For one frustrated student, the humble can opener became a symbol of a much bigger problem: everyday essentials that seem built to fail.
After a string of tools had rusted, slipped, or otherwise stopped doing the job, they went online hoping to find something basic, durable, and worth the price.
What's happening?
A student on Reddit shared their frustration with r/BuyItForLife about how hard it felt to buy ordinary household items that were not effectively disposable.
Among the examples they gave were several inexpensive manual can openers as well as kitchen shears and a stapler, which they said had all failed after relatively little use.
"These are not complicated items. They are supposed to be boring and reliable," the original poster wrote.
They said the constant replacement cycle had become its own problem, forcing them to spend more over time while tossing out yet more tools that had broken too soon.
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What they wanted was not a flashy gadget or a huge list of suggestions but "one solid, actually proven, years-owned BIFL manual can opener" that could still be counted on during hurried cooking breaks between classes.
Commenters weighed in with recommendations, and OXO emerged as the most common answer.
"I have a 24-or-so-year-old OXO, and it is fine," one user wrote.
Why does it matter?
The frustration shows up in people's wallets, routines, and trash cans.
A cheap tool may cost less upfront, but repeated replacements can quietly become the more expensive option over time.
It also reflects how throwaway culture reaches even the most basic parts of daily life.
When a simple tool fails early, the damage goes beyond momentary inconvenience, creating extra waste, increasing shopping, and wasting time spent replacing something that should have kept working.
For budget-conscious shoppers, including students and older adults, durability can have a major effect on daily life.
"I would rather pay once for something that will last a decade than keep buying the same disappointing junk every year," the OP said.
The thread reflected a growing consumer preference for products that are easy to clean, straightforward to use, and built well enough to avoid premature replacement.
Those qualities can save money while also reducing unnecessary waste.
What can I do?
Commenters emphasized years of personal use rather than short-term impressions.
"I got the OXO one like 3 years ago after my old one started chewing the lid instead of cutting. Still works perfect," one said. "Just rinse it under the tap and dry it off after using. No rust or anything."
Users also pointed to design details, especially whether the handle turned smoothly and the opener was easy to maintain.
"The smooth-edge model in particular is god tier," one person argued. "Stop trying to cut the lid, and just undo the seam instead!"
There were also alternatives for shoppers who preferred all-metal styles.
"The can opener you want is called Easy DuZ It. They have all the old tooling and make the exact same can opener like it used to be," someone wrote.
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