Can Openers, Not Specified
Twenty years of CPSC NEISS emergency-room records for this consumer product category, combined with demographic breakdowns, multi-year injury trends, and matching recall notices.
Containers, Tableware & Packaging · CPSC Code 453
Up 19% over 5 years
The verdict
Can Openers, Not Specified carry a danger score of 33/100 (low risk), driven by roughly 1,867 ER-treated injuries a year that are rising by about 19% over the last five years.
- 33/100
- danger score (low risk)
- 1,867
- ER visits per year (avg)
- 0.2%
- end in hospital admission
- 15-24
- most-injured age group
Every figure is rendered from the CPSC NEISS record for product code 453 - last data year 2024.
PlainSafety danger score
How this 33/100 score is built
The score is computed from four CPSC-derived factors for can openers, not specified - no opinion, no editorializing:
- Injury volume1,867 ER visits/yr
- Severity (hospitalization rate)0.2%
- Fatality rate0.00%
- 5-year trend+19%
See the full methodology for the exact weighting of each factor.
What the CPSC Data Shows
Can Openers, Not Specified (CPSC product code 453, in the Containers, Tableware & Packaging category) generate an estimated 1,867 emergency-room visits every year in the United States, adding up to roughly 37,349 ER-treated injuries across the 20-year span from 2005 to 2024. PlainSafety derives a danger score of 33/100 for this category (low risk), combining raw injury volume, demographic reach, severity of outcome, and multi-year trend. The five-year trajectory shows that injury counts are rising by about 19% over the last five years, with the busiest year on record being 2019 (2,864 estimated ER visits) and the quietest 2006 (927 estimated visits).
The single most common ER diagnosis for can openers, not specified is laceration to the finger, accounting for approximately 24,870 visits across the 20-year NEISS window, followed by laceration to the hand (8,133 cases). The 15-24 age group absorbs the largest share of injuries, about 8,339 cases over the NEISS window, and females appear slightly more often than the opposite sex in that cohort. Severity outcomes from the NEISS disposition field show that 0.2% of ER visits involving this product end in hospital admission or transfer.
Beyond the hospital-sampled NEISS projections, this page also aggregates 8 consumer incident reports filed directly on SaferProducts.gov, plus 20 anonymized ER narratives - together forming a layered picture of how can openers, not specified fail in real households. Every figure on this page comes from CPSC-published data: NEISS projects national estimates from a probability sample of about 100 U.S. hospital emergency departments, while SaferProducts.gov collects voluntary reports from consumers, manufacturers, and clinicians. The danger score, trend indicators, and demographic breakdowns update automatically when CPSC releases a new yearly NEISS file, which is why this page is dated 2024-12-31. For regulatory context, consult CPSC recall notices and the SaferProducts.gov public database linked below.
Annual Injury Estimates (2005–2024)
Source: CPSC NEISS national estimates CPSC NEISS national estimates Injuries represent ER-treated cases only
Who Gets Injured?
| Age Group | Male | Female | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| 0-4 | 1,145 | 435 | |
| 5-14 | 1,452 | 1,854 | |
| 15-24 | 3,578 | 4,761 | |
| 25-34 | 3,067 | 4,941 | |
| 35-44 | 1,470 | 3,341 | |
| 45-54 | 1,520 | 2,603 | |
| 55-64 | 1,251 | 2,264 | |
| 65-74 | 553 | 1,209 | |
| 75+ | 542 | 1,372 |
Most Common Injuries
| Body Part | Diagnosis | Est. Injuries |
|---|---|---|
| Finger | Laceration | |
| Hand | Laceration | |
| Wrist | Laceration | |
| Face | Laceration | |
| Finger | Contusions, Abr. | |
| Foot | Other | |
| Head | Laceration | |
| Finger | Other | |
| Lower Leg | Laceration | |
| Hand | Other | |
| Finger | Avulsion | |
| Wrist | Strain, Sprain | |
| Knee | Contusions, Abr. | |
| Eyeball | Contusions, Abr. | |
| Knee | Laceration |
Severity Breakdown
ER Visit Narratives
Real anonymized emergency room reports from the CPSC NEISS database.
41YOF HERE WITH LACERATION TO R INDEX FINGER FROM A CAN OPENER. OCCURRED AT HOME. DX: FINGER LACERATION
45YOF STATES HER DAUGHTER THREW A CAN OPENER AT HER STRIKING HER IN THE KNEE. DX: ABRASION LEFT KNEE.
29YOM LAC TO FINGER ON CAN OPENERDX INDEX FINGER LAC
41YOF WITH LAC. TO HER FINGER, OPENING A CAN, CUT HER FINGER ON THE CAN OPENER.DX: LAC. RIGHT INDEX FINGER.
21YOF WAS OPENING A CAN OF CHILI AND SHE ACCIDENTALLY CUT HER LEFT HAND ON THE EDGE OF THE CAN COVER DX: LEFT HAND LACERATION
41YOF WAS OPENING UP CAN OF CORN WITH CAN OPENER AND ACCIDENTALLY CUT RIGHT RING FINGER DX: LAC FINGER
25 YOF LACERATED HER HAND WHILE OPENING A CAN YESTERDAY EVENING. DX: LACERATION OF LEFT HAND.
23YOF CUT HER FINGER WHILE OPENING A CAN AT HOME THIS EVENING. DX: LACERATION WITHOUT FOREIGN BODY LEFT LITTLE FINGER WITHOUT DAMAGE TO NAIL
26YOF WAS TRYING TO OPEN A CAN OF BEANS AND CUT RIGHT HAND DX:LAC TO HAND
43YOF STATES SHE WAS OPENING A CAN AND WAS LOOKING THE OTHER WAY WHEN METAL CAUGHT HER FINGER. DX: FINGER LACERATION
24YOM, LACERATION INDEX FINGER FROM CAN OPENER DX: FINGER LACERATION
83 YOM WAS USING A CAN OPENER YESTERDAY WHEN HE CAUGHT HIS INDEX FINGER IN THE CAN OPENER. +1CM TISSUE AVULSION FINGER. DX: OPEN WOUND OF FINGER
Consumer Incident Reports
Reports filed by consumers on SaferProducts.gov.
Using a goodcook model 135A opening a can it leave metal shards in food one was an inch and a half long and curled. Resembling a wire
This can opener leaves thin strings of metal if it is run around some cans more than once. Strings of metal can fall into food.
Caller stated that the can opener disperses metal slivers which caused him to receive injury to his hand. He stated that the metal slivers were left in his hand while he was using it to open a can. No medical attention was received. Caller stated that he used a tweezer to pull the foreign particles out. The manufacturer was contacted and they advised that they were unable to assist him. Caller stated that the can opener is unsafe and should be reported. Bought 4-3-22 1st one quit 6-20-22 Injured by steel slivers
The submitter used the can opener to open 10 cans and on the last can he noticed there were little metal shards on top of the can, where it was cut. He believes the can opener left the metal pieces when it opened it and he believes the can opener is unsafe because the metal pieces could be consumed. The submitter said this was the first time he used the can opener.
This is mainly a safety issue. Can opener worked well for about 2 months (maybe 30-40 cans), then slowly failed - lids got harder to pry off. Last week I noticed little (1/2 to 3/4 in) very thin, twisted shavings coming off of cans. One stuck in my finger and broke off. I am concerned that these could fall into the can's contents and get stuck in someone's mouth, throat or esophagus. (Also, now lids are only loosened in spots and have to be pulled off with pliers. I've stopped using the opener. But my main concern is safety.) I did not send back for warranty replacement due to safety concerns. Refund is unimportant.
I've had consistently hazardous experiences with a certain brand and model of can opener, such that I think it probably shouldn't be on the market. Following original purchase, I've returned and tried two more of the same model (three total), and found that each time the can opener not only doesn't perform its specified function, but it creates metal shrapnel that inevitably contaminates the contents of the can.
Went to use IKEA can opener (brand new) on a can of tuna. Not only was the opener defective to where it was difficult to grip the can, it resulted in very irregular jagged edges along the rim. In addition, it created small metal shards that entered the food AND stuck out from the edges resulting in injury to my hand. This is not the first time this was experienced with this model of can opener - this was actually a replacement for the same model that was discovered to be defective (similar issues) after purchase.
was eating a freshly made muffin my wife made when I found a small wire about 3/8 inch wire in my mouth. My wife said it might have come from the cusinart can opener model SCO-60(BN) I wiped under the lid catcher and found a few more wires. I've read where wire brushes on gas grills have wires that may break off and caused personal injuries when swallowed accidently. My wife and I agreed not to use the opener again as it appears the opener causes metal shavings.
Product Recalls
Search for active and past recalls related to can openers, not specified on the CPSC website.
Frequently Asked Questions
How dangerous are can openers, not specified?
Based on 20 years of CPSC data, can openers, not specified have a danger score of 33/100 (low risk). An estimated 1,867 ER-treated injuries occur annually in the U.S. related to this product category.
What are the most common injuries from can openers, not specified?
The most common injury is laceration to the finger, accounting for approximately 24,870 injuries over 20 years.
Are injuries from can openers, not specified increasing or decreasing?
Up 19% over 5 years.
Who is most at risk for can openers, not specified injuries?
The 15-24 age group accounts for the most injuries, with approximately 8,339 cases recorded over 20 years. Females are more frequently injured in this age group.
What happens when someone is injured by can openers, not specified?
Of all ER visits involving can openers, not specified, approximately 0.2% result in hospital admission. The majority of patients (99.8%) are treated and released from the emergency department.
How can I report a safety problem with can openers, not specified?
You can file a consumer incident report at SaferProducts.gov, the official CPSC reporting portal. Reports help the CPSC identify emerging hazards and trigger investigations or recalls. You can also call the CPSC hotline at 1-800-638-2772.
Related Products in Containers, Tableware & Packaging
Safety Guides
What this means for you
Treat the 33/100 score as relative risk between products, not your personal odds of injury.
- See where this category ranks against every other tracked product. Full rankings
- Injuries cluster in the 15-24 age group, take extra care if that describes your household.
- Check for active recalls on this product before you assume it is safe. CPSC recalls
NEISS estimates ER-treated injuries from a national probability sample of hospitals; they do not capture injuries treated elsewhere or not treated at all.
Data: CPSC National Electronic Injury Surveillance System (NEISS) 2005–2024 and SaferProducts.gov consumer incident reports. Injury estimates are based on a nationally representative probability sample of U.S. hospital emergency departments. This page is for informational purposes only and is not affiliated with the CPSC.
Read our methodology - how this data is sourced, scored, and verified.
