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Wine Bottle Openers Anyone?Have you looked at wine bottle openers lately? The variety of styles and prices seems endless. Some are simple to use, others resemble a medieval torture implement, and others are so exotic that it is hard to recognize what they actually are. Bottle openers should be easy to use and reliable without costing a fortune, at least that is what I look for when shopping for a bottle opener. But what may be easy to use for one person, could be a nightmare for another. Ease and affordability is in the eye of the beholder. Some people find simplicity to be the most important characteristic, others may love interesting gadgets that promise to make life simple (even if they have to read a 40 page manual!), and still others may put up with a bit of complexity if it pulls out the cork effortlessly. Similarly with price, someone wants an inexpensive tool; others don’t mind paying more, considerably more, if the implement fulfills their desire for glamour or accomplishes a painless task. If you are looking to buy a corkscrew for yourself or as a gift for a friend, you are sure to find one that fits the bill. Here is a list of best-known types of bottle openers:
Waiters’ Friend, also called Waiters’ Corkscrew This is the basic corkscrew. It comes by its name because waiters use it the most. It is like a folding knife with a worm on one end and a small knife. The knife is used for cutting the foil on the bottle and the worm or screw is twisted into the cork and a lever action used to pull the cork out of the bottle. If you want a basic inexpensive wine bottle opener this is it. It is also useful for prying out broken corks. The only problem you might face is that it is a bit difficult to use. However, with a little practice you’ll be a pro in no time. Wing or Twist style These very popular bottle openers have a corkscrew attached to a frame with two arms. As you twist the screw into the cork the two arms rise up and the cork is extracted by pushing the arms back down. These openers are very easy to use. The problem with this opener is that it does not work very well on long corks. Ah-So These wine bottle openers have two metal blades which slide on either side of the cork. As you pull the bottle opener, it gently pries the cork out. These tools are very useful in opening old bottles of wine where the cork might be brittle and tend to crumble if a corkscrew were to be used. They are a bit tricky to handle, and if you are not careful you could push the cork down into the bottle.
This opener is very easy to use and does all the work of uncorking for you. You just hold the bottle in the vise and lower the lever and raise it. The machine lowers the corkscrew into the cork and when you raise the lever it pulls the cork out. This wine bottle opener is a bit larger and not as portable and handy as a waiters or twist style opener, it is also expensive. Cork Pops You will find that this wine bottle opener quite often impresses people. It is basically a long needle with a Co2 cartridge at the other end. You push the needle into the cork and then release Co2 into the bottle this pushes the cork out of the bottle. The problem with this bottle opener is that it does not always work. You also will need to replace the Co2 cartridge from time to time. Stationary These are tabletop bottle openers. You would usually find them in bars; they are very easy to use, and open bottles very quickly. These openers are very good with new bottles of wine but they cannot open bottles with broken corks or old corks. Also they are quite expensive. I tend to stick with the simple waiters’ friend. I don’t have to think too much about how to use it. It is pretty much self-explanatory. But I am sure that you will find a wine bottle opener that fits your budget, your fascination with all things mechanical (if you are so inclined), as well as your tolerance or desire for complexity! Wine Bottle Openers For Every Taste!
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