@cengland0 like they say it, if you can’t open it, you break it. You do get satisfaction of using worthless tool you bought. I see that breathlyzer they bought last time here is not working.
@cengland0 I usually just tap (tap! gently!) around the lid with a hammer and then use a rubber sheet to twist it off, I haven’t met a jar yet that would not yield its delicious contents this way. Especially Kühne pickles, which cannot be opened any other way.
@awk Try running it under hot water first. Equalizes the pressure or something. Safer, and you have a nice, clean jar. Usually works, the hammer’ s always there as backup. I use the big, heavy handle of the knife sharpener that came in my knife block on stubborn jars.
But seriously, I was on team #sideopener for a while, because newer=better right? But it would wear out after about a year. My top cutters wear out much slower. In fact I’ve had my current OXO old-fashioned can opener for ~10 years. Plus the side openers would leave bits of paper and stuff in the food.
@awk When I was growing up and the side cutters first came out my parents went through about one a year because the cutting wheel was made of mild steel and would dull down to a useless nub. When I moved out I bought a slightly nicer one and have been using it since, for almost 20 years now.
ReviewMeta published a blog post in which the two sites’ methodologies (including some pros and cons) are compared. It obviously isn’t impartial, but I found it fair and accurate.
@Rowsdower I don’t agree - I’ve run quite a few products past both, and I’ve found that ReviewMeta is overly simplistic (despite providing a lot more data on the page).
For example, in this case the manufacturer has had two products that fail their analysis for having fake reviews. You don’t even get a mention of this on the review page for this item.
Both are useful, but I’d rather stick items to a higher standard.
@jnanas the fakespot review for this specific product is a B. We do try to check that out and we also tested these babies out ourselves. I had to break into my end of the world/zombie apocalypse can stash.
That’s a handy feature, but it’s the scoring itself that I regard as flawed.
Those other products’ failing grades appear to stem primarily from compensated reviews (which Amazon permitted until recently), not fake ones. It’s an important distinction, as it can mean the difference exaggerated praise and outright fraud.
In either scenario, it’s sensible to deem such reviews unreliable. Both sites do. It’s how they handle (or don’t handle) the remaining data that varies fundamentally.
ReviewMeta discards the suspect feedback and recalculates the average rating based on the remaining reviews (in addition to its “pass”/“warn”/“fail” grade).
Conversely, when Fakespot assigns an “F” grade, it matters not whether the reliable reviews are favorable or unfavorable. If enough bad apples get in, the whole bunch is considered spoiled. A highly regarded product whose manufacturer solicited compensated reviews before Amazon barred the practice receives the same “F” grade as one that had 1-star reviews across the board until its average was artificially inflated by employees, relatives and friends who never touched the thing.
I won’t buy these, because I already own a can opener. But I will say that having owned the side-lifty type openers, I’ll never go back to a cutty-stabby type again.
@brhfl Although, being a lefty- one of my bosses bought me a left-handed can opener that is the old school stabby-style.
Interestingly, my righty SWMBO prefers that one because she has a left-sided strong hand d/t CTS in her right, and I like the right-handed side-opener because my right hand is stronger d/t left-handed nerve damage from a cervical disk.
@PhysAssist Speaking of handedness, this fascinates me. Imagine a pot drainer like this:
You hold it up against a pot to drain it of pasta or whatever. It has a lip on one side, so the hand that you: a) hold the drainer in and b) hold the pot in are prescribed. In the pictured instance, you hold the pot in the right hand and the drainer in the left hand. Is this a product for a left- or right-handed person?
I have the drainer pictured. My mother and I are both right-handed. I use this drainer just fine, but I brought it to my mother’s house once when we were cooking together, and she actually doubted herself in believing that I was right-handed. Reading the Amazon reviews, there’s like an even split of happy customers and ‘this is only for ____-handed users, useless for ____ies!’ from both sides! I don’t know why I find it so interesting. It’s just a colander for someone who hates doing dishes. But the disparity in handedness puzzles me…
@brhfl I don’t see where it would do any harm to have the lip on both sides and avoid that problem altogether. Is it cast or bent from a sheet of steel?
@djslack Totally agree, but then I’m not the one manufacturing them. I do believe it’s bent. I just think it’s really interesting that a product that forces one item to be held in one hand and another item to be held in the other reveals such a division on which item people use their dominant hand for.
@brhfl I agree with @djslack I own a plastic one like that and it has a lip on both sides. Plus it goes into the dishwasher with no problems on the top rack. If draining corn or other small pots we either use the lids or that strainer. For a big pot of homemade pasta for spaghetti, ravioli, or dumplings we stick with a large colander to dump the whole thing in. I’m surprised that the one you have doesn’t have an edge on both sides.
@rpstrong Kind of, but [True Story] We actually met and started dating when we were both working on a locked inpt psych unit- makes for a great how’d you meet story… She was Nursing charge on evenings, and I was a “Mental Health Technician” i.e., guys in white coats…
You guys do a great job of nailing that price where I go “hm, yeah, I think I’ll bite this time. Oh wait, add the $5 for shipping and it doesn’t seem reasonable after all.”
Which I really appreciate because I probably didn’t really want these anyway.
@ravenblack i’m with you jim, i would have definitely pulled the trigger for $18, but $23 is pushing it. one strategy i’ve used in the past is to reduce the per piece shipping cost by tripling down, so 6 for just over $60
__________________________________
( then we have to find family that )
( will still accept Meh. gifts (u )
( nder not over) )
----------------------------------
o ^__^
o (oo)\_______
(__)\ )\/\
||----w |
|| ||
Ehhh… I have a traditional can opener and then I have an electric one because it cost around $7 and my hands hurt when opening a lot of cans. So I’ll have to pass.
@RiotDemon Do you often find the need to open a lot of cans in a short period of time? Do you work in a soup kitchen or are you living in someone’s bomb shelter?
Enough can openers for you 'till the end of the world…
“and that’s NOT ALL”…the P-38 never fails and never wears out … “believe me” … just ask any crusty GI. P-38
I have a pretty good traditional can opener, I mean, I guess it’s good. It opens cans when I want cans opened, and it has a little magnet on top to catch the resulting circular saw blade, rather than falling to the can.
But I tried the side-cutting variety before and while I liked the concept, it was extremely hard to turn the handle. Hoping these have more leverage or power or whatever as I always thought this was a great option for dog food.
@ACraigL With the lack of an ergonomic grip handle to go along with the small manual lever, I wouldn’t count on this one giving you any more torque than your last one at best…
@mfladd I have one that opens at the seal - I love it. I mean, it’s huge and takes up a ridiculous amount of storage space for a can opener, but I still love it.
@sammydog01 Pretty amusing how they used essentially the same dialogue in two very different interpretations of the scene in this little homage to Kurosawa’s Rashomon.
@tightwad I also participate at Gas Buddy for posting gas prices. Much ado is made from the assumption that everybody has Costco and/or Sams Club memberships.
You had sold 804 at 3 pm at 4pm and 40 seconds when you sold out you had sold 828. So you saved out a whole 14 for your vmps what is there only 30 or so of us left? How about saving a few more so more vmps can get in on it at 4pm.
@mfladd Me too! It’s one of those voodoo items that stares into your soul to make you buy it with the promise of multiple uses and you try to justify it by any means necessary. Then an hour later you slap yourself on the forehead like homer.
So I almost thought these didn’t work either until I realized that it had actually opened the can so smoothly I couldn’t even tell that it had cut the lid off. I’ve used these at least 30 times and they are phenomenal once you figure out how to use them. That I don’t cut myself on cans anymore.
Hard to open the first time, but now I think they are marvelous! I even bought another off Amazon. Turns out, the cut is so small and smooth, you can’t tell the can is open till you gently lift the lid. The biggest reason I think it’s marvelous? That can of green beans now makes a marvelous fake-bank container for your cash, valuables, etc. You can sell that tin can for almost what you paid for the opener! How did they miss this feature?
Specs
What’s in the Box?
2x Can/jar/bottle openers
Pictures
Openers
How it opens
Looks like a submarine propeller thing
Stop bashing your jars against the concrete
Stop opening bottles with your teeth
Stop… opening cans…
Stop cutting yourself like that scene from Riddick
Oooh so fancy
Candy corn
Price Comparison
$49.98 (for 2) at Amazon)
Warranty
90 Day Mediocre
Estimated Delivery
Monday, July 13th - Thursday, July 16th
Today is my birthday, so if anyone wouldn’t buy me this, I’d appreciate it.
@BillLehecka I’ll be the first to not buy it for you. Enjoy!
@Andrew_B I’ll do you one better and not buy you two
@bricklayer That is way better - good work. So thoughtful! I’d bet he’s REALLY gonna appreciate that!
@BillLehecka I will just not buy for you, I will not let you buy one for me.
@BillLehecka
@BillLehecka
@BillLehecka i will buy you one, but you have to come pick it up, happy birthday
@BillLehecka Happy Birthday!
Bath!
Mehness
It doesn’t even have HDMI. Meh.
@alwaysziv Or bluetooth.
How are they opening a twist-off lid in this photo?
@cengland0 very carefully.
@cengland0 By prying the side and causing the lid to warp and bend and never to be used again, but 'Merica that jar is opened!
@cengland0 use it like a wrench for twisty leverage?
@cengland0 Mediocrely
@cengland0 like they say it, if you can’t open it, you break it. You do get satisfaction of using worthless tool you bought. I see that breathlyzer they bought last time here is not working.
@cengland0 they introduce air inside to pop the seal, which makes the lid easier to twist off.
@cengland0 I usually just tap (tap! gently!) around the lid with a hammer and then use a rubber sheet to twist it off, I haven’t met a jar yet that would not yield its delicious contents this way. Especially Kühne pickles, which cannot be opened any other way.
@cengland0 NFI
@awk i’ve upped that technique to include making sure to whap it in the couter-clockwise direction
@cengland0 It’s like that first bathroom break during a long night of drinking. You have to break the seal.
@awk I have a jar of those sitting on my desk right now.
@awk Try running it under hot water first. Equalizes the pressure or something. Safer, and you have a nice, clean jar. Usually works, the hammer’ s always there as backup. I use the big, heavy handle of the knife sharpener that came in my knife block on stubborn jars.
I refuse to buy the silly side opening can openers! I want to slice my limbs open while opening or disposing of said canned goods!
these make really shitty margaritas.
@alacrity concur
A $9 can opener? And I have to buy two?
@bricklayer One for each hand?
@bricklayer One for each can. As long as you don’t own more than two cans.
@bricklayer In case you want to open both the top and bottom of the can.
@bricklayer goal is not to give up. You either break bottle or the tool.
@bricklayer It’s an $18 can opener. They’re just throwing an extra one in for free.
@awk
/giphy toucans
they don’t create no sharp edges
So they… create sharp edges?
But seriously, I was on team #sideopener for a while, because newer=better right? But it would wear out after about a year. My top cutters wear out much slower. In fact I’ve had my current OXO old-fashioned can opener for ~10 years. Plus the side openers would leave bits of paper and stuff in the food.
@awk Don’t be double negative.
@awk well they don’t create no-sharp edges.
@xarous But wouldn’t that be positive?
@awk Myself would of said that, but I could care less.
@davido irregardless, thanks for sharing.
@awk When I was growing up and the side cutters first came out my parents went through about one a year because the cutting wheel was made of mild steel and would dull down to a useless nub. When I moved out I bought a slightly nicer one and have been using it since, for almost 20 years now.
Hmmm, fakespot company grade F, 20% are low quality reviews…
So has Meh finally jumped the shark into Slickdeals ‘pimping low quality goods with reviews that were paid for’ territory? Sure as hell seems like it.
@jnanas They buy whatever junk they can get, so long as it’s cheap and they can convince us to buy it for slightly more than they paid.
tl;dr cheer up, sucker!
@jnanas meh don’t care about no stink’n reviews!
(that’s up to you)
@jnanas
In my opinion, Fakespot’s criteria are far too strict (and its demerits wildly disproportionate).
I prefer ReviewMeta, which gives this item a passing score.
ReviewMeta published a blog post in which the two sites’ methodologies (including some pros and cons) are compared. It obviously isn’t impartial, but I found it fair and accurate.
@jnanas you think THIS is the first OVERPRICED thing recently? lol
@thismyusername You sure you were replying to me? I never mentioned price…
@Rowsdower I don’t agree - I’ve run quite a few products past both, and I’ve found that ReviewMeta is overly simplistic (despite providing a lot more data on the page).
For example, in this case the manufacturer has had two products that fail their analysis for having fake reviews. You don’t even get a mention of this on the review page for this item.
Both are useful, but I’d rather stick items to a higher standard.
@jnanas the fakespot review for this specific product is a B. We do try to check that out and we also tested these babies out ourselves. I had to break into my end of the world/zombie apocalypse can stash.
@jnanas
That’s a handy feature, but it’s the scoring itself that I regard as flawed.
Those other products’ failing grades appear to stem primarily from compensated reviews (which Amazon permitted until recently), not fake ones. It’s an important distinction, as it can mean the difference exaggerated praise and outright fraud.
In either scenario, it’s sensible to deem such reviews unreliable. Both sites do. It’s how they handle (or don’t handle) the remaining data that varies fundamentally.
ReviewMeta discards the suspect feedback and recalculates the average rating based on the remaining reviews (in addition to its “pass”/“warn”/“fail” grade).
Conversely, when Fakespot assigns an “F” grade, it matters not whether the reliable reviews are favorable or unfavorable. If enough bad apples get in, the whole bunch is considered spoiled. A highly regarded product whose manufacturer solicited compensated reviews before Amazon barred the practice receives the same “F” grade as one that had 1-star reviews across the board until its average was artificially inflated by employees, relatives and friends who never touched the thing.
That seems “overly simplistic” to me.
@mandirose Was it a can of unicorn? I bet it was a can of unicorn.
@sammydog01 You know me so well
@jnanas yea no idea… perhaps I was trying to reply to another thread.
Meh - ahem!
@docflash nice palindrome!
I won’t buy these, because I already own a can opener. But I will say that having owned the side-lifty type openers, I’ll never go back to a cutty-stabby type again.
@brhfl Although, being a lefty- one of my bosses bought me a left-handed can opener that is the old school stabby-style.
Interestingly, my righty SWMBO prefers that one because she has a left-sided strong hand d/t CTS in her right, and I like the right-handed side-opener because my right hand is stronger d/t left-handed nerve damage from a cervical disk.
@PhysAssist Sounds like a match made in kitchen.
@PhysAssist Speaking of handedness, this fascinates me. Imagine a pot drainer like this:
You hold it up against a pot to drain it of pasta or whatever. It has a lip on one side, so the hand that you: a) hold the drainer in and b) hold the pot in are prescribed. In the pictured instance, you hold the pot in the right hand and the drainer in the left hand. Is this a product for a left- or right-handed person?
I have the drainer pictured. My mother and I are both right-handed. I use this drainer just fine, but I brought it to my mother’s house once when we were cooking together, and she actually doubted herself in believing that I was right-handed. Reading the Amazon reviews, there’s like an even split of happy customers and ‘this is only for ____-handed users, useless for ____ies!’ from both sides! I don’t know why I find it so interesting. It’s just a colander for someone who hates doing dishes. But the disparity in handedness puzzles me…
@brhfl I don’t see where it would do any harm to have the lip on both sides and avoid that problem altogether. Is it cast or bent from a sheet of steel?
@djslack Totally agree, but then I’m not the one manufacturing them. I do believe it’s bent. I just think it’s really interesting that a product that forces one item to be held in one hand and another item to be held in the other reveals such a division on which item people use their dominant hand for.
@brhfl I agree with @djslack I own a plastic one like that and it has a lip on both sides. Plus it goes into the dishwasher with no problems on the top rack. If draining corn or other small pots we either use the lids or that strainer. For a big pot of homemade pasta for spaghetti, ravioli, or dumplings we stick with a large colander to dump the whole thing in. I’m surprised that the one you have doesn’t have an edge on both sides.
If it makes any difference our youngest is a lefty and the rest of us are righties. We try to make sure most of what we own is ambidextrous.
@WTFsunshine You are nice peeps then!
@brhfl It also agrees with my perverse interest in the vagaries of handedness…
@rpstrong Kind of, but [True Story] We actually met and started dating when we were both working on a locked inpt psych unit- makes for a great how’d you meet story… She was Nursing charge on evenings, and I was a “Mental Health Technician” i.e., guys in white coats…
@PhysAssist They’re coming to take me away, ha ha . . .
It’s nice to see something completely different.
@djslack
/giphy something completely different
@djslack That’s what I was going to say…
Meh just made it to dealnews.com! Won’t the people who click on the deal be befuddled and bummed when they are brought here…
Congrats Meh team!
@WTFsunshine Hopefully by the time they click on the link, meh will be selling vibrators again.
@mehcuda67 Or worse- could be selling vibrators and candy corn. But it’s not Saturday so we might be safe.
hmmm
Two for $18… I can always give these as gifts if they suck…
/giphy deep-distinguished-ink
No use for 'can’dy 'can’es.
/giphy can can
Isn’t that technically a 6-for-Tuesday?
Almost pulled the trigger to buy and then nah… I mean meh. Can’t be fooled by all the people buying! I must resist! I must resist!
@mcemanuel I see you found your breathlyzer!
Two for ten would be more reasonable. Pass.
@AmazingChicken you mean ten for two, right?
You guys do a great job of nailing that price where I go “hm, yeah, I think I’ll bite this time. Oh wait, add the $5 for shipping and it doesn’t seem reasonable after all.”
Which I really appreciate because I probably didn’t really want these anyway.
@ravenblack someone should tell the price setter that VMP is gone.
@ravenblack i’m with you jim, i would have definitely pulled the trigger for $18, but $23 is pushing it. one strategy i’ve used in the past is to reduce the per piece shipping cost by tripling down, so 6 for just over $60
@thismyusername VMP is not gone!
@ticklescratch shh it’s like fight club now, rule number is pretend it doesn’t exist… we do this so the non mediocre won’t get jealous of us.
Ehhh… I have a traditional can opener and then I have an electric one because it cost around $7 and my hands hurt when opening a lot of cans. So I’ll have to pass.
@RiotDemon Do you often find the need to open a lot of cans in a short period of time? Do you work in a soup kitchen or are you living in someone’s bomb shelter?
@cinoclav I only have to open a lot when I’m making a giant pot of chili.
I don’t eat much food out of cans, actually.
I really want four of these but i just gave away my Ant money to to a grasshopper.
@drakestark68 huh?
@Yoda_Daenerys
http://read.gov/aesop/052.html
@sammydog01 i accidentally clicked on the right arrow, read ASS, then laughed
what’s that level/age/weight(mass) calculation again?
are we still the same person on that basis?
@sammydog01 are you out grinding stardust?
@Yoda_Daenerys You betcha. Did I tell you I have a Mr. Mime? I’m walking with him. Creepiest Pokémon ever.
@sammydog01 how’d ya get him? i caught a gyrados in the wild yesterday, level 1, 43 CP, Woot!
@Yoda_Daenerys I went to Europe.
Open mehsame
@ciabelle You’re over-complicating things here. Open sesameh.
Where do the batteries go?
@parky no dock, no bluetooth!!!
@thismyusername But almost a knife.
So close.
@thismyusername no purple, no buy!
needs LEDS imho
Internal rechargable batteries, or…?
@medz With hybrid solar and Qi-compatible charging
was looking for BT or at least USB connector
Not enough candy corn.
End of the world can opener…when there is no electricity…like Puerto Rico lately
@sparkyfarad I don’t think meh ships to Puerto Rico.
@therealjrn Why wouldn’t they? It’s part of the US…
@Sparky_Susan So is AK & HI…
Enough can openers for you 'till the end of the world…
“and that’s NOT ALL”…the P-38 never fails and never wears out … “believe me” … just ask any crusty GI.
P-38
@Zebra
@Zebra Yeah P-38’s! I’ve had one on my keychain for the past 30 years.
In for four.
/giphy obdurate-teeny-cloud
/image obdurate-teeny-cloud
/youtube obdurate-teeny-cloud
How am I supposed to open a bag of candy corn with these?
@rtjhnstn Put it on your dashboard and run your car (or better, truck) over the bag. Or see Meh’s last product photo.
Not sure how good these are, but it’s better than candy corn…I hope.
@texmarc The first bite’s a little rough but it gets easier the longer you chew.
I have a pretty good traditional can opener, I mean, I guess it’s good. It opens cans when I want cans opened, and it has a little magnet on top to catch the resulting circular saw blade, rather than falling to the can.
But I tried the side-cutting variety before and while I liked the concept, it was extremely hard to turn the handle. Hoping these have more leverage or power or whatever as I always thought this was a great option for dog food.
Anyway,
/giphy unreal-vulnerable-swan
@ACraigL With the lack of an ergonomic grip handle to go along with the small manual lever, I wouldn’t count on this one giving you any more torque than your last one at best…
I don’t know about this thing, but I am loving my new manual opener that opens cans at the seal. Way better than the ones that create ninja stars.
@mfladd I have one that opens at the seal - I love it. I mean, it’s huge and takes up a ridiculous amount of storage space for a can opener, but I still love it.
A can opener for sale and no “Everybody Loves Raymond” reference? Or am I the only one who remembers the tuna thing?
@sammydog01 TV was really blurry back in the olden days wasn’t it.
@therealjrn They weren’t holding the rabbit ears when they filmed that.
@sammydog01 Pretty amusing how they used essentially the same dialogue in two very different interpretations of the scene in this little homage to Kurosawa’s Rashomon.
@moondrake I’m sure I’ve seen this same plot device in other TV shows…I never knew it had a name.
@moondrake Woo, I learned stuff today!
Wow, people have bought a lot of these things. Who knew?
@mfladd My can opener broke yesterday. I was pleased by today’s offer. My old can opener was a kuhn rikon side opener from woot.
Or buy one of these for $15 Prime:
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B012YHV6MC
@tightwad Plus $99 shipping for a Prime Membership.
@therealjrn I guess if you are one of 6 people who don’t have Prime these days…
@tightwad I also participate at Gas Buddy for posting gas prices. Much ado is made from the assumption that everybody has Costco and/or Sams Club memberships.
Same theory for here for Prime prices.
¯\_(ツ)_/¯
PAUSED? I MUST BUY THREE!
@sammydog01 Don’t you mean six?
@therealjrn
/giphy six
/buy
@dino2269 We’re sold out except for a small amount we set aside for existing VMP members to be released at 4pm ET.
/buy
@Einherjar13 It worked! Your order number is: possible-selective-guide
/image possible selective guide
/buy
@sohmageek It worked! Your order number is: elicit-quilted-nettle
/image elicit quilted nettle
@sohmageek great minds…we must have been within a few seconds of each other
/buy
@ticklescratch Oops, sorry. We’re sold out.
@mediocrebot bugger! stupid slow internet.
Dang. Refreshed at exactly 4PM and still missed out.
It tried and tried, then told me to try again. Twice. Then sold out.
You had sold 804 at 3 pm at 4pm and 40 seconds when you sold out you had sold 828. So you saved out a whole 14 for your vmps what is there only 30 or so of us left? How about saving a few more so more vmps can get in on it at 4pm.
@dino2269 I think that’s 24
/giphy subtraction
@dino2269 Try getting your A$$ out of bed before 4pm?
(Psst. there are only 2 vmps left, the other had no interest and you did yourself a favor)
I am proud of myself for resisting to buy these.
@mfladd I’m proud of both of us.
@mfladd Me too! It’s one of those voodoo items that stares into your soul to make you buy it with the promise of multiple uses and you try to justify it by any means necessary. Then an hour later you slap yourself on the forehead like homer.
@mfladd I’d like to join your pride celebration. I almost bought it 3 times but stayed strong because I really didn’t need it.
winter project…building an RC submarine around these propellor thingies…
Sorry to say that this can opener did not work.
So I almost thought these didn’t work either until I realized that it had actually opened the can so smoothly I couldn’t even tell that it had cut the lid off. I’ve used these at least 30 times and they are phenomenal once you figure out how to use them. That I don’t cut myself on cans anymore.
Hard to open the first time, but now I think they are marvelous! I even bought another off Amazon. Turns out, the cut is so small and smooth, you can’t tell the can is open till you gently lift the lid. The biggest reason I think it’s marvelous? That can of green beans now makes a marvelous fake-bank container for your cash, valuables, etc. You can sell that tin can for almost what you paid for the opener! How did they miss this feature?