Waiter's corkscrews: for wine enthusiasts
Opening a bottle of wine becomes even better if you open it with a fancy waiter's corkscrew, also called a sommelier knife. A waiter's corkscrew is a corkscrew with a lever. You easily turn the spiral into the cork. If you do this properly, the lever allows you to easily remove the cork from the bottle without leaving any residue behind.
How do you choose the best waiter's corkscrew?
Fundamentally, most waiter's corkscrews work the same. There are, however, two important differences, which is why there are a couple key aspects you’ll need to pay attention to when choosing a waiter's corkscrew. Some waiter's corkscrews are enhanced with a two-step lever. This means you first place the lower part of the lever on the bottle, followed by the high part of the lever on the edge of the bottleneck, to remove the cork as straight as possible. You often recognize these types of waiter's corkscrews by the additional hinge in the lever.
Another important tool not every waiter's corkscrew comes with is a foil cutter. This is a small blade you use to remove the foil from the bottleneck to expose the cork.
But don't forget about another important function: the bottle opener. No, not for wine: that's what the corkscrew is for. An opener for crown caps for those who prefer a beer or a bottle of soda. It's convenient to be able to use the same tool for all these tasks.
Other than that, it comes down to taste. Do you prefer a steel handle that is easy to maintain? Or a handle made from stunning wood or horn? Up to you!