How to Use a Bottle Opener

Having an ice-cold beer and no bottle opener is a frustrating conundrum. Bottle openers as keychains are popular, and most houses have them, but to the uninitiated, opening a beer bottle with a bottle opener can be a little confusing. Once you get the hang of it, though, it's a very simple process.

Essentially, bottle openers act as levers. They take advantage of the force and heft being applied to the side you push on in order to lift the thing it's pressing against on the opposite end. There are two main styles of bottle openers that are most typical, and both rely on applying force to the bottle opener, which then directs that force to the bottle cap in order to break the seal on the cap and lift the cap off.

Opening a beer bottle with a wall-mounted bottle opener is even easier. You simply position the bottle so that the sharp part of the opener is underneath the cap. Then, pull down and allow the force of the opener – which is attached to the wall and will not budge – to lift the cap off.

There are, of course, many situations in which you want to open a beer bottle but don't have a bottle opener, a corkscrew or a wine key to do it for you. However, there are many other objects that you can use to pry open your beer without an opener.

If you have a key handy, you can slide the long side of the key under the bottle cap and wiggle it to loosen the cap. Turn the bottle slightly and do the same thing on the other side. It should be loose enough for you to slide the tip of the key underneath the cap and pop it off.

Using a corkscrew can seem complicated, but it's actually quite simple. A waiter's corkscrew or wine key is designed to open a bottle with minimal effort, although it can take some practice. Once you've removed the protective foil from the exterior of the bottle neck, open the wine key so that the shape it makes resembles a "T."

Press the center of the metal corkscrew "worm" into the center of the cork. Then, twist clockwise until only the last ring remains above the cork. Flip the handle down and use the first notch on the handle as leverage against the bottle, pulling up. After the cork has raised out of the bottle somewhat, use the second notch to pull it out completely.

If you have the right angles, anything from a countertop to a cigarette lighter to a dollar bill can be repurposed to help you open a beer bottle. Fold a dollar bill in half vertically and then roll it up tight. Fold it in half again. That final fold should make it strong enough to lift the top off the bottle.

Using a cigarette lighter, grasp the neck of the beer bottle with enough space between your index finger and the bottom of the bottle cap to wedge the lighter in. Then, using your other hand, press down on the lighter, which should offer enough force to pop off the top of the bottle.

A countertop can also be a bottle opener. Position the bottle cap over the edge of the countertop and press down hard with the heel of your hand on the top of the bottle cap. The force should pop the cap right off.