The Oxo wasn't a difficult device to use, and worked exactly as the instructions detailed. The foil cutter was a bit flimsy, and we lamented that extracting synthetic corks wasn't as seamless as regular corks. Overall, though, we thought the Oxo lever corkscrew would make a great gift for someone who's into gadgets, or a caterer who needs to open multiple bottles of wine at a time.

Winged corkscrew: A wine opener with a wing on each side and a top handle that's connected to a screw in the middle. Insert the screw and twist the handle to push the screw deeper. As you're pushing the screw in, the wings on each side should lift up. Once the screw is deep enough, hold and push down the outer wings to remove the cork. Electric opener: A wine opener that's usually rechargeable. It inserts the screw and removes the cork for you. Typically, it's operated with simple up and down buttons. Corkscrews come in a wide variety of types with a lot of different styles and features, so have a read of our buying guide to find out which kind is best for you. With our help, you’ll be prepared for whatever bottle you might come across. The best corkscrews: At a glance To ensure consistency in our testing, we used a case of white wines, in identical 750-milliliter glass bottles with natural corks. Over the course of one week of testing, we paired each bottle of wine with one wine opener, assessing the below factors.Francis Kulaga, Certified Sommelier and General Manager & Beverage Director at Birch & Rye in San Francisco, says the most classic corkscrew options are the waiter’s friend style, an ‘ah-so’ two-prong corkscrew, and the Durand, which is a brand that has conveniently combined the two styles into one. Each of these three styles is manual but simple enough to use with some practice. For those looking for something more effortless, an electric corkscrew is a better choice — and for that, look to the Secura Stainless Steel Electric Wine Opener. The best corkscrews are an essential item for any good dinner party host. A lot of the best wine is sealed with a cork, as it allows the wine to age naturally without becoming sour. To enjoy these naturally aged wines, however, you will of course need a good corkscrew – the last thing you want is to ruin your evening by shredding the cork into the wine below. All our experts recommend the double-hinged wine key. "You basically insert the screw into the cork, then twist and use the bottle as a leverage point to remove the cork" in one piece, said Alison Rodriguez, a winemaker for The Hess Collection.

Slim in profile and easier to transport, the Le Creuset Waiter’s Friend certainly does the job, but we found the OXO model to work just a bit more efficiently and comfortably. If you’re looking for a classic waiter’s corkscrew, we recommend this sturdy OXO Steel Double Lever Waiter’s Corkscrew. Compact and easy to store or carry with you anyplace (picnic, anyone?), this stainless steel corkscrew has a balanced hand feel and a comfortable, nonslip silicone grip. And it has a longer lever than the other waiter’s friend-style openers we looked at, giving you more leverage and an easier time opening tougher bottles. Instead of completely removing the cork, the Coravin wine system is outfitted with a Teflon-coated wine needle that sails through the cork and allows you to remove a glass of wine at a time (without airing out the whole bottle). “The system helps me cherish special bottles of wine for a really long time, seeing how they change and evolve," says Acheson. When selecting the best wine opener for you, it's important to consider what you value most in the little kitchen gadget. It might sound silly to put any thought into it, but it's helpful in the long run since you'll end up keeping it for a while. Here are a few examples of popular wine opener styles to help: The most unique feature is the built-in, removable foil cutter. You place it on top of the bottle and twist to pierce the foil. It reattaches to the base of the corkscrew when you want to store it. Foil cutters are nice to have but not strictly necessary, so we like that it's not an extra accessory you have to hunt for.Who is it for? People who have difficulty with twisting motions, but are also concerned about their environmental impact.

The chunky lever-style corkscrew is the fastest way to open a bottle of wine, but that ease comes at a price: It's much larger than the other corkscrew styles, eating up significantly more drawer or counter space. Generally speaking, classic corkscrews are made of stainless steel. While some are made from plastic, those will break sooner than their stainless steel counterparts. Electric or fancier models are usually a combination of the two materials. We recommend stainless steel or a hybrid for longevity. Being a chef who often cooks with wine, I’ve tried and fumbled with many wine openers and preservation systems,” says Hugh Acheson, the owner of Five and Ten and a judge on "Top Chef." “But Coravin is different—it is easy to use, preserves perfectly, and pours perfectly." Some models include additional bells and whistles like foil cutters, pour spouts, vacuum stoppers and advanced wine preservation systems. In the manual wine corkscrew category, for example, there are single-lever as well as double-lever models, the latter commonly referred to as the classic waiter’s friend. As rechargeable batteries have made their way into tools in every category, the electric wine opener has become much more popular in recent years, with brands like Oster and Ozeri introducing more luxe models, which include charging stations, easy-to-read LED buttons and cordless functionality. With a built-in foil cutter and substantial design, the OXO Winged Corkscrew is comfortable to hold and simple to use.

Our top picks for the best wine openers

If you’re looking for a great version of a classic, then the Beneno Premium Wing is an excellent fit. With a sturdier build than your average winged corkscrew, the Beneno also boasts not only a capped bottle opener, but wings that are fitted with a soft grip to make pulling them down that much easier. And best of all, if you have any problems with it, it comes with a lifetime warranty. Being a winged corkscrew, it isn’t as compact or pretty as some of the others, but if you want a reliable corkscrew that is far less easy to lose – this is a great choice.