If you've never worked with one of these, you're in for a treat. The principle of virtually all other can openers is to pierce the skin of the can either on top or below the can-top seam and slice the metal open. This leads inevitably to scratches, slices on fingers and the rare, but occasional Worse. Not this one. It's unique method is to punch into the MIDDLE of that can top seam and make a cut with zero sharp edges. It works better than any other can opener I've ever seen. A tiny pincher allows you to pluck the lid off when you're done with the cutting operation, and you end up with a lid that fits back onto the can quite well. Of course, we throw both away when finished, but you can re-attach the lid to protect the contents if you stage your components before mixing and cooking as I do with chili. I bought this one because of my prior experience with one, as a gift for a friend. You might do the same

I had a 2 year old smooth edge opener that broke. I expected OXO to be a better product. I managed to make it work once. I read the instructions and followed them. It seems to be working, but doesn't cut. Two more tries and I will return it. I tried lots more than two times. Once out of every 3 or 4 times, it would cut. It is especially frustrating because you can't tell for sure that it isn't latched on. Whether it cuts or doesn't, it feels the same, you don't know that it has failed until you try to get the lid off. Oh, and the little hook doesn't work at all. The first one was an unknown brand. It worked much better and was half the price!

OXO products are usually cleverly designed and well made. This one might b just a one-off exception. I've seen these work well for years. But this one successfully opened just three cans. It made the fourth one leak, but failed to remove the lid. It is now unable to cut into a can and simply wanders off. Close examination reveals that the cutting edge is gone from the cutter wheel. Evidently, this cutter wheel was not hardened, and cutting the beads from three cans removed the cutting edge. It is simply gone, and assembly appears permanent so the wheel cannot be replaced. A failure not of a good design, but of quality control. More than twenty bucks wasted and I'm unwilling to risk a second try. SMH

This is hands down the best can opener I've ever used. A few years ago, I went to Target and snagged the previous design of this can opener for my mom for mother's day because she had an old, clunky can opener whose days were numbered and just made opening cans miserable.

This gadget not only makes opening cans a joke, but does it so well I -brag- about my can opener. Who does that?

Per the description, this does leave smooth edges on the open can so you are much less likely to injure yourself. You can choose to not finish the cut and just bend the lid open as well (this is my preference). My only dislike with this design is that it's a little awkward to detach from the can once you've finished the loop to open the can. This is really nitpicky so I wouldn't pay much mind to it. It just would have been nice to have a little thumb hook or something so you could remove the can opener one-handed.

We received one of these can openers as a wedding gift over ten years ago, and we loved it. Recently, the can opener stopped raising the lid of the cans all the way, so we ordered a new one. The replacement opened cans easily, but left a "needle" like sliver of metal on the cans (different brands/types of cans, still happened). We sent it back for a replacement, which was promptly done. We began using the new can opener, and, at first, it seemed just like our original, we were very excited. However, now, the can opener is leaving metal shavings all along the edge of the cans, a serious hazard with food stuffs. Unfortunately, we are outside the return window. I bought a generic "no sharp edges" can opener from our local grocery store, and have had no problems at all with it.

This is very disappointing for a product that we had loved for so long, I can only suppose that we got a bad batch from the manufacturer.