Amco 407 Swing-A-Way Portable Can Opener - Assorted Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)I bought one of these in 1982. It still works as well as it did 25 years ago. The white handle is off-white now instead of bright white, and the blade and gear area isn't shiny. Back then cat-food cans with pop-tops were not the norm, so pulling it out of the drawer was the signal for the cat to go nuts.
It cost half of what you have to pay now, but in inflation-adjusted dollars, it may be cheaper. You couldn't buy an electric can opener back then for the same price, they were much more expensive, but they were made to last, too. Certainly the quality appears to be as good now as it was then. Definitely a lifetime purchase. Cheaper can openers may be available, but do they work as well? Looking over the top-selling manual can openers on Amazon, many appear to be knock-offs of this one.
Why would you buy an electric opener which takes up space on the counter or in the cabinet, has to be plugged in, can break down, and uses more resources to manufacture? Not to mention how unpleasant it is to have to try to hold that spinning can and operate an electric opener and not cut yourself all at the same time.
You can wash out the mechanism with hot soapy water or even use a little Bon Ami and an old toothbrush every once in a while, just shake out the water and make sure it dries out well. I probably wouldn't run it through the dishwasher or soak it.
Pros:
* Works very well at opening cans, easy to use.
* Well made, long-lasting.
* Takes up little drawer space, no counter space, and doesn't occupy an electrical socket.
* Well-priced.
* Easy to clean.
* Wise use of environmental resources in materials for manufacturing, length of service, and energy in shipping and use compared to electric models.
* Good utilitarian industrial design.
* Works when the electricity is out.
Cons:
* Does not open cans with tight corners, like some rectangular sardine or terrine cans.
* May not be appropriate for people with severe arthritis or other manual disability--an electric may be better. But, this is a better manual model than the cheapies--has a soft plastic grips that only have to be squeezed in one plane and the turning mechanism is easy to grasp.
* If you don't pay attention, the lid might fall in the can. Never has been a problem for me, but you should always wash the top of a can before opening it, regardless.
Tips:
* Choose one of the colors other than white for the handle so it won't yellow because you will probably have it a long time.
* Makes a great useful and unexpected gift for graduating high school students or anyone establishing a household for the first time.
UPDATE: I checked at the store in February 2010 and I was very surprised to find that some were made in the China and some were made in the USA and were clearly labeled on the package with an American flag. More importantly, I closely examined and compared them and could see no difference other than "Made in USA" imprinted on the metal of the appropriate one. Everything else appeared to be identical. So regardless of how you feel about the place of manufacture, the quality is still there.

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