Bests & Worsts Reviews from Amazon

This unit replaced a Toastmaster piece of junk that was only about 2 months old. The Toastmaster only cost me eight dollars from Odd-Job. It wasn't even worth that. Darn thing wouldn't grip cans correctly to open them. Worthless. About all it did was pierce cans. Typical routine would be to pierce can with Toastmaster then finish with old fashioned manual opener...the kind with a small blade that basically digs/cuts around the inside of the lid with seesaw motion. I got so frustrated with it I smashed it on the floor one day...and I'm a laid back guy. I got this Hamilton Beach Chrome model to replace it. Nice, solid unit with heavyweight chrome mechanism to open cans. Smooth and confident opening of cans. No hassles...it just opens cans first time, every time. Like night and day compared to the Toastmaster. Highly recommended! Update July 26, 2006. My Hamilton Beach is still going strong. Still give it 5 stars. Not too many products seem so solidly built these days as this one. Update September 8, 2007 Still going strong! Still 5 stars. Frankly, at this point, even if it were to break I think I'd keep the 5 star rating: I've had my money's worth out of it. Update November 16, 2008 Still going strong after 4+ years. I use it about 3 or 4 times a week. Even works good on those giant 48oz coffee cans from Sam's Club. When/if it breaks I'll update again. Update July 29, 2013 Still working after all these years. Updated this time as a friend was shopping for a can opener. His significant other nixed this model as she insists on a manual/hand held can opener to reduce countertop 'clutter.' I would like to add my unit is about 9 years old. While it is still in perfect working condition you never know if it compares to the current version of this model. Manufacturers are always changing specs and while they may be cosmetic they could have cheapened up on the internals. You never know. Still, I'd replace this with the same model should this one break...worth risking it hasn't changed IMHO.