Canned Food Predated Can Openers

The quest to feed armies on the move was the driving force behind food preservation. In the early 1800s, Napoleon Bonaparte offered a prize for a method to keep food fresh for his troops, which was won by Nicolas Appert's technique of sealing food in glass jars. Soon after, in 1810, Englishman Peter Durand patented a similar process using tin-plated iron canisters. These first cans were a military technology, designed for extreme durability on long naval voyages and rugged campaigns. They were not intended for the average kitchen, but for soldiers and explorers who needed a reliable food source in harsh conditions.

Because these early cans were made of thick, heavy-gauge iron, they were incredibly difficult to open. They could weigh more than the food they contained and were closer to small safes than modern food containers. The primary users—soldiers and sailors—were expected to use the tools they already carried. Official instructions often directed them to "cut round on the top with a chisel and hammer." Bayonets, knives, and even rocks were common implements. It was only when can-making technology improved, producing thinner steel cans for the general public, that a domestic problem emerged. This new consumer market created the demand for a specialized tool, leading to Ezra Warner’s invention of the first can opener in 1858, finally providing a civilized solution to a brutish problem.