So, UK-Y....How do you use your can opener?

My DH is more into domestic things than my previous relationships.  He and I got into a debate about tea towels vs. dish towels. It drove me bonkers. Now I say, "Unless you want to take on all kitchen duties - planning the meals, doing ALL the cooking, and doing the dishes every night, stay out of my kitchen!"  It seems to work. I told him it is my domain, and I will  choose, arrange and rotate the tea and dish towels to my liking and convenience.

Never knew that was the name....we have one that DW brought from the US....magnetic so sits on the side of the fridge.....use it as a bottle opener and then for things like canned coconut milk.  But what we used to do was as previously mentioned....part open can at one side, smaller opening opposite.

I've got two can openers as well (one that opens from the top and the one that opens on the side). I use the side one all the time because my husband hates it and take the top opener. I'm not a fan of the side opener one either, it makes a bigger mess than necessary all the time! Super annoying!

Anyways, I know what you mean though, in hind site, it's not really the can opener but the "in between the lines" meaning it creates. My husband does that as well, and sometimes I try to make it light and funny to get my point across sometimes I will say something like "Yes, because we were not educated or domesticated in simple things like the can opener in the capitol of Idaho! It's kinda like living in jungle with our loin clothes!" Then I'll mimic Tarzan and grunt and say "Me Amber, you Dave!" He usually laughs and realizes how silly it was. But I can't say I haven't had days where I just wasn't in the mood and super grumpy and would say something like "do you really think I'm that stupid?!" and he knows to back off immediately then! LOL! (I really try not to be like that most times though I promise!)

Heh. I figured that silly pouting thing was just MY husband. He randomly gets that way about the funniest things sometimes! I generally just ignore it and do my own thing anyway.

When I moved here, my now-DW and I were living in her brother's flat, and all he had was one of the side cutting openers. I couldn't stand it and went out and bought a top opener like I have always used. Wifey has happily used it ever since and I think she actually prefers it although she had never used one before.

DH and I had this disagreement as well, because we have a top opener and he insisted that it should open from the side. It would take him 10 minutes to open a tin- but I must be wrong!

When I showed him how to do it- and realized it was far easier and more efficient- he quickly changed his mind, though.

I don't get cutting the outside because it generally makes a mess and you end up slicing your fingers when cleaning out to recycle. When the edge is around the inside it has the lip to protect you.

And I think we got our churchkey from Wilkos or Ikea? Somewhere cheap. Had to show DH how to use it as well- he had never seen one before!

Heh. I figured that silly pouting thing was just MY husband. He randomly gets that way about the funniest things sometimes! I generally just ignore it and do my own thing anyway.

See, I actually feel bad, because I think it really hurt his feelings that I got annoyed when he was trying to help.  And I hate hurting his feelings.

But what am I supposed to do?  Not and smile and only do it his way from now on?  Sorry, but it's not happening, and I'm sure he wouldn't expect that, either.  So just...ugh.

Anyway, it's such a little thing.  I'm very over it.  It mostly bothers me that it bothered me in the first place, 'ya know?

See, I actually feel bad, because I think it really hurt his feelings that I got annoyed when he was trying to help.  And I hate hurting his feelings.

But what am I supposed to do?  Not and smile and only do it his way from now on?  Sorry, but it's not happening, and I'm sure he wouldn't expect that, either.  So just...ugh.

Anyway, it's such a little thing.  I'm very over it.  It mostly bothers me that it bothered me in the first place, 'ya know?

Yep, I totally get it! My instinct is to try to make him feel better/make the situation better by explaining that I just have my own way! Problem is, I don't always know why he's pouting (he's a "bottler", not a "venter" like me! ) so I don't even know he's annoyed sometimes. However, I also consider the fact that when he gets like that, he's basically treating me as if I am some sort of uneducated noob. I am 38 years old! I *do* know how to open a can/wash dishes/do laundry, etc. My feeling is that he is free to do things his own way and I'd like to have the same courtesy. Unless it's something that would affect safety or health, I just can't be his mother.

I can't remember if it was when I was visiting DH (before we married) or after I moved over, but he had (we still have) one of the side opening can openers - which I had never seen or used before.  I'm thinking this must have been on a visit.

So I'm trying to surprise DH by having a homecooked meal ready for him when he gets home from work that day...only I can't figure out how the ding-dang can opener works.  I kept trying to use it like the top opening one & just could not work it out!  I poked a whole in the can lid, danced the whole thing over the countertop & back for 15 minutes...

Rang DH at work in hysterical tears because I can't figure out the can opener.  On the phone, (besides thinking I'm nuts) he doesn't understand what I don't understand about it - he had never used anything different from that type.  Still can't figure out between us what the problem is - it was like we were speaking different can opener languages.

We went out for dinner that night instead! 

I have one of those! Had to get it off ebay and only using it for opening evaporated milk and the such (though used to use it more for things like hi-c juice and the like)

. . . My husband and I have definitely had "arguments" like this over the years.  Not specifically about can openers, but other small differences in the way we do things.  He always gets annoyed that I don't change my ways immediately and shower him with praise for showing me the light!

The best advice ever given to me was from my mother who said, "You nod, you smile, you say, 'Yes dear' and you proceed to do it your way."  Seriously, once you let them tell you how to open a tin of beans, there's no telling what else you'll have to succumb to.

Oh my god, this is really funny because I had a bit of an incident with a can opener. So I have recently started a new job at a school and was kind of shy in front of my new colleagues. I was in the staff room kitchen and I found a can opener in the drawer to open my soup. The British can opener was so confusing to me and I struggled with it for a minute or so and was too embarrassed to ask my coworkers for help, so I just put it back, took my can and went back to my classroom where I had brought a can opener from home just in case the school didn't have one. How pathetic is that?! I definitely know of your can opener issues!

Interesting, I've never seen a tin opener that cuts from the side.  I have always used one that cuts from the top.  Or have never tried to open one from the side  I must live under a rock.  

This thread has had me confused.  Think I need to investigate type of tin opener - who knew of the variety.....

Is the one that cuts from the top electric - that's the only 'top type' I have ever seen - otherwise, all 'side manual' for me, IYKWIM.

Nope, in the US, I always had non electric - manual top opening can opener. (My mom had the electric variety.) It wasn't until coming here that I was ever confronted with the side opening type & hadn't a clue how it worked, lol!

manual top opening can opener

I have never seen one, AFAIK. How odd.