Wine bottle openers
 

We're a two bottles a night house (wine) and I think we have tried every type of opener there is, most of them given to us as gifts. It seems like all the newer, creative openers we've tried break after limited use so now we're back to the tried and true - simple twist and pull. What does everybody else use?

FWIW we've been quite happy with a two-step "waiter's" corkscrew that we picked up at Trader Joe's for a few dollars. Our son recommended it to us - he's since moved on to a Rabbit but this one gets the job done for us quite nicely. A search will show these for sale from $8-15.

We added a foil cutter to our inventory as well. It works much better for us than the little knife found on many corkscrews.

Cheers,
Fredd

Take care you can look through the helix of the screw. It shouldn't have a massive core.
The "waiter's friend" corkscew would be my choice as well.

I have 3 different types, each of which is needed in some circumstance --dictated by cork condition and wine value. An open teflon screw is indeed important, to avoid impacting the cork. The more expensive models are meant for restaurants, as they open a bottle more quickly. Important if you open 100 bottles an hour, but not otherwise.

We have at least six or eight different types, and the waiters one gets the most use. A couple have a non stick coating like pans do, it makes it incredibly easy to screw into the bottle.

My second choice would be the Rabbit for good corks, and the one that puts two prongs, one on each side of the cork, to remove it without damaging the cork works for everything.

it has been amazing over the years to see how different people at wineries and restaurants prefer different styles.

I used to think that, until a particularly fragile cork in a particularly valuable bottle pushed into the wine and disintegrated -- not good. The screwpull works the best for fragile corks, interestingly enough, at least on the thousand bottles that I've tried it on.

Thanks for the tips - Waiter's Friend looks like they have a lot of good products.

the screwpull works best of the screw type because the diameter of the thread is among the largest.(the outside edges of the screw are very near the outside edges of the bottle). for old,soft and dry corks, i find an "Ah SO" works best.

I have a really old version of this one -

http://www.freshpromotions.com.au/pr...ne-opener1.jpg

It says "Italy" on it and has been in my family for years. I never liked those waiter type ones that you have to yank out the cork.

The Rabbit screwpull is my favorite for ease of use, every time.

That said, I usually use a standard waiter's corkscrew because I like the pomp and circumstance of it...feels like more of an event.

Until very recently, I was employed as a server and the two-step wine key was definitely the preferred corkscrew amongst myself and my colleagues.

i now use an electric Oster on anything that i think will pull with a std screw. just punch the button, and out comes the cork. does not work on older bottles with tired corks.

I love my Puigpull:

http://www.rosehillwinecellars.com/3...ils.php?id=830

In terms of size and heft it closely resembles a waiter's corkscrew, but has a sort of ratchet device. You flip open the screw part, twist it in, flip the handle up and put the notch on top of the bottle (just like a waiter's corkscrew). Then comes the fun part, you flip up the handle and work it like a ratchet and the cork lifts right out.

We saw this in use at Vini di Gigio in Venice, and loved it so much that the waiter sold us one. Once you get some experience it is really quick, and I like that it is a very manual operation.

ah-so only for me.

There's always this:

http://thereifixedit.failblog.org/20...duct/#comments