Every day, we encounter items we use frequently, some even several times a day.

These objects are familiar to us, easily recognizable when placed on a countertop or stored in a drawer.

However, not everyone may share this familiarity.

There are objects that were daily essentials for our parents or grandparents, yet we might never have used them ourselves. These items often lie forgotten in a drawer’s back or a box in the attic, sparking curiosity when discovered.

When thinking of gadgets, our minds often jump to electronic devices, but that’s just a fraction of the spectrum. The kitchen, for example, is a treasure trove of gadgets, including the one we’re focusing on today.

This small kitchen gadget, now somewhat obscure, played a crucial role in transforming how canned goods were used in the kitchen. Opening cans used to be a hazardous task, often involving risky methods like using a hammer and chisel.

This gadget predated the widespread availability of electric can openers and pop-top can lids. Designed for ease of use, it was typically employed for opening certain types of cans like spam, canned ham, and sardines.

Known as a can opener key, it featured a sharp blade and a handle that needed to be turned. You’d insert the can’s lid into the handle and twist it, gradually peeling back the lid to access the contents.

By the 1950s and 1960s, the can opener key began to fall out of favor as new technologies emerged, such as electric can openers and handheld rotary models, which are more common today.

Recently, cans with pop-top lids have become prevalent, offering the convenience of opening without a can opener.

The can opener key remains a nostalgic item for many who used it. Though it might still occupy a spot in modern kitchens, its practical use has greatly diminished.