Be prepared for the holiday season.

The holiday season is approaching and that means more entertaining, or going to parties where you should bring a holiday present.  Everyone needs a good corkscrew.  It helps avoid broken corks or spilled wine. I have tried electric corkscrews, and they are not my favorite, but many people prefer them, so I’ve included the one with the best reviews, and I’m going to try it myself because the reviews were so good.  Most reviewers begin their review by saying that their preference is for a classic waiter’s-style wine opener.  They are small, portable, comfortable in the hand, durable and always get the job done.  This simple style corkscrew is easiest to use, and easy to store.  It requires manual dexterity and some physical strength to use.

The Pulltap Classic is the gold standard of this waiter’s style of corkscrew. They usually have a stainless-steel body, and Teflon coated worm.  The double-hinged is preferred to a single hinge.

This is the Pulltap’s Professional Waiter’s Corkscrew in black. It is an inexpensive, classic workhorse.  It has a serrated knife for cutting the foil and is an easy opener. It is double-hinged, lightweight, but sturdy.  It is 7.3” L x 1.5” W x .9” D. It does not come with any instructions, so if you’ve never used one, you’ll need to look it up online.  Real Pulltaps can be difficult to find since they are knocked off so often. The one I’ve linked to looks like the real thing. They are made in Spain so if yours is shipped from China, return it.  $9.99.  It also comes in white, turquoise, bright blue, yellow, navy, purple, orange for $7.99 each.

 

This is Wirecutter’s pick if you can’t find a Pulltap or want to pay less.  True Truetap Double Hinged Waiter’s Corkscrew is an excellent knock-off of the Pulltap, and apparently identical.  Wirecutter offers True Truetap as an excellent alternative and it’s half the price.  $5.49.

 

I’ve used the Screwpull for years and been very happy.  The company has been sold, so the replacement that is highly recommended by Epicurious and others is the True Twister Self-Pulling Compact Corkscrew.  It is effortless to get the cork out, no pulling involved. Simply insert the corkscrew into the cork and just keep turning until the cork comes up and out.  $17.57.

 

This is the classic wing corkscrew style.  The Rabbit Wing Corkscrew is sturdy and easy to use.  Many of this type have been too loose and can pinch.  Reviews say that Rabbit has addressed these issues.  It has a slip ring at the base which keeps it aligned with the cork and an anti-rotation clamp feature. It measures 10” x 5” x 3”.  $14.99.

 

The Laguiole en Aubrac is a splurge but practical, durable, and beautiful. These handmade corkscrews are made in France of high-performance stainless steel by a single craftsman. They come with many options for handles.  It is larger than similar corkscrews and measures 4.7” L x .05: D x 1.1” W and weighs 10.5 oz. It makes a great present for someone special.   $179.95 on Amazon.

The highly recommended electric corkscrew wine opener is the Rabbit Automatic Electric Corkscrew Wine Bottle Opener.  It can be charged with a simple USB charge and I, like you, have millions of those all over the house. The charging base is small, it takes 4 hours to charge and like the Oster, can pull 30 corks before it needs recharging. It automatically senses when it’s been placed on top of a cork, so it screws itself in quickly and pops the cork without pressing any buttons. It then ejects the cork without any buttons being pushed.  It is very quiet, and one reviewer said it was ‘fun’ to use. $59.99.

How to open a bottle of wine:

• Remove the foil.
• Place the corkscrew helix (aka ‘worm’) in the center of the cork.
• Turn the bottle clockwise to start the uncorking, instead of the opener.
• Always screw the helix all the way through the cork. If helix is only part way down the cork might break.
• Use your corkscrew’s mechanics to remove cork.
• Once cork is out, clean the bottle neck of any cork leftovers.

Corkscrew notes:

The first corkscrew patent was issued in 1795.

Did you know that a corkscrew collector is called a helixophile?

Interested in becoming a helixophile? Read helixophile Marilynn Gelfman Karp’s Uncorked-A Corkscrew Collection Abbeville Press.  $15.49.

 

 

 

 

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