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Best corkscrews and electric wine bottle openers 2026
Louise puts everyday products to the test, cutting through the hype to show what delivers in real life.
The best corkscrews let you get straight to sipping, removing corks cleanly in seconds rather than leaving you wrestling with stubborn bottles and fishing cork crumbs from your glass.
We've tested corkscrews priced between £3 to nearly £100, covering popular brands such as Oxo, John Lewis and Lakeland, to find the ones that are truly worth your money.
Our panel tested every type, pitting traditional waiter's friends against fancy electric wine openers to find those that feel comfortable and uncork without a hitch.
Two corkscrews stood out enough to get our Best Buy recommendation, one of which is manual, proving you don't always need to buy an electric model. We've also found a Great Value corkscrew that turned our heads with its performance and price.
How our tests find you the best
We’ve tested 10 corkscrews and electric bottle openers
From waiter’s friends to push button electrics, we put every type through our tough tests to find an effortless way to uncork your favourite bottle.
Ease of use
Hard work but someone had to do it. We popped 100 bottles to find the smoothest openers, so you can skip the struggle and enjoy every glass.
Comfort
No one wants an arm workout over dinner. Our testers tried every handle, lever and button, only recommending corkscrews that were smooth and comfortable.
We also test
Build quality, instruction clarity and whether corks come out fully intact or drop crumbs in the wine.
The corkscrews we tested
The biggest brands and the most popular 10 corkscrews are listed below.
Only logged-in Which? members and free account owners can view our results.
Register for free to get instant access to our test results and Best Buy recommendations for corkscrews.
| Corkscrews | Price | Score | Ease of use* | Comfort | Cork integrity | Type |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Sign up to unlock for free Get instant access to these results, plus more reviews and advice by Which? experts, when you sign up for a free account Unlock tableAlready have an account? | 93% | |||||
| 83% | ||||||
| 82% | ||||||
| 80% | ||||||
| 77% | ||||||
| 77% | ||||||
| 76% | ||||||
| 71% | ||||||
| 59% | ||||||
| 53% |
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Date tested: August 2026. Page last checked: September 2026. We are not able to show every retailer and cheaper prices may be available.
*Ease of use measures the combined effort required to remove the cork from the bottle and remove it from the corkscrew. **Cork integrity assesses whether the corkscrew punctures through the bottom of the cork or drops debris into the wine.
All the corkscrews we tested is listed in alphabetical order below.
Only logged-in Which? members and free account owners can view our results.
Register for free to get instant access to our test results and Best Buy recommendations for corkscrews.
Alessi The Anna G Corkscrew
Type Winged corkscrew
Size and weight 24.5 × 7 × 4 cm (HxWxD); 420g
Need to know Not dishwasher safe
Brabantia Classic Spiral Corkscrew
Type Continuous-turn corkscrew
Size and weight 17.5 × 7.5 × D 4.5 cm (HxWxD); 80g
Need to know Dishwasher safe, includes foil cutter
Cuisinart Rechargeable Automatic Wine Opener
Type Electric bottle opener
Size and weight 31.1 × 14 × 12 cm (HxWxD); 850g
Need to know Not dishwasher safe, includes foil cutter and vacuum sealer, claims to open up to 80 corks on an 8 hour charge
Ikea Segelfisk Corkscrew
Available from Ikea (£3)
Type Waiter's friend corkscrew
Size and weight 16 × 5 × 2 cm (HxWxD); 80g
Need to know Not dishwasher safe, includes foil cutter and bottle opener
John Lewis Waiter's Friend Deluxe Corkscrew
Type Waiter's friend corkscrew
Size and weight 14 × 3 × 0.5 cm (HxWxD); 80g
Need to know Not dishwasher safe, includes foil cutter and bottle opener
In the mood for a red? Discover the top supermarket picks from our independent expert wine tests in our round-up of the best red wines.
Joseph Joseph BarWise Compact Lever Corkscrew
Type Winged corkscrew
Size and weight 5.6 x 12.6 x 7 cm (HxWxD); 670g
Need to know Not dishwasher safe, includes 1× spare non-stick screw thread
Lakeland Rechargeable Wine Opener
Type Electric bottle opener
Size and weight 18 x 4.8 cm (HxW); 270g,
Need to know Not dishwasher safe, includes foil cutter, claims to open up to 40 bottles on a 2.5 hour charge
Le Creuset Activ-Ball Corkscrew
Type Continuous-turn corkscrew
Size and weight 18 × 6.5 × 7 cm (HxWxD); 350g
Need to know Not dishwasher safe
Oxo Good Grips Stainless Steel Winged Corkscrew
Type Winged corkscrew
Size and weight 26.4 x 5.1 x 11.5cm (HxWxD); 520g
Need to know Not dishwasher safe
ProCook Deluxe Lever Corkscrew
Available from ProCook (£20)
Type Lever corkscrew
Size and weight 18 x 17 cm (HxW); 548g
Need to know Not dishwasher safe
How we test corkscrews
We buy the bestselling corkscrews of various types and put them through our tough tests. We don't accept freebies from product manufacturers or retailers.
We regularly revisit the corkscrews and electric wine bottle openers on sale to see if there are any more popular models that need testing, and when we find them, we do.
- Ease of use A panel of five testers uncorks a bottle using each corkscrew. We use natural corks to reflect the UK market. Each tester assesses how easy it is to uncork the bottle, factoring in the effort required, as well as how smoothly the cork releases from the worm afterwards. The best effortlessly uncork a bottle in less than 10 seconds, while the worst took a minute of hard work. We then ask testers to vote for their favourite.
- Comfort While using each corkscrew, testers rate how comfortable the handles, levers and buttons feel to use.
- Cork integrity After opening bottles with a range of cork sizes, we inspect whether the spiral punctures cleanly through the base of the cork and drops crumbs into the wine. This helps you avoid bottle openers that leave fragments in your glass.
- Build quality We note whether handles, arms and spirals bend, flex or wobble during repeated use.
- We also test How clear instructions are and how well extra features, like built-in foil cutters, actually work.
Why you can trust us: at Which? we're free from manufacturer and retailer influence. Find out more about our impartiality and how your support helps us to stay editorially independent.
How do I open a wine bottle without a corkscrew?
We've tested a variety of hacks to open a wine bottle without a corkscrew – including using lighters, screwdrivers and even a shoe.
The most successful method was using a bike pump by sliding the needle down the side of the cork and pumping air underneath to push it out.
However, most of these unconventional methods proved ineffective, frustrating or potentially risky, so we'd recommend sticking to one of our Best Buy corkscrews.
Register for free to find out our top picks for effortless uncorking.
How to use a corkscrew
To help you choose the right type, our testing covers the five most popular styles: electric openers, levers, continuous turns, winged corkscrews and waiter’s friends.
Each type requires a slightly different technique; while some are easy to master and can uncork a bottle in less than 10 seconds, others require more practice.
We've listed them below in order of progressive difficulty.
Electric wine bottle openers
By far the easiest and less physically demanding option, you simply hold the bottle steady and press the down button. The motor drives the worm into the cork and pulls it out automatically.
Lever corkscrew
These corkscrews are quick to master and require minimal strength. Clamp the base around the neck of the bottle, then push the lever all the way down to drive the worm straight into the cork. Pull the lever back up in one fluid motion and the cork pops out instantly.
Continuous turn corkscrew (or self-pull corkscrew)
Needing a similar level of effort to the lever, you position the corkscrew over the bottle and keep twisting the handle in the same direction. First, the worm drills into the cork; as you keep turning, the corkscrew winds the cork all the way up and out without any awkward pulling.
Winged corkscrew (or butterfly corkscrew)
Place the bottom over the bottle neck and twist the top handle. As the spiral descends, the two side arms will slowly raise themselves in a waving motion. Once the arms are pointing fully upwards, press both wings down firmly at the same time to lever the cork out.
Unlike the types above, they require a bit more hand strength and coordination.
Waiter's friend (or sommelier's knife)
Centre the metal spiral over the cork, press down firmly and twist straight down until only one coil remains visible. Place the first notch of the lever onto the bottle's rim and gently pull up on the handle to lift the cork halfway out. Then switch to the second notch, rest it on the rim, and lever the rest of the cork out.
This design needs more practice and strength than the others, meaning it won't be suitable for everyone. Even with experience, opening a bottle with a waiter's friend took our testers on average 40 seconds, and considerable elbow grease.