What's the best wine opener?

I got em' all, including 3 rabbit screwpulls etc. but I use the Waiter's Corkscrew most often. I'm old school. Small, light and never breaks. I must have gone through 6 screwpulls over the years.

I can use almost everything but I hate that other bigger corkscrew with the 2 hands that go up as you screw into the bottle and then you push them back down to get the cork out Drives me crazy and my whole family has it.

I agree with Hunter on both counts.

My wife just bought me a Laguiole Waiter Style corkscrew for Christmas and the thing is a dream.

My in-laws have have one of those 2 handle corkscrews that Hunter mentioned and I can't use the damn thing. I either spill wine on myself or break the cork off.

A twist of the wrist – as is used for screw tops. For corks I prefer to use a waiter’s corkscrew. I also keep an Ah-So for those times that the cork might break.

I got a Rabbit knock-off from Bed Bath & Beyond. $10 and FANTASTIC No breakage, no straining, no hassle.

quote:

Originally posted by mike p:
I got a Rabbit knock-off from Bed Bath & Beyond.

As an impulse purchase, I bought a knock-off from Costco about 2 years ago and still haven't opened it because I like the simplicity of the waiter's corkscrew. Maybe I'll give it to somebody as a gift.

i bought a rabbit knock off too for 10$. i like the old school waiter more too. but i have the rabbit around just in case someone else wants to open a bottle.

I use them all, but this one is probably my favorite.

Waiter's exclusively.

I have the extra fancy rabbit-style from Williams Sonoma (gift) and have never used it.

Also have an Ah so, never used it.

Also have the winged armed screwpull decribed above..never used it.

Ok, I just realized another one that I hate. Our friends had it out yesterday when we went to their house.

The opener that has the 2 long plastic pieces around the screw, with a gap in between the pieces and a plastic turner at the top? Shaped like a small flashlight? It's usually black or white. Man, they really suck too. What cheap crap. It feels like it costs about 15 cents to make.

Thankfully I pulled out my trusty waiters screw like a quick draw and got the job done.

What about the camping / travel screwpull??

the one with the screw and plastic piece with a hole in it, and the sheath that goes thru the hole?

Like THIS

Quite possibly the worst.


Yes, yes, I know, any kind is great when it opens Santa Margarhita, and you could be wrong, but you think you're right...

quote:

What about the camping / travel screwpull??

the one with the screw and plastic piece with a hole in it, and the sheath that goes thru the hole?

Like THIS

Quite possibly the worst.

Yeah. Your workin' hard opening wine with that thing.

In my house that's the "I can't find ANY of my good openers....alright! - give me that %#$^&*# thing then!" wine opener.

quote:

Originally posted by CaliCab:
What about the camping / travel screwpull??

those have been life savers for me! cheap and easy to leave behind when needed.

No question,

The Screwpull LM 400 is just remarkable

2 slight motions in each direction and the cork is out and laying on the counter. Easy and a favorite of guests, can't miss on this one!!!

The best wine opener-

"Would you care for a glass of Champagne?

I've tried several and this is my favorite by far.

Here

quote:

Originally posted by casketnut:
No question,

The Screwpull LM 400 is just remarkable

2 slight motions in each direction and the cork is out and laying on the counter. Easy and a favorite of guests, can't miss on this one!!!

Gotta' say, used MANY. Once you get the hang of this one, it's a DREAM to use. Superb!

To RedFan's device that uses CO2 injection, BAD IDEA . I open almost a bottle a day and do many wine parties as a host for work/pleasure. I love Italian reds, but others like whites...etc. Tried the CO2 on a Tuscan white with a incredibly tight seal on a plastic cork....yeah I pretty much ruined a suited and made a wine presentation into stand-up comedy act. I'll stick with a teflon coated waiters cork screw 10,000+ bottles later

I think that if the worm is hollow and long, just about any good wine opener will do.

However, if the cork is brittle, cracked or falling apart, an Ah-So can work wonders.

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I use a Houdini. It is by the makers of the Rabbit, same deal but MUCH more affordable. Got mine in a set with the opener, the foil cutter, and a few replacement parts. I've been using it for about a year or two, never had a problem, yet to use a single replacement part, and absolutely love it!

I'd recommend it to anyone.

Definitely, absolutely, the good ol' waiter's corkscrew, as mentioned above. I like the ones with a slightly hinged section, as shown here. Classic and absolutely the best. I have used an Ah-So, though, on some old crumbly corks.

The rabbit is the most efficient opener. I have one, and use it, especially if hosting wine parties where we are suddently opening lots of bottles at once. But it lacks soul, and my favorite remains a nice wooden handled waiters corkscrew with a teflon coated screw.

Efficeincy versus soul. Sort of like a quartz watch versus a manual wind. Or one of these super-duper automatic transmissions versus an old fashion stick shift. Some people (myself included) just like tradition, even if it doesn't always make sense.

The bulkiness of the Rabbit is a problem, though.

Not that you need any more opinions checking in on the topic, but I'm in general agreement with the thread. Waiter's pull for the everyday bottles, an Ah-so handy for the tough ones.

Here's my favorite:

vacuvin winemaster

I've done quite a bit of bartending and waitering and nothing beats the sommelier's coutale waiter's corkscrew http://www.wineracksplansandmore.com/900650.html
it's extremely fast, more efficient than the traditional waiter's wine tool and exactly the same size. Versus the traditional waiters' tool, with this one you push down rather than pull up, which makes it easier, faster and decreases the incidence of breaking the cork.