How To Open Canned Goods Without A Can Opener

If you can pop open beer bottles with belt buckles and uncork wine bottles without a corkscrew in sight, you can also open cans without a can opener. Cans might seem like impenetrable containers of metal — after all, they are meant to preserve food for years on end — but they are also designed to be opened. Their lids are made from a material that is actually quite thin, pliable, and easy to peel back — even without a can opener. It may be more time-consuming and can require some patience and perseverance, but it can be done.

There are several ways to open canned food without can openers, but there are some things to be cautious about. Metal is an awfully sharp material, and without a specialized tool to cut it smoothly, you'll have plenty of rough and jagged ends on the can. While some methods are safer than others, it's best to be careful regardless, as these sharp metal edges can slice through fingers very easily. You'll also want to check the food inside when you're done — you don't want to accidentally ingest any stray metal splinters that may have fallen in there.

One of the quickest ways to open a can when you don't have an opener on hand is to use a knife. This can be a chef's knife or a paring knife (two of the only three knives you truly need in your kitchen arsenal), or even just a pocket knife. As long as it is sharp, it will get the job done.

Place the can on a non-slip surface and hold it tightly. Take the sharp, pointy end of the knife in the other hand and pierce it through the indented gap near the lip of the lid. The heavier and sturdier the knife, the easier it will be to poke that hole. Once you've punctured it, wedge the knife inside and slide it through the entire rim — this will essentially slice the lid off.

Though a quick and easy way to open a can in a pinch, always go slow when using this method. You're working with a sharp knife that can lead to bloody accidents, so be careful and precise when working your way through the can. Keep your hands as far away from the blade as possible so that you don't hurt yourself in case the knife slips. You can even cover the lid with a towel as you slice it with the knife. This will help ensure that you don't accidentally cut yourself in the process.

You may not have a can opener on hand, but what about a toolbox? You'll find several devices in there that can come to the rescue, including a flat-head screwdriver and a hammer. Think of the screwdriver as a chisel: Wedge it in that little indent where the lid meets the rest of the can, and strike it lightly at the top with the hammer. The screwdriver will quickly pierce through the lid and make a hole big enough for you to pour out the liquid contents of the can.

Keep driving the hammer into the screwdriver this way all around the rim if you'd like to take the lid off entirely and get to any solid food sitting inside. Just be sure to sanitize the tools first. One way to do so is to soak the hammer and screwdriver in water heated to 75 degrees Fahrenheit or higher. Take them out two minutes later, and they will be good to go.

A hammer and screwdriver aren't the only saviors sitting in your toolbox — you can also use a pair of pliers or a box cutter to open a can. A box cutter will work the same way as the knife and hammer-screwdriver methods, but pliers require a slightly different approach.

Begin by placing the can on a stable flat surface. Hold the can firmly with one hand, and use the other to work the pliers into it. Now there are two ways in which you can use the tool. The first method requires you to latch the pliers onto the lip of the can and twist it, repeating the process all around the container. You will soon see the top of the can lift up enough for you to pull it off entirely with the tool. This does require some elbow grease though, so another way to use pliers is to stab them directly into the lid until they pierce through the metal. You can then pull on the tool to peel back the lid.

Screwdrivers, hammers, pliers, and knives can seem like rather menacing tools to use for a paltry little can. After all, there are hazards to using them and you can easily injure yourself if you're not careful. Fret not, however, for not every method is as intimidating. One of the safest ways to open a can without a can opener is to just use a good ol' spoon instead! Be forewarned though: It requires patience, persistence, and a fair bit of elbow grease because you're trying to open metal with blunt silverware.

First, pick a strong and sturdy spoon (like a metal one, for instance). Anything made from plastic or wood, or that's frail and easy to break won't do. Now hold the spoon in that groove near the lip of the lid and move it back and forth over an inch or so in the same spot. Eventually, the metal in that little area will corrode enough for the spoon to pierce through — though you will have to use some pressure for it to do so. Once it pokes through, wedge the spoon inside the hole and use it to pull the lid off. You can even use a fork in its place: Simply stab it through the lid and drag it in a circle the way you would a can opener.

What if you need to open a can when you're out camping in the middle of nowhere? You don't have a can opener, a knife, or a sturdy spoon, and you most likely don't have any screwdrivers, hammers, and pliers on you either. All's not lost yet: As long as you find some sort of rough surface (rock, stone, concrete, you name it) you won't have to go to bed hungry.

The way this hack works is that you essentially want to use the rough surface as sandpaper to grind down the can until the lid pops free. You can either do this by laying the can horizontally and grinding the entire ridge along the side, or by turning it upside down and buffing the actual lid itself. Whichever one you choose, keep sanding the can until you notice moisture from inside seeping through — that's your sign that the metal has worn off enough. Quickly upright the can once it reaches that stage and press its sides until the lid pops off from the pressure.

This method is not without its risks, though. The rough surface that you find in your surroundings may not be hygienic or sanitary, so it's possible for your food to be contaminated with dust, dirt, and even metal shavings from all the grinding. Only use this method as a last resort when there's absolutely no other way for you to open a can.