Old Appliance thread.

**Randi** · 10-09-2009, 06:30 AM

Can openeners, oh dear! I have a really old one I got from my mom, she must have it all her life. I think I'm the only one now who has such a can opener. Fister knows the sound of it too!

However, it seems that no one else can use it! Two times I've had people looking after Fister in my home, laid cans out on the kitchen counter, along with the can opener, but both of them didn't manage to get the can open.

**aTailOf2Kitties** · 10-09-2009, 08:20 AM

call me crazy but I really prefer the old-fashioned crank kind. They're quiet, don't use any electricity, and when you're done they're not taking up any counter space.

My mom has one of those little battery-oprated thingies that you put on top of the can. It's not great, but it's fun to watch as it jitterbugs around the top.

**happylabs** · 10-09-2009, 08:29 AM

Ha Ha...look what I found:

**pomtzu** · 10-09-2009, 08:34 AM

I have yet to find a decent electric can opener. I can't even remember how many I've gone thru. So last year I thought I'd buy a good one - Cuisinart - can't get much better than that - right? Wrong! It's as big a piece of junk as the cheaper ones. It drops cans and makes a horrible noise when it does half way work. Many a time I've come close to chucking it out the back door.

My arthritic hands don't allow me to use a manual hand crank type, so now I'm just going to get one of the battery operated ones that walks around the top of the can. It can't be any worse than all the others that I've sent to their graves!

**Freedom** · 10-09-2009, 10:36 AM

Hmm, wonder what is up with all those bad can openers? Are you folks checking Consumer Reports before you get one?

I've had the under mount one for years! Only replaced it last year when we redid the kitchen, to swap the color.

They last forever, here.

Now don't get me started on the hand crank ones, they are horrid!

**Taz_Zoee** · 10-09-2009, 11:57 AM

Originally Posted by Freedom

Hmm, wonder what is up with all those bad can openers? Are you folks checking Consumer Reports before you get one?

I've had the under mount one for years! Only replaced it last year when we redid the kitchen, to swap the color.

They last forever, here.

Now don't get me started on the hand crank ones, they are horrid!

Yes! My mom has had the under the cabinet opener for years too. I think she did replace it once (over the course of probably 20 years). But it's still going strong. Before that we had an old on the counter one (it was beautiful butter yellow to match the kitchen, does that tell you how old it was?) and it lasted forever too. I guess they don't make things like they used to.
At my house we use the hand crank one. Not enough counter space for an eletric one. And not really any over head cabinets to attach it to either.

**Grace** · 10-09-2009, 11:58 AM

Originally Posted by pomtzu

I have yet to find a decent electric can opener. I can't even remember how many I've gone thru. So last year I thought I'd buy a good one - Cuisinart - can't get much better than that - right? Wrong! It's as big a piece of junk as the cheaper ones. It drops cans and makes a horrible noise when it does half way work. Many a time I've come close to chucking it out the back door.

My arthritic hands don't allow me to use a manual hand crank type, so now I'm just going to get one of the battery operated ones that walks around the top of the can. It can't be any worse than all the others that I've sent to their graves!

I had a Cuisinart, a tall one, and it got rusty!!

Now I have a Rival that I can raise if needed for tall cans. My favorite of all times was a Black & Decker cordless. I bought a couple, and they lasted me for almost 20 years. Now I can't find them any longer

My husband's favorite was one by Krup - the kind that cut the entire top off, so no sharp edges. It died, and Krup doesn't make them anymore.

Oh yeah, I usually take my old stuff to the dump and throw it in the appropriate pit. Great fun!!

**pomtzu** · 10-09-2009, 12:35 PM

Originally Posted by Grace

I had a Cuisinart, a tall one, and it got rusty!!

Now I have a Rival that I can raise if needed for tall cans. My favorite of all times was a Black & Decker cordless. I bought a couple, and they lasted me for almost 20 years. Now I can't find them any longer

My husband's favorite was one by Krup - the kind that cut the entire top off, so no sharp edges. It died, and Krup doesn't make them anymore.

I had that same Black & Decker rechargeable - had it for years until I dropped it and broke it and couldn't find another.

I also had one that cut the top off with no sharp edges, but it only worked on certain cans. Another big waste, but don't remember the brand.

My Cuisinart isn't rusty - just crappy!

**Pinot's Mom** · 10-09-2009, 02:08 PM

Nothing beats the Swing-a-way manual can opener. I have never used anything else. I was given an under the counter electric MANY years ago, it never opened anything right, it was tossed almost immediately. Even with my hands (which are not in the best shape), the Swing-a-way can't be beat!

**Karen** · 10-09-2009, 02:22 PM

I have the little hand-crank one, works fine, and we have somewhat limited counter space so it's perfect.

Old appliances in this particular house seem to have never been thrown away before Paul and I bought the place. I found not one but four old toasters, one in the "spare bedroom" just waiting for someone to fix them. NOT! In the event that an appliance dies, I can take it over to the recycle depot for someone else to take apart and salvage bits.

**slick** · 10-11-2009, 11:17 PM

Originally Posted by aTailOf2Kitties

call me crazy but I really prefer the old-fashioned crank kind. They're quiet, don't use any electricity, and when you're done they're not taking up any counter space..

Me too!!! I hate those electric ones - I can never get the can to sit just right for the teeth to grab it. Give me a crank one any time.