Bottle Breacher is a unique brass bottle opener made from a 50-caliber bullet. Elijah Crane started the company in 2012, initially selling them on Etsy. The main selling point of Bottle Breacher isn’t just that they’re made of a bullet but that the engraving on the opener can be customized.
They’re also made by men on active duty, veterans, and reservists. Each one is coated with powder instead of spray paint. The brass, on the other hand, is polished by hand. Crane wanted to utilize the materials he’d come across during his time in service, and because there were a lot of 50-caliber bullet shells, he decided to use these to make the product.
They’ve made many different types of customized Bottle Breachers, including one for breast cancer awareness. BMG Real Bullet .50 Caliber Bottle Opener is available on Amazon.
Are They Still an Active Company?
The company is currently active and in business.
How Did the Shark Tank Pitch Go?
Elijah Crane came to Shark Tank with his wife, Jen, seeking a $150,000 investment for 10% of the business. They started their pitch by claiming they were offering the best bullet opener on the market.
They handed out Bottle Breachers, personalized for each Shark. They shared that production cost was only $9.03 with labor cost, had managed almost half a million dollar in sales and were projected to make $800,000 that year. They added that the name came from the ‘breach’ of each bottle.
Then it was time for the Sharks to respond. Lori was interested to see if it was possible to make the product with other bullets too, and wondered if there are people who don’t like bullets. Kevin asked what the investment was needed for, and Elijah shared that they were looking to expand their manufacturing space. He added that he’d failed to get into the Navy Seals the first time he tried, but that didn’t stop him from trying again. He took this lesson and applied it to his business after he was done with his military career.
Mr. Wonderful was convinced by the pitch and offered $150,000 for 20% of the business. Elijah was interested in hearing more offers from the other investors at Shark Tank. Daymond was interested in upping the proposal and suggested $200,000 for 25% in the business, only if Elijah could get licensing. The pitch didn’t pique Robert’s interest and he stepped out.
Mark offered to split the investment 50-50 with Kevin (75,000 for 10% each). This was the offer that Elijah decided to go with.
The Bottle Breacher Shark Tank review was relatively positive and ended well.
In the later update episodes, it was revealed that Bottle Breacher faced some logistics issues after the episode aired. Their website crashed initially but sold more than 600 units after it was back up and running. Their production increased, and the number of employees grew considerably. They decided to expand into the wedding industry as their target audience with high sales.
After partnering with Kevin, Bottle Breacher managed to get almost $4.2 million in sales. As of 2022, the company has reached nearly $22 million in total sales.
Annually, they generate at least $4 million in revenue.
Our Review of Bottle Breacher
We decided to try the Bottle Breacher for ourselves to see how it would be in real life.
The good news is that the Bottle Breacher is designed beautifully with high-quality detailed engravings. The shape is natural and easy to hold and the build is sturdy.
They offer beer and different wine openers. The website offers many personalization options and variations for the opener. Its sophisticated design means that it can open bottles pretty quickly.
The bad news is that it’s a bit on the pricey end if you want to get it customized but is reasonably priced if you buy it without the engravings.
Pros of Bottle Breacher
- Sophisticated design
- Customizable
- Good gifting option
Cons of Bottle Breacher
- Expensive
Who is Bottle Breacher for?
Crane primarily targets corporations as the primary buyers so that they can use it for promotions. He also aims it at groom’s gift buyers but it’s possible for anyone to buy it from their website.
Are There Any Alternatives?
Although Bottle Breacher was unique when it came into business, there are now many other alternatives to it.
Twine Cast Iron Key Bottle Opener Churchkeys, Metallic is an exciting brand that offers interesting bottle openers that can be used at parties and as a gift for those who love antique-looking items. Unlike Bottle Breacher, it’s made of iron instead of brass. It opens easily and exudes a vintage vibe to its customers.
The Twine Cast Iron Key Bottle Opener can easily be hung up on a wall because of its shape. The cast iron material also makes it very durable, meaning that it can withstand wear and tear. The company also offers other vintage products that you can buy with the bottle opener to complete the vintage rustic aesthetic in your kitchen.
While Bottle Breacher is better as a gift or for special occasions, the Twine Cast Iron Key Bottle Opener is reasonably priced and better for daily use. However, it’s mainly for opening beer bottles and not for wine bottles.
It’s also portable and lightweight so it can be taken to different places and conveniently used not just as a charm but also as a functional bottle opener.
Our Final Thoughts
The Bottle Breacher is the perfect gift for men who want an interesting opener for drinking nights. It’ll also make for a great conversation starterat parties. It’s a little expensive to use on a daily basis and most people might prefer to use a regular opener rather than a customized one.
