Most waiter corkscrews are made from stainless steel or other metals; some models use plastic components or include wood-accent handles.
They typically include foil cutters such as serrated blades, flat blades, or extendable four-wheel cutters, plus built-in bottle openers or cap-opening jaws.
The standard is often a five-turn (5-turn) worm, which is commonly used for entering and removing corks.
Many waiter corkscrews use a double-hinged (stepped lever) design for added mechanical advantage; other models use self-bracing or self-pulling frames to reduce the required effort.
Common finishes include gunmetal, chrome, and black or colored coatings. Handle styles range from ergonomic or soft-touch grips to curved designs for comfortable handling.
Many waiter corkscrews are compact and travel-friendly; product heights commonly range from about 4.75 to 6.5 inches and descriptions note they fit in drawers, travel bags, or picnic baskets.
Listings often highlight non-stick or stainless-steel worms, frequently in a five-turn design, described as gliding into corks to help reduce breakage.
Typical weights listed vary but generally fall in the range of about 0.14 to 0.26 pounds.