Amco Swing-A-Way 107RD Compact Can Opener, Red

by Amco

Product Features

• Compact for easy storage
• Comfortable to hold
• Cuts cans quickly and easily
• Durable metal construction
• 5-year warranty

Product Details

• Product Dimensions: 8.5 x 3 x 1 inches ; 9.6 ounces
• Shipping Weight: 1 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Shipping: This item is also available for shipping to select countries outside the U.S.
• ASIN: B001CD9DES
• Item model number: 107RD
• Average Customer Review: 3.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (7 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #37,096 in Kitchen & Dining (See Top 100 in Kitchen & Dining)

Product Description

Since 1938 swing-a-way can openers have proven to be the highest quality, most dependable can openers on the market. Consumers recognize swing-a-way for value and performance. The swing-a-way compact can opener is sized so that it is comfortable to hold and fits easily in your kitchen drawer or crock. It cuts easily and quickly through all types of cans.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Does everything a can opener should!, April 8, 2009

By 

Modern Blue Argonaut - See all my reviews
(TOP 500 REVIEWER)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Amco Swing-A-Way 107RD Compact Can Opener, Red (Kitchen)

Unless you're suffering from arthritis, I have never understood why people buy electric can openers. They're noisy, they take up counter space, and they require electricity so they must be placed by an outlet.

I have always been happy with Swing-A-Way can openers, and just replaced my old one of eight years with this one. The grip is better than cheaper made ones you would find at dollar stores and this is the compact version so it stores neatly in my utensil drawer without being an eyesore on my countertop.

Also, surprisingly, this can opener is proudly stamped, "Made in USA".

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars 25+ years and still working perfectly!, February 11, 2010

By 

Margaret Picky - See all my reviews
(TOP 1000 REVIEWER)   

This review is from: Amco Swing-A-Way 107RD Compact Can Opener, Red (Kitchen)

NOTE: This is the smaller opener for people with smaller hands. The mechanism is the same. The full-sized model can be found here: Amco Swing-A-Way 407WH Portable Can Opener, White.

I bought one of these in 1982. It still works as well as it did 25 years ago. The white handle is off-white now instead of bright white, and the blade and gear area isn't shiny. Back then cat-food cans with pop-tops were not the norm, so pulling it out of the drawer was the signal for the cat to go nuts.

It cost half of what you have to pay now, but in inflation-adjusted dollars, it may be cheaper. You couldn't buy an electric can opener back then for the same price, they were much more expensive, but they were made to last, too. Certainly the quality appears to be as good now as it was then. Definitely a lifetime purchase. Cheaper can openers may be available, but do they work as well? Looking over the top-selling manual can openers on Amazon, many appear to be knock-offs of this one.

Why would you buy an electric opener which takes up space on the counter or in the cabinet, has to be plugged in, can break down, and uses more resources to manufacture? Not to mention how unpleasant it is to have to try to hold that spinning can and operate an electric opener and not cut yourself all at the same time.

You can wash out the mechanism with hot soapy water or even use a little Bon Ami and an old toothbrush every once in a while, just shake out the water and make sure it dries out well. I probably wouldn't run it through the dishwasher or soak it.

Pros:
* Works very well at opening cans, easy to use.
* Well made, long-lasting.
* Takes up little drawer space, no counter space, and doesn't occupy an electrical socket.
* Well-priced.
* Easy to clean.
* Wise use of environmental resources in materials for manufacturing, length of service, and energy in shipping and use compared to electric models.
* Good utilitarian industrial design.
* Works when the electricity is out.

Cons:
* Does not open cans with tight corners, like some rectangular sardine or terrine cans.
* May not be appropriate for people with severe arthritis or other manual disability--an electric may be better. But, this is a better manual model than the cheapies--has a soft plastic grips that only have to be squeezed in one plane and the turning mechanism is easy to grasp.
* If you don't pay attention, the lid might fall in the can. Never has been a problem for me, but you should always wash the top of a can before opening it, regardless.

Tips:
* Choose one of the colors other than white for the handle so it won't yellow because you will probably have it a long time.
* Makes a great useful and unexpected gift for graduating high school students or anyone establishing a household for the first time.

UPDATE: I checked at the store in February 2010 and I was very surprised to find that some were made in the China and some were made in the USA and were clearly labeled on the package with an American flag. More importantly, I closely examined and compared them and could see no difference other than "Made in USA" imprinted on the metal of the appropriate one. Everything else appeared to be identical. So regardless of how you feel about the place of manufacture, the quality is still there.

5 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Another one bites the dust..., June 18, 2010

By 

Robert Rhode "Bigger selection, better prices... (Yankton, SD United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Amco Swing-A-Way 107RD Compact Can Opener, Red (Kitchen)

First of all let me say that I've used Swing Away can openers since back when they were advertised as the can opener the astronauts used (you may remember back when American companies produced American products for American consumers). When my second regular sized opener finally died I was saddened to see that the current ones are made in China. When I saw that this compact version was still made here I decided to spend a couple bucks extra and go with the smaller model. So much for that plan. The "Made in U.S.A." stamp is no longer on this one either and when you look closely on the label the "Made in China" notation is there. It goes without saying that finish is much worse that on the old ones and the rivet holding the crank is extremely sloppy. So much for another good product.