The Best Wine Openers
There's nothing like opening a nice bottle of wine with dinner or uncorking a chilled chardonnay by the pool. Some might think this simple task would call for a relatively simple device. But anyone that's ever struggled with crumbling corks and bits of foil littering the kitchen already knows that the wine opener matters. These days, wine openers come in as many shapes, styles, and designs as there are types of wine, so we decided to grab a few wine bottles, try out the wine openers on the market (tough job, we know), and present you with the best of our findings.
HiCoup Waiters Corkscrew
Old School Is The Best School
The classic design of the waiters corkscrew has lasted generations – if not millennia – to be the best design for removing a wine cork from a bottle. If you haven’t used one yet, it’s not as hard as it looks (see our FAQs for more information). The HiCoup Waiters Corkscrew uses all the modern features on this classic design, including a collapsable serrated foil cutter in the handle, an ergonomic comfort grip, and stainless steel construction for durability. The double-hinged fulcrum is also designed for strength, providing smooth and balanced leverage to remove even the toughest corks.
Pros:
- Comes in 13 colors and designs
- Notch along the worm prevents breakage
- Magnetic
Cons:
- Not for arthritis sufferers
- Very sharp – be careful
Secura Electric Wine Opener
No Muscles Necessary
By your second bottle of wine, you’ll probably want a wine opener that takes minimal coordination and skill. The Secura Electric Wine Opener takes both the effort and skill out of opening your favorite bottle. Simply place the unit on top of the wine bottle and push the “Down” button until the cork is removed. Then press the “Up” button until the cork is released. Done. A clear plastic window shows you when the cork is removed (and it glows with a cool blue light, too). The unit comes with a charger that gives you 30 openings on a single charge.
Pros:
- 1-year warranty
- Includes matching foil cutter
- Available in four colors
Cons:
- Not best for old/damaged corks
- Takes up counter space
HiCoup Wing Corkscrew & Bottle Opener
Just Wing It
The wing corkscrew was considered the next step in the evolution of the waiters corkscrew. Designed to create more leverage, allow the use of two hands to pull the cork, and give greater overall stability in the process, the wing corkscrew caught on with the public and remains one of the most popular wine opener designs. We love the HiCoup Wine Corkscrew for its ergonomic levers with rubberized grips, its thick, stainless steel construction, and the fact that the head can be used as a bottle opener, too.
Pros:
- Modernistic design
- Easy to grip and use
- Includes built-in bottle opener
Cons:
- The thick worm tip may render dry corks unusable for recorking
RedNoel Wine Rabbit Bottle Opener
Hop To It
Who knew physics would play such an important role in opening a bottle of wine? Apparently, RedNoel did, and their take on the Wine Rabbit Bottle Opener is our favorite. Basically, this design features a longer handle and a larger grip. This gives your wine bottle more stability and allows you to exert a stronger force with less effort. As Archimedes said, “Give me a lever long enough and I shall move the world”. The RedNoel Wine Rabbit reduces the chance of cork breakage as well, as it creates less “twist” on the cork material. Includes an extra worm, a foil cutter, a bottle stopper, and a corkscrew stand, making it an excellent value buy as well.
Pros:
- The design requires less effort to use
- Lifetime warranty on mechanism
- Available in 3 colors
Cons:
- Rabbit ears don’t fit all cork styles
- Not a portable solution
Wine Ziz Air Pressure Wine Opener
Under Pressure
Before they invented electrical appliances, not much had changed in the world of wine openers. But recently, new technology has found its way to the market and the game has changed. The Wine Ziz Air Pressure Wine Opener works by slipping a thin needle through the cork, pumping the device a few times, and letting air pressure do the rest: the cork slides out easily without any twisting, pulling, or effort. With a slim design and a 7.5-inch length, it’s easy to slip into your jacket pocket. It also fits on any standard-sized bottle. This is one of the best solutions for old corks as well, as the thin needle and lack of twisting preserve the cork’s integrity as it’s being removed.
Pros:
- Available in black, gold, and silver
- Easy to clean
- Great value for the price
Cons:
- Some corks require multiple pumps
- Not efficient on artificial corks
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I use a “Waiters Corkscrew”?
First, remove the foil capsule from the bottle (most waiters corkscrews have a small foil cutter built in the handle to help with this). Start by creating a “T” with the corkscrew (the “worm”) pulled downward and the pivot lever pulled out to the side (the part with the double hinge). Place the corkscrew in the center of the cork and push as you twist clockwise until the last hoop of the screw is just above the cork. Now, push the lever down until the hook in the second section of the lever rests against the top edge of the bottle. Hold this against the bottle with your other hand and pull the cork up until it stops. Then, hook in the first part of the lever to the top of the bottle and pull again until the cork pops out.
What if the cork starts to crumble when I’m inserting the corkscrew?
Go slower. It may sound simple and stupid, but it’s true. Twist your corkscrew slowly to get it all the way through the cork, then pull up the cork slowly to retain its integrity.
What do I do if my cork breaks in the bottle?
If the cork crumbles to the point where it becomes impossible to remove it, you’ll have to push it through and into the bottle. This isn’t the end of the world (or your wine for that matter). Get a butter knife, place the blunt end into the bottle, and carefully push down until the cork slips into the bottle. This will make pouring your first glass a little difficult, and you’ll get some cork crumbs in the glass, but the contact is not going to affect the quality of your wine. If there’s a lot of broken cork in the wine, pour it into your glass through a colander — it will screen out the bits of cork and also aerate the vino.
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