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3 Best Wine Openers in 2023 [Essential Picks]
There are plenty of wine tools available online - chill sticks, decanters, fridges, temperature gauges.
But, the first tool you need, and need to master, is a wine opener. The question is, which is the best wine bottle opener?
To save you time reading through the entire article, we'll just list the top 3 wine openers of 2023 right here so that you can click on them to find out more:
- Brookstone Screwpull Lever Wine Opener (Rabbit-Style Opener)
- HiCoup Waiter's Corkscrew (Traditional-Style Opener)
- Oster's Electric Wine Opener (Electric-Style Opener)
Now for those that want a little more detail like, whether you should buy a traditional butterfly corkscrew? Or an electric opener, key, or another design?
We go into a lot more depth about our favorite wine openers and also which style might suit you best.
Ignore what people tell you is the “right” bottle opener and focus on what you’re comfortable with.
Unless you’re in the industry or practicing for your sommelier exam (in which case you have probably already mastered using a wine key) you want to have something that is comfortable for you and easy to use.
That's why I've put together some reviews of the best wine openers below.
The Top 3 Wine Openers
Here are the best 3 wine bottle openers and some basic comparisons. Read on for more detailed descriptions.
Take a look at our side by side comparison of the top three available wine openers or feel free to jump ahead into the details which are below the chart.1. Brookstone Wine Opener - 4.6 / 5 ( Our #1 Choice )
Pros
Cons
Sturdy craftsmanship, a beautiful box, and an easy cork pull every time - this product receives rave reviews from all of its customers.
It's the best opener that I tried in my tests and the online reviews seem to agree.
The Brookstone Wine Opener comes with a sleek box with a magnetic buckle which makes it idea for gifting whether it is for a friend that is just getting into one, or someone that is a long-time connoisseur.
Although a little more pricey than the others, this one is sure to stand the test of time.
What's so good about it?
If I had to choose one thing that is great about this wine opener, I'd have to say that it simplifies the whole act of opening up a bottle.
All you have to do (after you remove the foil), is place the opener on top of the bottle, push the lever down, and pull it up again and it will remove 99% of corks without any issues.
I have also tested it with a large number of synthetic corks and have never had an issue. Many other brands either don't support the opening of synthetic corks, and when they do, they are often terrible at it.
Last, but not least, the presentation of this wine opener is simply fantastic. The elegant design of the opener, and the outstanding packaging, makes this an ideal gift.
What could be improved?
There is one little thing that I would improve - namely that the wine opener and replacement corkscrew that come with the unit are sometimes a little hard to remove from the packaging.
This can be a little frustrating when you intend to keep the packaging and need to remove these items from time to time. Although not a big deal, this is a small thing that I would improve.
2. HiCoup Waiter's Corkscrew - 4.9 / 5
Pros
Cons
The serrated blade, heft, and sturdy design makes this a great wine opener for industry insiders, front of house staff, sommeliers or others who want to open the bottle to start the drinking process.
It's always great to keep one of these types of wine openers around the house since they are small, and easy to take with you, should you plan on going somewhere else.
However, they're not the easiest to use, so they're not for everyone!
What's good about it?
The best thing about this wine opener is its simplicity, size, and sturdiness. Without too many bells & whistles, it does the job and is compact enough to take with you when you're on the go.
The double hinged fulcrum is also a nice additional touch and is what transforms this into a professional waiters corkscrew.
This makes it extremely useful when you're trying to remove corks that are longer than normal. However, it can take a little bit of getting used to.
What could be improved?
Although reviews are generally very positive when it comes to this wine openers, a common theme is that it does take quite a bit of force to actually open the bottle.
This might not be a problem for most of us, but if you have issues with arthritis or simply don't have the strength, I'd recommend going with something like the Brookstone that was recommended previously. It's much easier to use.
Another complaint is that the hinge on the foil cutter is very tough, making it extremely difficult to open up the foil cutter. Putting a drop of oil on it will usually fix this issue.
3. Oster's Electric Wine Opener - 4.3 / 5
Pros
Cons
It takes up a bit of room, but for those who lack strength in their hands or suffer from arthritis, an electric opener like this one is a great option. Leave it on its charging base for easy access to an opener any time you need it. Best with real cork, many who’ve used it with synthetic corks say it won’t work.
Having said that, it's definitely the best of the electric openers that we have come across and for the price that it is currently going at it's a bargain.
What's good about it?
The great thing about electric wine openers is that you can remove the cork by a simple press of the button. This leaves you from having to exert any force, and is therefore ideal for people that suffer from arthritis or weakness in the hands.
The advantage of this particular electric opener is that it's cordless and opens more than 30 bottles per charge. This gives you the flexibility of opening bottles where you want as opposed to being restricted by a cord.
What could be improved?
Electric bottle openers can really struggle with synthetic corks and this one has its issues.
With synthetic corks becoming more popular, this is an issue going forward.
Wine Opener Buyer's Guide
Forget buying a wine opener based on what you see sommeliers and bartenders using - the most important thing is getting one that feels right to you.
Before investing, try out a few varieties at friends’ houses and see what fits you best.
Sure, most in the industry use a key but unless that’s your goal, you don’t need to master the process (which gives you VERY little leverage and often results in more than one dropped bottle). The rabbit style is often the easiest, least stressful.
Electric is great, but most only last a few years and don’t work on every kind of cork - meaning you’ll need a backup anyway.
If you’re going to invest, invest in one high quality product that will give you years of ease of use.
What are the Styles of Wine Opener? Which Would You Recommend?
It’s rare to see the traditional corkscrew anymore - restaurants and individuals have left them by the wayside.
Is it time for you to kick yours to the curb and find a newer, better model?
Advances in design, industry standard, and a focus on easier models have brought forth a variety of types, here are the basics:
1. Rabbit and Lever Wine Openers
Often described as “the best” style of wine opener, the rabbit style of opener is very popular among wine lovers due to its ease of use and slick cork removal.
Most rabbit options are beautifully made, packaged, and designed and will add beauty to your bar or wine rack.
Use a foil cutter (most rabbit style wine openers come with one) to grip the foil, turn it once and then slip off the foil before grabbing the rabbit.
The spiral is surrounded by two arms on the side and a lever above.
Once lined up, hold the side arms in place, push the top lever down and then pull it back up.
Voila, that’s it!
The Brookstone opener is our favorite rabbit/lever style option.
Pros
Cons
2. Standard Winekey Wine Opener
The Swiss Army Knife of wine openers, this variety is a little intimidating, and takes a while to learn how to use.
But you won’t need a separate foil cutter. A serrated blade is used to cut the foil under the lip, then the spiral is screwed six and a half times into the cork slightly off center.
The first (higher) lever is used to start release of the cork and once out the second (lower) lever is used.
It’s a process but what is often seen in restaurants. That doesn’t make it the best, though, and while learning is great you’ll probably want a backup on hand.
The Hicoup Waiter's Corkscrew is our favorite model of this variety.
Pros
Cons
3. The Electric Wine Opener
Whether corded or rechargeable, there are options to open wine using electronic gadgets.
Research is key here, as many still require a great deal of strength to remove the cork (spend more to have one that includes removal features).
Still, this is great for older drinkers or those with arthritic hands or weakness. It’s a good idea to have a secondary method for opening for when technology fails.
The Oster's electric bottle opener is our electric model of choice.
Pros
Cons
What to Keep in Mind When Buying a Wine Opener
Before pulling the trigger and deciding on the type of wine opener you want to buy, I recommend keeping in mind a number of different factors.
One particular type of wine opener might be a great choice for one person, but might completely be the wrong choice for someone else, depending on their needs.
What’s your budget?
How much money are you willing to spend on your wine opener?
If you plan on using it every day, it may not be a bad idea to spend a little bit more on a quality wine opener as it will likely pay for itself in the long-run.
If you think you’ll only use it once or twice, however, a cheaper opener for around $10 might be completely fine.
Remember, however, that the wine opener also contributes to your wine drinking experience.
The last thing you want is for something like that to get in the way of being able to enjoy a nice glass of wine.
Are you buying one for yourself or as a gift?
If you’re buying a wine opener for yourself, you might want to go for something simple that does the trick.
If you’re buying it as a gift, however, it might be nice to select one that is also functional but also has nice packaging included.
Is it something you will travel with?
These days, many people will take and consume their wine outside of the house.
The last thing you want in this case is to take an opener with you that is bulky in heavy, but rather one that is compact and portable.
Warranties and guarantees
The majority of wine openers on the market these days will contain some sort of warranty or guarantee.
Make sure you read the fine print, however, as the terms of these assurances could vary vastly from company to company.
Most will offer a 30-day money back guarantee, however, more and more will offer a 'satisfaction guarantee' so that whenever something goes wrong with the product, you are able to claim a replacement entirely for free
