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Unleash flavour from your reds, rosés and whites with this oenophile essential
If you’re looking for a way to liven up a bland bottle of wine then a wine aerator could do the trick. By exposing your wine to oxygen, aerators help to open up the flavours, release the full spectrum of aromas and soften tannins. This results in a smoother, more enjoyable glass of wine.
“Aerating wine is a personal preference,” says Louisa Payne of Brixton Wine Club. “You can aerate wine for a few reasons but mainly to enhance the flavours and aromas within the wine. I will often say you need to swirl a wine to ‘unlock’ all the aromas within it. Aerating wine can also help with the complexity as it ‘opens up’ a wine. It’s particularly important with older wines which can be decanted.”
There are many ways to aerate wine, including pouring it into a decanter or swirling it around your glass. But if you don’t want to wait for your wine to breathe, it’s time to uncork the world of wine aerators. It’s worth noting that while you can use an aerator to improve white, red or rosé, the process does work better with red and rosé wine as they have more tannins.
From simple pourers to sophisticated electronic systems, we’ve rounded up the best wine aerators for every type of vino lover.
We tested each wine aerator using a budget supermarket bottle of wine and a higher-end bottle to test the difference in aroma and taste. We also used each aerator with red and white wine to get a good idea of the difference. Finally, we looked at how well each aerator handled, how it looked (especially important for a festive table) and how easy it was to clean.
This premium aerator combines elegant design with exceptional functionality. Made using stainless steel, it has a pour-out design that effectively aerates wine while preventing drips, which is very important when you’re pouring a glass of red.
During our testing, it performed well with both red and white wines. With a full-bodied red, it made a huge difference and noticeably softened out tannins and enhanced the bouquet. When we used it with white wine, it helped to enhance the aromas but it didn’t make a huge difference to the taste. But the compact design makes it ideal for use at home. We also found it to be easy to clean and store when not in use.
This no-frills aerator is a great budget option, and it’s super easy to use – just open your bottle, pop this in the top and get pouring. There were a couple of drips when we were using it, so beware if you’re pouring near any surfaces that could be stained by red wine.
It did a decent job of aerating the wine, and we also noticed that it reduced the strong alcohol smell from our robust red. It’s also very easy to clean when you’re done – rinse it with warm water and set aside to dry.
This wine system is revolutionary and allows you to enjoy a glass (or two) of wine without committing to drinking the entire bottle. Using a thin, hollow needle, it pierces through the cork, so you can drink wine while leaving the cork intact. It then replaces extracted wine with pure argon gas that stops the wine from oxidising and maintaining its quality for weeks, months or even years.
The aerator, which attaches to the front of the system, rapidly aerates as the wine is poured. This system worked so well. And while leftover wine is somewhat of a mystery to us, it was great being able to crack open a bottle and just take a glass.
It works with any wine bottle and if it’s a screw cap, there’s a special attachment to add. During testing, we found it worked well with all types of wines, particularly white wine, bringing out the crisp and vibrant flavours. This is of course an investment, but if you really love wine, it’s one not to be missed.
This simple-to-use electronic aerator speeds up the time it usually takes to let your wine breathe. You simply pop it in the top of your bottle, press the button and an automatic mechanism ensures the correct breathing time. The stem is inserted into the bottle and reaches halfway down so as not to upset the sediment of the wine.
When testing with various wines, the difference was immediately noticeable, particularly with younger red wines that needed to “open up”. We found that tannins softened considerably when using this with red wine and it enhanced the aromas of white.
Cleaning is straightforward, a quick rinse under the tape once it’s been used, the only drawback is slight dripping once the aerator has been removed, but nothing that can’t be dealt with by kitchen roll placement.
A basic wine aerator that just fits on the top of the wine bottle, this one allows you to aerate by the glass. It has a pretty stylish design and the transparent plastic means you can see the wine swirling around as it pours.
It did a good job with red wines, showing noticeably softer tannins and more pronounced dark fruit notes within minutes. But when testing with white wines, it didn’t really make much of a difference, in fact, some of the floral notes were lost when using this aerator, which is just proof that not all wines will benefit from this treatment. If you’re looking for something simple and easy to travel with, this is a great option. What’s more, cleaning it is very simple.
Doubling up as an impressive centrepiece, this Le Creuset decanter also has an aerator attachment, which creates a dramatic swirling effect as you pour the wine in. During testing, red wine showed markedly softer tannins and the fruity flavours were enhanced. When used with white wine the results were more subtle, but it did soften the acidity and helped reduce bitter notes. Cleaning the aerator is simple, however, the slim neck of the decanter makes it a little tricky to dry, as there’s a worry it could be knocked over.
The Winewizard three-in-one is a fun and useful gadget that lets you aerate your wine by the glass or the bottle. One refill works for around 500 medium-sized glasses of wine or 80 bottles, and it’s very simple to use – just attach the micro-diffuser to the trigger and pop it in the wine.
This aerator ships with two micro-diffusers, one with a long tube for a wine bottle, and a shorter one for use in a glass. A quick squeeze of the trigger and will diffuse millions of micro-bubbles into the wine. This is a great aerator to get out when you have guests, as they’ll be amazed by the process. The cleaning process is simple, as the micro-diffuser can be swilled and left to air dry for the next time it’s needed.
We found that even the budget wine tasted more flavourful and complex when using the Winewizard. Plus, as an added bonus, the canister can be recycled when it’s emptied.
For any wine lover, this is a must-have aerator. Battery-operated, it sits on top of the bottle and essentially acts as a wine tap. It’s designed to fit traditional 750ml wine bottles and comes in two pieces: the aerator itself, plus a long tube that sits inside the bottle.
This aerator is a little tricky to clean, as it doesn’t come with a pipe cleaner, which is needed to clean the tube, and you do need to run water through the aerator. That quibble aside, it did a really good job of filtering the sediment from the wine, and there was a definite change in the taste of the wine when using this aerator, making it mellow and smooth.
The Vacu Vin wine aerator is a great way to enhance the flavour of your favourite wine. Its unique, flat design means that it’s easy to store when not in use. It even has a whole in the middle, which means it can be stored around the neck of a bottle of wine.
It works by using a series of obstacles to swirl and mix the wine as it’s poured, and this process exposes the wine to more oxygen, so you do get a smoother glass of wine. The aerator is also see-through, so you can see the sediment that would have ended up in your glass.
During testing, we definitely thought using this aerator did a good job of enhancing the flavour of the wine, making our budget bottle wine taste more expensive.
If you’re going to have a glass of white or rosé, then you need to make sure your wine is perfectly chilled. This aerator acts as a two-in-one solution – it’ll nicely chill your wine whilst automatically aerating it as it’s poured to soften the tannins and release aromas.
The stick part of the aerator should be placed in the freezer until it’s ready to use, then you simply screw it onto the plastic aerator. It’s worth noting that you can’t use this aerator with a full bottle of wine – something we tried to do in testing with disastrous results. You can’t use the aerator part without the chiller stick either, so you’ll need to have a glass out of the bottle before you can use it.
Those niggles aside, we found this aerator to be a really good all-in-one solution, and ideal if you want to enjoy a bottle of wine in the garden but don’t want to risk it getting too warm. It’s easy to clean, too – rinse both pieces and dry the chiller stick before popping it back in the freezer, while the aerator section can be left to air dry.
This wine aerator is ideal for sitting on your worktop, so it’s always ready when you want to get a quick glass of wine. It also works in two ways: it aerates the wine, and has a built-in sediment filter.
You need to hold this aerator over your glass while you pour the wine, which takes a level of coordination, and it can be difficult to see what measure you’re pouring, so beware. That said, it comes in a handy no-drip stand so you won’t have to worry about the mess in between pours. The aerator is easy to clean, too – just run it under warm water and leave it to air dry (just be sure to dry the drip stand so that you don’t get any mould growing).
When using this aerator, we found the wine – both with a budget bottle and posher plonk – was much smoother and any tartness was removed.
Üllo was designed by James Kornacki, a doctor at Northwestern University in Chicago, who loved wine but was sensitive to sulphites. His mission was to bring wine back to its natural state without the artificial sulphites that are added as a preservative.
The Üllo comprises a cup, a filter and an aerator. You pour the wine through the cup into a glass or carafe. Its wide opening makes it easy to pour through. There is also an adjustable aerator that you twist on if you want your wine aerated or twist the opposite way if you don’t. This is perfect if you want to use the Üllo on whites or a rose that doesn’t need to be aerated, but you still want to remove the presence of sulphites.
The filters use selective sulphite capture technology, which removes the sulphites and sediment from the bottle. The filters are single-use and can purify a standard 750ml bottle. It comes with a rubber base, so there won’t be any drips or stains left when you’re in between glasses.
This is a really nifty little wine aerator, it’s compact and easy to store. The wine did taste better and we loved how easy it was to use. Plus, the Üllo is made using a BPA-free polymer so it’s stain-resistant and dishwasher safe.
The Soiree classic wine aerator has a unique design and is made from glass, so it feels very premium. It’s an in-bottle aerator that simply twists into the neck of any bottle and can be poured straight into a glass without needing a decanter. The only downside is that you have to make sure that it’s fully inserted into the bottle because you have to turn the bottle upside down to be able to pour. Once it’s 180 degrees, the wine simply cascades through the aerator and into the glass. One of our favourite things about this aerator is how hypnotic it is while the wine swirls around the globe. It comes with a small stand, as it is very delicate, but it’s also nice enough that you’ll want to have it on display. Keeping it clean is easy. There are no filters to change. You just simply run it under the tap and let it air dry.
This combined aerator and pourer from Le Creuset is a traditional in-bottle design. It offers a drip-free pour and extremely fast aeration. This nifty gadget sits inside the bottle’s neck and aerates through the spout as the wine is poured. There is just one central hole that increases the airflow and instantly aerates and unlocks the flavour.
Made from moulded plastic, it has rubber grips on the base so it won’t slip out of the bottle when you’re pouring. It’s also drip-free. To clean it, you just need to wash it with warm soapy water after use. It’s suitable for all standard-sized wine bottles, including screw caps. It’s very lightweight and compact, so easy to store and travel with if needed. The wine is definitely improved when using this aerator, it tastes lighter and doesn’t linger on the pallet.
This aerator provides more proof that you don’t need to spend a fortune in order to enjoy a good glass of wine. Its wide chamber really lets the wine mingle with the air to make the wine taste smoother and more intense. It can be used to pour directly into a glass or decanter. It is easy to handle and very comfortable to use. It has one central hole with two offshoots, so the wine meets in the middle chamber and gets the oxygen it needs. It also has a small mesh basket that will catch any sediment while you’re pouring. It’s really solid and durable and will last a long time. It also comes with a small hard plastic stand so you can display it and ensure there are no drips or spills after pouring.
This budget-friendly, two-in-one wine aerator and pourer instantly aerates your wine as you pour it into the glass. It has a distinctive shape and is an in-bottle aerator, so just pop it in your bottle and pour away. It has a 150-degree angled tip so there are no drips or wasted wine when you’re pouring. It has a good-sized chamber that offers more oxygen to the wine during the pouring process and can be used with any style of wine bottle, whether screw cap or cork. It’s lightweight and portable, so this is a great aerator to take with you when travelling, as well as for use at home. It’s really easy to clean as it comes apart, and has a full moulded acrylic body which is durable and stain-resistant.
This handheld aerator gives you instant access to wine with improved flavours and aromas. To use, hold this aerator over a glass and as the wine flows through the pourer, oxygen is sucked into the chamber, instantly oxygenating the wine and bringing out those complex flavours. It has a removable filter that will catch any sediment.
The aerator is easy to clean, you just run it under the tap when you’re done and leave it to dry. We really loved the design, and it has a display stand that also doubles up to stop any leaks and drips from forming. It’s very small and compact and ships with a storage pouch, making it ideal for taking with you when you’re out for dinner or having a picnic in the park.
We really rate the Zwilling sommelier stainless steel decanter. It’s a great choice for anyone wanting to decant their wine by the glass, and the stainless steel spout design means you can say goodbye to any messy drips and spills.
If you do have a lot of cash to splash, then the Coravin timeless 6+ is a worthy investment. This wine preservation system is worth all the money, as it doesn’t just aerate the wine to a high standard, it also helps to keep the wine fresh if you don’t fancy finishing off the bottle. Plus, it comes with a handy storage case and plenty of gas canisters to keep you going for a long while.
Looking for more vino recommendations? Read our review of the best red wines