Best Space Saving Can Opener for a Cramped Drawer

The best space saving can opener is the Cuisinart CCO-50BKN, which packs one-touch electric opening into a 9.35 x 4.47 x 4.62 in body and backs it with a limited 3 year warranty. If you'd rather give up nothing on the counter at all, the KitchenAid KE199OHOBA weighs 4.48 oz and lives in a drawer. The deciding number here isn't overall size. It's depth: which axis of the tool has to fit the space you actually have.

Best space saving can opener at a glance

How I screened this field down to six

I started with the published dimensions, because that's the only figure in a can opener listing that tells you whether the thing fits. Six picks survived, split four manual to two electric, and every one of them lists all three dimensions in inches. That mattered more than it sounds: a listing that gives you only a "size" label and no measurements is useless to someone measuring a drawer.

From there, three things decided the ranking:

1. Footprint on the axis that matters. A manual opener's smallest dimension is what has to clear your drawer. An electric one's largest dimension is what eats counter.
2. Published warranty. Two of the six state a term. The GoodCook lists a Limited Lifetime warranty, the Cuisinart lists a limited 3 year warranty, and the rest either say nothing or say only "Warranty".
3. What else the tool replaces. A built-in bottle opener or knife sharpener is drawer space you get back somewhere else.

What I cut: anything without measurements, and anything where the manufacturer's only argument was the brand name. Note that the search that produced this set doesn't strictly filter for compact designs, so "space saving" here means what the published numbers show, not a certified category.

Which dimension actually decides it: drawer or counter?

Most guides to the best space saving can opener compare overall length. That's the wrong number. Length rarely stops a tool fitting, because drawers are long. Thickness and height are what defeat you.

Look at how differently these six behave depending on which surface you're protecting:

• Drawer thickness. The Joseph Joseph GoRound is 1.14 in thick, the GoodCook is 1.5 in, the KitchenAid is 2.3 in, the GORILLA GRIP is 2.1 in on both short axes.
• Drawer footprint. The GoRound is 10 x 10 in flat, which is a bigger square than most utensil trays allow. The GORILLA GRIP is 7.1 x 2.1 in, roughly a pencil case.
• Counter footprint. The Proctor Silex sits on a 5 x 5 in base. The Cuisinart's base is 4.47 x 4.62 in, so it takes slightly less counter but stands 9.35 in tall.

Here's the trick with electric models: their height is usually their largest dimension, so the question isn't counter area, it's whether they clear an upper cabinet. Both electric picks here stay under 10 in tall.

If your constraint is a shallow drawer with a divided tray, the flat-but-wide GoRound loses to the narrow GORILLA GRIP even though the GoRound is thinner. Measure both axes before you decide.

1. Cuisinart Electric Can Opener — Best overall

One-touch electric opening in a 9.35 x 4.47 x 4.62 in body, with the longest fixed warranty term of the two appliances here.

Best for: cooks who open cans daily and have counter space to spare Skip it if: your counter is already full

This is the most expensive pick here, and it's also the one buyers choose most often in this set, which tells you the trade it offers is one most people accept. The trade is simple: you give up a 4.47 x 4.62 in patch of counter and get an opener you operate with one finger. Cuisinart describes it as one-touch operation with an automatic cycle that handles a range of can sizes, and the listing positions it as a practical choice for anyone who struggles with manual twisting.

The base is nonslip, which matters more than it sounds on an electric model, because the machine pulls against the can as it cuts. Standing 9.35 in tall, it clears most under-cabinet gaps but won't tuck under a low shelf.

The limited 3 year warranty is the strongest published coverage of any appliance in this set, and only the GoodCook lists a longer term. Against the manual picks, the loss is obvious. Nothing you leave on the counter saves space. It saves effort instead, and that's a different purchase.

Pros:

• Limited 3 year warranty, the longer of the two electric picks
• One-touch operation, no twisting required
• Compact 4.47 x 4.62 in counter footprint
• Nonslip base steadies the can mid-cut
• Sells faster than the rest of this set

Cons:

• Occupies counter permanently, unlike all four manual picks
• 9.35 in tall, so upper-cabinet clearance needs checking
• Highest price position of the six
• Only one seller lists it

2. KitchenAid Classic Multifunction Can Opener and Bottle — Best for families

At 4.48 oz with a built-in bottle opener, this is the manual pick that earns its drawer slot twice over.

Best for: busy households wanting one tool for cans and bottles Skip it if: you want the flattest thing in the drawer

Two of the six picks combine a can opener with a bottle opener, and this is the one with the wider published dimensions to justify the handles. It measures 2.3 x 8.34 x 3.54 in and weighs 4.48 oz, making it the second-lightest pick after the GoodCook. KitchenAid points to an oversized turn knob and soft ergonomic handles, framing both as help for anyone with limited hand strength.

That 2 in 1 design is the space argument. One tool in the drawer instead of two, which is real savings even though the tool itself isn't the thinnest here. For a family kitchen where the same drawer holds a bottle opener, a peeler and a whisk, removing one item beats shaving a quarter inch off another.

It's the third-cheapest of the six and roughly mid-range for this set. The warranty entry says only "Warranty" with no stated term, which is less useful than the GoodCook's Limited Lifetime or the Cuisinart's 3 years. Against the GoodCook it also gives up the hands-free lid lift, and against the GoRound it gives up 1.16 in of thickness.

Pros:

• 4.48 oz, second-lightest pick here
• Built-in bottle opener removes a second tool from the drawer
• Oversized knob aimed at limited hand strength
• Razor-sharp stainless steel cutting wheel per the listing

Cons:

• Warranty listed with no stated term
• 2.3 in thick, twice the GoRound's profile
• Cutting wheel contacts food, unlike the GoodCook design

3. GORILLA GRIP Upgraded Model Stainless Steel Manual Can — Best budget pick

The narrowest pick of the six at 2.1 x 2.1 in across, and the cheapest here.

Best for: spending the least and storing it in a utensil crock Skip it if: you want a published warranty

If your storage problem is a narrow slot rather than a shallow tray, this is the shape you want. At 7.1 x 2.1 x 2.1 in it's the only pick here that's under 3 in on two axes, which means it drops into a utensil crock, a knife-block gap or a cutlery divider without argument. That's a different kind of space saving than the fold-flat GoRound offers, and for many kitchens it's the more useful kind.

It's also the cheapest of the six. GORILLA GRIP describes a stainless steel cutting wheel, an extra-large turn knob, slip-resistant cushioned handles and a built-in bottle opener that the listing says also handles square cans. That last claim is the manufacturer's, not a measured result, but the second bottle opener in this set is a genuine space argument.

The gap is documentation. No weight is published and no warranty is listed, so you're buying on dimensions and the brand's own description alone. Compare that to the GoodCook's Limited Lifetime term and the difference is stark.

Pros:

• Cheapest of the six
• 2.1 x 2.1 in cross-section, narrowest here
• Built-in bottle opener saves a second drawer tool
• Stainless steel cutting wheel per the listing

Cons:

• No published warranty at all
• No published weight figure
• Only one seller lists it
• Fewer specification details than every other pick

4. GoodCook Safe-Cut Can Opener with Easy Turn Knob — Best for heavy use

The only pick with a Limited Lifetime warranty, and the lightest of the six at 4 oz.

Best for: batch cooks who hate touching cut lids Skip it if: your drawer is short front to back

Only one pick here publishes a Limited Lifetime warranty, and it's the second-cheapest of the six. That combination is why it earns the heavy-use slot. It's also the lightest at 4 oz and the second-thinnest at 1.5 in, so it lies flat in a drawer without the 10 x 10 in footprint the GoRound demands.

The mechanism is the real differentiator. GoodCook says the cutting wheel never contacts the food, and that the tool lifts the lid clear and holds it until you pivot the handle to drop it in the bin. The listing also claims the cut leaves a clean edge suitable for popping the lid back on for short-term fridge storage. If you open several cans in a session, not handling a single sharp lid is worth more than a quarter inch of drawer depth.

At 9 in long it's the longest of the manual picks bar the GoRound, so a short drawer will fight it. Against the KitchenAid and the GORILLA GRIP it also gives up the built-in bottle opener, meaning that tool stays in the drawer.

Pros:

• Limited Lifetime warranty, the longest term in this set
• 4 oz, lightest pick here
• 1.5 in thick, second-thinnest of the six
• Cutting wheel stays clear of the food per the listing
• Hands-free lid release into the bin

Cons:

• 9 in long, awkward in a short drawer
• No built-in bottle opener, unlike two other picks
• Chrome finish needs drying to stay spotless
• Slower seller than the KitchenAid or GORILLA GRIP here

5. Joseph Joseph GoRound Easy-open Can Opener — Best upgrade

The thinnest pick of the six at 1.14 in, with a fold-flat handle built specifically for drawer storage.

Best for: flat drawer storage and mess-free pouring Skip it if: you have a shallow, narrow drawer

This is the only pick in the set whose listing explicitly sells space-saving storage as a design goal, and the number backs it: 1.14 in thick with the handle folded, against 1.5 in for the GoodCook and 2.3 in for the KitchenAid. Joseph Joseph describes an ergonomic crank handle aimed at reducing wrist strain, and a cutting wheel that takes the entire top off the can rather than cutting the lid free.

Removing the whole top changes how you use a can. You pour rather than prise, which the brand frames as mess-free access, and the design is claimed to reduce jagged edges. It's also the only pick here in a colour other than black or red, at White/Green, which won't matter to a drawer but might to open shelving.

The catch is the footprint. It's 10 x 10 in flat, the largest area of any pick here, so it needs a wide drawer even though it's the flattest. It's also the slowest seller of the six and no warranty term is published. At 0.55 lb it's heavier than every manual pick that publishes a weight.

Pros:

• 1.14 in thick, thinnest pick in this set
• Fold-flat handle designed for drawer storage
• Removes the whole can top for clean pouring
• Crank handle aimed at reducing wrist strain

Cons:

• 10 x 10 in flat footprint, largest area here
• No published warranty term
• 0.55 lb, heaviest of the manual picks
• Slowest seller of the six

6. Proctor Silex Power Electric Automatic Can Opener for — Most versatile

A 7.9 x 5 x 5 in appliance that also holds a knife sharpener and hides its own cord.

Best for: combining a can opener and knife sharpener in one footprint Skip it if: you need a published warranty term

This is the space argument that isn't about the tool's own size. Proctor Silex builds in a knife sharpener, so one 5 x 5 in base replaces two appliances, and the cord stores inside the body rather than looping across the counter. It's the shortest electric pick at 7.9 in tall, which helps under low cabinets, and it weighs 1.69 lb.

The washable cutting lever twists off, which is the one genuine advantage it has over the Cuisinart for cleaning. Proctor Silex also lists automatic shutoff and a guide post for aligning cans on the first try. Those are the manufacturer's claims, and the guide post one in particular is a comparison you can't verify from a listing.

It's the second most expensive pick here, and it's the slowest seller among the appliances by a wide margin. No warranty term appears in the specifications, which is a real gap against the Cuisinart's limited 3 years at a similar price position. If the knife sharpener isn't a tool you'd otherwise buy, that combined footprint stops being a saving and starts being a wider base than the Cuisinart's.

Pros:

• Built-in knife sharpener replaces a separate tool
• Cord stores inside the base
• 7.9 in tall, shortest electric pick here
• Cutting lever twists off for washing
• Automatic shutoff per the listing

Cons:

• No published warranty term
• 5 x 5 in base, wider than the Cuisinart's
• Second-highest price position for less published coverage
• Only one seller lists it

Does a can opener really save space?

Not on its own. A can opener is a small tool, and shaving an inch off one small tool doesn't change a kitchen. What changes a kitchen is a tool that removes another tool.

Three of these six do that:

• The KitchenAid and the GORILLA GRIP both carry a built-in bottle opener, so a separate one leaves the drawer.
• The Proctor Silex carries a knife sharpener, so a sharpening rod or block leaves the counter.
• The GoodCook does the opposite trick: the listing claims the cut edge is clean enough to reseal the can for short-term fridge storage, which means fewer transfer containers.

The GoRound is the only pick sold on its own compactness rather than on what it replaces, and it earns that at 1.14 in thick. But at 10 x 10 in flat it takes a large slice of drawer real estate.

So the honest answer is that the best space saving can opener for your kitchen depends on what else you can throw out. Count the tools you'd retire, not the inches you'd save.

Manual or electric: which one belongs in a small kitchen?

If space is the constraint, manual wins by default, because a drawer tool occupies zero counter. All four manual picks here fit that description, ranging from 1.14 in to 2.3 in thick.

Electric earns its counter space in two situations. First, hand strength: the Cuisinart listing is explicit that one-touch operation removes the twisting motion entirely. Second, volume: if you open several cans a day, a button beats a crank.

The cutoff I'd use is roughly two cans a day. Below that, put a 4 oz manual opener in a drawer and take the counter back. Above that, the Cuisinart's 4.47 x 4.62 in footprint stops feeling like a cost.

One more consideration nobody mentions. Electric openers need a socket within cord reach, and in a small kitchen every socket is already fighting over. The Proctor Silex stores its cord internally, which helps, but it still needs somewhere to plug in.

What the listings don't tell you

Specification tables have gaps, and in this category the gaps are consistent. Here's what you're not getting:

• Whether "space saving" is verified. Only the GoRound listing names compact storage as a design feature. The others are simply small, which isn't the same claim.
• No published weight for the GORILLA GRIP. Every other pick states one, from 4 oz to 1.69 lb.
• Vague warranty entries. The KitchenAid says "Warranty" with no term. The GoRound and Proctor Silex list none. Only the GoodCook's Limited Lifetime and the Cuisinart's limited 3 years give you a number.
• The Cuisinart's weight reads 0.28 g, which is clearly a listing error rather than a real figure, so judge that one on its dimensions instead.
• Can size limits. No pick here publishes a maximum can diameter, so oversized catering tins are a gamble on all six.

Practical takeaway: measure your drawer, then measure the pick's two smallest dimensions. Everything else in a can opener listing is either the brand's opinion or missing.

The verdict

If you open cans daily and have a spare corner of counter, the Cuisinart CCO-50BKN is the best space saving can opener here. It stands 9.35 in tall on a 4.47 x 4.62 in base, opens with one touch, and carries a limited 3 year warranty that only the GoodCook beats. If your kitchen has no spare counter at all, the KitchenAid KE199OHOBA is the pick: 4.48 oz, 2.3 in thick, and a built-in bottle opener that clears a second tool out of the drawer.

The cutoff is roughly two cans a day. Below that threshold, a manual opener in a drawer is strictly better on space, and the counter stays clear. Above it, the electric model stops being an indulgence.

Two runners-up deserve a look. The GoodCook has the only Limited Lifetime warranty in this set at the second-cheapest price position, and its hands-free lid release is the single best hygiene feature here. The GORILLA GRIP is the cheapest and the narrowest at 2.1 x 2.1 in across, which makes it the one pick that slots into a utensil crock. Its weakness is documentation: no warranty, no weight.

FAQ

Is a space saving can opener worth buying over a standard one?

A space saving can opener is worth it only when the savings are real. The GoRound's 1.14 in folded thickness is a genuine difference from the KitchenAid's 2.3 in. But the bigger win is a tool that replaces another tool, like the KitchenAid's bottle opener or the Proctor Silex knife sharpener. Measure your drawer first.

Which is the cheapest can opener in this comparison?

The cheapest can opener here is the GORILLA GRIP manual model, at 7.1 x 2.1 x 2.1 in with a stainless steel cutting wheel and a built-in bottle opener. The GoodCook Safe-Cut is the second-cheapest and adds a Limited Lifetime warranty, which the GORILLA GRIP listing doesn't publish at all. That warranty gap is the main reason to spend slightly more.

How much counter space does an electric can opener need?

The counter space an electric can opener needs comes down to base area and height. The Cuisinart occupies 4.47 x 4.62 in and stands 9.35 in tall. The Proctor Silex has a wider 5 x 5 in base but is shorter at 7.9 in. Check your under-cabinet clearance, since height defeats these appliances more often than width does.

Cuisinart or Proctor Silex: which electric model should I pick?

Cuisinart or Proctor Silex splits on two things. The Cuisinart publishes a limited 3 year warranty and takes slightly less counter area at 4.47 x 4.62 in. The Proctor Silex is 7.9 in tall, hides its cord internally, and adds a knife sharpener, but lists no warranty term. Pick the Proctor Silex only if you'd use that sharpener.

What mistake do people make buying a compact can opener?

The mistake people make buying a compact can opener is comparing length instead of thickness and footprint. The GoRound is the thinnest pick at 1.14 in but takes a 10 x 10 in square of drawer. The GORILLA GRIP is thicker at 2.1 in yet slips into a narrow slot. Match the shape to your storage, not the headline size.

Start by opening the drawer you'd actually keep this in and measuring its usable depth and width. That single number rules out at least two of these six before price enters the conversation. If the drawer is generous, the Cuisinart CCO-50BKN is the safe default, because one-touch operation and a limited 3 year warranty are the two things a can opener can offer that a cheaper tool genuinely can't. If the drawer is tight, the KitchenAid at 4.48 oz does the job and disappears afterwards, which in a small kitchen is the whole point.

Last updated: September 17, 2026. Product availability re-checked.

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