What’s more frustrating for a wine enthusiast than getting home after a long day, preparing to open a bottle of wine, and struggling to get the cork out in one piece?
That’s why it’s important to choose a wine bottle opener that serves as an effective and convenient wine key for you.
Whether you’re searching for a corkscrew to use casually, or needing something more durable that can open numerous bottles per night (such as a waiter’s corkscrew for work or for a party), this guide will help you select your next favorite wine key.
We’ve done the research, and these 8 best corkscrews are our favorite! Read on to find out why.
| Product | Details | ||
|---|---|---|---|
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Best Overall: Barvivo Waiter’s Corkscrew | Works for the home, and restaurants with synthetic and natural corks. It’s portable and reliable. | Check Price |
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Runner-up: Pulltap’s Double-hinged Waiter’s Corkscrew | Great pick for a buyer looking for quality with a low price! The double hinge is useful for challenging corks. | Check Price |
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Most Customizable: True Trutap Waiter’s Corkscrew | We like the range of colors and material options for this opener. It’s easy to carry, and also has a double hinge. | Check Price |
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Best for Challenging Corks: OXO Steel Double Lever Waiter’s Corkscrew | This one has a lever for challenging corks. It’s easy to figure out, and includes an extra screw. | Check Price |
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Most Attractive: Secura Electric Wine Opener | Our favorite electric option is visually appealing, and adaptable to different voltages! | Check Price |
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Most Convenient: Oster Cordless Electric Corkscrew | We are fans of the Oster because it’s convenient to use, keeps a charge, and takes up little space. | Check Price |
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Most Unique: Monopol Westmark Two-Prong Cork Puller | The two-prong design is perfect for extracting difficult corks. This device can also be used to re-cork. | Check Price |
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Most Versatile: OXO Steel Vertical Lever Corkscrew | We chose this one, because it contains a foil remover feature that is easy to access. | Check Price |
How we chose the best wine bottle openers
We considered several factors to choose our top 8 wine bottle openers.
Although different models may work better for different uses (such as personal use at home versus very frequent use at work in the restaurant industry), there are several factors to consider that apply to a wide variety of individuals, regardless of intended use.
Wine bottle openers are also listed as a top gifting option for wine enthusiasts by The Strategist, so buyers may want to consider these products for future gifts for friends and family.
You’ll want to select wine openers that are easy to use.
Our main criteria for choosing the best corkscrews were narrowed down to corkscrew type, aesthetic, longevity, versatility, ease of use, and price.
Read More: Is Lamarca Prosecco Vegan? Finding a vegan wine can be difficult, but we make it easy in this quick guide!
Screw Type
Some people prefer a more traditional, manually operated corkscrew, while others would rather use an electric screw.
We looked at alternative models with both types of corkscrews to provide you with reviews of the pros and the cons of each screw type.
Aesthetic
Looks aren’t everything, but you want something attractive if you plan on displaying your favorite wine bottle opener on a kitchen counter or bar cart, rather than placing it in a drawer.
We don’t want to have to search for our openers, but we also want them to look appealing in our homes.
Longevity
Nothing is worse than spending money on a favorite new wine key, getting excited about using it, and then having it break after just a few months of use.
We did a deep dive to investigate the experiences of buyers, and their opinions on the longevity of each wine opener before buying the products to test out.
Versatility
Some wine bottle openers work well with the common corks one would typically find in the grocery store but may struggle when matched with your more aged bottles.
We address the versatility of the bottle openers against different types of corks (in terms of both material and age) to help you choose the best model for you.
We want you to be able to open any bottle of wine you’re interested in drinking.
Ease of Use
No one wants to be frustrated trying to get their wine corkscrew to work properly.
We’ve rated ease of use so you can spend less time opening, and more time enjoying your wine.
While electric openers are often rated as the easiest to use, some people prefer a more classic, manual opener for its familiarity.
Price
Though we definitely need our wine bottle openers when we need them, we also don’t want to pay high-end prices for one kitchen gadget.
Therefore, in addition, we asked our team to consider price as a major factor in our selection, and how it relates to the overall value of the wine opener.
Read our related article on the Best Wine Glasses. Pair your favorite wine with the perfect glass for a fuller wine drinking experience!
Best Corkscrews for Wine Reviewed
1. Best Overall: Barvivo Waiter’s Corkscrew
Product Ratings
| Aesthetic | 4/5 |
| Longevity | 5/5 |
| Versatility | 5/5 |
| Ease of use | 4/5 |
| Price | 4/5 |
Material: Natural Rosewood | Weight: 4.10 oz | Size: 4.69 x .59 x 1.18 in.
What We Liked
- Great for more fragile corks
- Visually sleek
- Adaptable for different cork types
What We Didn’t Like
- Difficult to get to foil cutter
- Dull knife blade
This wine opener ranks as our best waiter’s corkscrew, as it is extremely versatile, and well-loved by those who work in the restaurant industry.
In fact, the developers collaborated with servers to help create a product that is both adaptable and durable.
More specifically, this wine key features a double-worm corkscrew and a double-hinged fulcrum to allow for a better leverage angle to remove the wine bottle cork, which helps prevent the cork from being ruined during the opening process.
This product can also be used to open a beer bottle.
These features also allow for the extraction of both natural and synthetic corks, and are able to adapt to different cork sizes, so there is no need to worry about the type of cork when shopping for your favorite bottle of wine.
While we appreciate this wine key for its longevity, versatility, and very reasonable price, we want to caution Amazon buyers that the foil cutter can be difficult to remove from its base position to cut open the bottle, especially on the first several tries.
Nevertheless, we recommend this product for its longevity, (some reviewers report using it for years without any wear and tear to the product’s looks or functionality) and adaptability to natural and synthetic corks, making it effective for both public and private settings.
2. Runner-up: Pulltap’s Double-hinged Waiter’s Corkscrew
Product Ratings
| Aesthetic | 3/5 |
| Longevity | 4/5 |
| Versatility | 4/5 |
| Ease of use | 4/5 |
| Price | 5/5 |
Material: Stainless Steel | Weight: 2.39 oz | Size: 4.75 x .75 x .5 in.
What We Liked
- Economical for its value
- Good longevity with frequent use
- Double leverage for ease of opening
What We Didn’t Like
- Knife component is dull
- Screw is too long
This opener ranks high on our list, because it checks many of the boxes consumers have frequently asked about: quality, price, and longevity.
Firstly, the Pulltap brand name is generally associated with high-end products, and this helps reaffirm that reputation, but for a reasonable price.
Reviewers from The Barnacle Bar report that the double hinged design is useful for tackling bottles that are more difficult to open.
The double hinge allows for a greater grip, which is especially useful for older bottles.
Although the product is sturdy, it is one of the more lightweight items on this list, promoting ease of travel.
Additionally, we have found this product to be easy to use, overall, especially in comparison to other wine bottle openers with a similar structure.
While this brand continues to live up to its reputation, buyers should be aware of sellers marking inauthentic products with the Pulltap name, so be sure to verify with your seller prior to making a wine key purchase.
3. Most Customizable: True Trutap Waiter’s Corkscrew
Product Ratings
| Aesthetic | 5/5 |
| Longevity | 3/5 |
| Versatility | 4/5 |
| Ease of use | 4/5 |
| Price | 3/5 |
Material: Multiple Finish Options | Weight: 2.40 oz | Size: 4.75 x 1 x .75 in.
What We Liked
- Includes image instructions for easy use
- Light and easy to fit in pocket
- Sturdy for the price
What We Didn’t Like
- Foil cutter is hard to use
- Doesn’t hold up with frequent use
This opener made our list for several reasons.
For one, there are beautiful options for adapting the color scheme to select an opener that is most suited to your personal needs and style.
Buyers can choose among plastic, metal, and stainless steel materials with different plating options for a more individualized wine key.
The color selections range from bright, neon colors to more classic, natural tones that would match well with any bar cart.
Functionally, this product contains a double-hinged corkscrew with a non-stick screw to help promote ease of bottle opening.
In addition, the product design is small and sleek, and, despite its size, this opener is effective for removing extra-long corks.
Reviewers report that this product works well for personal use, but does not make the cut in terms of items that last long for individuals who use them very frequently, such as servers.
Nevertheless, the features of this wine key are excellent for personal use at home and on the go, and the price is really unbeatable for the quality of the product.
4. Best for Challenging Corks: OXO Steel Double Lever Waiter’s Corkscrew
Product Ratings
| Aesthetic | 3/5 |
| Longevity | 3/5 |
| Versatility | 4/5 |
| Ease of use | 4/5 |
| Price | 4/5 |
Material: Stainless Steel | Weight: 35.6 oz | Size: 2.5 x 7.6 x 7.2 in.
What We Liked
- Lever is helpful for bottles that are hard to open
- Able to release corks easily
- Extra screw included
What We Didn’t Like
- Pricier compared to others on this list
- Poor longevity
We like this bottle opener, because it has the best lever, which is helpful for removing more challenging corks, and for keeping them intact upon release.
This allows for preservation of the cork for reuse or collecting.
This product is relatively easy to use, and works for both natural and synthetic wine corks.
It includes a removable foil cutter, and a non-stick screw for ease of bottle opening.
Of note, Amazon buyers should consider who will be using the opener, as many report that the user needs to have a bit of strength in their arms to get it to work.
This may not be the best choice for individuals with arthritis.
We also have concerns regarding the longevity of this device, as some reviewers noted that it lasted for less than a year; however, others noted that they have had it for over a year as well.
Either way, the product does include an extra screw, which is convenient in the event that it needs to be replaced.
5. Most Attractive: Secura Electric Wine Opener
Product Ratings
| Aesthetic | 5/5 |
| Longevity | 2/5 |
| Versatility | 3/5 |
| Ease of use | 5/5 |
| Price | 3/5 |
Material: Stainless Steel | Weight: 0.68 oz | Size: 12 x 2.7 x 7.5 in.
What We Liked
- Very visually attractive with a blue light near the base
- Easy to use
- Adaptable to different voltages
What We Didn’t Like
- Slows down over time
- Power could be stronger
We consider this to be the best electric wine opener, and it is one of the more attractive devices on our list.
It is compact, and easy to fit on a counter or a wine bar, and we love the energy and angle of the beautiful blue light near the base of the wine key.
We enjoy the ease of use of this bottle opener, as users simply need to position the device, and then press a button to activate the corkscrew.
Conveniently, this product can be adapted to numerous voltages, and is therefore able to be used around the world. You could enjoy a bottle of wine at home, and while on vacation.
Although we like many of its features, we noted that the charge could be a bit more powerful, and that it sometimes adds more time than expected to open a bottle.
The charge also slows down over time with use, which is also something to consider.
Many of the cons of buying an electric wine opener tend to overlap across brands, so it is important to weigh the cons against the benefits when choosing to go this route.
6. Most Convenient: Oster Cordless Electric Corkscrew
Product Ratings
| Aesthetic | 4/5 |
| Longevity | 3/5 |
| Versatility | 3/5 |
| Ease of use | 4/5 |
| Price | 4/5 |
Material: Plastic | Weight: 16 oz | Size: 5.51 x 14.96 x 5.32 in.
What We Liked
- Cordless and convenient
- Includes foil cutter
- Long-lasting charge
What We Didn’t Like
- Long charge time
- Not as durable as manual openers
While some of the bottle openers we’ve reviewed could be somewhat challenging for the novice to use, we like this product, because it works quickly, and is a very simple wine key.
Although it takes a long time to fully charge (6 to 8 hours), the charge lasts for around 30 bottles.
The charging base is small, and could easily fit on a counter or bar cart without taking up too much room, so the device won’t end up lost in a drawer due to needing more counter space.
It also adds to the general aesthetic of the counter.
We also like that this model includes a foil cutter, as the foils can be frustrating to navigate on certain wines.
The convenience, ease of use, and presentation with the charging base are all reasons we rank this opener highly.
However, some reviewers have noted that they have had issues with the device functioning properly within the first year of use.
7. Most Unique: Monopol Westmark Two-Prong Cork Puller
Product Ratings
| Aesthetic | 3/5 |
| Longevity | 4/5 |
| Versatility | 4/5 |
| Ease of use | 2/5 |
| Price | 3/5 |
Material: Alloy Steel | Weight: 2.50 oz | Size: 11 x 6.5 x 1 in.
What We Liked
- Works well for older corks
- Includes a 5-year warranty
- Can be used to recork the bottle
What We Didn’t Like
- Can be challenging to use
- Doesn’t include foil cutter
This cork puller is a much different style compared to many of the other openers we reviewed.
It is a simpler wine key in the sense that it contains two long prongs that can be pushed into the sides of the cork.
Users will then need to pull and maneuver the device to help the cork ease its way out of the bottle at a safe angle.
We like this bottle opener, because it works especially well for older corks that may break or crumble upon removal, completely ruining the cork (and hopefully not the wine, as well).
This product is relatively inexpensive to buy, comes with a 5-year warranty, and is made with steel prongs. The curved end is functional for opening a beer as well.
We like the sleek, simple look of the device, and it also comes with a cover to protect the prongs.
Unlike some of the other products we have reviewed, this device does not include a foil cutter, which may be an issue with certain wine bottles.
Additionally, other reviewers have reported that the device did not maintain longevity, and have asked for a replacement sooner, rather than later (after a year, for some), even without frequent use.
8. Most Versatile: OXO Steel Vertical Lever Corkscrew
Product Ratings
| Aesthetic | 3/5 |
| Longevity | 4/5 |
| Versatility | 5/5 |
| Ease of use | 3/5 |
| Price | 2/5 |
Material: Stainless Steel | Weight: 4.96 oz | Size: 1.5 x .05 x 5.5 in.
What We Liked
- Non-stick screw
- Foil cutter is easy to unfold
What We Didn’t Like
- Cutter blade can be challenging to use
- Not as visually appealing as others on this list
The OXO Corkscrew is an alternative wine key for opening bottles with different types of corks, like some of the others on this list.
We found that the foil cutter is much easier to unfold from the device compared to most openers that include a cutter, which adds to its ease of use.
In particular, we also like the non-stick screw for the removal of more stubborn corks. The device itself is sturdy and durable, and its size makes it easily portable if needed for travel.
Some reviewers have expressed difficulty using the cutter blade to open bottles with this device, due to its curvature.
Users should be careful when implementing this feature to avoid any accidents.
Overall, the durability, non-stick feature, and very reasonable price of this opener helped secure its place on our list for wine bottle lovers.
Comparison Chart
| Products | Best Overall | Runner Up | Most Customizable | Best for Challenging Corks | Best Electric Option | Most Convenient | Most Unique | Most Versatile |
| Overall Rating | 4.4/5 | 4.0/5 | 3.8/5 | 3.6/5 | 3.6/5 | 3.6/5 | 3.2/5 | 3.4/5 |
| Aesthetic | 4/5 | 3/5 | 5/5 | 3/5 | 5/5 | 4/5 | 3/5 | 3/5 |
| Longevity | 5/5 | 4/5 | 3/5 | 3/5 | 2/5 | 3/5 | 4/5 | 4/5 |
| Versatility | 5/5 | 4/5 | 4/5 | 4/5 | 3/5 | 3/5 | 4/5 | 5/5 |
| Ease of use | 4/5 | 4/5 | 4/5 | 4/5 | 5/5 | 4/5 | 2/5 | 3/5 |
| Price | 4/5 | 5/5 | 3/5 | 4/5 | 3/5 | 4/5 | 3/5 | 2/5 |
The Winner
We have chosen the Barvivo Waiter’s Corkscrew as our top pick due to its adaptability to many different types of corks, its very reasonable price, and its longevity of use over time across numerous bottles.
Given that servers who work in the restaurant industry assisted with the design of this product, it’s not surprising that it scores very well in all of the areas we assessed.
Read More: How to Recork a Wine Bottle. Save your favorite wine for later with these 4 recorking methods!
How To Choose The Best Opener For You
We recommend you make your purchase based on product features that are most important to you, though we offer our 5 main criteria as advice.
Do you drink a lot of older wines that may have fragile corks? If so, you may want to consider one of the products that scored highly in terms of versatility.
Are you looking for something that isn’t going to take up much space but will look good on your counter?
Some of our picks are more visually appealing than others, if this is a factor that is important to you.
A new, sleek device really adds to the kitchen’s presentation. Our best electric corkscrew may be more visually appealing to you than our best manual corkscrew.
Individuals who expect to have very high usage of their openers may want to consider products that were rated highly in terms of longevity.
This is especially true for those who will be opening numerous bottles per night in the service industry.
Depending on how savvy you are with a corkscrew, it may be less frustrating to choose one of the products that have been rated highly for ease of use. The best electric corkscrews tend to be very simple, and do not require much arm strength.
Lastly, price is always an important angle in any type of purchase. We caution you to consider value next to price, as sometimes a cheaper price tag results in a lower quality of wine key.
Comparing the longevity scores with the price scores reported in this article may help you to find a good balance between price and value.
Honorable Mentions
We’d like to include some brief notes on a few wine openers that didn’t make our list, but are good candidates to consider when making your purchase:
1. HiCoup Wine Corkscrew — Considered for its Classic Familiarity
We like the familiarity of this winged corkscrew, as the average wine enthusiast has at least seen, if not used, a device that looks like this one.
Unfortunately, this wine opener didn’t quite make the cut for our list, because we found it to be somewhat difficult to angle the screw fully into the cork, which can result in the removal of only half of a broken cork.
Nevertheless, we appreciate the simplicity and familiarity of this wine key for opening our favorite bottles.
2. BOJ Classic Self-Pulling Wine Opener — Considered for its Unique Design
This wine bottle opener looks a lot different from others on this list. It is modeled after more classic types of bottle openers, and allows for extra leverage in removal of the cork.
Although we like its style, the BOJ Classic is a little pricey for a non-electric opener, and can be challenging to use due to its unique structure.
It may not be a good fit for buyers who are on a budget.
3. True Brands Corkscrew — Considered for its Excellent Price
This wine opener was one of the cheapest we were able to find during our research. It’s a durable wine key for the price, and its small size makes it easily portable.
One of the drawbacks of this product — and the main reason it didn’t make our list — is that the material does feel cheaper compared to other products, and we have concerns regarding the longevity of the opener.
4. Pulltap’s Waiter’s Corkscrew — Considered for its Ease of Use
We like this product, because it is light, easy to use, and doesn’t take up a lot of space.
This corkscrew doesn’t necessarily include any extras, but we’ve found it to be effective, durable, and suitable for the needs of those in the restaurant industry as well as casual wine drinkers who need to buy on a budget.
While we like this corkscrew, overall, we wish the serrated blade was a bit sharper.
5. Rabbit Tools Corkscrew — Considered for its Sturdiness
The Rabbit Corkscrew offers a double grip that helps the opener gain a greater leverage when opening the bottle.
It’s easy to use, and is small enough to effectively fit in a kitchen drawer.
Although this product makes it easy to remove the cork from the bottle, we found it very challenging to remove the cork from the actual opener, which can result in ruining the cork altogether.
6. The Durand Two-Part Device for Vintage Cork Removal — Considered for its Elegance
We love the look of this opener, and appreciate its ability to delicately angle its way with even the most fragile of wine corks.
This would be a great wine key for individuals who want to enjoy an older bottle of wine, and are afraid of the cork crumbling into the bottle.
While this device is of excellent quality, it didn’t make our top list because it is very expensive, and may not be as accessible to the more casual wine drinker.
For those who are very serious about their wine, and willing to invest a bit of money into an opener, this choice may be a good fit.
7. Wine Enthusiast Legacy Corkscrew — Considered for its Cool Look
This opener definitely has a unique, but classy look to it, and it even comes with the ability to engrave your name on the surface.
This product would look wonderful on a kitchen counter or a bar cart.
Similarly to the last product, our main reservation with this opener is that it is a bit costly, and may not be within the budget of most shoppers looking for a good wine opener.
For that reason, we left it off of our main list but are happy to include it in the honorable mentions.