Whether you’re gifting a new wine bottle opener or purchasing one for yourself, choosing the right one can be a tough decision. Let’s breakdown eight popular uncorking tools and when to use them.

Twist & Pull

There are many variations of what we like to call the Twist & Pull Corkscrew. This style is a pocket/purse-friendly bottle opener that is perfect to pack when you’re on-the-go. It simply screws into the cork and when you pull, you’ll hear that satisfying “mawp” as the cork pops out.

Waiter’s Friend

This one is another pocket/purse-friendly version that provides a bit more leverage. Many may provide a foil-cutting blade as well. This contraption unfolds and uses hinged leverage to pop the cork. Its design is perfect when there’s more than just a bottle or two to open.

The Winged Corkscrew

This familiar style is often found in the appliance drawer in most kitchens. The bottom of the opener sits on the mouth of the bottle and the worm twists into the cork, the wings are geared up and are ready to pull down. This style is a crowd-pleaser as it is entertaining to watch the gears work together to pop the cork.

Electric Opener

There are many electric versions of the corkscrew that do the heavy-lifting for you. Many styles feature the simplicity of push a button to work its magic and uncork the bottle that await.s

Picture from Ovente.com

Lever Corkscrew

This style is more ergonomically friendly than other manual options as it takes less grip and strength from the user. There are different styles, but many have the same parts. The handles are used to grip around the mouth of the bottle and the lever handle is pushed down causing the worm to screw into the cork. When the lever is pulled back the cork comes out and voila, it’s ready to enjoy

Ah-So Cork Puller

This device is less common, but works great on corks that are older or corks that are weaker and have a tendency of cracking. This two-prong device slides inside the bottle between the glass and the cork. Once inserted, the handle is used the twist and pull the cork out. It is also known as the Butler’s Friend.

Air Pump

Many bottle opener options require some force from the user, while the air pump requires minimal force to use. This style quickly opens a bottle with a few pumps of the device as it uses air pressure to pop the cork.

Coravin Wine System

This device is used to access wine through a corked bottle without ever uncorking the bottle. This system preserves the wine for weeks and even months to come. A needle is inserted through the cork, allowing the wine to pour through the device. Once the serving of wine is poured, the device can be removed and the uncorked bottle can be stored just as it was before for the next time you want a taste.

Picture from QVC.com

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