Many of our everyday tools at home have designs that go back decades or even centuries. Although they might not be inherently broken, there’s no reason why they can’t be changed or improved as long as functionality isn’t compromised. Just taking a look at the dozens of screwdriver designs and laser-based measuring tools shows there’s definitely room for improvement and experimentation.
The bottle opener, for example, has a head that provides the actual functionality and a handle that adds leverage. But what if you can ditch that long handle for something more interesting but equally useful? That’s what this concept design tries to offer, resulting in a version that’s not only functional but also decorative when not in use.
Designer: Younghyun Kim
The current conventional bottle opener design isn’t exactly bad. It’s practical, easy to make, and leaves some room to use different materials for the handle. At the same time, however, they can be longer or bigger than they need to be, and the majority of designs are pretty uninspiring. There’s a reason why bottle openers are often stored in drawers, lying in wait until they need to be used.
This bottle opener design concept, on the other hand, is something you might want to keep on top of the table or the kitchen countertop even after you’ve used it. Rather than a long handle and a head with a hole in the middle, the concept uses a dome for the opener and a sphere for the handle. That means it also won’t take up space in the unfortunate event that you do want to put it away.
More importantly, however, this spherical bottle opener becomes more than just another tool in the drawer. Because of its interesting shape, and the fact that it can stand upright, it becomes a sort of decoration that adds some aesthetic value to your table or kitchen. It can even be used as a paperweight to keep paper napkins from flying away.
In theory, it doesn’t lose any of the benefits of the traditional bottle opener design. The ball-shaped handle can still be made from different materials that can change its character. It might be questionable, however, if the design provides the same leverage as a conventional long handle does, but it probably wouldn’t take too much effort to pop a cap.
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