The comparison at a glance
| Type | Effort | Long corks | Skill | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wing (lever) | Minimal: the wings do the work | Yes, with a long worm | None | Home, gifts, occasional drinkers, weaker grip |
| Waiter's | Medium | Yes, with a two-step lever | Takes some practice | Restaurants, carrying in a pocket |
| Electric | None | Depends on the model | None | Opening many bottles; needs charging |
| Air pressure (needle) | Low | Not advised on old corks | Low | Novelty; unsuitable for porous or synthetic corks |
Wing corkscrew
You rest it on the neck of the bottle and turn the head: the worm goes into the cork while the two wings rise; push them down and the cork comes out. The bottle neck acts as a guide and the worm goes in straight, so the cork crumbles less. It's the easiest corkscrew to use, even with a weak grip. Here's the step-by-step guide.
Waiter's corkscrew
Also called a sommelier knife: a small blade for the foil, a worm and a lever with one or two steps. It's small and light, which is why waiters and sommeliers use it, but you have to centre the worm by hand and lever with a precise movement: with long or fragile corks it's easy to break them at first.
Electric corkscrew
Press a button and you're done: handy if you open lots of bottles or have trouble with your hands. It needs charging, though, and as a small appliance it's less suited to being a display piece.
Air-pressure corkscrew
A needle goes through the cork and pumps air into the bottle until the cork pops out. It's quick, but the pressure isn't suitable for every bottle, and it works poorly with old, porous or synthetic corks.
Which one to give?
A gift should be easy for anyone to use and nice to keep on display, which makes a wing corkscrew the safest choice. Look for a solid metal body, with no wooden or plastic parts that wear out, and a worm long enough for the corks of age-worthy wines. For more ideas, read our gift guide.