So if it's not a Durand, it's a...

[Jenise]

...lucylanker?

https://www.amazon.com/LUCYLANKER-Vinta ... 6LBNB&th=1

I had heard there was a knockoff, inevitable. Interested to hear what people think of construction, at some point I'll probably forget my Durand somewhere!

[Jenise]

I'm surprised it took this long, the patent timed out about a year ago.

I read thru the reviews, all posted by people who got it for free in exchange for their reviews. Some have no idea why this isn't an ordinary corkscrew.

One of the few who knew the diff said: The Durand is a famous corkscrew that uses the same design principle as this one and costs $145. I've used it and it works fine. The problem is that this product is every bit as good in terms of material, build quality, design, and function. And it retails for $45.

You could make a case for The Durand being a bit better finished and a little more understated, but that's not worth an additional $100. The Durand comes with a cork case held together with inset magnets at each corner, but this item comes with a sturdy, coated box with custom-cut foam inserts. Neither is superior for transport; both work well. The cork looks more premium, but I would argue it is also more fragile.

In the end, you could buy three of these for one Durand and that's a good value if you have multiple homes and/or travel to wine tasting events.

The only difference I noted with this product is that the corkscrew is about 2mm shorter than the one used in The Durand. I don't see this mattering in practice. Otherwise, both use zinc metal for the handles, spring steel for the Ah So blades, and similarly coated corkscrews. IN fact, this product has a bottle cap opener which the Durand does not have (but most Ah So designs DO have, btw).

Having bought three Durands myself, I can appreciate the value angle if it holds up.

I'd pay the cost of a Durand just to be able to unsee that acanthus scrollwork. But if somebody comes up with a sleek, unornamented knockoff that fits with my minimalist aesthetic, I might be game.

I think you'd have to be a bit of an Ah So to buy one of those.....

I have had a lot of problems with old corks sticking to the bottleneck and coming apart when using a screwpull or waiter's corkscrew to remove them. The Durand seems like a good solution to the problem, but the price has always put me off. I think I can put up with the baroque ornamentation, given the lower price.

-Paul W.

I bought a Kerhand opener, which looks very like the Lucylanker. Got a note from Amazon that today it's waiting in my mailbox. I wish it had arrived a couple of days ago when I opened a bottle of 1985 Pichon-Lalande. The bottom half of the cork was stuck to the bottleneck and the cork broke in half. I had to push the bottom half into the bottle.

-Paul W.

[Jenise]

You have enough older bottles that even the Durand at it's original price of $125 would have been worth it to you! Too bad it wasn't in time for the PB.

The package was in my mailbox when I checked it earlier this afternoon. BTW, it appears that the Kerhand and the Lucylanker are the same item being sold under different brand names. They are even the same price at Amazon.

-Paul W.

I got to use the Kerhand for the first time last night, on a bottle of 2003 Chateau Montelena Estate Cab. I've had trouble extracting the corks from the last few bottles of this wine. The cork is intact but soft and crumbly. My Screwpull just drills a hole down the middle of the cork (pushing some cork crumbs into the wine in the process). By running the knife on my waiter's corkscrew around the cork, and then very carefully using the corkscrew at several angles, I have been able to extract the corks. But it's a tedious and tricky process. I am no good with an ah-so corkscrew. I always end up pushing the cork into the bottle.

The Durand/Kerhand is an elegant solution to the problem. The screw provides enough force to hold the cork in place while one inserts the ah-so blades. After that, pulling out the cork is easy.

-Paul W.

Thanks for report. Used to do the corkscrew -Ah so combination, but awkward. When I got Durand as Xmas gift (I thought too expensive) I soon was puzzled I had gotten along without one . Use all the time.
The other wine gift I got that has made huge difference is a cradle. So much better than standing up

[David M. Bueker]

I got to use the Kerhand for the first time last night, on a bottle of 2003 Chateau Montelena Estate Cab. I've had trouble extracting the corks from the last few bottles of this wine. The cork is intact but soft and crumbly. My Screwpull just drills a hole down the middle of the cork (pushing some cork crumbs into the wine in the process). By running the knife on my waiter's corkscrew around the cork, and then very carefully using the corkscrew at several angles, I have been able to extract the corks. But it's a tedious and tricky process. I am no good with an ah-so corkscrew. I always end up pushing the cork into the bottle.

The Durand/Kerhand is an elegant solution to the problem. The screw provides enough force to hold the cork in place while one inserts the ah-so blades. After that, pulling out the cork is easy.

-Paul W.

Interesting that you are having trouble with the 2003 Montelena. I had the same wine last week, and it had about the most pristine cork I had ever seen in a 20 year old wine.

...lucylanker?

https://www.amazon.com/LUCYLANKER-Vinta ... 6LBNB&th=1

These were discussed on the UK wine forum in June but much cheaper from e-bay. Several people ordered them and all were satisfied.

One was ordered on 13 June with expected delivery date of 10 August but was received on 20 June. New owner said and I have to say I am impressed: seems as effective and sturdy as Durand on the face of it, and the delivery went without a hitch or any tax issues. Am I allowed to say that it is also not quite so hideous a design in the flesh as in its photos for some reason.

About £18 including delivery, that's about $22.50

I agree with the comment that the design isn't as hideous in person as it looks in the photos. I like the cleaner design of the Durand, but not enough to pay three times the price for it. For what it's worth, the Kerhand/Lucylanker doubles as a beer bottle opener.

-Paul W.

The other wine gift I got that has made huge difference is a cradle. So much better than standing up

Curious about this. You cradle the wine for a few days so the sediment settles but the angle makes sure the cork is still in contact with the wine?

I might have to get one. What brand of cradle do you recommend?

Sometimes I cradle for a few days. But often I simply gently remove bottle from rack (keeping label up) into cradle, carefully carry upstairs, and decant (straight from cradle). Basically always get a cleaner pour, and leave less wine behind with the sediment. 90+ % of time vast majority of sediment is intact on backside of bottle. Especially for Nebbiolo it makes a huge difference.
Takes a little getting used to using Durand horizontally, but not hard.
I have 2 cradles, a simple wicker basket (handle, neck end slightly higher) and a decorative metal one. Wicker is way more practical, but use metal when I bring up 2 bottles at once. No brands.