With the double-hinged style, the cork comes right out. Most similar to the Deco is our Electric Blue Automatic Wine Opener, whose 3-piece set comes with a foil cutter, charging stand, and option for personalization. Again, itll take a long time for people to hit this wall, but it certainly doesnt hurt to have more power. Cheers! Heres our advice on all-in-one problem solvers. The other difference is how the double lever works. This is our Electric Blue Deco Corkscrew, which is actually pretty cool because itll tell you the temperature of the bottle as well just by aiming the gauge at it and pressing the button. Not surprisingly, they all worked exactly the same. I still prefer a waiters corkscrew to anything else, he told us. For me, the best style is the classic waiters corkscrew I think that this kind of model gives a person the greatest amount of control when opening a bottle. hbbd``b`$ @,`1 A| H$.t A ? "( How do we get the cork back out of the corkscrew? The Electric Wine Bottle Opener is a 10.75-inch-long, 2.25-inch-diameter plastic tube and comes with a plastic charging base that holds it upright and stores the foil cutter. Its a nice-looking opener, but one with a frustrating design. Of the trio purchased from Amazon, which ranged in price from $2 to $10, one came with no logo etched into the metal arm, one came with the Pulltaps name and the phrase Patent, and the other took weeks to arrive from China. Because theyre so similar, all the input from the experts we spoke to still applies. To figure out the best options, we spoke to a number of wine servers and sommeliers people who open bottle after bottle, night after night, among other experts. While Pulltexs Pulltaps is the major name brand when it comes to waiters corkscrews, there are many others. While its functionally the same, the bottle opener and blade are better; the double lever works as well as Truetaps. So, lets see how they work. Just a few bucks gets you a reliable and easy-to-use manual opener. Waring Pros WO50B Cordless Wine Opener ($35) is a pretty good alternative if the Oster pick isnt available. I opened a bottle following the manufacturers instructions, and then the test was repeated by a left-handed assistant with hand strength issues. Others may not be thrilled with purchasing whats perceived as a knock-off product, but it is the best value for the dollar. The double-hinge makes pulling the cork out of a bottle a simple process. When asked what the difference between the models was, True Fabrications Lindsey Wilcox told us, The Pulltaps and Truetap are essentially the same product. We recommend upgrading to the Oster Electric. Oster offers a 1-year limited warranty on its Electric Wine Bottle Opener. The cork is out! When youre ready to open a bottle, we found the method suggested by Gary Vaynerchuk, the founder of Wine Library, to be about as easy as can be. Wirecutter is the product recommendation service from The New York Times. Nick Guy is a former senior staff writer covering Apple and accessories at Wirecutter. Though its few dollars more expensive, it at least comes from a well-known company and isnt a knockoff being sold by someone claiming to be a different company. It placed at the top in every category in which we tested it. We have designed the first double lever corkscrew, called Pulltaps, said Matas Martnez Romegialli, the companys assistant sales export representative. Instead, the included charger plugs directly into the back of the opener, which actually allows it to take up less table space. Coravin FAQ: 25+ Answers to Your Most Popular Questions, Three Simple Ways To Remove the Foil Capsule Covering the Wine Bottle, Corkscrew Showdown: Waiters vs. Electric Style Wine Openers, The Benefits Of Each Style Of Wine Opener, The Hows & Whys Of Replacing Your Corkscrew Worm, Best Wine Coolers of 2022 | Wine Enthusiast, 10 Best Mothers Day Gifts for Wine Lovers, How to Remove Red Wine Stains: An Expert Guide, Place the wine bottle upright on a flat, sturdy surface, Remove the electric corkscrew from its charging base and power it on, if needed, Get a firm grip on the wine bottle in one hand, and center the electric corkscrew on top of the bottle with the other hand, Guide the corkscrew in a downward motion as it inserts the worm into the cork, then pulls the cork out of the bottle, Press the UP button to retrieve the cork from inside the corkscrew. Aside from the lower prices and color variety, there is no difference. Holding them side by side, we found this to be totally true. Not surprisingly, they all worked exactly the same. These are intended to make it easier to open a bottle of wine for those who may have difficulty doing so with a more traditional corkscrew for any number of reasons. All rights reserved. The Pulltaps is good because its sturdy (Ive had some for years and years), effective, and inexpensive. I really believe that a wine key is something quite personal. He has been reviewing iPhones, iPads, and related tech since 2011and stopped counting after he tested his 1,000th case. White- or private-label wines can offer a good value if you know what to buy. We compared notes afterwards and were able to come to an easy consensus. Consumer Reports tested a number of electronic corkscrews, but included a few manual models in the mix, calling Pulltaps one worth trying. Maggie Hoffman is the drinks editor for Serious Eats, and has also pitted wine openers against each other to find the best. Its small, light, and easy to use, and it feels totally sturdy. Simply press the up button for a few more seconds to force the cork out and, well, thats that. We found that $10 or less is all thats necessary. Sure, there are nail guns, but if youre just driving one nail, theyre not really necessary. Hold it right and this wont be an issue, but we suspect many people will make this mistake at least a few times. If we can help to recommend the right wine opening accessory for your needs, visit our online store and talk to one of our expert staff members! For testing, we narrowed this list down to five corkscrews: Cork Pops Legacy ($25), Metrokanes Rabbit Vertical Lever Style Corkscrew ($45), Osters Electric Wine Bottle Opener ($19), Ozeris Nouveaux II Electric Wine Bottle Opener ($20), and Waring Pros WO50B Cordless Wine Opener ($35). Its also slightly larger than Truetap in all dimensions and heavier by 44 grams, which lends it a pleasantly heavy feel in the hand. We especially like True Fabrications' Truetap. Read on to learn more. The WO50B comes with a vacuum-pump wine saver, which is not a method we recommend for preserving wine; we dont think it adds value. With this one, the actual opener is slightly taller at 11 inches high and about 2.5 inches around at the thickest point. It wont change positions unless you want it to. Then theres the Innovation Coutale Sommelier ($10). It has a thin worm that is made of strong metal., Jill Zimorski, wine director at the Hotel Jerome and formerly of Bryan Voltaggios Volt in Frederick, MD, agreed. OXOs Good Grips Waiters Corkscrew is pretty nice for $10, but it only has a single hinge. Learn more. What more could you want? We tested each corkscrew by, well, opening bottles of wine. She told us that one should look for a wine key that fits easily in (his or her) hand, has a long, sharp, knife capable of cutting a clean edge, and can extract long corks cleanly.. 2022 Wirecutter, Inc., A New York Times Company, OXOs Steel Double Lever Waiters Corkscrew, Bar Boulud, Epicerie Boulud, and Boulud Sud, The Wine Enthusiasts Pulltap's Double-Hinged Waiters Corkscrew, another Wine Enthusiast Pulltaps with the same name, Pulltap's Double-Hinged Waiters Corkscrew, OXO Steel Double Lever Waiter's Corkscrew, Metrokanes Rabbit Vertical Lever Style Corkscrew, National Public Website on Assistive Technology, Ozeris Nouveaux II Electric Wine Bottle Opener, Metrokane Rabbit Vertical Lever Style Corkscrew, How to Open a wine bottle with Gary Vaynerchuk, How to Set the Table for Your First Dinner Party, Everything Wirecutter Recommends From OXO, The Open Secret Behind Many Trendy Wine Clubs Overpriced, Mediocre Wines. While they all look pretty much the same, small differences in the details of the no-name model make it feel cheaper. Youre able to see whats going on through the action window (and ours has the blue light, so its really easy to see). Ultimately, waiters corkscrews are great, and the True Fabrications' Truetap is at the top of the pile. So much so that most electric corkscrews will pop the cork out automatically with just the touch of a button! The double-lever arrangement helps in removing longer corks, as you can get leverage from two positions. Depending on the style, one can spend anywhere from a few bucks to hundreds. *At the time of publishing, the price was $6. I found it took a lot of strength to raise the lever once the corkscrew was in the cork, and so did my second tester. You hold the bottle down. True Fabrications offers an alternative to the Pulltaps called Truetap, and we feel the most comfortable recommending it as an easily accessible option. Usually retailing for around $15, it competes with Truetap in every way. Its hard to actually find a Pulltaps that you know is a Pulltaps, at least in the States. For non-wine professionals, a simple $10 Pulltaps model with the double-action hinge is perfectly appropriate and acceptable. Its sort of like the stick shift of wine keys. It does require a degree of physical strength and dexterity that some people may not possess. The setup is essentially the same, with a baton that fits into a charging dock. We wish it were easier to recommend Pulltaps, as Pulltex deserves credit for originating the look and feel. Having been with Wine Enthusiast catalog since 2005, when he is not writing about wine he also runs the wine storage division and is head of W.E.s in-house education program. This one also houses a rechargeable battery, but theres no charging dock. 30 0 obj <> endobj The inner step isnt fixed but rather is spring-loaded. He earned his Diploma in Wine and Spirits from the Wine & Spirit Education Trust and is a Certified Specialist of Wine with the Society of Wine Educators. The general structure is the same, but the look and feel are both more premium. It takes one finger to do, its a lot of fun, and they make for a really nice decorative piece as well. 0 The OXO is similar to the Truetap, but for a few bucks more, you get a soft grip that some might find more comfortable. You just need something thatll get corks out easily and that will last. This is a good option, but doesnt beat our top choice. You want a corkscrew that is easy to use and takes up as little space as possible. As James Beard-nominated sommelier Michael McCaulley, wine director and partner at Philadelphias Tria, told us, you can think of a wine opener like a hammer. They range from no-name companies to more premium sellers. In our tests, this rechargeable electric opener worked faster and just as easily as one that cost twice as much, and its slender profile makes it easier for smaller hands to use. The first is the knobs on either side of the cutting blade, which make it easy to flip the knife out with just a thumb. We couldnt see any reason to choose any of the more expensive models we tested over this one. Whether it's finding great products or discovering helpful advice, we'll help you get it right (the first time). Although you can spend plenty of money on a gadgety wine opener, every wine expert we spoke to said they preferred a simple, double-hinged corkscrew. A Truetap looks and feels just like a Pulltaps, but is consistently available for less than $10 on Amazon. After testing the assistive openers, we still agree with our experts that most people will be happiest with a simple manual corkscrew as theyre easy to use, portable, and easy to store. These electric corkscrews have become just enormously popularespecially with people who have arthritis or hand pain because they are, quite frankly, the easiest way to open a bottle of wine. 56 0 obj <>stream You simply center the bottom opening on top of the cork and press the button with your thumb while holding the bottle with your other hand. Pl7I`hnEpFC Its also great that True Fabrications stands behind its products with a complete lifetime guarantee. Simply place the corkscrew right on top and press the down button. The craziest opener we tested was Cork Pops Legacy ($23). We like the idea, but our review model was slightly off-center, meaning the blade would miss its mark. It got Wine bottles with cork closures typically have a protective foil wrapping around the top of the bottles neck. Our journalists combine independent research with (occasionally) over-the-top testing to save people time, energy and money when making buying decisions. If something breaks, the company will take it back and offer a replacement or refund, no questions asked.. The Oster Electric Wine Bottle Opener costs half as much as Cooks Illustrateds top pick, the Waring, and is in fact the least expensive of the assistive openers we tested. Its hard to say if any were authentic for sure though, because none of them came in Pulltex or Pulltaps packaging. Within about 6 or 7 seconds, the cork will have been removed from the bottle. We put the OXO into our wine-opening rotation, and it continues to work well. From no-fuss WINE OPENER BUYING GUIDE Just like there are many ways you can skin a cat, there are even more ways WINE OPENER BUYING GUIDE Just as wine drinkers prefer different styles of wines, many also have a preference to the WINE OPENER BUYING GUIDE After a certain amount of usage, sometimes corkscrews will not remove the cork as easily as 2016 - 2020 Enthusiast Companies. For this years update, we also wanted to find a good option for those with hand strength issues. If it seems hard, dont worry. Theres little to no difference in how good they are at removing corks. During the first attempt to use it, we were shocked by just how quickly the cork popped out and how much wine splattered on us and the inside of the tool.