Different Types of Wine Openers & How to Use Them

Blog Post

If you’re a wine drinker, chances are you have a preference for a particular type of wine opener. But if you’re looking to try something new, don’t have your usual opener with you, or you’re expanding your wine collection, learning how to use different kinds of wine openers and which situations they work for is essential.

What is the best wine opener to use?

The best wine opener is largely dependent on your preferences, style, and budget. Where some wine lovers prefer smaller, portable wine openers, others may prefer bar-mounted corkscrews. Where some people love electric openers, others may prefer a more traditional approach. To find the wine opener that best matches your lifestyle, jump to the list below.

What are the Different Kinds of Wine Openers?

The most common types of wine openers, their use cases, and how to operate them can be found in the list below.

1. Wine Key and Waiter’s Corkscrew

The waiter’s corkscrew remains one of the most popular choices for wine openers thanks to its simplicity and portability. To use this opener, screw into the top of the wine cork, position the fulcrum on the corner of the bottle’s lip, and use leverage to pull the cork out.

2. Wing Corkscrew

The wing corkscrew is one of the oldest types of wine openers that is still in use today. This opener needs more applied force than other openers, making it less popular than more modern corkscrews. To use a wing corkscrew, you’ll need to screw the metal worm into the cork and then push both wings down to pop the cork out.

3. Electric Wine Opener

An electric wine opener is perfect for beginners or anyone who wants a simple, easy-to-use wine opener. Just make sure to keep it charged and ready to use.

4. Ah-So Cork Puller

This wine opener looks strange, but it’s a tried and true wine opening tool that can be easily stored or carried. To use, work in the two prongs between the cork and bottle. Once all the way in, twist and pull to bring out the cork. It’s also important to note that this cork puller takes considerably more strength to use than the above methods, and is a preferred tool for older corks.

5. Air Pressure Pump

This wine opener makes use of air pressure to push the cork out from the bottle. Simply insert the needle through the cork and pump until the cork is pushed from the bottle.

6. Tabletop/Bar/Legacy Corkscrew

Possibly the most expensive option on the list, this is one of the most popular choices among serious wine collectors. Incredibly easy to use, you simply need to place the bottle below the corkscrew (some models clamp the bottle in), pull down the lever to push the worm through the cork, and then pull the lever back up.

7. Lever Corkscrew

Perfect for those who don’t want to use too much force or strength to open their wine, the lever corkscrew uses a small amount of leverage to open a bottle. All you have to do is push down the lever and pull it back up. Note that some lever corkscrews may not work successfully for some types of synthetic corks.

8. Twist And Pull Corkscrew

Less popular than some of the above options due to the larger amount of effort needed to pull out the cork, the twist and pull corkscrew came into use for its sleekness and simplicity. Just screw in the worm and pull!

9. The Durand

This is a newer style of wine opener that combines the idea behind the Ah-So and the Twist and Pull. This is the most ideal corkscrew for older, fragile corks; however, it’s also one of the more expensive options.