The Best Wine Openers, According to Sommeliers and Wine Industry Experts
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The wine opener is much more than a simple tool with an obvious function. A good wine opener should give a person confidence as they open a fresh bottle. It should welcome the experience with a fresh, punchy note rather than one marked with awkwardness or anxiety.
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For that reason, of the many kinds of wine openers on the market — waiter’s keys, winged corkscrews, electronic versions, ah-sos — the one you choose should make you feel comfortable, says Stephanie Bazer, a sommelier in New York City with over a decade in the wine industry. “Comfort leads to confidence,” she adds.
With that in mind, there’s a wide latitude of high-quality options on the market. Some are compact enough to fit in a pocket. Others are specially made for vintage bottles whose corks can crumble under the pressure of a normal corkscrew. For the collector or the aesthete, the openers can be fully customized, engraved, and run upwards of $200. There’s one for everyone, and every bottle, if you know where to look.
What the Experts Say
Sources within the wine industry say that what you buy doesn’t have to be complicated or expensive. Bazer’s top choice is a $30 waiter’s key, which is just a corkscrew and a small knife to cut the foil off the bottle. That was also the choice of Boyd Pearson, a veteran wine salesman and the co-owner of Redolent Wine Company. “There are lots of gadgets in the wine space,” he says, “but those things are unnecessary.”
There are a few key factors to look for when shopping for a wine opener. The first is the material. Stainless steel is a great option, and Bazer sways readers against cheap plastic or anything that might be liable to break. Then there’s the lever, which helps the person pull the cork out of the bottle. Bazer recommends a double-lever system, especially if you’re opening multiple bottles per night. “The single lever is honestly kind of a hassle because you have to pull so much harder and you have to hit it on an angle. It’s so much on the wrist and on the hand. The double lever is slower but easier.”
For anyone who wants to invest in their opener, or who may have vintage bottles that require extra care, higher-end options exist. Bazer invested in an opener that cost over $200 and has her name engraved on it. She often uses it for work where the stakes are higher than the average dinner party. At the same time, she emphasizes that more expensive doesn’t mean higher quality.
BEST OVERALL
The Coutale Sommelier Innovation Corkscrew
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Both Bazer and Pearson are fans of this French company. “The entire Coutale line is great,” says Pearson. At $39.99, this is one of the most accessible options recommended by experts. It’s made of stainless steel, the material of choice, and the knife is sharp enough to cut the foil of the bottle. Plus, the corkscrew is a good width, and it comes with a double lever, making the process of removing the cork as seamless as possible.
Under the Coutale umbrella, Bazer also recommends the Pocket Prestige, which is a bit cheaper but has the same functionality. “This is definitely good for home use, and it’s good for sommelier use,” she says. “Overall, it’s just a great opener.”
Because this item is relatively affordable and has a classic, no-frills design, it’s perfect for anyone who’s just started to invest in their wine collection, especially casual drinkers. If you find you need something with more bells and whistles, you can always level up later on.
BEST SERRATED BLADE
The Pulltap Corkscrew
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This “waiter’s key” design is the same as the Coutale, and is small and lightweight, making it an unobtrusive addition to the kitchen. It’s also made of stainless steel and ergonomically designed to fit the hand well.
What separates it from the option above is the non-serrated blade. “I prefer the non-serrated blade because it doesn’t pull at the foil and cause odd ripping,” says Pearson. “I feel like it’s a smoother cut.” At the end of the day, though, the knife style comes down to personal preference. Bazer, for example, likes serrated knives.
FOR WINE COLLECTORS
Laguiole Sommelier Corkscrew
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This is the option for functionality and a bit of Old World style. Also a “waiter’s key,” the Laguiole is handcrafted, made of steel and wood, and manufactured in Aubrac, France. Because it’s an investment — upwards of $250 — it’s better for those who are building a wine collection and want to compliment it with a luxurious accessory. For those who are opening dozens of bottles a night, it’s probably not the best fit.
“I don’t love the lever on these, as I prefer a 2-stage, spring-loaded lever like the Coutale,” says Pearson, “but I think these handles feel the best in your hands, and they are quite beautiful.”
She continued, saying that if someone gifted her a high-end Laguiole Corkscrew with a Damascus Blade “I would certainly love it. Those blades are something special, and I think I could get over my lever preferences.”
BEST AH-SO
L'Atelier Bilame
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Corks can disintegrate as they age, which is where the Ah-So variety of wine openers comes in. The two-pronged handles slide down the outside of the cork, instead of drilling into the center, and grab the cork from the outside. For those drinking wine bottled in the past 10 years, this isn’t an issue. But if you’re measuring the age of your wine in decades, this is probably a good investment.
“An Ah-So is a very useful tool for any serious collector, as it can help with any aged wines where you feel the cork might be suspect,” says Pearson. I like this one,” he adds, “and once you have one, you’re pretty much done.”
BEST ELECTRIC OPENER
Coravin 100015 Model One
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For all the gearheads out there looking for an electric opener, this is the one Bazer recommends. This gadget lets you pour wine without removing the cork, thereby preserving the rest of the bottle for later, the company claims. If you don’t plan on finishing a bottle, or if you want to sample many bottles at once, this is your opener.
“Coravin is cool,” says Bazer. “But it’s also a test of patience. It pees out your wine in the smallest little stream, but if you want to taste an ounce or two of wine at a time, Coravin can do that.”
Frequently Asked Questions About Wine Openers
How Do I Use a Wine Key?
From Bazer: “Hold the screw part, the “worm,” as if you were about to inject a needle, with your thumb on the top of it and the screw between your two fingers. Then, insert it into the center of the cork at a bit of an angle and twist it. The more swiftly and confidently you do it, the better an outcome you’re going to get. Then, you screw it in almost all the way and pull it out.”
Is Screw-Top Wine as Good as Corked Wine?
“Yes,” says Bazer. “I love screw taps.” However, she adds that the point of the cork is for the wine to be able to age with minimal amounts of oxygen contact. That doesn’t occur with wine in a screw-topped bottle, so look for “wine meant to be drunk in its youthful stage,” something like a Sauvignon Blanc rather than a big bold Cabernet.
How Long Does It Take for Wine to Go Bad After You’ve Opened the Bottle?
It depends, says Bazer. A Sauvignon Blanc in a screw-top bottle could last up to five days, though Bazer says she would use it in a pasta sauce after about two or three. “Wine starts to get better as soon as you open it,” she says. “Oxygen helps all the aromas open up, which is why people swirl the glass around, but after a certain point, the benefits wither.”
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