This tin opener pierces the top of the tin not the side in case anyone wants to know. I much prefer a tin opener that pierces the top than the side personally. As with the rest of the positive reviews here, I found this tin opener amazing. It sliced through a tuna tin like butter. Yes it is pricey for a tin opener but the unbelievable speed and ease it affords is worth it if it is something your budget can stretch to. As for the negative reviews here...well it seems common on the internet that people will post negative comments just out of spite or simply because they can, but I would suggest the reader totally ignore the negative reviews here which seem to me to have no basis in reality regarding the product. Seriously. I bought this item despite the fears the negative reviews here inspired and I'm glad I did...it's an astonishing tin opener. I also had to risk buying it not knowing whether it would be a top piercer or side piercer, and I was relieved to find it was a top piercer. I noticed one reviewer complained about this saying they didn't like having to fish the lid out. Nonsense. You just press down lightly on one side of the now detached lid, it tips the other side of the lid up making it easy to grip and remove, and because the pierced edge is so clean because of the high quality of the tin opener, there are no jagged edges. I have always found side pierced tins to be one step away from A & E. Like I said, budget allowing, astonishing. Can't believe I am writing about a tin opener.