Westmark Ah-So Wine Opener – 2 Prong Wine Bottle Opener for Vintage Bottles, German Manual Cork Remover, Chrome Finish, Superfine Polished Steel

This is a really fine cork puller. The materials and build quality are extremely high. I will assume here that you know how to use an Ah-So cork puller. If not, watch the manufacturer's video included with the product images above - it really is as easy as it looks in the video. I bought this to replace a 30+ year-old Ah-So. The blades are well angled and thin yet quite strong and smooth. They slide down between the cork and the bottle very easily. The unit is tightly built so there is no "give" as you start twisting and pulling the Ah-So to remove the cork. The cork pulls out very easily. The Ah-So may be used with any cork. It excels with "problem" corks that are either very dry or very wet. The Ah-So may also be used to put a cork back into a bottle. Again, refer to the manufacturer's video. That can be a bit tricky since the bottom of a pulled cork is by design wider than the bottle neck opening. You need to push and twist a bit to get the cork end reinserted in the bottle. Once in, simply twisting and pushing (rather than pulling) with the Ah-So replaces the cork in the bottle. One plus associated with using the Ah-So is that it is very unlikely that any of the cork will break off and end up in the wine. The cork is left completely intact. I also use Le Creuset (formerly Screwpull) corkscrews which are also great - e.g. https://smile.amazon.com/Creuset-Pocket-Model-Wine-Opener/dp/B007E64EYQ/ref=sr_1_4?ie=UTF8&qid=1543780961&sr=8-4&keywords=screwpull+wine+bottle+opener and https://smile.amazon.com/Creuset-TM100L-31-Original-Table-Model/dp/B007FNMD7I/ref=sr_1_5?ie=UTF8&qid=1543780961&sr=8-5&keywords=screwpull+wine+bottle+opener. Some reviews and questions comment about grease on the blades. There was none on my unit although the blades are so smooth and polished that you may think there is grease. Wipe the blades with a paper towel if you think they are greasy, or wash them with warm water and dish detergent, and dry before using. This Monopol unit is a bit more expensive than others available on Amazon but you are getting a really well-made, durable tool that should last a lifetime. There is another Monopol model sold on Amazon for about twice the price - about $45. I inquired with the manufacturer. There is no significant difference in materials. This unit comes in an attractive plastic package that could easily be wrapped for use as a gift. There is no reason to spend more money on the other model. I plan to buy another of this Ah-So to keep in my wine bag. Which is better - this or a Le Creuset? A matter of personal preference, although with a problem cork the Ah-So is definitely the tool of choice.

Took me one or two tries to get this right, but once you get it down it is SOOOO easy. In my opinion, it's easier using this than actually using a corkscrew. And the Oooooh factor from your friends is totally worth it when you use this in front of them. It's really easy to use.... 1. Insert long end between cork and botle 2. Wiggle back and forth a couple of times, working the long prong into the bottle until the short prong is touching the glass 3. Insert short prong between glass and cork and push/wiggle in a little so that both prongs are now between cork and glass 4. Here's the IMPORTANT part! Rock the opener back and forth ALONG THE SAME AXIS that the handle is oriented on. In other words, if you are looking straight ahead and can see through the opening of the handle, rock it left to right. IF you are looking down along the handle and can't see the hole, rock it forward and backward. Personally, I find left to right easier. 5. Keep rocking and pushing down until the cork puller is all the way ( or at least as far as it will go ) in. Don't over-do it as you may start to push the cork in. (It's okay if it goes in a little). 6. Start pulling up while SIMULTANEOUSLY turning the cork puller (with cork) either clockwise or counter clockwise. (For some reasone I originally read that it had to be clockwise, but since I'm right handed I do counter-clockwise and have NO problems) 7. You should be able to remove the cork in one or two fluid movements. If the cork puller comes out faster than the cork, you can rock it in again until it is snug against the cork again, and begin the twisting/pulling motion again. 8. If you are having difficulties, you can move your hands down to the cork and pull/twist up on the cork while it is still in the grips of the prongs. You actually may choose to do this either way, but I don't. 9. Viola, cork comes out with almost no evidence. And if you have a fragile cork (think aged wines) you'll be happy you did this, because there won't be any cork in the wine. I hate decanting/straining trying to remove cork with older bottles. 10. I suggest you try on a bottle or two that you don't mind messing up on, just in case you have to go in with a backup corkscrew. I've tried it on about a dozen bottles so far with no difficulties (after the initial short learning curve). I've not tried it with synthetic corks yet....so can't report on that. In my opinion, this is almost the only bar tool you need for 98% of what you do. It doubles as a bottle opener, and you can even use the prongs to cut the foil, thus negating the need for a separate foil cutter. Great tool....going to be on my gift list for my friends who enjoy wine but are intimidated by trying to learn how to use one of these. EDIT: I tried this with a synthetic cork last night and my recommendation is this: DON'T DO IT! I had an almost impossible time getting the cork out, and the "Ah-So" got all scratched up on the prongs. Of course, that's going to happen eventually, but I thought I might break it last night when I was trying to get the cork out. Stick to corkscrews for synthetics.

EDITED (see end of review) This is well-made and seems to be designed and built to last for a long time. However, I recommend that you look up a video with instructions on how to use it. I didn't, and tried to follow the un-intuitive drawings (directions) that come in the package. The first cork was pushed in far enough to render this opener useless on that particular bottle, and I had to use a corkscrew to retrieve it. The second bottle, after seeing instructions on Youtube, opened just fine. The third bottle however, was a slightly carbonated red wine with a common (non-champagne) cork. While opening this particular bottle, the cork expanded more than usual and this made the metal prongs extremely tight against the neck of the bottle, thus cracking and chipping the neck of the bottle when I tried to remove the cork. I am not sure if this was due to the carbonation or not, but be aware that this might happen. All in all, it's a good opener but I don't trust it enough to not have a backup corkscrew just in case. Edit: I've had this opener a few years now, and it still looks great. Best of all it actually works and it has become second-nature to use, and my favorite. So much so that I will take it with me rather than use other people's openers. It just works once you're used to it. Great buy, but get used to it first! Also, again, be extremely careful with anything carbonated and in fact, use a regular screw for something like that. Still, for durability and ease of use, I've bumped it up from 3 stars to 5.

I got this just to have an extra cork retriever since I open a lot of older bottles (15-20 years old) with potential cork flaws or even bad, over-aged bottles with brittle corks. This product works well for a moderately flawed cork (e.g., cork rips in half). But for highly brittle corks it's not as good as my Martinelli which, as you can see, is naturally wider and thus easier to press against the sides of the bottle shaft. THIS product, however, is much narrower and is more likely to press against the cork or even pierce it. This has resulted in a good bit of trouble. So if you deal in flawed corks with regularity (perhaps by occupational hazard), I'd go with the Martinelli. But for the occasional cork rip in younger (<10yrs) bottles, THIS product should be just fine.

Found cracked corks on new bottles of wine. Only device I could use to remove the corks. Like that one leg is longer than the other. Takes a little elbow grease to install and remove the cork, but it works great. Corks came out in one piece. Didn’t take long to remove the corks.

Good quality. German made. Just what I wanted.

This is actually the second one I bought, as a gift for my parents. I had mine for over 2.5 years ago. And since have used to open many older wines, as well as used it to save a broken cork in the bottle. I did have to take a few minutes to watch online videos on how to use it properly. Then practiced with it on a few bottles before I feel comfortable with it. Once you get it, it's a breeze to use. It well well made with quality material. Feels great in hand. Highly recommended for a wine enthusiast!

Nicely made, very sturdy, and especially useful with old, brittle corks. Also pulls those synthetic corks that can sometimes challenge a corkscrew. The quality is obvious and, I think, worth the few extra dollars. EDITED TO ADD: There are some corks that simply cannot be pulled with this device. Moscato D'Asti is one wine that always gives it trouble, perhaps because the corks are designed to contain the carbonation and are unusually tight in the bottle. I twisted the prongs out of shape while trying - I was able to twist them back, but had to switch to a corkscrew to do the job. I've also had it push a cork into the bottle, when it was unable to force its way between cork and glass. It works very nicely when it works, but it's not the universal cork-puller you might be wishing for, and you have to be prepared to switch tools when it's obviously over-matched. A genuine Pulltex is still king of the hill here, if you're willing to pay the price. Chinese-made $12 knockoffs work equally well, but will cost you more in the long riun. (The real thing is what you want to give as a gift.)