Customer Reviews

Amco Swing-A-Way 407BK Portable Can Opener, Black

5 star:		(16)
4 star:		(5)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(2)
1 star:		(3)

 

 

My old Swingaway opener lasted decades. It finally got worn out and started to not completely open cans, especially right at the seam on the side of the can. My new Swingaway opened the first can perfectly. End of satisfaction. It failed to open the second can correctly, leaving me to pry the cover up with a bottle opener. It now - a month later - fails to open any can properly.

I don't know where the old one was made, but the new one is just another piece of "made in China" junk. Perhaps their quality control let a bad one through. All I know is the old maxim, Fool me once, shame on you; fool me twice, shame on me. I will not buy another Swingaway.

The same people who used to make the swing a way's (in USA) are making a can opener called Ez-Duz-It that is exactly like the swing a ways but they are made in USA and the better quality that we were accustomed to with the old swing a ways. They are being sold at Fantes.com currently for 6.99. I received mine and indeed it is exactly like my old swing a way except it doesn't have the bottle opener on the side, I can live with that.

Since 2008, models 107, 407, 709 and 6090 appear to be made in China and are inferior to the original which had "Made in USA" stamped on the metal arm.

I bought these to replace a more expensive unit bought at Walmart that wouldn't open a can if it were made of paper. This opener on the other hand, would open the cans like butter. It was smooth and fast. Best can opener I have ever owned and you can't beat the price. They are also not cheaply made and are very sturdy. Highly recommend.

I had an old model of this opener that was of very good manufacturing quality, which is why I decided to buy another of the same. The new one looked the same but did not seem to have as much heft or the same fit and finish as my older one. The vinyl handles slide off the frame and it seems flimsy when trying to open a can. The old opener was to the point that it was worn out and did not open cans as well as it had when I first got it. The new one opens cans in about the same manner as my old one did at the end of its usefullness. I hate to give a review when I'm not overly happy with a purchase.

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.

So much easier and cleaner than the electric opener, which now sits unused in the cupboard. Almost effortless can-opening.

Great can opener made with heavy duty materials. This isn't the cheap $1 junk you find at the local Walmart.

IF You Want to Open a Can the First Time this can opener is for you. My grandparents had one at their house while I was growing up, and when there was cooking going on while I was there I used to help my grandfather by opening the cans. Even as a child it was easy to open a can with this can opener. While looking for a can opener after the last two types I had bought were @#*I%^y, I can across this one and couldn't believe my eyes. My grandparents can opener, and this one has never failed me.

I bought this item not quite 5 months ago. It works extremely well. Opening cans is like cutting through hot butter. A couple of weeks after receiving this, I packed up my electric can opener and stored it in the basement because no one was using it anymore.

However, my can opener is already getting some rust spots. This is despite hand washing it, and not letting it soak in dishwater. Still, I like it well enough that I would probably buy the same brand again, but I am disappointed that it is rusting already.