With so many ways to open a bottle of wine, finding the right wine opener depends on your personal preferences, tastes, and capabilities. “I look for functionality, style, and price,” says Tekla Israelson, certified sommelier and hospitality & education manager for Lavinea Winery. “I want something straightforward that is easy to use [and] won't take up a lot of space—but still looks good on my bar cart.” According to Israelson, there are a few industry standard options to consider: the waiter’s friend (the classic manual key used in restaurants), electric openers, and winged corkscrews—with levers and air pump systems also popular among home wine drinkers. Her personal favorite is the waiter’s friend style: “[They] make it easier to pull the cork out of the bottle.” Although Israelson believes that a bottle of wine doesn’t need to be expensive to be good, she does recommend investing in a quality opening tool. We researched and put a few wine openers to the test, looking at their ease...
