The 6 Best Wine Foil Cutters, According to Our Bottle-Opening Tests

How We Tested

We've sent eight wine foil cutters to the home of our product testers and sommeliers to evaluate side by side. They've used each one to open multiple bottles of wine and rated them on ease of use, performance, durability, and overall value. They also factored in how easy they were to store and whom they might be best suited for. We continue to test the foil cutters we have, particularly testing blade sharpness, and keep an eye out for an notable new designs.

Other Options We Tested

• Rabbit Wine Bottle Foil Cutter: In addition to the "pro" model mentioned above, Rabbit also sells a more affordable foil cutter that features a sleek, slim design that makes for space-saving storage (although it's almost too small—it could get lost easily in a drawer). While it's an okay budget option, both of our testers found that it takes quite a bit of hand strength to use: you have to squeeze, hold it in place, and turn the bottle to get a cut. Since you’re holding while squeezing, it can be difficult to hold it level and get a clean cut. Our two testers, both of whom are sommeliers, feel that there are options available that are easier to use, and that provide more consistent results—while one of our testers was able to get clean edges on a couple of bottles, the other found that the results were a little messier.

What to Look for in a Wine Foil Cutter

Cutting Blade

Besides a high-quality blade made of stainless steel that does not dull quickly, the number of blades, their shape, and their position are also important considerations when choosing a wine foil cutter. Rounded or circular blades or a four-wheel or six-wheel blade system tackle the foil in several places and allow you to make a clean, neat cut.

Handling

The foil cutter should be easy to grip. A sleek, elegant look and an ergonomic design don’t always go hand in hand. Make the easy handling of the wine foil cutter the primary criterion. It should not be necessary to apply much pressure to remove the foil; a simple twist of the wrist should do the job.

Convenience

If you are reluctant to add yet another tool to your wine accessories collection, there are alternatives to a stand-alone wine foil cutter. Consider a dual-purpose corkscrew with a built-in wine foil cutter. A wine foil cutter that fits in your pocket also comes in handy. There are other special features for convenience, such as a magnetic wine foil cutter that can be put within reach on your refrigerator door, saving you from rummaging through kitchen drawers to find it. Some products come in a set of two so that you'll always have one wine foil cutter on hand in case you misplace the other.

FAQs

What is a wine foil cutter?

A wine foil cutter is a tool to remove the protective foil around the spout of wine bottles, which is made of plastic, poly-laminate, aluminum, or tin. The wine foil cutter cuts into the foil to remove it.

"Foil can be a pain (sometimes literally) as its edges can be sharp when not cut correctly," says James Sparks, winemaker for Liquid Farm and owner of Kings Carey Wines in Santa Barbara, California. "Jagged edges are not only unsafe, but they're also sort of an eyesore. Having a foil cutter on hand ensures that the foil is properly trimmed for safety reasons, plus it simply looks nicer when you bring that bottle to the table. Even if it’s just for yourself, a nice cut around the top just looks more presentable."

How do you use a wine foil cutter?

Place the cutter on top of the bottle. Twist the cutter so the blades on its underside cut the foil on the top of the wine bottle, which removes a circular piece of foil; the rest of the foil around the neck of the bottle remains in place.

What is a screwpull wine foil cutter?

A screwpull wine foil cutter is both a corkscrew for opening wine bottles and a wine foil cutter, combined into one tool.

Why Trust The Spruce Eats?

Céline Bossart is a longtime wine writer with many open bottles under her belt. Admittedly, she'll often pull the foil off in one piece when opening a casual bottle at home, but for every other occasion, a great heavy wine key and her Wine Enthusiast foil cutter are her two weapons of choice.

Madeline Muzzi is a Certified Sommelier and freelance lifestyle writer. Her writing has appeared on sites such as Eater, Heated, and Elemental, and her videos have been published on The Cut and in The New Yorker. She personally tested most of the wine foil cutters on this list.

This piece was kept up-to-date by Jesse Porter, a longtime sommelier and LA-based wine writer. His beverage writing has appeared in Mutineer Magazine, and he authored the Young Winos of LA blog from 2008 to 2012.