Top Guidelines for Choosing the Best Can Crushers

Last Updated on July 19, 2022 by Kimberly Crawford

A can crusher is a special tool used for crushing cans before recycling them. This simple tool can make your life easy in more than one way. If you like drinking canned beer or eating canned food, you will accumulate many empty cans. The storage of these empty cans before recycling them can occupy lots of space.

If you want to maximize your storage space, buy a can crusher as additional equipment in your home. Crushing the empty can save you lots of space. A crusher effectively helps to manage and control your empty cans. This is done by reducing your waste material’s volume and capacity.

Additionally, you effectively reduce your waste disposal expenses. Whether you outsource your waste services or manage them internally, buying a can crusher helps you manage it more effectively. By crushing the empty cans, you significantly reduce your waste collections and bring down the expenses you spend on waste disposals. 

What is the point of a can crusher?

A can crusher is a device used for crushing aluminum cans so that they can be more easily recycled. Can crushers are often used by people who collect aluminum cans or who work in recycling plants. Can crushers can also be used to reduce the size of other types of cans, such as oil filters.

The main point of a can crusher is to make it easier to recycle aluminum cans. Can crushers can also make it easier to store or transport recycled cans. By reducing the size of the can, a can crusher can also reduce the amount of space that is needed to store or transport them.

Can crushers are usually made from steel or aluminum. They usually have a handle that is used to crush the can. Can crushers come in different sizes, so it is important to choose one that is appropriate for the cans that will be crushed.

Who invented the can crusher?

The can crusher was invented by John W. Thompson in 1885. Thompson was a former marine who saw the need for a can crushing device while working on a ship. He took his idea to a local blacksmith, who helped him create the first prototype.

The can crusher quickly became popular, and Thompson eventually opened a factory to mass-produce them. Today, can crushers are still used to reduce the size of cans for recycling.

Top Reasons for Buying a Can Crusher

Crushing the can makes it easy to recycle the used beverage cans. This is one way that you can effectively contribute to conserving the environment. You can also use this method to earn extra cash by crushing the cans and then selling them to recyclers. 

  • Using a can crusher greatly helps you to organize your space by reducing the excess clutter. By the time you’re finishing a 24-pack of beer, you will have 24 empty cans. 
  • Instead of filling your room with cans, use a beer can crusher to reduce the space the cans would occupy. Therefore, you can use the free space to store more cans or use it for other things. 
  • It is also another essential way to keep your kitchen clean and organized. The drops can cause a mess in your kitchen or attract rodents and insects when drinking. However, when the can is crushed, it makes it hard for anything to have access inside the can. Additionally, since the cans are compressed, it prevents the odors from spreading far because everything is compact. 
  • A can crusher is fun to use. Therefore, if you have children at home, they will enjoy the crushing task and love the satisfying sound of smashing an empty can.

Additionally, can beer can crushers are cheap. Depending on the type of crusher you want to invest in, you can find an ideal type among the different types available in the market. You have an option to buy an electric or a manual beer can crusher. However, buying an electric can crusher makes the process more fun and easier.

Crushing makes the recycling process much easy. It also saves time throughout the recycling process because you can easily pick a handful of cans and put them in the recycling machine. 

Types of Can Crushers Available in the Market

They can be categorized by their placement, operation, capacity, and materials used to design them. When operation categorizes crushers, you can choose between automatic, semiautomatic, and manual crushers. 

Can crushers can be operated as 

Manual

They are the most common types used in many homes. You insert one can at a time and compress it manually. When you pull the lever, this lowers the crushing plates, which compress the can.

Repeat this process until you’re done crushing all your cans. It takes time, especially if you’re crushing a man. If this is your situation, consider the next option,

Semiautomatic can crusher

This type has a collection tray. Place the cans on the tray, then start crushing them. Different crushers have different capacities. First, it determines the number of cans that the tray can take.

Some can store just about four cans, and others up to ten cans. The semiautomatic type makes the crushing process fast. However, you must do the crushing yourself; no automatic systems are fitted on this crusher type. So you still have to operate it manually, but much faster because you can put the cans much more easily. 

Automatic can crushers

This type of crusher operates automatically. This crusher is fitted with a pneumatic engine. It compresses the cans by air pressure. This kind of crusher is the fastest. In addition, you will spend less effort crushing the cans. One challenge, though, is that the automatic can crushers are limited. Hence, only the lucky ones can have access to them or their manufacturers. 

The next option is to choose by placement

Another type of crusher can be categorized by placement or installation. Crushers can be installed vertically, horizontally, or in a multi-position, which means the crusher will have a vertical or horizontal placement. 

Size

Can crushers can also be classified depending on their size. It depends on the capacity that this machine can compress. Therefore, before buying the can crusher, determine the size of cans you need to be compressed to buy the ideal size.

You can find this information on the crusher packaging. Make sure you read it so that you can make the right decision. Many options are available if you need a crusher to compress bigger cans. Consider the automatic industrial crusher. Although it’s a bit expensive, this type is quite effective. 

Material

The common materials used to manufacture can crushers include plastic and steel. The crushers designed using steel are durable and can serve you for many years. In addition, steel crushers are resistant to outdoor climatic. Therefore, you can place them outdoors. 

It is helpful, especially when you are into recycling. The steel crushers are strong and hence can endure constant use. Unlike plastic, this type can withstand everyday use without breaking down. 

Make sure your crushing machine has all the necessary features depending on your requirements to perform crushing efficiently and simplify your work. Use the above guidelines when selecting a suitable can crusher for your home or commercial use. But your option should simplify operations and your empty cans disposal process. 

In addition, consider your budget. This depends on the amount you want to use in buying a can crusher. Your budget can also help you narrow down the various options available in the market. Although many can crusher manufacturers, make sure you buy from the best that assures you of superior quality.