Getting to the bottom of a bottle wine begins with a cork screw [ コルク抜き ]. Sometimes, however, that’s a lot easier said than done. Not all wine bottles are willing accomplices. It’s not uncommon to land with a stuck or crumbling cork, or a practiced technique that fails. Sometimes the answer is getting a better corkscrew. The electronic USB wine opener or 電気ワインオープナ is now also an especially popular choice for ladies’ nights.
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Finding Your New Corkscrew
Not much has changed in terms of the essential mechanics of the corkscrew. The most basic choice is between a hand operated corkscrew or an electronic wine opener. The latter recharges via USB or has disposable batteries.
Another consideration is whether you want to make a value set purchase of included items. You can often buy a corkscrew and wine stopper together as a somewhat happy couple. Corkscrews also come in wine sets that include the additional of an aerator.
The Hand or Mechanical Corkscrew
Hand operated corkscrews can generally last for a longer time. People these days often look beyond the bare essentials to products that can complement with style and good taste. Good quality, good design, and durability are always well-appreciated.
On the practical side, some corkscrews have a base support to position your angle on the cork correctly. They also tend to have a screw hand or mechanism to help your drilling operations. These mechanized corkscrews tend to be the better choice for an unpracticed hand or limited strength.
A pocket knife corkscrew has all the bits and bobs to do the same job. The important thing for a sommelier knife is a good and comfortable grip, a well-designed lever, and a strong screw. They often incorporate a bottle opener, but the mechanized corkscrew can have the same. These are usually the cheapest corkscrews you can buy. However, some are premium designer ware with expensive crafted wood.
The Electronic Wine Opener
The electronic USB charged wine opener is a different story. They will usually come with a foil clip, but don’t have any other added versatility. The do the job really nicely and some also shine an operational light. This type of corkscrew is particularly good for more dainty women and the elderly.
The obvious drawback is the limited lifespan. Most seem not to last much more than 2 years under regular use. That said, solely relying on an electric corkscrew is probably not ideal. Like any ‘electronic solution’, it’s always best to have a traditional corkscrew on hand just in case.
Corked Wine Vs Screw Top – Not What You Think
Now that you have a new corkscrew, there’s no need to rush on out to buy a crate full of corked wine. Attitudes around wine preservation have been changing. The fact of the matter is, some wines do better with corks, while others are more suited to screw caps.
Some professional views opine that white wines do better with screw caps. Hermetic sealing keeps white wine fresher and crisper since they don’t require oxidation.
Red wines, especially young reds and those to be drunk sooner rather than later, benefit more from a cork. Corks naturally allow the wine to aerate and this helps to smoothen the taste of the tannins.
However, not all corks are equal. Corks treated with bleach can also interact with natural fungi and create what is called cork taint. If you give the bottom of the popped cork a whiff and it smells musty, your wine is probably tainted.
The foil, or capsule, found on corked wine does not prevent your wine from ‘breathing’. It is used to protect the cork from insects, dirt, or purely for decoration. It is also used to prevent tampering, but many new wine makers now do without the foil.
See reviews for wine glasses, wine tote bags, and other accessories.
Best Electronic Wine Openers in Japan 2022 –
おすすめの電気ワインオープナー
See our selection of the best electronic wine openers. Our best recommended is USB supported. Another option uses disposable batteries. There are value set purchases too. Or, go to the mechanical corkscrew reviews below.
Nanami Electric Wine Opener – NANAMI 電動ワインオープナー
Pros:
- Foil cutter stand
- Two touch operation
- 2500 mAh
- 397 grams
Cons:
- Foil cutter below par
- No full charge indicator
- Frequent recharge
Nanami have become a recent popular electric wine opener. There are various options to choose from, but this current promotional offer includes the choice of a wine stopper.
There is one longish operational button. Press the top to drill into the cork, and then the bottom half to extract the cork. The color changes from red to blue as you drill and extract the cork.
It comes with a simple USB cable, so you need your own USB plug or a power pack. With tight corks there’s quite some vibrational struggle, which questions its long term durability. For most people, it works well enough.
Best Value Wine Opener Set
Pros:
- 4 x A4 batteries
- 100 pulls
- Charge level indicator
- Operational guide
- Foil cutter, stopper, aerator
- 1 yr warranty
Cons:
- Stopper not vacuum
- Color choice
Because the product lifespan of any electronic wine opener is limited, making a value purchase is a good idea. This way, even when your gadget dies, you’re still left with a nice wine stopper, an aerator, and separate foil cutter. The foil cutter is not the integrated round type which doesn’t actually work so well. For some, the battery only feature may be a draw back, and batteries are not included.
Recolte Color Elegance Battery Wine Opener
Pros:
- 3 colors
- 1 yr warranty
- 300g
- Foil cutter cap
- Matching accessories
Cons:
- Additional battery cost
- Batteries not included
- Pricey
If you really want to go the way of an electronic wine opener, the AA battery type is the other option. Additional costs for batteries add up unless you use rechargeables. Disposable AA batteries (23g/unit) will make the product heavier by at least 90g to the advertised weight.
They operate in much the same way as any other electric wine opener. Press the bottom of the bottle icon to drill, and the top to extract. For the price, there is no operational color guide and no battery power indicator. Degraded or stiff corks may pose a problem.
The attraction of these wine openers is the cheerful color range. Recolte is also a well-known Japanese brand for stylish designer kitchenware and appliances. You can also get matching vacuum stoppers. If the brand name is worth the price, these still do a good job.
Best Mechanical Hand Corkscrew Reviews in Japan –
おすすめのコルク抜き
See our selection below for the best classical sommelier knives, winged corkscrews, and new innovative concepts in wine openers. We also feature Italian designer ware and a handcrafted olive wood sommelier box set.
ATHRO Sommelier Knife (アスロ) ソムリエナイフ
- Handmade in Japan
- Seki steal
- Superior quality
Cheap corkscrews are easy enough to come by. However, they never truly satisfy nor last as long as they should. Ahthro is a premium Japanese brand and these knife are cast from superior Seki steal.
The foil cutter is sharp and precise. It, and the lever, fold into a Nickell silver handle and the wood inlay is made of Cocobolo. When folded up they measure 120mm and weight 100g.
Although not reviewed so often on common shopping portholes, these knifes are prized by professionals and highly rated on portholes of specialists vendors. If you want a knife to treasure these are hard to beat. Availability is up and down, but you can click this search link for more choices.
Professional Sommelier Knife Rankings
Daitban Corkscrew and Sommelier Sets
If you’re looking for affordable simplicity, Daitban corkscrews and sommelier sets are not a bad option. You can buy just the knife, a 2-piece set with a stopper, or 3-piece with an additional wine aerator.
The knife is stainless, perhaps not the highest grade, and the wood finish is mahogany. It has a classy look and feel for the price. The sets also come nicely packaged, so suitable for a gift.
For a Japanese aesthetic, this knife is on the heavy or bulky side. Despite its good looks, the screw is prone to bend with difficult corks. Cheaper corkscrews are always a compromise, but this will do the job well enough for the occasional bottle of wine, but perhaps not a heavy drinker.
Vacuvin Corkscrew twister is a new innovation neck cap wine opener. Its adaptability allows you to easily slip it over any bottle and then clasp it shut. Minimal strength is needed in operating the screw mechanism in a continual motion. This popular twist on an old theme comes out of Poland.
This corkscrew does a great job and is quite affordable. The resin body and quality of the screw, however, don’t suggest that the product is any more durable than similarly cheap products. The cost performance is good, so you will get your money’s worth.
Air Pump Wine Opener with Foil Cutter
The air pump is not the most familiar method of decorking. It works by puncturing the cork with a hollow needle and then pump air to pop the cork with reverse pressure and a gentle pull.
These cork poppers make excellent travel companions or even gifts. They also slip unobtrusively anywhere you require. It’s only 20.1 x 2.1 x 2.1 cm and weighs 60 grams.
People are genuinely surprised how easily and simply these pressure corkscrews work. They require little effort and are highly recommended for corks that may be old or weathered. Regardless, these are real handy numbers to have around.
Le Creuset Original
Le Creuset, the famous French maker of enameled cocotte and other prime kitchenware, have a nice selection of wine openers.
This model is their one of table serving. There is also a more portable pocket version.
The body is made of polycarbonate resin, and the screw from standard stainless steel. It only weighs 50 grams.
This corkscrew works well and easily enough. Many users are disenchanted that Le Creuset would put its name to a cheap plasticky looking production out of China. The cost performance is good enough, but you may be disappointed if you have high expectations in the name.
Ipow Butterfly Wine Opener
These second generation and improved Ipows are made from a zinc alloy with a rubber coated grip. Dressed in black coloring, this quaint type of opener reminds of one of the friendly alien ET .
Ipow is a Chinese registered brand, and they are more well-known for their mounting equipment for smartphones in cars and for bikes. They make other sports and lifestyle related products.
For the most part this corkscrew works well. But, like many others for the price, they are not suited for more aged bottles of wine with tighter or more fragile corks. If the value of your wine matches the price of the corkscrew, it will be worth the purchase.
Zwilling by A.J. Henckels
Zwilling is most famous for its knives, but the brand carries many types of kitchenware. This solid looking piece of art work is made of 18-8 stainless fit for commercial kitchen use.
The aesthetic is great, but quite bulky. The height is 190mm and 50mm across and it weighs 440g.
Overall this corkscrew works well. The screw could be longer because with lengthier corks some pulling may be required. Also, with slender necks, the steel sides can’t bend to grip the sides, so it’s not always the best corkscrew for all situations. The value purchase option includes a foil cutter and a stopper.
Alessi Designer Collection
If you’re looking for some original designer chic to bring out your wine collection, look no further than the Italian maker Alessi. They stand 21cm x 5.7cm wide and weight some 300 grams.
Called Alessandro M., the figure is modeled after its creator Alessandro Mendini. Also famed as an architect, he consulted on designs for Philips, Swarovski, Swatch, and Bisazza. He passed away in 2019.
Not surprisingly, these original wine openers are a hit with almost everybody. These corkscrews do the job pretty well, but you should remove the cork from inside straight after opening. They bring charm and laughter to a table, and make excellent gifts. They have a cultish and even collector’s value to them.
The color may differ to the picture somewhat. Availability is unstable, but this search link displays other options, color choices, including Anna G, the lady version and a parrot design.
Arteonovilo Olive Wood Handcrafted Set
For those who love collectables and the serious sommelier, there’s nothing better than one of these hand crafted luxurious olive wood box sets. These are pure Italian design and made by Arte in Olivo.
The set includes a classic sommelier knife, a stopper, aerator, drop ring, and also a thermometer. All are capped with hard olive wood. The look of each set will vary according to the unique grain of the wood.
For more great kitchen products visit the Artinolivo Store.