Easy-Grip Can Openers for Arthritic Hands: Our Top 4

Hands-free electric and easy-grip manual can openers that don't need a strong squeeze or twist. Our picks for the best can openers for arthritis from Proctor Silex, Cuisinart, Kitchen Mama and OXO, with test notes.

By Amanda RobertsUpdated October 30, 2026How we pick products

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A standard can opener asks a lot of your hands: a hard squeeze to pierce the lid, then a firm grip while you twist the knob around and around. With arthritis, carpal tunnel or just weaker hands, that’s often the hardest part of making dinner.

The easiest choice is an electric opener that does the work for you. If you’d rather go manual, look for big, cushioned handles and a smooth-edge design.

Compare at a glance

Test notes are from TODAY's electric can opener testing on 8-, 15- and 28-ounce cans, and Food & Wine's can opener testing. Prices are typical October 2026 prices.

1. Proctor Silex Automatic Electric Can Opener: Best overall

Best for: Almost anyone who struggles with a manual opener.

TODAY’s testers named this their best handheld electric can opener. You set it on top of the can, press the button, and it lines itself up, travels around the rim and stops on its own. It made a clean, smooth cut even on a 28-ounce can and earned a perfect score for ease of use. It’s rechargeable and cordless, so there’s nothing to plug in on the counter. Instead of a magnet, a small latch holds the lid, which testers found more reliable.

What bugs us: It’s a little noisy, and you have to remember to charge it.

Skip it if: you want an opener that lives on the counter and never needs charging.

2. Cuisinart Deluxe Electric Can Opener: Best countertop electric

Best for: People who open a lot of cans and want a plug-in opener.

The Cuisinart was TODAY’s best countertop electric. Hook the can under the blade, press the lever once, and it opens hands-free, quietly and quickly, then stops on its own. A magnet holds the lid. It handled the big 28-ounce can without trouble.

What bugs us: It left a more jagged edge than the Proctor Silex, and the magnet can splatter liquid when the lid pops off. The setup instructions were long. It needs an outlet, so it won’t work in a power outage.

Skip it if: counter space is tight.

3. Kitchen Mama Auto Electric Can Opener: Most compact electric

Best for: Small kitchens and anyone who wants an opener that works without an outlet.

Food & Wine named the Kitchen Mama its best electric can opener and said it’s well suited to people with arthritis, carpal tunnel or mobility issues. It clips onto the lid and runs with one button, so you don’t hold anything while it works. It’s small enough to keep in a drawer, and the side-cutting design leaves a smooth edge.

What bugs us: It runs on 4 AA batteries, which aren’t included, and it stops working when they run down. Rechargeable AAs help.

Skip it if: you don’t want to deal with batteries.

4. OXO Good Grips Smooth Edge Can Opener: Best manual

Best for: People with mild hand pain who prefer a manual opener.

OXO’s Good Grips line was famously designed with arthritic hands in mind. Food & Wine recommends this model for arthritic hands and weak wrists: the long, curved arms are cushioned, and the big soft knob takes less effort to turn. It cuts around the side of the can, so the lid comes off with a smooth edge, and built-in pliers lift the lid so your fingers don’t have to.

What bugs us: Side-cutting openers take a few tries to get the hang of. And it’s still manual: you have to turn the knob.

Skip it if: turning a knob hurts. Choose an electric.

How we picked

We relied on TODAY’s electric can opener testing, which scored performance, noise, ease of use and cleaning on three can sizes with input from a physical therapist, and Food & Wine’s testing of manual and electric openers over several weeks. We focused on:

• Hands-free operation
• Grip and effort for manual models
• Edge safety
• Reliability on different can sizes
• Storage and power

We haven’t tested these openers ourselves. Read more about how we pick products.

Tips for easier cans

• Buy pull-tab cans when you can, and use a spoon handle under the tab to lift it instead of your fingernail.
• Set the can on a damp towel so it doesn’t slide.
• Pick smooth-edge openers to avoid cuts if your grip slips.

Jars are the other common struggle. See the best jar openers for seniors and our roundup of kitchen tools for arthritic hands.

Common questions

What’s the easiest can opener for arthritis? A hands-free electric. You set it on the can and press one button.

Are smooth-edge can openers safer? Yes. They cut the side of the can, so neither the lid nor the can has a sharp edge.

Do electric can openers work on all cans? Most standard cans, yes. Some struggle with very small or dented cans, or with pull-tab lids.