The Multitasker That Can Make or Break Your Vacation — Your Vacation Rental Checklist

There's nothing better than kicking back outside a rental cabin, hanging out around the campire with a glass of rosé or a bottle of beer, maybe having some after-dinner vanilla ice cream topped with homemade strawberry jam. If you find yourself in this situation this summer (which I hope you do), this tool can make or break the moment.

Breaking out a bottle of wine and realizing that you don't have a corkscrew is the worst. Sure, you could pack a waiter's corkscrew — you'd be covered when you need to uncork a wine bottle or pop the top off a beer — but the equally compact Swiss Army Waiter's Knife has some special things going for it.

5 Reasons to Pack a Swiss Army Waiter's Knife

1. It's a three-in-one corkscrew, bottle opener, and can opener.

So, in addition to popping corks and bottlecaps, it can open a can to make some simple avocado-lime black beans or a chickpea salad for lunch.

2. It has a knife.

Okay, it's not a great one, but, in a pinch, you can use the blade to cut small foods, like fruits and vegetables.

3. You can legally pack it on a plane.

Just get one with a blade that's less than 2.36 inches long.

4. It has two other useful cooking tools.

Tweezers are great for plucking eggshells out of the yolk or adding fragile garnishes to food, and a toothpick is good for testing when baked goods are done.

5. It's compact.

Unlike some of the fancier Swiss Army Knives, it's minimal, lightweight, and slim, so it's easy to pack in your pocket.

If you have one already, toss it in your bag and you're set. If you're shopping for your own Swiss Army Knife, here are a few ideas.

3 Good Pocket Knives to Bring on Vacation

• Victorinox Swiss Army Waiter's Knife, $21.50: The classic waiter's knife, with a blade, corkscrew, bottle opener, screwdriver, wire stripper, can opener, key ring, toothpick, and tweezers.
• Wenger Evolution 63 Swiss Army Knife, $26.95: Includes an ergonomic handle and has everything the Victorinox does, minus the wire stripper and key ring.
• Opinel No. 10 Corkscrew Folding Knife, $30: This one isn't a Swiss Army knife. It's simpler — just a corkscrew and folding blade, sans can opener — but it's bigger, about the size of a utility knife, if you're looking for a real travel knife for cooking.

Do you pack a Swiss Army knife, too?

The Kitchn | Inspiring cooks, nourishing homes http://ift.tt/2abpVAN