The final rankings
If you want to skip the details, here are our top five methods ranked in order of success:
- Spoon method: Quick and easy but messy... Success!
- Screw method: Easy if you have the tools... Success!
- Shoe method: Tricky and takes some time... Success!
- Pump method: Fiddly and only partially worked... Fail
- Key method: Made a big mess of the cork... Fail
1. The Spoon Method
Method: Simply push the cork in with a spoon handle
Results:
Using a tea towel to steady the bottle and catch any splashes, I pushed the cork in with the handle of a serving spoon. This worked in seconds – though of course the cork ended up in the bottle, which doesn’t look great on your dining table.
Conclusion: Success - quick and easy, but does leave you with a cork stuck in the bottle.
2. The Screw Method - a.k.a. "The Handyman"
Method: Use a screwdriver to insert a screw into the cork. Pull it out with a claw hammer.
Results:
I used a wood screw with a good wide thread. It was easy to extract with the claw-end of a hammer – just like using an old-fashioned corkscrew.
Conclusion: Success - quick and easy, but you’ll need the right tools on hand. Pliers would do instead of a claw hammer.
3. The Shoe Method
Method: Extract a wine cork by placing the bottle in a shoe and tapping the shoe against a wall while holding the bottle in place.
Results:
I first tried this with a trainer – reasoning that the cushioned sole would protect the bottle better. After 10 minutes of tapping and then whacking, nothing happened. I then used a shoe with a more traditional sole. After a few minutes of whacking – it worked! The cork emerged a tiny bit, then came two-thirds out and could be easily removed.
Conclusion: Success! Use a firm-soled shoe and whack the heel firmly against a wall. Use an outside wall to protect your plasterwork and a shoe that you’re not precious about.
4. The Pump Method
Method: Push a football pump adaptor into the cork. Then use a pump – ideally a track pump that delivers a good volume of air – to pump air into the bottle.
Results:
I was sceptical about this because the standard football adaptor needle is 30mm while the average cork is 40mm or more – so the needle will not go all the way through the cork. I tried this twice. First time no luck. Second time, after a few good pumps the cork came up. However, it only came up a bit, until the compressed air started leaking.
Conclusion: Partial success. For best results, give a few quick pumps at the start rather than going slow and steady. Will not work on a plastic cork.
5. The Key Method a.k.a. "Twist and Shout"
Method: Push a key into the cork and twist it while levering the cork out.
Results:
I used a tea towel to get a firm grip on the key and pushed it in fully. Twisting and pulling resulted in damaging the cork and little else.
Conclusion: Failure. This may work for others (maybe there’s a knack) but no joy for me. Avoid.
