OPEN SESAME

AMANDA JAYNE LEE goes on a quest to find the most effective can opener.

Portrait of Tammy Strobel

AMANDA JAYNE LEE goes on a quest to find the most effective can opener.

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SIMPLY HER EDITOR’S RAVE

CULINARE MAGICAN $12.90, from Tott.

The small and tidy tool is light, well-balanced, and cuts extremely smoothly. It’s at the top of the line-up for its simple appearance, affordable price and effectiveness. It snapped on quickly and I could tur n the handle with very little effort. I liked that it also cut outside the can, so I never had to worry about the lid falling into it. 10.

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LIFT OFF CAN OPENER $5.90, from Giant.

A no-frills can opener, it has an extremely light plastic body. The heavier handle weighed the head of the tool down, throwing off my grip slightly. But it did a credible job: It snapped onto the edge of the can easily but I needed to use more force than the other can openers to cut through the lid. Its small size makes it easy to store. 7.

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365+ VARDEFULL $9.90, from Ikea.

Its rubber-covered handles taper into a flat edge towards the end, making it easy to grasp and hold in place. A light squeeze helped make the initial cut and then all I had to do was tur n the handle until the lid was cut off. I like that it also comes with a bottle opener at the end. 8.

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JAMIE OLIVER CAN OPENER $28.90, from Tott.

Although this cut smoothly, it made for a complicated tool with its two-button system. There’s a wing-like button to lock the cutter into place and a small, flat one on the other side to unlock the wing. The position of the smaller button made it difficult to unlock the cutter with just one hand. Grasping the opener with one hand, I found that my thumb pushed against the small button to unlock the wing, but my other fingers worked against the motion, pushing the wing back into place , creating an impasse. 6.

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HOME PROUD CAN OPENER $11.90, from Fairprice.

Taking off the cutter’s plastic guard was a little dangerous. It was firmly locked in place and I needed to use quite a bit of strength to pull it off – I was afr aid I’d slip and cut my fingers. The bulky shape made holding it quite difficult but it cut smoothly and quickly. 7.

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SIMPLY HER GREAT FIND.

ZYLISS LOCK-N-LIFT CAN OPENER $33.90, from Tott.

This was the most er gonomic of the lot. The flat, rubberised handles gave it a good gr ip, while the lock function made it effortless to press the handles down. It cut easily and quickly, and was the sharpest of the lot. Its only flaw is that the rounded blade sticks out at an angle , and far enough that it can be used as a paper cutter. Not the safest for kids. 9.