Zyliss 20362 Manual Can Opener Keeps Its Grip While You Turn

A basic can opener can turn frustrating when one hand must keep the handles clamped while the other fights a narrow crank. The white-and-gray Zyliss Lock N' Lift 20362 changes that sequence. Squeeze once to seat the cutting wheel, let its lock hold the bite, and use the broad side handle to travel around the lid. After the cut, a small magnet is meant to lift the top so it can go straight to the trash.

That design does not make the 20362 electric or completely hands-free. It is still a top-cutting manual opener, and the cut lid can be sharp. Its advantage is more specific: it separates clamping from turning. Zyliss documents a sharpened stainless-steel cutting wheel, soft-touch grips, a lid-lifting magnet and a five-year guarantee. The Spruce Eats and Food & Wine reached similar conclusions in hands-on testing, praising the lock and comfortable crank while identifying limits buyers should understand.

The lock removes the need for a constant squeeze

With a conventional butterfly opener, easing your grip can let the tool slip off the rim. The Zyliss mechanism locks the cutting wheel after the handles are squeezed together, so your grip does not have to supply clamping pressure for the whole lap. Food & Wine's testers specifically noted that the blades stayed engaged after puncturing the lid; The Spruce Eats likewise found that the opener latched onto the can without continued squeezing.

That can make a meaningful difference when opening several cans for chili, soup or meal prep. It does not eliminate all effort: one hand still steadies the can and the other still turns the crank. Buyers with very limited rotation or hand strength may be better served by a one-touch electric opener rather than assuming any manual mechanism will solve the problem.

A broad handle makes the turning step more manageable

The side handle is thick, soft-touch and easier to wrap fingers around than a bare metal key. Zyliss describes it as a smooth-turning design intended to reduce hand fatigue. In independent testing, Food & Wine called out the thick rubber knob, while The Spruce Eats found both the grip handles and side handle comfortable and the cutting action smooth.

The body is largely plastic around a stainless-steel cutting mechanism. That keeps the tool compact and light enough for an ordinary utensil drawer, but shoppers who prefer an all-metal opener may see it as less substantial. The red release button is also part of the routine: after finishing the cut, press it to disengage the lock before pulling the opener away.

The magnet helps with disposal, but it is not foolproof

Once the lid is free, the attached magnet can catch it, lift it from the food and carry it toward the bin without fingers pinching the metal edge. This is the other useful half of the Lock N' Lift idea. It can reduce drips on the counter and keeps a hand farther from a freshly cut lid.

The limitation is important. The Spruce Eats reported that the magnet did not catch every lid. Treat it as an aid, not a guarantee: pause after cutting, confirm that the lid is attached, and use a utensil or another safe method if it has dropped into the can. The opener cuts inside the rim, unlike a side-cutting safety model that uncrimps the seam, so neither the lid nor the can edge should be assumed smooth.

Who should choose this over a safety-edge opener

The 20362 makes the most sense for someone who likes the familiarity and drawer-friendly size of a standard manual opener but dislikes maintaining a hard squeeze. The lock solves that narrow problem well, the broad crank improves leverage, and the magnet can make lid handling tidier. Those are three practical changes to a tool used often in kitchens that rely on canned beans, tomatoes, broth or pet food.

Skip it if your top priority is a smooth reusable lid, an edge that stays out of the food, one-handed operation or an all-metal build. A side-cutting safety opener is the better design for smooth edges, while an electric model reduces twisting. The Zyliss is not the universal answer; it is the sensible middle ground for buyers who still want a manual opener but want the clamping pressure handled by the tool instead of their fingers.