The vast array of wine accessories on the market is just a clever marketing gimmick to fleece people who take something simple and turn it into a "lifestyle" (golfers are a similarly gullible sector). There is no reason to spend more than $7-10 on a wine opener. I have never seen anything more reliable, simple to use, and compact than the classic, double-hinged, waiter's corkscrew. As long as the screw itself is sufficiently long, sharp of point, and has a low-friction coating, you can't miss. A longer handle also provides more leverage. The only contraindication I can think of is for those who have arthritis or some physical handicap that might warrant a more complex device. But even so, a good waiter's corkscrew, used properly, requires minimal effort and will probably work just fine.

As for removing foil, I just yank off the whole capsule by hand. If it's "shrink wrapped" tightly around the bottle, you should check your storage conditions. But it does happen, and I use either the blade on the corkscrew or the screw tip itself to slice it off. My technique is too crude to be done tableside in a restaurant, but no one is paying me to open wine bottles (which in most cases are my own anyway, so freeloaders should be happy with the service they get).