Kitchen Appliance Experts Say These Are the 4 Best Electric Can Openers

To find the best electric can openers, we run each model through the same series of tests in the Good Housekeeping Institute Kitchen & Cooking Lab to assess performance and ease of use.

✔️ Ease of use tests: While using the products, we evaluate how easy it is to attach and remove cans and lids. We consider ease of cleaning, smoothness of cuts, stability, and useful features such as auto shut-off, cord length, and cord storage.

✔️ Upright vs. handheld: Upright openers require more space and often need to be plugged in, but they’re sturdy, often faster, and can handle large, heavy cans. Handheld models are easier to store and can often be operated hands-free, but they need charging and often take longer to open cans. If you only use a can opener occasionally, a compact handheld model is a great choice. Frequent canned food users might prefer a reliable upright model.

✔️ Top cut vs. side cut: Top-cut can openers pierce the lid just inside the rim of the can from above, which can leave a sharp edge. Top-cut lids can help drain liquid from a can without a sieve, but because the blade comes into contact with the food, they need to be cleaned thoroughly after each use. Side-cut openers cut under the edge of the lid and leave a smooth rim; this style also opens pull-tab cans if you have trouble lifting and pulling. Side-cut can openers don’t make contact with the food, so they often stay cleaner, but they can make draining cans without a sieve more awkward.

Handheld and stand-up models are operated slightly differently.

To use a handheld model, place the can opener on top of the can, positioning the can's lip between the gear and the cutting piece. Once placed, press the Power button and let it run. The opener applies pressure and does the gripping and turning for you. If the placement is off or misaligned, you can usually tell quickly, as the machine won’t move around the rim of the can or will continuously spin without cutting.

Stand-up models have a blade, a magnet, and a lever. You lift the lever, place the can under the blade and magnet, and lower the lever to lock it in place. The opener will automatically start turning and cutting until the lid is severed, or, in the case of our pick from Hamilton Beach, you’ll have to press down on the lever until it’s done cutting. When cutting is complete, you can grab the can, lift the lever, and the lid should stick to the magnet.

Unlike manual can openers, electric can openers can't be submerged in water or tossed in the dishwasher. Giving it a quick cleaning after each use will prevent food buildup and stuck-on residue. Before cleaning a stand-up electric can opener, ensure it’s unplugged.

Use a damp cloth to remove any food particles from the exterior. Be careful cleaning the blade to avoid cutting yourself; a small bristle brush or pipe cleaner with a dab of dish soap and warm water can remove stuck-on food and residue. Some levers can be removed and washed by hand, but check the user manual first.

Lizzy Briskin is a contributor in the Good Housekeeping Institute Kitchen & Cooking Lab, where she tests everything from knives to ice machines. She's a trained chef and recipe developer, and she performed the latest round of testing for this story.

Nicole Papantoniou is the director of the Kitchen & Cooking Lab. She oversees all kitchen product testing and content, and she created the testing methodology for the electric can openers in this guide. Though she prefers a handheld opener, she agrees that an electric model is efficient.