WHICH? MAGAZINE
Written by James Ward
I like Which? magazine.
Some time last year, I bought about fifteen copies of Which? magazine from 1986 – 1987 from eBay. I don’t really know why I ended up on eBay looking for old copies of Which? magazine, and I find it’s best not to question these things. I’m sure there was a reasonable explanation. Anyway, it’s nice to be able to see a selection of corkscrews from 1987, isn’t it?
Despite not really doing anything with them, I recently decided to buy some more copies of Which? magazine and, during a quiet Sunday afternoon, ended up buying just over a hundred copies from the early sixties. I spent about four hours yesterday scanning all the covers and uploading them to Flickr. Don’t they look beautiful?
The cover designs are brilliant. Bold black and white images on single colour backgrounds and simple typography.
I’d quite like to frame some of them, but it seems like an act of vandalism. Maybe I’ll get some prints done and frame them. I don’t think my inkjet printer would do them justice.
JAMES WARD: I LIKE BORING THINGS 
You’re so boring.
I really like the last one
Everything from the past is unutterably depressing, but especially psychotically depressing is anything to do with consumption from the past. Don’t you see that all the economising, all the testing, all the fine design and clean typefaces have led not to the efficient, tidy, happy future those readers yearned for but to… this? To us. Oh God.
I think that’s why I like Which? magazine though. It’s so modest. It’s not about dreaming of a better future, it’s about helping you decide which corkscrew to buy.
Corkscrew #7 is the best, by a big margin. Amazingly simple, no complicated parts to go wrong, and so easy to use that it’s practically impossible to destroy the cork. In fact, I am inspired by this post to go and buy myself a new one, right now.
Corkscrew #7 is a Screwpull (£8.95 in 1987). “Good spiral and easy to see what’s going on. A favourite, but a bit pricey.” Recommended for “sheer efficiency”.
Are you mad?
#13 if by far the best corkscrew in the world. $4.99 USD. We have had ours for at least 30 years. Buy no corkscrew that combines plastic and metal — you are asking for fatigue (plastic).
See this one for sale (ours does not have all the fancy-smanchy detailing and works fine without it)
http://www.dtydirect.com/Kitchen-amp-Dining/Bar-amp-Wine/Wineware/Franmara-Wing-Corkscrew.axd
Ah yes — number thirteen, also known as The Cork Mangler.
NEVER allow one of these near a bottle of vintage port.
Hmm. I couldn’t find this kind of corkscrew on Amazon, so I have given up. Just thought you ought to know.
Here you are
Or the same concept, but considerably cheaper here.
Well, I am deeply impressed by the service on this blog. All I do is mention that I can’t find my favourite kind of corkscrew on Amazon, and THREE MINUTES LATER a link appears. James Ward, you are a truly frightening man. A truly frightening man with too much time on his hands.
Still, though — FIFTEEN POUNDS! That’s hard to justify, isn’t it?
Well, Which? DID say it was a bit pricey…
As a matter of fact, I do already own a screwpull which was given to us by our lodger, then a branch manager at Oddbins, in about 1995 or 1996. But after many years’ faithful service, the sheath part split into two equal parts. This was maybe three years ago, so it lasted at least twelve years. Not too shoddy.
I still have all three of the pieces, but repeated attempts to mend my screwpull with super-glue have failed: evidently the glue is not strong in tension when applied to this kind of plastic. Rationality suggests I should have thrown the pieces out, but in fact I have just realised that simple sellotape may be the answer. I’ll let you know how it goes.
DOG FOODS LAND IN THE BAHAMAS!
Intrigued by the fact that in May 1965 there were so few ‘things to buy abroad’ that they could be dealt with in a single Which? article
Graphic design porn.
All this talk of corkscrews is mildly erotic. If you say ‘sheath’ again, I may start to pant.
There, you see? Now I’ve gone and eaten my bowl of shredded wheat cereal much too fast.
Which chair for comfort?
Number 16 is the best corkscrew, the “waiter’s friend”. Tough, simple and reliable.
I found corkscrew #21 in my grandparents cocktail bar after inheriting it. It doesn’t make much sense. You spike the cork with it, pull and… the spike comes back out again, leaving the cork still in the bottle! It’s really pointless!
I love that men’s raincoats one. It looks like Joy Division!
I have a version of number 17. Take the cork out whole AND replace it if you wish. I haven’t used it in years.
I went to orkney wines, which is just by the italian chapel on the main island. They didn’t sell corkscrews, and I was highly disappointed. #13 is the design I like the best. I think this may be because I enjoyed moving the arms as a child to make it look like a wildly gesticulating person.
I’d imagine a lot of the old issues would still be valid today. Have there been many new breeds of dog created since 1967? Surely not many crufts winners. How does the article address mongrels? Do I need to purchase a which? subscription to legally receive an answer to that question? Framing the covers might send you mad from the questions they evoke.
Oh, I love ’60s magazine design so much. I keep meaning to do a cover comparison for Gypsy Creams, because the ’60s covers are so, so beautiful compared to the content vomit of current magazine covers.
ah, yes, I wouldn’t mind reading that Typewriters article… any chance of scanning that article in? I’m sure a bunch of people in the typosphere would love to read that one! cheers rino
I wonder how long before Which? offer you a job as a magazine curator, or something. I’d stick them on your wall, together they do have a certain kind of beauty.
Unless I’m much mistaken, corkscrew 21 is the type that has a sparklets bulb inside it. You spike the cork and CO2 gas pressure forces the cork out of the bottle.
So Helen (@helenhighwater_) you maybe have an empty sparklet in your inheritance.
Do I sound geeky?
Love those covers! I did some direct response work for Which? back in the early 90’s… happy days.