Le Creuset Waiter's Friend Corkscrew, Wood

Exelent opener!!!!!

I’ve had mine for year and bought this for a number of coworkers as well gift. Career server who opens bottles of wine often. This is an excellent wine key. A little bulky/heavy for ladies’ dress slacks pockets but goes well in an apron. I wish they still made the plastic body model but this is an excellent tool and show piece. Don’t be fooled by the Coutales of the world, the hinge motion is not as functional. This is the real deal.

Although there are, I am sure, many factories in China producing knock offs of high end corkscrews, including zillions of cheap Laguiole copies, it seems sometimes as though there is only one vast corkscrew factory out there somewhere in China. I suspect that these factories are also the makers in many cases of the actual name brand corkscrews, and as long as they have the tooling setup they run a few hundred thousand extra alt name, slightly re-styled copies as well. Who knows. But this corkscrew is a good example of clone and original being so close that you would have to think they came from the same place.True Fabrications Wood Professional Corkscrew is a near clone of the Prestige Coutale Sommelier with Wood Inlay Handle corkscrew, which is itself a near clone of the Le Creuset Waiter's Friend Corkscrew, which is otherwise identical to the Coutale Sommelier except for having the Le Creuset name and logo stamped on the hinge. The True Fabrications Wood Professional Corkscrew is identical in all respects, except for having a cheaper wood handle that runs the length of the handle area, instead of terminating in a finished metal tail.Is this important? All three corkscrews laid side by side appear so close in detail and finish that it seems a sure thing -- please correct me if I am wrong crowd source of knowledge -- that they came from the same factory. Even if that's not the case, all three seems close enough in quality and function so as to make buying one mostly a matter of price -- go with the True Fabrications for $10 (average selling price on Amazon) or if it's a matter of status and wanting the glossy wood handle then go with the Le Creuset for $35 or the Coutale Sommelier for $20 (average selling prices on Amazon).But to the function. Although I was skeptical of the whole two stage waiter corkscrew concept I have to say that these corkscrews work wonderfully. I would very much recommend any of the three I mentioned over the Pulltap / TrueTap types as the two stage hinge on True Fabrications Wood Professional, Coutale Sommelier and Le Creuset Waiter's Friend are spring loaded and much easier to two step through the opening process. Likewise, the very broad section of the handle that you pull upward on is much more comfortable than the Pulltap type.I own one each of True Fabrications Wood Professional, Coutale Sommelier and Le Creuset Waiter's Friend corkscrews and use them interchangeably. I am very happy with all three, and would recommend them with the buying choice made more on a buyer's idea of value for money, trim and finish and personal taste. The function is great on all three. RECOMMENDED.

I needed to purchase a new wine opener for my Certified Sommelier exam. I needed something that was sturdy, had a good foil knife, and of course looked sharp. The Le Creuset Waiter's Friend Corkscrew is great. It has some heft to it, the hinges are taut but not tight, the foil knife is slightly curved to arc around the bottle neck. It worked perfectly.I would caution you that the hinge mechanism is a tad different and takes getting used to. Unlike most Waiter's Friend Corkscrews, that hinge and just move in to the bottle when light pressure is applied, this one is more "spring loaded" and requires you to push the hinge inward when trying to use the first stage of the opener. It took me two or three bottles to make this a fluid movement.One quick comment - this opener is exactly the same as the: Prestige Coutale Sommelier - Wood Inlay HandleThis opener is $10 more expensive that the Prestige Coutale Sommelier - Wood Inlay HandleI am a Le Creuset fan, and understand you pay for the brand and the quality of the brand. However, I can really not find a $10 difference in the two. I own them both, did not return this one when I saw the Prestige Coutale Sommelier - Wood Inlay Handle was exactly the same - but if you're more focused on cost, then Prestige Coutale Sommelier - Wood Inlay Handle is probably the opener for you.

Worth every penny, went through two very nice rabbit style openers, both failed in the same place. With this opener there are no questions and no failure points.

It is a standard design, looks nice. I liked enough to buy one for my friend at spago.

This corkscrew is super reliable as I’ve had it now for a little over 6 months. I’m a bartender at a wine room where I open bottles every single night & this corkscrew is fantastic. It’s a bit pricey at first glance, but it’s worth every penny. My coworkers have also purchased this same one and they love it as well.

Actually a bit awkward to use but it does work