OXO Corkscrew

Product Information

Efficiency: How long does the wine opener take to effectively open a bottle of wine? How effectively did the opener work overall, considering effort and pressure involved? Overall, the Coravin Timeless Three is a great investment for those who are very, very serious about their wine.

When I finally wore down my favorite, just a simple hinged waiter's corkscrew, I decided to get this OXO version. We like OXO here in my house and own plenty of their gadgets. If you’re seasoned at swinging open bottles, the Pulltap Professional Corkscrew is bar none. Affordable, high-functioning, and built to last, it’s a workhorse option for every occasion. If you want an option with a bit more pizzazz, BarVivo’s Professional Corkscrew with a wood handle adds elegance to a standard waiter’s key. Wine key: Also known as a waiter's corkscrew. It's typically double hinged and contains a foil cutter and handle on one side, a screw in the middle, and two notched pieces on the other side. To use it, open up both sides and insert the screw. Bring the side with the notched pieces down vertically and push the top piece inwards to rest on the lip of the bottle. Pull the handle on the other side to bring the cork out halfway. The notched piece should provide enough leverage. Once there's enough space, switch to and move the bottom notched piece to the lip of the bottle and continue pulling the handle to completely remove the cork. Ease of use: Is the model ergonomically sound? Does it feel comfortable in the hand? How difficult is the setup process?Between writing about wine for the past seven years and being half French, Céline Bossart has opened more bottles than she can count. Her preferred corkscrew is a classic waiter’s friend, and she may or may not have taken Wynkoop’s lead in buying a mixed bulk bag from the TSA. Francis Kulaga, Certified Sommelier and General Manager & Beverage Director at Birch & Rye in San Francisco, says the most classic corkscrew options are the waiter’s friend style, an ‘ah-so’ two-prong corkscrew, and the Durand, which is a brand that has conveniently combined the two styles into one. Each of these three styles is manual but simple enough to use with some practice. For those looking for something more effortless, an electric corkscrew is a better choice — and for that, look to the Secura Stainless Steel Electric Wine Opener. With a household kitchen name like Le Creuset, we initially trusted this manual wine corkscrew to deliver. While this model worked to effectively dislodge the cork, we found the OXO Double Lever to be more comfortable and sturdy in-hand. The best waiter’s corkscrew versions are the variations with a hinged leg or boot lever, or alternately, models with two boot levers,” says Vayda. “This allows you to start at the hinge or smaller leg and finish opening with the entire lever, giving more leverage at the beginning of the process."

Richard Vayda, Director of Wine Studies at the Institute of Culinary Education, is particularly fond of the waiter's corkscrew. “As you learn right away as a wine steward, these corkscrews are easily portable and generally very reliable openers.” He adds, "Unlike many other openers, they also sport a knife to cut the capsule on the bottle and usually a crown bottle opener for those moments where you must have a beer.” The foil knife is my only complaint - while it is very visually appealing, it's a little too curved for my taste and I find it awkward to flip out and use as easily as a straight blade. Featuring stainless steel construction and a comfortable, textured grip, the Rabbit Vertical Lever Corkscrew makes removing corks easy with a single pulling motion. Being a chef who often cooks with wine, I’ve tried and fumbled with many wine openers and preservation systems,” says Hugh Acheson, the owner of Five and Ten and a judge on "Top Chef." “But Coravin is different—it is easy to use, preserves perfectly, and pours perfectly."Who is it for? People who have difficulty with twisting motions, but are also concerned about their environmental impact.

Fold the opener down and place the lower of the double-jointed metal arms on the edge of the bottle. Use that leverage to get the cork about halfway out of the bottle. When selecting the best wine opener for you, it's important to consider what you value most in the little kitchen gadget. It might sound silly to put any thought into it, but it's helpful in the long run since you'll end up keeping it for a while. Here are a few examples of popular wine opener styles to help: During our extensive real-world tests, we evaluated the form, function, durability of components, and features of a total of 13 manual and electric corkscrews, including winged and lever-style models. Our testing process included opening bottles of wine by cutting the foil, uncorking, and removing the cork. Our selections are based on the following metrics: ease of use, comfort, performance, and value. Who is it for? Those who need a bit of assistance removing stubborn corks from bottles and don’t mind paying a premium. How much should I spend?

Winged corkscrew: Just as its name hints, this corkscrews has two arms or "wings" that shoot up during cork removal. These classic wine openers are popular for their small profile and general reliability. "I like its classic style and the fact that it works," says Nicole Papantoniou, senior testing editor and producer of the Kitchen Appliances Lab. Lever corkscrew: Simply push down and pull up with this wine opener. It requires a bit of arm strength, but the two-motion mechanism is attractive to those who want a seamless experience. Instead of completely removing the cork, the Coravin wine system is outfitted with a Teflon-coated wine needle that sails through the cork and allows you to remove a glass of wine at a time (without airing out the whole bottle). “The system helps me cherish special bottles of wine for a really long time, seeing how they change and evolve," says Acheson. Everyone has their favorite kind of corkscrew. For most beverage professionals, a good old wine key or waiter’s corkscrew is the holy grail tool, but if you prefer a winged model or electric option, that’s great, too. Whatever will best help you open your favorite wine bottles is the one you should choose.