You Can Use Your Countertop To Open Bottles, But Be Careful

We've all been there. You have a beverage bottle, still dripping with condensation. You want to crack it open before it warms up too much, but as you try to remove the cap, you find it isn't a twist-off. Though it may be tempting to stick with canned beverages to avoid this common conundrum, there is a scientific reason soda tastes so much better out of a glass bottle.

While there is an obvious solution to the seal situation you've found yourself in, digging through the drawer to find your bottle opener isn't always a possibility. What if your bottle opener has gone missing, or you realize you never owned one to begin with? If you wind up in this tricky position, you can crack open the bottle on your counter. However, this method can potentially damage your countertop, cause a frothy mess in your kitchen, and even hurt your hand, so it's best to proceed with caution.

Aside from the risks, using your countertop as a bottle opener is a relatively straightforward process, which you can master with a bit of practice and finesse. First and foremost, you need to check that your counter comes to a sharp edge so that the bottle cap can catch on the corner. Then, situate the edge under the lip of the cap, and you're ready to start smacking.

Once your bottle is in position, make sure that you have a good grasp on its body. You wouldn't want to drop your drink, and a good grip will improve your leverage with the countertop. Then, it's simply a matter of firmly hitting the top of the bottle with the palm of your hand. Your smack should separate the bottle from its cap, and voilà — you have yourself an open drink. However, before you start routinely opening your bottles on the countertop, you should be aware of some potential pitfalls.

From a purely aesthetic point of view, this bottle-opening hack could cause damage to a painted or wood countertop and mar your kitchen with small scratches. Additionally, because it can sometimes take several attempts to successfully open your bottle on a countertop, the repetitive smacking on the cap can cause a modicum of pain.

Obviously, a classic bottle opener is a much better choice than the counter, but if you're already investigating alternatives, that likely isn't an option for you. Fortunately, plenty of bottle-opening hacks are available besides the countertop trick. For one method, all you need is a piece of paper. Fold the paper vertically until it's thick and sturdy, then form your DIY bottle opener into a v shape, stick the point of the v under the bottle cap, and use your paper pry bar to snap it off in a single fluid motion. You could also use tongs to open your bottle. This barbecue tool has a roughly cap-sized gap along its middle section, which you can squeeze around the bottle before cracking it open with a sharp upward twist.