The "best" corkscrew depends entirely on your budget, style preference, and how much leverage you want. Testing and reviews from culinary authorities like The New York Times Wirecutter and Serious Eats consistently highlight a few standout performers across different categories:
Why it’s great: It is the go-to, reliable choice used by most restaurant professionals and home cooks alike. The double-hinged fulcrum gives you mechanical advantage to pull long corks out smoothly in two easy steps, and it features a built-in foil cutter and bottle opener.[](https://www.nytimes.com/wirecutter/reviews/the-best-corkscrew/)
OXO SteeL Double Lever Waiter's Corkscrew (Best Upgrade Waiter's Style)
The two-step waiter’s corkscrew (such as the classic Pulltap's Waiter's Corkscrew ) is widely considered the most effective, reliable, and versatile device for uncorking wine bottles.
While automated or lever-style openers offer speed or brute-force ease, the simple waiter’s friend balances precision, portability, and failure-prevention better than any other style.
Why it’s great: If you want a more substantial, premium feel than a standard plastic-backed bartender's opener, the OXO SteeL features a weighted, ergonomic handle with a comfortable matte rubber grip and a rounded, smooth-cutting foil blade.[](https://www.nytimes.com/wirecutter/reviews/the-best-corkscrew/)
Houdini Lever Corkscrew (Best Easy-Pull / Lever Style)
Price: ~$25–$29
Why it’s great: If you struggle with traditional corkscrews or open a high volume of bottles, a lever-style opener does the heavy lifting for you. You simply clamp it onto the neck, push the lever down, and pull up to extract the cork in about three seconds.
Oster Electric Wine Bottle Opener (Best Electric Pick)
Price: ~$25
Why it’s great: For effortless push-button operation without any manual twisting or pulling, this cordless rechargeable opener pops corks in roughly 6 seconds and includes a charging dock.[](https://www.nytimes.com/wirecutter/reviews/the-best-corkscrew/)
To help narrow down the ideal choice for you, tell me:
How often do you open wine?
Do you prefer a classic manual style or something that requires zero physical effort (like an electric or lever opener)?
The best corkscrew for most people is the Pulltap’s Professional Double-Hinged Waiter’s Corkscrew. It’s compact, reliable, affordable, and uses the same basic two-step leverage system favored by many sommeliers and restaurant professionals. If you want something that lasts and works without batteries or bulky mechanisms, this is my top pick.
If you'd rather have a corkscrew that requires less effort, the OXO lever-style models are worth considering.
My top corkscrew picks
(Best overall)
1. OXO Steel Double Lever Waiter's Corkscrew
$20–23
Comfortable curved handle, double-hinge leverage, and a built-in foil cutter. My pick for someone who wants a well-designed everyday wine key.
A compact, professional-style opener with a double hinge and serrated foil knife. Ideal for frequent use, travel, and keeping in a kitchen drawer.
Buy:
3. OXO Steel Vertical Lever Corkscrew
About $42–50
Best for people who want easier, low-effort opening. Its lever mechanism pulls the cork with minimal twisting and includes a removable foil cutter. It's bulkier and pricier than a waiter’s corkscrew.
A premium electric option for push-button convenience. It opens bottles quickly, recharges via USB/USB-C, and comes with a charging stand. Best if convenience matters more than price.
Buy:
Which one should you buy?
If you want…
My pick
The best everyday corkscrew
OXO Double Lever
The best value and professional feel
Pulltap’s
The least physical effort
OXO Vertical Lever
One-button opening
Peugeot Elis Touch
My final recommendation: Buy the OXO Steel Double Lever for its comfortable grip and excellent everyday usability. Choose Pulltap’s instead if you prefer a traditional sommelier-style corkscrew and want to spend less. Food & Wine tested 32 wine openers and rated the OXO its overall winner, with Pulltap’s as its value pick.
Everyday value, portability, and classic reliability
OXO Steel Double Lever Waiter's Corkscrew
Waiter's / Double-Hinged
$20 – $23
Comfort, weighted feel, and frequent hosting
Detailed Reviews and Features
True Truetap Double-Hinged Waiter's Corkscrew
Design: Features a solid build, a nonstick worm, an integrated foil cutter, and a bottle opener. The double-hinged fulcrum helps ease the cork out in two smooth stages.
The best wine opener depends on whether you want effortless, one-button opening, a reliable manual corkscrew, or a premium tool for your home bar. Based on recent hands-on testing and current product listings, the OXO Steel Vertical Lever Corkscrew is my top all-around manual pick, while the Secura Electric Wine Opener is a strong choice for convenience.
Top picks at a glance
1. OXO Steel Vertical Lever Corkscrew with Removable Foil Cutter
(Best overall manual)
$43–50
Smooth lever action, an ergonomic handle, and a built-in foil cutter make this a great choice for frequent use. It earned a top manual rating in TODAY's 2026 testing and was also Food Network's favorite overall.
Comparing Wine Opener Effectiveness
Different uncorking mechanisms suit different contexts, bottle types, and physical capabilities.
Opener Type
Mechanism & Operation
Best Use Case
Main Trade-Off
Waiter’s Corkscrew
Hinged dual-lever arm and a spiral worm
Everyday use, travel, restaurants, and total control
Requires basic hand dexterity and manual twisting
Lever / Rabbit Style
Mechanical clamp-down and pull-up handle
Fast, repetitive opening with minimal wrist strain
Bulky to store and struggles with fragile corks
Continuous-Turn / Endless
Screw-in design that reverses to auto-lift the cork
Quick, foolproof manual operation
Larger footprint than a pocket opener
Electric Corkscrew
Motorized push-button rotation
Users with arthritis or limited hand strength
Requires battery charging and prone to mechanical wear
Ah-So / Two-Prong
Sliding dual metal prongs alongside the cork
Vintage or fragile/crumbling corks
Requires a specialized wiggling technique
Why the Waiter's Corkscrew Wins
Total Control: You can feel the density of the cork as you twist the worm, allowing you to adjust your angle if you feel the cork starting to split.
Dual-Lever Fulcrum: The two-stage notch system lets you lift the cork straight up in two clean, vertical increments rather than pulling at an awkward angle.
If you want one wine opener that’s excellent for most people, I’d choose a double-hinged waiter’s corkscrew. It’s compact, durable, inexpensive, and—most importantly—gives you excellent control over the cork. Recent testing from Food Network and Food & Wine also favors this style.
Best overall value: OXO Steel Double Lever Waiter's Corkscrew — around $20. It's compact, has a nonstick screw and double-lever action, and is a particularly good choice if you want something that feels professional without spending much.
Best for effortless opening: OXO Steel Vertical Lever — around $50. You simply press down and pull up rather than twisting manually. Food Network rated this its best lever opener and called it its personal favorite overall.
Best sommelier-style choice: Coutale — about $20. It's the style I'd pick if you want something small enough for a kitchen drawer or wine bag but capable of opening virtually any bottle.
Best if you dislike corkscrews: Rabbit Lever — roughly $40–55. Much easier mechanically, especially if hand strength is an issue.
My verdict
Buy the OXO Double Lever Waiter's Corkscrew if you want the best combination of price, durability, size, and performance. If ease of use matters more than compactness, spend the extra money on the OXO Vertical Lever.
I wouldn't prioritize an electric opener unless you specifically want push-button operation; a good manual corkscrew is simpler and doesn't need charging.
If you tell me your budget ($20, $50, $100+), I can narrow it down to the single best one and find the best current price.
Best Overall: True Truetap Double-Hinged Waiter's Corkscrew ($7–$10) — The go-to standard for professionals and home cooks alike, featuring a sturdy double-hinged fulcrum that makes pulling corks smooth and effortless.[](https://www.nytimes.com/wirecutter/reviews/the-best-corkscrew/)
Oster Electric Wine Bottle Opener
Electric / Cordless
$25 – $30
Fast, push-button opening with minimal physical effort
A push-button electric opener that removes much of the effort from uncorking a bottle. It was TODAY's best overall electric pick in its 2026 comparison.
Best for: beginners, frequent wine drinkers, and low-effort opening.
A rechargeable opener with a charging stand and foil cutter. Testers praised its relatively quiet operation and simple controls; a full charge can open roughly 40–50 bottles.
Best for: home bars and anyone who prefers electric operation.
A sleek, higher-end electric opener that removed corks in under 10 seconds in Food & Wine's testing. Its quiet operation and sturdy feel are highlights, though it requires some downward pressure to activate.
Best for: a sophisticated home bar or a premium gift.
Best under $25: Rabbit 2-Step for manual use or Secura for electric convenience.
Best for limited hand strength: Cuisinart Electric Wine Opener.
Best premium gift: Peugeot Elis Touch.
Best compact option: Rabbit 2-Step Waiter's Corkscrew.
These are editorial picks based on comparative testing and available product information, not a single universal ranking. Prices and stock can change, and customer ratings reflect different sample sizes.
A double-hinged waiter's corkscrew is actually the professional favorite. Sommeliers consistently favor this design because it's compact, durable, inexpensive, and gives you excellent control over the cork.
An electric corkscrew is easiest physically—press a button and it extracts the cork. The tradeoff is that electric models are less durable over the long term than simple manual openers.
My verdict: Best for most people → OXO vertical lever. Best professional/long-term choice → double-hinged waiter's corkscrew. Easiest if hand strength is an issue → electric opener.
For an old, fragile cork, though, I'd choose a specialized Durand (Ah-So + corkscrew) rather than any of these; it's specifically designed to remove deteriorating corks without shredding them.
Best Lever-Style: Rabbit Original Lever Corkscrew ($34) — A heavy-duty, tabletop-style opener that extracts corks with a simple push-and-pull motion, minimizing physical strain.[](https://www.seriouseats.com/the-best-wine-openers)
