We’ve all been there: had friends over for drinks or dinner, and graciously taken the gift of a bottle to chill in the fridge before looking down in horror at the cork standing between you and the sweet vino within.
Whether you’re a habitual wine-drinker or not, a good corkscrew is a key element of any kitchen drawer. You may think using a corkscrew is easy, but if you’ve never handled one before, there is a knack to it.
How to use a corkscrew
A traditional corkscrew has the coiled worm and wings, both attached to a handle which usually has a bottle opener on the top to maximise the tool’s versatility.
Twist the coil straight down into the cork and as you do, the wings will rise up. Once you’ve twisted as much as you can and the wings are pointed skywards, push them down at the same time to hoist the cork from the bottleneck.
Some streamlined corkscrews are wingless, with just a flat handle on the top to assist in cork removal. This is intermediate to expert wine unbottling territory.
Corkscrews may be simple in design, but that hasn’t stopped a host of brands putting their stamp on them. They’re available in all sorts of colours to add a splash of fun to your drawers, while others have played around with the design to inject character.
They make a winning housewarming gift but are good for other types of gifting too, whether you’re pairing with their favourite bottle or presenting alone.
Price-wise, a good corkscrew varies wildly from less than a tenner to a couple of hundred - but that’s really only on the boujee end of the scale. We’ve found some of the coolest and most effective models worth spending your money on.
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Alessi ‘Anna G’ Corkscrew, Blue
Italian brand Alessi is known for its playful homewares, and its sense of fun extends to this corkscrew, which the brand says is a tribute to a real woman. To use, twist her head and watch her arms rise until they can’t go up any further, then push down to lever the cork from the bottle. Also available in silver and red.
Buy now £43.00, John Lewis
Cuisinart CW050U Electric Wine Opener
Why bother getting in an arm-wrestling match with a bottle of vino, when it’s very likely you’ll lose? Few can withstand such ego-crushing, especially from an inanimate object. Keep your cool by reaching for Cuisinart’s electric wine opening gizmo which even comes with a foil cutter allowing you to get away with doing as little graft as possible.
It’s undeniably a flashy little thing to display on your home bar and can even vacuum seal the bottle shut again on those nights you only fancy a little glass.
Comes with a three-year guarantee.
Buy now £50.00, John Lewis
John Lewis Sommelier Wine Opening Gift Set, 3 Piece
If you’re already a pro at coaxing out corks, you’re ready to move onto the next big thing. Enter this sommelier opening kit, which comes with a lever-arm corkscrew, a foil cutter and an extra coil as insurance for the first one. You’ll soon be popping corks like you’re at a Michelin-starred restaurants.
Buy now £25.00, John Lewis
Stellar SE05 Copper Finish Deluxe Corkscrew Wine Opener
This ergonomic design is as nice to look at as it is to handle with a rose gold grip element adding a pleasing glimmer to an otherwise all-black matt tool. The non-slip handle means even the most stubborn merlot or sauv blanc bottles will yield to the coil’s tight grip.
Buy now £11.98, Amazon
Brabantia Tasty+ Pink Corkscrew
Proving you don’t have to spend a fortune to enjoy a simple glass of wine, leading home brand Brabantia serves up this curved corkscrew for just £6. Suitable to use on bottlenecks of all sizes, the coil has a centring which means it will always hit the cork right in the middle like a bullseye. Generous turning handles also help to make this fiddly job a breeze.
Buy now £6.00, Dunelm
Professional Waiters Corkscrew by Barvivo
The Swiss Army Knife for oenophiles, this baby does it all from uncorking bottles of wine and fizz to easing caps off beer bottles. The stainless steel and rosewood make a striking combo and are bound to fit in with any old school home bar. A heavy-duty design, the pocket-sized piece is just what you need to get the party started.
Buy now £14.99, Amazon
Joseph Joseph BarWise - Compact Lever Non-Stick Corkscrew Wine Opener with integrated foil cutter
There’s barely any effort involved in freeing wine from its bottle with Joseph Joseph’s compact corkscrew. Boasting integrated foil cutters, the non-stick look can work its magic on both natural as well as plastic corks and folds down into compact dimensions once it’s done its job - which means no jarring in kitchen drawers.
Buy now £43.64, Amazon
L’Atelier du Vin Soft Machine transparent steel and chrome corkscrew
L’Atelier du Vin has been in the wine game since 1926, so it’s fair to say it knows a thing or two about the good stuff. Its corkscrew makes a ceremony out of wine-pouring, made with a see-through body so you can see the mechanisms in action. The lever is created from gleaming chrome alloy, adding an elegance that we all need with our wine.
Buy now £26.00, Selfridges
Harvey Nichols Waiter’s Friend Corkscrew Orange
Whether you’re planning a posh picnic or like to have a corkscrew handy on longer travels, Harvey Nicks’ bright and cheerful corkscrew is ready to join the party and help get it started. It comes with a self-sharpening serrated blade for removing foil capsules and a bottle opener, as well as a two-step lever that will remove the most stubborn of corks. Plus, pouring a glass is made simpler with a soft-grip handle that’s comfortable to hold and easy to turn.
Buy now £7.50, Harvey Nichols
Pulltap’s Crystals Corkscrew with Swarovski Crystals
Studded with 26 Swarovski crystals, this corkscrew is as much a piece of homeware bling to be admired as it is a vital tool to enjoying a glass of red. The gems catch the light and sparkle with every turn of the Teflon-coated spiral, which glides through the cork easily, allowing you to pop the bottle in next to no time. It’s perfect for dinner parties - standby for oohs and aahs from around the table - or giving to your boujee BFF who has a penchant for Pinot.
Buy now £50.00, Harvey Nichols
