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How to open a can without a can opener (safely): Use one of these three methods

Clare Mulroy   Paste BN

Canned goods are a great pantry and camping staple – ideal for situations when you don’t have a fridge handy or need to stock up for the days and months ahead.

Canned soups and vegetables flew off the shelves during the early days of the pandemic, leaving metal manufacturers scrambling to speed up production. This consumer phenomenon is called “pantry-loading,” the New York Times reported in May 2020. 

Whether you’re still going through your stocked goods or on a camping trip without kitchen tools, we’ve compiled the best tips for opening cans safely without a can opener.

How to open a can without a can opener

Using a can opener is the easiest and most efficient way to open canned goods, but there are still ways to get your food out if yours is lost, broken or nonexistent. In fact, the first can opener wasn't patented until 1855, 50 years after people started storing food in cans. Early canned food enthusiasts used a chisel and a hammer to open their goods. And while you could try that, we've got three other tricks you might want to test out, first.

Even opening a can with a can opener leaves our hands vulnerable to sharp edges, so you’ll want to be extra careful when using these DIY methods, which will likely leave you with sharp, jagged metal.

How to open a can with a spoon

You can use a metal spoon and pressure to pop open a can if you’re in a pinch. Follow these instructions from DaveHax, but be careful not to cut yourself on sharp edges:

  1. Grip the spoon firmly with the scoop side down and facing you. Your palm should be covering the majority of the spoon. 
  2. Hold the can with your other hand and rub the spoon back and forth while pushing down. This should begin to form a groove on the lid of the can. 
  3. Once you’ve created a small hole in the can, use the edge of the spoon to cut around the rest of the top until you’re able to fold it over and get at the food. 

How to open a can with a pocket knife

You can also use a knife to open a can, though you should exercise caution with both the knife itself and the sharp edges of the can. Make sure your knife is clean because it’ll be touching the food inside the can. Here’s how to do it in a few steps, from CookingWithVianey:

  1. Place the sharp point of your knife on the inside edge of the can, keeping the knife straight vertically. 
  2. Holding the knife handle with one hand, use your other hand to hit the knife. You’ll want to use the hard part of your palm (either below your thumb or below your pinky finger, whichever is stronger). Wack the handle of the knife with your palm so it pushes into the can. You may have to do this a few times before you make an opening in the can.
  3. Once you create a slit in the can, pry it into a larger hole by pushing the handle down so the knife pushes against the inside top of the can and widens the hole.
  4. Keep the edge of the knife against the outside rim of the can and move the knife along, pushing up against the inside of the can’s lid to cut all the way around the can. 
  5. Cut enough so that you’re able to flip up the top, accessing the food inside. 

How to open a can with a kitchen knife

If you’re in the kitchen but lack a can opener, you can use a regular chef’s knife to open up a can. The sharper your knife is, the easier this will be. Here’s a safe method of cutting open a can with a knife, but you should always use caution to make sure your hands don’t get in the way: 

  1. Grip the flat side of the knife with your thumb, positioning the dull side of the blade against the part of your hand between your index finger and thumb. The sharp side of the knife should be facing away from you.
  2. Take the sharp, corner edge of the knife closest to the handle and puncture the top of the can.
  3. Push the punctured part of the can lid upward, deepening the hole you’ve created. 
  4. Continue puncturing the can and pushing the lid up, either by creating one continuous line or several punctures next to each other.
  5. When you’ve made it most of the way around, flip the lid up and enjoy your canned food.

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