You've probably been using can openers your whole life, cutting into metal lids, watching them fall into the can, then fishing them out while attempting to avoid the sharp edges. Now, what if we told you there's a better (and safer) way to open a can? Chef Eric James shared a video on TikTok (@culinarymisfits) demonstrating an alternate technique that, in our opinion, is a superior one.
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All it comes down to is the way you're holding the can opener. Instead of holding it upright to cut into the lid of the can, you'll want to turn it on its side, which allows you to cut into the side of the can.
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This way, the piece that's removed by the can opener retains the lip of the canister, eliminating the risk of the lid falling in and keeping the edge nice and dull.
James does, however, point out something important — while the lid no longer has the sharp edge, the body of the can now does, so you'll still need to be careful.
However, it's far easier to hold a can with sharp edges than it is to fish out a lid with sharp edges, and it reduces your risk of an accident.
But commenters on the TikTok video point out a few flaws with this method of opening cans. "Use caution with this method," writes one user. "If you're opening something with a lot of liquid that's filled to the top, it spills all over the place!"
"Every time I do that I have to take the label off first because it shaves a string of label paper into the can," adds another person.
At the end of the day, it all comes down to personal preference — as long as the can be opened with all of your fingers intact, that's all that matters.