Better Drinking Through Gadgetry
Must-have devices for oenophiles and liquor lovers
Reviewed by Wes Marshall, Fri., Dec. 27, 2013
This year has been a boom time for useful devices for the drinker. Look at these gadgets as aftermarket devices to make sure your drink is perfect. They boil down to three categories: prep, temperature, and preservation. Here are some of the best we've seen this year.
CapaBunga Reusable Silicone Wine Cap
www.capabunga.com, $7.95 for two
These flexible, tight wine caps will allow you to set an open bottle on its side, and they are so thin, the bottles will even fit standing up in most refrigerators.
Opus by Soiréehome
www.soireehome.com, $74.99A box set of three of the company's greatest hits. The Tempour keeps you from spilling any wine, the Soirée aerates the wine one glass at a time, and the Stopair vacuum pump doubles as a bottle stopper and effectively pulls the air out of the bottle.
Savino Wine Preservation Glassware Glass Carafe and Top
www.savinowine.com, $59.95
Product of the year! Not everyone finishes a bottle of wine when they open it, but sadly, wine starts going bad soon after opening. This ingenious device has a floating seal that protects the wine from oxidation. We've used it every night since we got it. If you have wine with your meals, but don't finish the bottle, this device will pay for itself almost immediately.
Kikkerland Wine Bottle Thermometer
www.kikkerland.com, $8Simplicity itself. Wrap this bracelet-sized device around your wine bottle and it almost instantaneously reads the bottle temperature. And just in case you can't remember what temp is best for Port or Champagne, it tells you on the side.
Skybar Wine Chill Drops
www.skybarhome.com, $29.99Freeze these devices and when you need to give wine a quick chill, drop one in your wine glass. The thermal mass and large contact area works amazingly fast. Too many Texans drink their red wines too warm. A few minutes with a Chill Drop fixes everything.
Sparq Vodka Shooters
www.sparqusa.com, $34.95, set of fourThis company seems to be the king of soapstone. Again, don't let the title limit you. These fantastic little shot glasses work a miracle on any liquor you want to drink cold. Store a couple in the freezer and try them with Paula's Texas Lemon, Tito's Vodka, or both!
Sparq Whiskey Rocks
www.sparqusa.com, $24.95, set of 12These soapstone rocks will actually work with wine, whiskey, or anything else you want to keep cool without diluting. This particular set comes with different sizes of rocks, so they can fit in various glass sizes. You can also boil them and drop them in tea or cocoa to keep it warm on a cold winter night.
