don’t buy any of your other products either.
So, I went looking for a can opener that could open cans. Walmart isn’t the best place to look, but it was the closest. I didn’t expect to find a Swing-A-Way there as most of the Walmart’s kitchen gadgets are cheap and flimsy. What I did hope to find was a can opener like the one Cami has in her kitchen. It’s one of those that cuts the lid from the side so it comes off clean with no jagged or sharp edges. When she first showed me how to use hers I was skeptical. It took me a while to admit to myself that my favorite can opener had some flaws, and hers had some real benefits.
For sheer durability and reliability I would still put the Swing-A-Way up against anything out there. The biggest criticism against it is the fact that the cutting wheel makes contact with the contents of the can. I am not a germaphobe so this never held much sway with me. The floppy sharp lid was a much bigger annoyance.
The one I bought is by Farberware.
It’s goofy looking, but it really works. I don’t know yet how well it will hold up, but for now it’s awesome. I really like how I can put the lid back in place and it almost seals.