We have all struggled to get a cork out of a bottle of wine. There is something intimidating and scary about a task that should be so simple. There are also a myriad of corkscrew options. I have been a fan of many of those options from time to time over the last 40 years. My current corkscrew of choice, is the classic Waiter’s Corkscrew. It is one of the cheapest, easy to use and most efficient options. With a little training and practice, you start to enjoy the task and will never be afraid to open a bottle of wine ever again.
Before I go into the benefits of my current choice let me take you through some of the options:
The Wing Style Corkscrew
How to use a Wing Style Corkscrew
This has always been my mother’s tool of choice. She likes it because it is easy. It doesn’t require strength. Mom is 97 and she has been enjoying one or two glasses of wine a day for 70 years. About 7 years ago she got in a car accident 1000 yards from her house. That was the end of her driving career. A few months after the accidents she told me: “Don’t tell your sisters, but I probably should not have had that second glass of wine before driving home from dinner. But the local police officer was so nice. He took the case of wine out of my car and carried it into the house for me.” So maybe the wing style corkscrew is too easy to use.
The Ah So Style Corkscrew
This was my tool of choice when we first started drinking wine in California back in the 1980’s. For me, this isn’t the easiest tool to use. If you aren’t proficient in it’s use, there is a risk that you will push the cork into the bottle. Where the Ah So really works well is with older bottles of wine and the cork starts to fall apart. I use an Ah So when I see that the cork is weak.
The Rabbit Style Corkscrew
How to use a Rabbit Style Corkscrew
This had been my tool of choice for over twenty years. I liked it because it opens a bottle quickly and is pretty much idiot proof. With that said, I have screwed up with it more that I want to admit. I had one for years that I bought at Costco. Funny thing, Costco stopped selling it. That was an early indicator that there are better options out there. While I was in the Rabbit phase, I bought a very expensive Rabbit corkscrew for my son in law. E is definitely a wine guy, but he isn’t a tool guy. His line is that there is no such thing as “Jews and screws”. He just could never get the hang of the rabbit style. I guess this blog is another example of where E was right and I was wrong.
Electric or Cordless Corkscrew
How to use a cordless wine cork puller
These were all the rage a few years ago. I actually got two for Christmas one year. I never could get it right. It took too long. I was never really sure how to use it. And, I broke a few too many corks. Just don’t tell my nephew about this blog, but I don’t use cordless wine cork puller.
Air Pump/Pressure Cork Puller
How to use an air pump cork puller
I have been given an air pump puller a few times to use. They make me nervous. It is probably irrational, but I worry the bottle will explode. I certainly am uncomfortable with how they work. On the surface there are lots of benefits (easy, good for weak corks…), but I don’t get it.
The Perfect Corkscrew
How to use the Waiters corkscrew.
In my book, the old Waiter’s corkscrew is the perfect corkscrew. It has been around for centuries. It is cheap, usually around $5. Some are better than others. The one I buy at my local wine store has a two-step function that works perfectly. The key is setting the screw to a maximum depth without going through the cork. This reduces the risk of breakage. A good Waiters corkscrew has a good “catch” on the first step. Some of the lesser versions will slip on the first step. Once you get the cork halfway out you move to the second step and you are done. I also like the knife blade to cut off the foil.
My suggestion is get a Waiters corkscrew. Use it a few times. A little practice goes a long way to elimination of the fears. There is also a joy in the process. I look forward to opening a bottle with one of my favorite corkscrews. At $5 apiece, I buy them to leave behind in several places. It is simply: The Perfect Corkscrew.
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