PULLTEX CORKSCREW €14.95: IT IS not for nothing that this type of corkscrew is pretty much the only one any self-respecting waiter will use to open a bottle of wine. It is a simple, no-nonsense product that does what is asked of it with no fuss and does not take up a whole lot of space in the cupboard.
For these two reasons, we love it. It is not dear, utterly reliable and the double hinge means even the weakest of wrists will be able to open a bottle of wine with some aplomb. It also doubles as a regular bottle opener and we’re pretty sure it’s sufficiently sturdy to be opening bottles for many years to come.
VERDICT:The waiter's (and our) friend
SCREWPULL LM-400 €175:
SORRY, HOW much do you want for this? €175! For a thing which does nothing but open bottles of wine! Seriously? Try as we might we could not get over the ridiculous price of this admittedly sleek and lovely-looking thing which we found in Stock in Dublin. Yes, it’s cool and, yes, comes in a leather bound case and, yes, it will open your wine in a heartbeat. But, if we had €175 to spend, we’d prefer to blow the cash on a bottle of fine wine which we could easily open with a simple key.
VERDICT:Ridiculously priced
COOKSHOP CORKSCREW €2.49:THIS WAS the most basic model we found and it opened bottles without much of a fuss, although it did shred one of the corks we introduced it to which might not bode well for it having a long and productive life ahead of it. It is familiar and compact and very, very cheap. And just a little bit flimsy.
VERDICT:Cheap, very cheap
TESCO LOUNGE BAR CORKSCREW €18.99:THIS IS very similar to more expensive corkscrews found in upmarket department stores and, at this price, has to be considered very good value for money. The presentation case is a lot less classy than the dearer options we have come across despite Tesco's ambitious, but ultimately doomed, attempt to make it look fancy by putting it in a faux-velvet plastic box inlay. It is very easy to use and had our bottle of wine open in less than three seconds. The foil cutter is fine, if flimsy, but the real problem is its bulk and we fear it would just add clutter to our cupboards.
VERDICT:Cheap, fast, but bulky
