Best Wine Openers 2024 - Forbes Vetted

Whether you enjoy an occasional glass of wine with dinner or are an avid wine enthusiast, the best wine opener is an essential tool for your kitchen. The right wine openers and corkscrews makes it easy to open a bottle cleanly, ensuring no cork pieces end up in your glass. Many sommelier-recommended openers are also surprisingly affordable. If you’re looking for a reliable option, we recommend the Pulltap's Waiter's Corkscrew—a simple yet effective tool cherished by wine professionals.

The best wine openers and corkscrews make it easy to open a bottle cleanly, ensuring no cork pieces ... [+] end up in your glass.

Opening a bottle of wine takes practice, but the right tool can make it much easier. “Opening a bottle of wine for the first time is not easy and takes practice,” says Jaffer Kovic, owner and sommelier at Dilworth Tasting Room. “A tool that is not too bulky, easy to hold and grip, and sturdy in construction are the most important features to look for in a wine opener.”

Most professionals recommend a basic double-hinged corkscrew, also known as a waiter's corkscrew. However, there are other styles, like lever and winged openers, which require a bit less effort. For fully automated cork extraction, electric wine openers are also available, though they can sometimes be finicky. No matter your preference, here are the best wine openers for your kitchen or home bar.

Amazon

Type: Waiter’s corkscrew | Dimensions: 4.75 x 0.75 inches | Material: Stainless steel

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The Pulltap’s Double-Hinged Waiter's Corkscrew comes highly recommended by wine experts for its simple yet effective design. Crafted from durable stainless steel, its double-hinged construction and comfortable handle make it easy to remove even the most stubborn corks. The corkscrew features a nonstick finish, and there's also an integrated foil remover with a serrated blade. Plus, it folds down into a compact form, making it easy to store in a pocket or kitchen drawer.

“The Pulltap’s two-stage corkscrew is an absolute must-have kitchen essential,” says Kovic. “Patented in 1992, it quickly became the go-to wine opener for professionals in busy restaurants. I keep two in my kitchen drawer and two in my cellar.”

Amazon

Type: Waiter’s corkscrew | Dimensions: 4.75 x 1 inches | Material: Stainless steel

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The TrueTap Double-Hinged Waiter’s Corkscrew offers a nearly identical design to our top overall pick, but at a more budget-friendly price. Its double-hinged design includes a non-stick worm, a serrated foil cutter and a built-in bottle opener. Available in a range of vibrant colors, it’s easy to spot in a cluttered drawer.

Despite its affordable price, this wine opener remains a favorite among wine experts. "For most bottles, I habitually use my trusty, ordinary waiter’s corkscrew from TrueTap, having opened tens of thousands of bottles with it," says Scott Carney, Dean of Wine Studies at the Institute of Culinary Education in New York City. “The bottle opens almost unconsciously, without fanfare.”

Amazon

Type: Cordless electric | Dimensions: 14.96 x 5.51 inches | Material: Plastic

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If you often struggle to remove corks from wine bottles, an electric wine opener can make the task effortless. This cordless model from Oster quickly pulls out the cork in seconds with minimal effort.

The gadget can open up to 30 bottles on a single charge and includes a convenient charging dock with a foil cutter that stows in the back. With just one button for operation, it’s easy to use, though you’ll need to ensure it’s properly aligned on the bottle for the best results—a step that may take a bit of practice.

Amazon

Type: Lever corkscrew | Dimensions: 7.6 x 2.5 inches | Material: Zinc and plastic

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The OXO Vertical Lever Corkscrew is another great pick if you’re looking for near-effortless cork removal. This opener features a large lever with a non-slip grip—just pull it up to easily remove the cork. Its design offers better leverage for simpler bottle opening, and the non-stick corkscrew is replaceable if it ever becomes damaged.

This lever-style gadget also includes a foil cutter that stores conveniently in the top, keeping it handy whenever needed. The only drawback is that this opener is bulkier than a classic waiter’s corkscrew, making storage a bit more challenging.

Amazon

Type: Wing corkscrew | Dimensions: 8 x 3.3 inches | Material: Zinc alloy and plastic

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Wing corkscrews are a classic style of wine opener, and this updated version from Rabbit is one of the best. It has the traditional two-arm design that provides leverage as you lift the wings to pull out the cork, but with modern upgrades like a non-stick worm for smoother cork removal.

Positioning is straightforward—just align its sides with the bottle’s edges. A large handle makes twisting the corkscrew easy, and the entire opener is dishwasher-safe, so it’s simple to clean if it ever gets grimy.

Amazon

Type: Cork puller | Dimensions: 5 x 3 inches | Material: Stainless steel

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Traditional corkscrews aren’t ideal for vintage bottles, as older corks can easily break or crumble. For these delicate corks, experts recommend a specialized wine opener. “For my oldest bottles, when I’m uncertain about the cork’s integrity, I use my DeVine Ah-So cork remover,” says Carney. “This tool has two tapered prongs that slide down either side of the cork with a gentle left-to-right rocking motion, without penetrating it.” This allows you to carefully pull the cork out intact.

The Ah-So opener requires a bit of practice, and if used incorrectly, it can push the cork into the bottle, so it’s best reserved for special bottles. It comes with a storage sheath, and its handle doubles as a bottle opener, making it a versatile addition to your home bar.

Amazon

Type: Wine preservation system | Dimensions: 10.3 x 2.4 inches | Material: Plastic

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If you typically enjoy just one glass of wine at a time, the Coravin Timeless Three+ Wine Preservation System is worth considering. Instead of removing the cork, this system punctures it with a hollow needle, allowing you to pour a glass or two while replacing the empty space with pure argon gas. This maintains pressure in the bottle to preserve the wine’s freshness, and when the needle is removed, the cork naturally reseals, so you can return the bottle to storage.

The Coravin system can keep wine fresh for weeks or even months, making it perfect for savoring wine gradually. It also includes a wine aerator spout, eliminating the need for a separate decanter. However, you’ll need to purchase replacement argon capsules eventually, which cost a little over $50 for a pack of six.

To help you find the best products for your home bar, the Forbes Vetted team follows a rigorous research process and provides expert-driven product recommendations. We’ve written extensively about wine gear and other home bar essentials, including articles on wine decanters, wine glasses and even gifts for wine lovers.

To find the best wine openers for kitchens, home bars and even restaurant use, we relied on guidance from our experts and analyzed dozens of top-selling products

There are a few things you’ll what to consider when selecting a wine opener, including the style of device, its accessories and where you’ll store it.

There are several styles of wine openers to choose from, including both manual and electric models.

In the manual category, most wine professionals prefer a double-hinged design like the Pulltap's Waiter's Corkscrew, which are generally very budget-friendly. “This type of opener is both simple and highly effective,” explains Art DeCaro, sommelier and director of training at Waters Edge Wineries. “The two-stage mechanism provides leverage at two points, which makes it easier to open bottles with longer corks while reducing the risk of cork breakage or damaging the bottle's lip.” These corkscrews also fold down into a compact form that easily fits in a pocket or drawer.

If you have trouble pulling out wine corks, you may want a corkscrew that offers more leverage. Lever or winged corkscrews are good for this purpose, though they’re generally a bit bulkier and more expensive.

For a fully automated experience, there are also products like the Oster Cordless Electric Wine Opener. “These are ideal for people who may have limited hand strength or mobility issues, as they require less physical effort,” says DeCaro. “However, using an electric opener takes some control out of the user’s hands, and improper use or alignment can lead to cork damage, potentially resulting in cork particles entering the wine.”

Many wine openers include a few different tools that make them more versatile. For instance, products like the TrueTap Double Hinged Waiter’s Corkscrew have a serrated foil opener that can be used to remove the covers from bottles of wine, as well as an integrated bottle opener for beer and other beverages. Some corkscrews have these accessories built in, while others come with separate pieces.

You may also want to look for a wine opener with replaceable components, such as the OXO Vertical Lever Corkscrew. This model comes with a replacement corkscrew that can swapped in if the original ever gets bent or broken.

If you’re pressed for space or want a wine opener that’s highly portable, a compact waiter’s corkscrew is the way to go. These gadgets are small and fold up nicely, making them easy to store in a drawer or tuck into your pocket. Other styles of corkscrews, like lever or winged models, tend to be much bulkier, and they’re notorious for jamming up kitchen drawers.

When it comes to electric wine openers, you’ll likely need to carve out space in the kitchen for the unit’s dock, which ensures it’s always charged and ready to go when you need it.

The Pulltap Double-Hinged Waiter's Corkscrew receives consistently high praise from both industry professionals and home users for its simple, effective and affordable design. Priced at just $10, this corkscrew offers unbeatable value with a compact, well-built form that has everything you need. Whether you're a beginner or a seasoned pro, this corkscrew is a reliable choice for most wine drinkers.