A Guide to Corkscrew Styles

After months or years resting in a bottle, opening a bottle of wine should never end with a broken cork or spillage. While picking a corkscrew might seem like a straightforward choice, anyone who has ever wrestled with a crumbling cork or a stubborn foil seal knows that the right tool transforms the entire experience.

Whether you prefer the tactile precision of a traditional manual pull or the effortless speed of an electric motor, choosing a quality corkscrew ensures you extract every cork gracefully without damaging the bottle or contaminating the liquid. From everyday table wines to delicate vintage cellars, Peugeot tools bring reliability, quality, and French elegance to every uncorking.

Why We Love Peugeot Wine Tools

While famous worldwide for its iconic salt and pepper mills – regarded by many as the best in the world – Peugeot is synonymous with the French art of living well. But serious wine connoisseurs know this heritage brand has an equal mastery over wine tools, making opening a bottle of fine wine a moment of anticipation, not a struggle.

Because different wine corks, from long natural vintage corks to dense synthetic ones, behave differently, Peugeot has engineered several distinct corkscrew mechanisms.

To help you choose the right opener for you, we have broken down every Peugeot corkscrew we carry at Borough Kitchen, from sommelier knives to two-prong extractors. (Read more about the Peugeot brand in our Q&A with CEO Peugeot Saveurs Sébastien Zott.)

Peugeot Corkscrews, Explained

Single-Lever Sommelier's Corkscrew (Waiter's Friend)

Peugeot's Model: Peugeot Clavelin Sommelier's Corkscrew
What It Is: The waiter's friend, often called a sommelier’s knife, is the classic 3-in-1 tool favoured by servers worldwide. Compact enough to slide neatly into an apron or pocket, it combines a serrated foil cutter blade, a spiral worm, and an integrated bottle cap opener. The Clavelin model includes a patented mechanism that opens the cork in one fluid motion.
How to Use: Slice the foil below the bottle neck ring, centre the worm into the cork, and twist the spiral down until one spiral remains. You then anchor the metal boot against the lip of the bottle to draw the cork upward. While traditional single-lever openers require a straight upward pull that can bend long corks, the Peugeot Clavelin features a patented single-lever handle mechanism that pulls the cork perfectly straight in one smooth continuous motion without needing multiple lever adjustments.
Why We Love It: Small enough to slide into an apron or pocket, it is ideal for dinner parties, picnic hampers, and hosting. It fits easily into a cutlery drawer. It opens both natural wood and synthetic corks with ease.

Double-Lever Sommelier's Corkscrew (Waiter's Friend)

Peugeot's Model: Peugeot Malbec Double-Lever Sommelier's Corkscrew
What It Is: Like the Clavelin, the Malbec features a built-in foil cutter and bottle cap opener. However, it utilises a traditional two-step hinged boot.
How to Use: To use, twist the worm into the cork, anchor the first notch of the boot onto the lip of the bottle, and pull the cork halfway out. You then pivot the second notch onto the bottle neck to gently ease the remainder of the cork straight out with minimal physical effort.
Why We Love It: Small enough to carry in your pocket and fit into a cutlery drawer, this double-lever waiter's friend – which requires a staggered removal of the cork – is more traditional than the Clavelin, which pulls out the cork in one single motion. The two-step hinged boot provides more manual leverage and control.

Two-Prong Corkscrew

Featured Model: Peugeot Mathus Two-Prong Corkscrew
What It Is: Also known as the 'butler's friend' opener, this 19th-century-inspired design is the ultimate tool for wine purists and vintage wine collectors. Unlike standard corkscrews, the two-prong extractor uses no spiral worm at all. It features two thin, tempered steel blades, one slightly longer than the other, that straddle the cork before pulling.
How to Use: Slide the longer prong down between the cork and the inner glass bottle neck, followed by the shorter prong. Once both blades embrace the cork, you gently wiggle them fully down, then twist and pull upward simultaneously.
Why We Love It: Natural corks in older bottles (typically 15-20+ years old) become brittle, damp, and fragile over time. A standard spiral worm can pierce right through them, shattering the core and dropping debris into your rare vintage. The Mathus extracts fragile corks with delicacy by hugging the outside of the cork and removing it completely intact, without piercing or crumbling them. Because the cork remains completely unpierced, it retains its structural integrity, meaning it can easily be reinserted into the bottle neck to preserve unfinished wine. If you collect fine cellar wines or frequently enjoy mature vintages, a two-prong extractor like the Peugeot Mathus is an indispensable investment to safeguard delicate bottles.

Lever Corkscrew

Featured Model: Peugeot Baltaz Lever Corkscrew
What It Is: Lever-style corkscrews (often referred to as 'rabbit'-style openers) are engineered to eliminate physical strain, replacing manual pulling with a smooth, gear-driven mechanical advantage. The tool securely clamps onto the neck of the bottle with lower handles, keeping it perfectly aligned, then drives into the cork and pulls it out.
How to Use: Push the top lever forward to drive the worm deep into the cork; pull the lever back to instantly extract the cork in a single motion without twisting your wrist. Return the lever back and forth once more to automatically eject the cork from the worm.
Why We Love It: Ideal for large gatherings, dinner parties, or busy home bars where multiple bottles need to be uncorked quickly. Because the internal gears do 95% of the mechanical work, it requires minimal wrist strength, making it a reliable choice for anyone with reduced mobility. The Peugeot Baltaz combines heavy-duty metal construction with precise alignment gears. Unlike cheap plastic lever tools that flex under load, Peugeot’s robust engineering ensures the worm enters at a perfect 90-degree angle every time, preventing broken corks.

Electric Corkscrew

Featured Model: Peugeot Line Reverse Electric Corkscrew
What It Is: Powered by a rechargeable battery, the electric corkscrew automates the entire uncorking process. Sensor-driven mechanisms automatically detect pressure, grip the bottle, drive the screw, lift the cork, and eject it – all without pushing a single button.
How to Use: Simply press the device over the top of the bottle neck and it's all done. Electric corkscrews remove all guesswork, twisting, or pulling, effortlessly opening bottles in seconds with zero physical exertion required. The high-torque motor glides smoothly through traditional natural corks as well as dense synthetic ones. It features fast-charging battery technology capable of opening up to 80 bottles from a single 2.5-hour charge. It’s the ultimate seamless experience for modern hosts.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the best corkscrew for aged wines?

A two-prong corkscrew (such as the Peugeot Mathus) is the best tool for aged bottles. Older corks lose structural integrity over time. Standard spiral corkscrews can crumble brittle corks or push them down into the wine bottle. The twin blades of a two-prong corkscrew slide between the bottle neck and the closure, gripping the cork from the sides to pull it out intact without piercing it.

What is the best corkscrew for beginners or those with limited hand strength?

Electric corkscrews (like the Peugeot Line Reverse) and mechanical lever corkscrews (like the Peugeot Baltaz) require almost no physical strength or technique. The electric opener automates the entire process at the press of a button or sensor, while the lever corkscrew uses internal gearing to drive and extract the worm effortlessly.

Why is the metal spiral on a corkscrew called a ‘worm’?

The term ‘worm’ comes from old musket-cleaning tools used in the 17th and 18th centuries. Soldiers used a similar helical spike, called a gun worm, to clean out unspent wadding and debris from musket barrels long before helical screws were repurposed for pulling corks from glass wine bottles.

How far should the worm go into the cork?

Twist the worm in until about three-quarters of the spiral is inserted, or until just one loop remains visible above the top of the cork. Piercing completely through the bottom of the cork can shave off tiny cork fragments, which then fall directly into your wine.

How do I clean and maintain my Peugeot corkscrew?

Clean your corkscrew by wiping it down with a damp cloth and drying it thoroughly. Never submerge mechanical or electric corkscrews in water or place them in a dishwasher.

What is the difference between a single-lever and a double-lever waiter's friend?

A classic single-lever corkscrew has one fixed notch on the boot, requiring a straight upward pull that can bend long corks. A double-lever corkscrew has a hinged boot with two steps, allowing you to pull the cork halfway out on the first notch, then reposition to the second notch for the rest. The Peugeot Clavelin uses an innovative patented system that delivers the sleekness of a single lever with a mechanical articulation that pulls long corks straight up in one smooth movement.