Durand-style Openers

[Lucas S]

Found this a while back but haven't pulled the trigger, am curious if anyone has bought one or think such opener types are worth it. It's a little bit different than the Durand in that the handles are at an angle, which I think is probably better ergonomically.

The price goes down from $85 and then back up again periodically.

https://www.aliexpress.us/item/3256802067016683.html?

[Andy Velebil]

Well a cheap knock-off from China, that took longer than I thought. I see one big issue with it, the coil appears shorter than a Durand's. I would not want anything shorter and I would actually prefer if Durand made a longer coil version.

Also, Durand holds patents in many countries. I'm by no means an expert, not even close, but I would assume that knock-off probably violates their patent, even in China. However, good luck enforcing it there...

[Stewart T.]

Wow - they even copied the Cork box. Not sure how much more brazed they could be about stealing the design unless then named it "I'm-a-ripoff-of-the-authentic-Durand"

LOL

[Lucas S]

Patents are state-enforced monopoly rights and therefore I do not care for them as they exist today. In pure economic terms, they create a huge loss in consumer surplus.

The main purpose of patents was ostensibly to provide relief to those who have to invest huge resources in R&D into developing new technologies, allowing them to recoup their investment.

The system as it is today is utterly abused by megacorps and patent trolls to force mergers and shake down small businesses into oblivion, respectively. This does not protect inventors and on the whole hurts innovation and the economy.

The reason you can only swipe right to unlock an iPhone and not any other phone is because that swiping right motion is patented. How does that make any sense?

I can all but guarantee you that the Durand itself violates some obscure bottle opener patent that is owned by Ikea, Williams Sonoma or similar but their lawyers haven't yet bothered to coerce Durand.


Trademarks on the other hand are very important to ensure provenance and that is where firms can still have their monopoly and eat it too.

[Moses Botbol]

Rather just buy a Durand and leave it at that.

[Yev Nyden]

You can also find just the 'tongs part' - https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0774 ... UTF8&psc=1. One challenge with it is that it's hard to find the right corkscrew to integrate these 'tongs' with, and w/o it, it's not much of a use. I own one of these, but have never used it. Instead, I use my durand quit a bit. :)

[Eric Menchen]

You can also find just the 'tongs part' ...

Ah yes, the Ah-So. I've found those handy in the past.

[Phil W]

the coil appears shorter than a Durand's. I would not want anything shorter and I would actually prefer if Durand made a longer coil version.

Agreed, an extra half inch on the length would definitely help on some port corks.
I believe the inventor of the Durand did experiment with a longer worm, and some were of those were sold but I was not fortunate enough to obtain one at that time.

[Mark L]

I have not purchased a Durand myself, though it has been on my Christmas wishlist and my birthday wishlist!

That said, I have used it before on multiple occassions, and been at events where it was the only opener used, and it is great. Not perfect (but what is), and some ridiculously brittle corks are destined to come out in pieces no matter what.

I do wish it could still help with those T-stopper corks, too, which I have also found to sometimes suffer a similar crumbly fate; but I have not figured out how to deal with that, yet.

If you get it, let us know! I see it is on sale for $68, and if you don't mind buying a knock off and all that doing so may or may not mean, then objectively, I think it's a good buy. Good luck!

[John M.]

I have a Durand an it is freaking awesome! Never a serious issue getting corks out. Only drawback is it tends to damage the side of the cork obliterating any printed info. (so if a mystery bottle I would tong it).

For $68 I might pull the trigger here if I were you.

As to having a "longer one" would venture to say every guy here would want that!

[Glenn E.]

I have a Durand but don't use it all that often. I'm very successful just using normal corkscrews most of the time.

I probably would use my Durand more if it had a slightly longer worm. The retail version's worm is just a normal corkscrew length, and it seems that Port bottles often have longer corks. And unfortunately tapered necks. Which leads to that extra 1/4" or 1/2" of cork getting stuck and detaching whether you're using a Durand or not.

I recently encountered a cork that not even a Durand could save. It just disintegrated into sawdust as I tried the usual twist-and-pull method of removing with a Durand. But corks like that are rare!

[Eric Menchen]

I probably would use my Durand more if it had a slightly longer worm.
... I recently encountered a cork that not even a Durand could save. It just disintegrated into sawdust as I tried the usual twist-and-pull method of removing with a Durand. But corks like that are rare!

I have the Durand with the slightly longer worm, but yeah, it isn't going to work on every bottle. But it does seem to work on many more than a regular corkscrew. And then of course there are tongs. I'm glad I figured out I can heat those with my regular gas range burner, which is cheaper than the plumber's torch I had been using prior.

[Yev Nyden]

I don't mean to change the subject but... :) does anyone know a good place to get port tongs? If you know a place in Portugal, that would be even better since I'm planning to be there this Fall.

[Lindsay E.]

Found this a while back but haven't pulled the trigger, am curious if anyone has bought one or think such opener types are worth it. It's a little bit different than the Durand in that the handles are at an angle, which I think is probably better ergonomically.

The price goes down from $85 and then back up again periodically.

https://www.aliexpress.us/item/3256802067016683.html?

What bugs me is the price they are charging. It probably only cost them $5 to make, but since the Durand goes for $120, they probably figure that half of $120 is a fair price. For $63 they can shove it.....I'll buy a 2nd Durand instead....oh wait, I just did.

[Janet Ainsworth]

Has anyone had any luck contacting Durand about a defective opener? I ordered one this December and used it twice where it worked perfectly, but the third time the worm broke off in the cork! I went on their website and sent a note on their 'contact us' section but have not heard anything back from them. Supposedly there is a one year warranty, which I am many months away from having expire.

What with tax and shipping the cost of having it successfully open only two bottles is prohibitive!