The Coolest, Simplest Can Opener We’ve Seen

Does anyone own this kitchen gadget? It’s a can opener from Rösle, and it’s not new, but we recently used it at a friend’s house and loved it (as much as one can love a can opener). In fact, it’s so streamlined and nifty that we stared for 15 minutes, sure it was a can opener but with no idea how to use it. Here’s the deal…

It’s smaller than a traditional can opener, and while it has a handle that you wind (our tip that it was, in fact, the can opener), it doesn’t have the normal sharp wheels that overlap to grip and cut the top of a can. There’s no clamping and listening for the “click” that lets you know the blade has popped the surface.

Instead, there’s a little metal lip that unseals the top of the can from the outside edge. It’s quiet and safe and so civilized. When you’re finished, you just lift off the top of the can—no sharp edges.

When we asked our friend how she found it, she said she walked into a kitchen store and asked the salesperson what his favorite gadget was in the whole place. He said this can opener, and she bought it.

• Rösle Can Opener, $37 from Williams-Sonoma

If you are trying to declutter, this may be the last thing you need. But if you’re stocking a new kitchen (especially one with accident-prone cooks) or maybe looking for a cool gift, we’d highly recommend this can opener.

Related: Hot or Not? Can Colander/Strainer

(Image: Williams-Sonoma)