History of the Can and the Can Opener

British merchant Peter Durand made an impact on food preservation with his 1810 patenting of the tin can. In 1813, John Hall and Bryan Dorkin opened the first commercial canning factory in England. In 1846, Henry Evans invented a machine that could manufacture tin cans at a rate of 60 per hour—a significant increase over the previous rate of only six per hour.

First Patented Can Opener

The first tin cans were so thick they had to be hammered open. As cans became thinner, it became possible to invent dedicated can openers. In 1858, Ezra Warner of Waterbury, Connecticut patented the first can opener. The U.S. military used it during the Civil War. In 1866, J. Osterhoudt patented the tin can with a key opener that you can find on sardine cans.

William Lyman: Classic Can Opener

The inventor of the familiar household can opener was William Lyman, who patented a very easy to use can opener in 1870. The invention included a wheel that rolls and cuts around the rim of a can, a design we are familiar with today. The Star Can Company of San Francisco improved William Lyman's can opener in 1925 by adding a serrated edge to the wheel. An electric version of the same type of can opener was first sold in December of 1931.

Beer in a Can

On January 24, 1935, the first canned beer, "Krueger Cream Ale," was sold by the Kruger Brewing Company of Richmond, Virginia.

Pop-Top Can

In 1959, Ermal Fraze invented the pop-top can (or easy-open can) in Kettering, Ohio.

Aerosol Spray Cans

The concept of the aerosol spray can originated as early as 1790 when self-pressurized carbonated beverages were introduced in France.