How to open a can with one hand
Quick answer: Buy pull-tab cans where you can and brace each one on a damp cloth or in a drawer before you lift the ring. For cans that need an opener, the hand-crank kind needs two hands; an electric one that sits on top of the can doesn't.
Not quite your situation? Opening cans with a weak grip or see every reason opening cans gets hard.
A hand-crank opener needs one hand squeezing its arms shut around the rim and the other turning the key. A pull-tab lid is closer to one-handed, but the can slides or tips as you lever the ring up and then peel the lid back toward you. Both ways, something other than your hand has to hold the can.
Try this first (no purchase)
- Switch to ring-pull cans. Soup, tuna, beans, tomatoes, fruit and pet food often come in a pull-tab version, sometimes for a few cents more. Check the tops on the shelf, stock up on those, and keep opener-only cans for when someone else is around.
- Pin the can down. Set it on a damp dishcloth pushed into the back corner of the counter, where the backsplash stops it sliding, or trap it in a partly closed drawer as you would a jar. If you're sitting, hold it between your knees with a folded towel for grip.
- Lift the ring with a spoon. The first lift is the hardest part. Slide the tip of a spoon handle under the ring and lever it up until the lid cracks, then hook a finger through the ring for the rest.
- Peel slowly and keep clear of the edge. Pull the lid back in one slow, steady arc rather than a quick yank, which can jerk the can and splash what's inside. The cut edge and the rim are sharp, so touch only the ring, and drop the lid straight into the trash.
What actually helps
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Our pick
Cuisinart one-touch electric can opener
Electric can opener
$19.95 price as of Sep 27, 2026 at 4:47 pm ET
Check price on Amazon (opens new tab)- Why it works
- Put the can under the cutter and press once: it cuts all the way round by itself, so there is no crank to turn with a second hand.
- Who it won't suit
- It lives on the counter near an outlet, and none of our quotes come from one-handed users, so check that you can seat the can under the cutter with one hand.
What reviewers report
Reviewers whose hands ached after years of using a manual opener, and others with wrist pain or arthritis, say the countertop unit takes that part of the job away. — Our summary of customer reviews on Amazon · read the reviews (opens new tab)
Cheaper option
Handheld one-touch electric can opener
Electric can opener
$13.99 price as of Sep 27, 2026 at 4:47 pm ET
Check price on Amazon (opens new tab)- Why it works
- One reviewer who broke their right arm couldn't open cans one-handed; this one sits on the can and cuts all the way round once you hold the button for 2 seconds.
- Who it won't suit
- It won't open frameless or odd-shaped cans, and the can itself may need bracing on a damp cloth so it doesn't slide while the opener runs.
What reviewers report
One reviewer with a newly broken arm describes opening a can single-handed as impossible before this, and others with limited hand strength say it takes very little effort. — Our summary of customer reviews on Amazon · read the reviews (opens new tab)
Cordless, no counter space
Canslab rechargeable side-cut can opener
Electric can opener
$34.98 price as of Sep 27, 2026 at 4:47 pm ET
Check price on Amazon (opens new tab)- Why it works
- Charged over USB-C, it sits on the can and goes around by itself, cutting the side of the lid so the edge is smooth; reviewers with arthritis and carpal tunnel use it.
- Who it won't suit
- It needs recharging (about 120 cans per charge, the maker says), won't open rimless soda cans, and costs more than plug-in models.
What reviewers report
Reviewers with carpal tunnel or arthritis in both hands say they cannot work a hand crank at all, and that this one travels around the can by itself once it is set. — Our summary of customer reviews on Amazon · read the reviews (opens new tab)
What not to buy for opening cans with one hand
- Hand-crank and butterfly can openers — you squeeze the arms together on the rim with one hand and turn the key with the other, and there's no way to do both at once.
- Countertop openers the can hangs from — you hold the can up to the cutter while pressing the lever down, which is two jobs at once, and short cans may not reach the counter to rest on. The kind that sits on top of the can avoids this.
- Pull-tab lifters on their own — they give weak fingers leverage under the ring, but the can still needs holding. A spoon and a braced can do the same job.
Buying this for someone else?
- Which hand is free, and is it their writing hand? Someone left with their non-dominant hand will find fine tasks harder than you might guess. Scissors and some knives are made for right or left hands, so check before ordering.
- Weeks, or for good? For a cast or sling, cheap and portable makes sense. After a stroke, an amputation or with a limb difference, tools that mount to a counter or cabinet are worth the setup.
- Where it would go. Mounted openers need a flat cabinet underside and screws, which renters may not be allowed to fit. Suction tools need a smooth counter. Look at the kitchen or bathroom before you order.
- What's already in the drawer. Ask what they've tried and whether an occupational therapist has already given them something. Most people have a gadget that didn't work, and knowing why it failed is the most useful thing you can learn.