Is the Viral Bat Halloween Wine Bottle Opener any good?

'Tis the time of year when you might be thinking about what Halloween gadgets you want to add to your reusable collection. There's a chance you've seen the bat wine bottle opener on social media platforms like TikTok and Instagram. Some people simply showed off how adorable the device is, while others used it to the viral song “Hit it!” Hit it! Get it! Get it!” Although it's not an electric kitchen appliance, I was curious to see how well the bottle opener worked, especially given the possible overuse of the wings when opening bottle after bottle for guests during a Halloween party.

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So I bought the Ototo 2-in-1 Gothic Wine and Beer Opener from Amazon to try it out for myself. List price is $34.95. However, at the time of writing this article, it was 14% off at $29.95 with an additional 20% off coupon at checkout, so it is possible to get this item for less than the list price. You can also find this gadget along with other Ototo products on the company's website.

Right off the bat, this device felt a little too fragile compared to other wine bottle openers I've used. It was light and felt a bit flimsy in my hands. However, I also wasn't used to my wine bottle opener having silicone wings, so maybe that was what put me off. However, I didn't want to pass too much negative judgment until I used it. Light does not necessarily mean weak.

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I have to say the details are a nice touch. The ears have grooves that make them look like bat ears, and there are little vampire fangs that are enough to tell what it is without fear of me accidentally scratching myself with it. Also, I would be lying if I said I didn't immediately pull the corkscrew up and down to make the bat look like it was dancing or flying. It's a fun device for sure. My immediate question and slight fear is: Will I be able to pull the cork out of my last bottle of wine?

This wine bottle opener was pretty easy to use, but because it is so thin, I first removed the paper at the top of the bottle that covers the cork. After that, I simply placed the bottom of the corkscrew over the top of the wine cork and applied pressure while turning the head of the beater clockwise. I moved slowly and turned the screw in. I noticed that the screw was a little shorter than I expected, so I had to screw the device all the way down to the bottom to get the cork completely out without having to move it around.

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As the screw moved into the cork, the wings began to slide up. Once I had enough of the screw in the cork, I pushed down both sides of the wings and the cork easily slid up and out of the bottle. To remove the cork, I held it with one hand and turned the head of the mallet counterclockwise. Overall, it was a success and brought smiles to my friends' faces when I used it.

The biggest downside I found is the instability of the device. While I tested it, it worked perfectly, but honestly I can't say how many uses it has. While other, more robust wine bottle openers feel almost indestructible and have a large handle to hold on to, this model feels very delicate when screwing the screw into the cork and pulling the cork out. It is advisable to work with it instead of letting the tool do all the work.

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I also used the knife on my Micra Leatherman to see how easily it scratches the black paint. It took a lot of force to form a scratch, which is good news. However, I noticed that every time I moved the corkscrew up and down, a piece of black paint would chip off the top, and after testing the device, a lot more paint came off. Luckily it's not where the screw goes into the cork, but I'm still unhappy with the aesthetics.

On Ototo's website, this bat bottle opener received a 4.8 rating from over 900 buyers, while on Amazon it received a 4.6 rating from over 6,000 users. Many of the positive reviews came from people who bought it as a gift or just thought it was cute. However, one of the reasons I wanted to test this device is that some users said that it felt flimsy when they tried to screw it in and out of the wine cork, and honestly, I have to agree with them. Don't get me wrong, it's an adorable addition to any kitchen, but I wouldn't make it my primary wine bottle opener, and after a few uses of the beer bottle opener the paint starts to peel off. Maybe I'll stick with using it as Halloween decorations and as a TikTok dance party centerpiece.

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The Ototo brand sells many adorable gadgets that you can add to the bat bottle opener to create an even spookier kitchen or an addition to any Halloween party. In fact, you can buy bundle kits to save money. A bundle option includes the Bat Bottle Opener, Bat Kitchen Scissors and a Skull Meat Chopper for $61.89. Another bundle option for $54.85 includes the bat kitchen scissors along with a vampire garlic crusher and a skull mug to take advantage of the spooky theme on the go.

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For year-round fun, there's also the $30 Pinot Wine Bottle Opener that looks like a parrot and a $20 Crab Silicone Utensil Rest. However, if you're looking for the classics, the Original Nessie Ladle for $20 and the Baby Nessie Tea Infuser for $12 are sure to put a smile on your face. Having owned the two Nessie products for a few years now, I can actually confirm that some products from this brand will last a while in the kitchen if cared for properly.