What should I look for when buying a good corkscrew?

Don't go fancy.... there's no reason to overspend for a Rabbit, or get all fancy with those wings.

Buy and learn how to use a waiter's corkscrew. You can open a bottle with one hand and, although it takes a little practice, it is by far the cheapest and easiest (and dare I say classiest) way to open a bottle of wine.

I have the heavy metal machine that unscrews the corks off when done. I believe they are called "self extracting". And a cheaper plastic one, that I use all the time.

I don't know the brand name for the one I like, but this link gives you a look at the "Screwpull Corkscrew".

http://www.wineintro.com/products/corkscrews/screw...

Two parts: The screw, with a T-Handle. And the plastic, a slightly flexible, holder. The holder looks like a big streamlined close pin, that the screw drops down through. It is flexible so you squeeze it to the bottle top, to hold both bottle and cork screw.

I think the name misrepresents the item. It leads you to believe you have to pull, and you do not need to pull.

Other types that I have used, gives me a awkward moment one way or the other. The self extracting type that I bought, was to eliminate that problem. However the bottom of the bottle remained unstable, while you focus your hands on operation. This is the problem with the levered twin arm corkscrew, which I owned as well. But the self extracting, held the top and offered a easy push down lever that mechanically pulled the screw.

I quickly quit using the self extractor after it busted the top of the bottle off while in operation.

I have owned two or three other types. I will briefly comment on those.

1. Basic T-Handled screw and pull. They take a strong pull.

2. Waiters Corkscrew. Tends to be awkward starting the screw and some are very uncomfortable to the hand. But the pulling out is somewhat reasonable.

3. The Two Pronged. Maybe some are better than others, but the one I tried was horrible, all aspects.

The write up in the link describes accurately the best corkscrew I ever used.

So simple; Just makes one say DaHH.

Nomenclature of the different types of corkscrews, from what I found in reading, seems un-consistent

Good Corkscrew

I would highly recommend the Screwpull or Rabbit corkscrew. In the world of corkscrews the old saying "You get what you pay for" definitely applies. Buy the best you can afford and it will serve you will for a very long time.

Metrokane Houdini Corkscrew its around 50 bucks

Houdini Lever-Style Corkscrew with Foil Cutter

had it now for a few years, works perfectly every time, and will eject the cork easily.

its not a bad price too, at target I got it for about $30

Just gt the cheapest one. They are all the same, trust me. No matter how fancy or glitzy they look the cheap 2 dollar corkscrew will do the same exact thing, and they seem to last longer than the ones that have the knob, i have a couple of cheap ones, one at home and one in my car, so just in case i am somewhere and someone needs one, trust me, please get the cheap one, don't waste extra money on something that is exactly the same.

drink one for rex

Hi Kee, my advice is to buy 3 because you'll lose one, one will break etc also buy wine with screw tops or better still buy boxes of wine like I do

I forwarded Your question to America's Test Kitchen, paraphrased!

They do product testings, so if they don't know, nobody does!

I'll get back to You with the answer! Kee!

Addtional: It's not ATK product testing, but close! Try:

http://corkscrew.com/testing.html

make sure it opens wine bottles if not get a refund