A corkscrew is a tool for drawing corks from wine bottles and other household bottles that may be sealed with corks. In its traditional form, a corkscrew simply consists of a pointed metallic helix (often called the "worm") attached to a handle, which the user screws into the cork and pulls to extract it.

And you have your lever. Pull down on the lever. Pull up the cork is out that simple now to get the cork off the coil you simply do the same motion your lever goes down you hear the snap.

a device for removing corks from bottles, that consists of a handle with a twisted metal rod to push into the cork and pull it out.

The first patented corkscrew was established in 1795 in a collaboration between Reverend Samuel Henshall and Birmingham manufacturer Matthew Boulton. Their key improvement on the traditional corkscrew design was the addition of a concave disk between the handle and the 'worm'.

The earliest written reference to a true corkscrew dates back to 1681. Until 1720, when the word "corkscrew" came into use, the tools were called bottlescrews. Bronze and iron were sometimes used to make the worm, but steel became more popular because of its greater strength and its ability to retain a sharp point.

• Best Overall: Pulltap's Professional Waiter's Corkscrew at Amazon.
• Best Value: True corkscrew at Amazon.
• Best Splurge: Laguiole En Aubrac Sommelier Waiter's Corkscrew at Amazon.
• Best Winged: Rabbit Wing Corkscrew at Amazon.
• Best Electric: Secura Stainless Steel Electric Wine Opener at Amazon.
• Best Lever:

Developed and designed in Seattle, Rabbit is proud to be the leading wine and bar tool brand in the United States by creating innovative and functional beverage essentials for your at home bar.

This wine opener includes a foil cutter, and an extra non-stick coated spiral. A great gift idea for any wine enthusiast, this corkscrew is a must for all celebrations big or small. Pulls a cork in just three seconds. Automatically releases cork. Works on all bottle sizes and cork types.

Generally speaking, classic corkscrews are made of stainless steel. While some are made from plastic, those will break sooner than their stainless steel counterparts. Electric or fancier models are usually a combination of the two materials.

The earliest dated device is a French cage style corkscrew from 1685. The first official corkscrew patent was filed in 1795 by the English Reverend Samuel Henshall. He added a flat button of metal to the helix to make a firmer fit with the cork.

Historians say its lineage can be traced back to a tool that removed unspent charges from a musket. Prior to the arrival of the corkscrew, wine consumers used the removable gun worm from a musket tool to dislodge corks. Englishman Samuel Henshall is considered the father of corkscrews.

The waiter's corkscrew is known by several names, including the sommelier knife or wine key.

stainless steel Material. Generally speaking, classic corkscrews are made of stainless steel. While some are made from plastic, those will break sooner than their stainless steel counterparts.

Cork is incredibly sustainable. Cork is as natural, sustainable, renewable and good for the environment as we can imagine a material to be. The cork that makes up natural wine stoppers comes from the bark of cork oak trees that grow in Mediterranean Europe and North Africa.

Also of note: The Rabbit got the cork out of our bottle in three seconds, as advertised. If you're looking for a foolproof lever-style wine opener without any manual stress or labor, consider the Rabbit. This also makes for one hell of a gift for that wine lover in your life.

Both lever models we tested were a breeze to use, though the Rabbit's worm failed to pull one of the corks out during our testing - the worm simply retracted on the upstroke, without gripping the cork. Though it was heavier, at just over one pound, our winning OXO SteeL Vertical Lever Corkscrew was more consistent.