Microplane's New Bottle Opener Meets Army Knife

Forget those bottle openers that you used to hang from your key ring in college.

Microplane, maker of the eponymous supersharp graters, zesters and shavers, has released a new, dainty tool ($20) that should be in the back pocket of anyone tending bar.

No larger than an outstretched palm, this undulating piece of stainless steel is a bottle opener on steroids.

At its tip is a sharpened circle to make perfect, pith-free fruit twists. The body of the tool features Microplane's trademark metal perforation, peerless for zesting. Finally, the heel of the tool features a tried-and-true bottle opener.

These seemingly simple attributes make the construction of varied drinks a cinch: Finishing off a beer, a nutmeg-dusted flip, and a martini with a twist can become one single, fluid motion. Take it for a practice run with this variation on a Pimm's Cup with fresh ginger (click here to see the recipe).

And with drink lovers taking their tools on the road with increasing frequency, the Microplane opener has the added advantage of compactness and general toting ease. We'd bet you could even stow it in a carryon or, say, on your key ring.