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3 Best Wine Aerators [Essential Picks for 2023]
There are so many wine aerators on the market these days that it's difficult to wade through all the write ups and reviews.
That's why I've put together this list of the ultimate wine aerators to make the choice easier for you.
I used to be pretty skeptical when it came to wine aerators and always preferred to simply use a standard decanter to let my wine breathe.
However, after trying over 10 of them over the years, I have to admit that wine aerators can be a lot more convenient, and are often able to "open up" wines just as well as traditional decanters.
The Top 3 Wine Aerators
Below you will find a list of the 3 best wine aerators, for each of which we give a detailed explanation of why they deserve the accolade.
1. Vintorio Wine Aerator Pourer - 5/5 ( Our #1 Choice)
Features:
Double air intake system Removable splash guard 100% dishwasher safe
Best things:
Top in terms of flavor and aroma.
Small & sturdy enough so that it won't break.
Downsides:
Does not come with a stand
2. Vinturi Essential Wine Aerator - 4.7 / 5
Features:
Available in multiple colors & sizes. Comes with no-drip stand. Patent-pending design.
Best things:
Well-renowned brand when it comes to wine aerators.
Sturdy and oval design makes it one of the most reliable aerators.
Downsides:
Quality issues.
Spills & creates a mess.
3. Soiree Wine Aerator Decanter - 4.6 / 5
Features:
5-ring rubber gasket - Fits almost any bottle. Includes drying rack & stand
Best things:
The design looks great and unique.
Great gift for Weddings, birthdays or any occasion.
Downsides:
This Aerator is fragile. Effect on aerating wine under-performs compared to other brands.
Why Aerate Your Wine?
As I alluded to earlier, before I started getting into wine I used to always be a little bit skeptical when people spoke about "letting wine breathe", or "using a wine aerator" prior to drinking the wine.
I would generally never have the patience for it. I'd basically want to drink the wine as soon as I poured it into the glass and for me "letting the wine breathe" was something that only wine snobs were concerned about.
However, over the years, and as I've started to get more into wine, I have started to see the benefit of letting wines breathe.
It can really make a huge difference in the overall experience of the wine that you're drinking. In fact, the difference can be so great at times, that you'd think you're drinking an entirely bottle of wine.
Recommended: Don't miss our latest article titled "5 Reasons You Need a Wine Aerator!"
The concept of "aerating wine" or "letting wine breathe" is simply the process of maximizing the wine's exposure to the surrounding air, thereby oxidizing your wine.
So why should you aerate or let your wines breathe?
- Oxygenation of the wine opens up the wine aromas
- Flavor profile softens and mellows out a bit
- Overall characteristics of the wine will improve
For more information on the importance of letting your wines breathe, please see the video below.
Why Use an Aerator Instead of a Traditional Decanter?
So now that we know why it's important to let our wines breathe before we drink them, let's look at a couple of ways we can achieve this.
The traditional way would be to pour your bottle into a decanter, and let your wine sit there for around 30 minutes.
This ensures that there is ample time for your wine to get exposed to air particles, so that the wine opens up and is able to reach its full potential. This is certainly how I used to let my wines breathe before I ever owned a wine aerator.
There are two main disadvantages of aerating your wine through the use of a traditional decanter.
The above two reasons are why I eventually switched over from a traditional decanter to a wine aerator.
Besides overcoming the above drawbacks, the best wine aerators have a number of other benefits.
What Types of Wine Aerators Are There?
Ever since wine aerators started to get popular within the realm of wine accessories, countless numbers of designs have hit the market, each with their own advantages and disadvantages.
Having said that, there are three designs that work better than the others.
1. The Aerator Pourer
The aerator pourer is a type of aerator that you attache straight to the bottle and aeration takes place as soon as you pour yourself a glass.
This is my favorite type of aerator, as it creates the least amount of mess and has the same amount of impact in terms of aerating your wine.
The Vintorio Wine Aerator that I have ranked #1 above is an aerator of this type, and is in my opinion the best of its kind.
Advantages
Disadvantages
Our Recommendation
Vintorio Wine Aerator and Pourer
2. The Traditional Aerator
This is probably the most common type of aerator you will find. It's the one that was made famous by Vinturi, and since then a whole host of other manufacturers have tried to follow their footsteps.
I've tried a number of others, but in my opinion the Vinturi is still best. You simply hold the aerator above your wine glass, and pour the wine into the aerator.
As the wine passes through the aerator, the wine gets oxygenated and then pours into your glass.
Advantages
Disadvantages
3. The Oval Aerator
This type of aerator is the newest of the three. This type of aerator attaches directly to the bottle, after which the wine passes through an oval shaped dome before it pours into the glass.
The oval shaped dome ensures that the surface area of the wine increases which results in more exposure of the wine to the air.
The first company to come up with this design was Soiree, although a number of other suppliers have since entered the market as well.
Advantages
Disadvantages
What to Consider When Buying a Wine Aerator
Before pulling the trigger and purchasing a wine aerator, I'd recommend that you take the following factors into account before you make your final decision.
The best wine aerator might mean one thing for one person, but something completely different to the other.
Detailed Reviews of the Best Wine Aerators
Below you will find more detailed reviews of each of the top 3 wine aerators that I selected earlier.
Vintorio Wine Aerator & Pourer Including Bottle Stopper
As I mentioned before, this is by far my favorite wine aerator. The Vintorio has been around for years and is trusted by wine lovers worldwide.
I ran a blind test on three wines with it myself, and it was obvious to me that the wines that passed through the Vintorio tasted better than those that hadn't.
It comes with great packaging, which makes it a great gift, and an added bottle stopper which allows you to seal off your wine if you haven't finished everything in one go.
What features does it have?
What's good about it?
The best thing about the Vintorio is probably that it does what it is meant to do - aerate your wine.
In a number of tests I have done between aerators, the wine aerated by the Vintorio constantly comes out on top in terms of flavor and aroma.
Secondly, it also makes a great gift. It has some of the nicest packaging (a magnetic buckle box) out there, comes with detailed instructions on how to use it, and comes with a Lifetime 100% Satisfaction Guarantee. If that doesn't show confidence on behalf of the suppliers, I don't know what will.
Lastly, it's small enough for you to take with you on your travels or elsewhere and is sturdy enough so that it won't break.
I can't recall how many times I've taken this with me while camping, going to picnics, or when grilling with our neighbors.
What could be improved?
Although this is by far the best wine aerator on the market today, there is one little thing that I would improve - it does not come with a stand.
Once your done using the aerator, you'll either want to put it straight into the dishwasher, or rinse it under the tap, otherwise you'll run the risk of wine stains.
Although not a big deal, a wine stand would have been a nice added feature, but at the same time would have made the whole package more bulky.
It looks like not including a stand is a trade-off that the suppliers have consciously made and probably for good reason.
Vinturi Essential Wine Aerator
If you're looking to go for the more traditional type of wine aerator, the Vinturi is definitely the model you want to go for.
It was the first of it's kind when it came to the wine aerator as we know it, and although a number of competitors have since tried to imitate this model, the Vinturi is still by far the best.
It's the biggest name out there for wine aerators, and the model also comes with a little travel pouch which is handy if you're on-the-go or if you intend to take the aerator elsewhere.
What features does it have?
What's good about it?
The Vinturi is probably the most well-renowned brand when it comes to wine aerators, and this is not without reason. They were probably the first to develop this type of wine aerator, and it is one that does the job very satisfactorily.
The sturdy and oval design makes it one of the most reliable aerators out there, without you having to worry that it will break upon use, or when you take it with you on your travels.
What could be improved?
The main problem I have with this aerator is that it tends to create a mess when you use it.
Instead of it attaching directly to the bottle, you have to hold it above your wine glass as you pour wine through the aerator.
More often than not, this results in some wine splashing elsewhere. Unfortunately, this is something that isn't a quick fix, but rather has to do with the design of the aerator.
Some customers have also complained that the quality of this model can be very inconsistent.
While some people are extremely happy, others have mentioned that the aerator doesn't quite perform as well as they had expected.
Soiree Wine Aerator Decanter
The Soiree is a great choice if your looking for an aerator that is a bit more unique than the Vintorio or Vinturi.
The oval shaped acrylic aerator will certainly raise some eyebrows when you put it to use, and people will naturally ask questions since it's not immediately apparent that the Soiree is an aerator.
At the same time, the Soiree probably looks the most fancy, so if this is the type of reaction you are going after, then I would recommend the Soiree.
What features does it have?
What's good about it?
The design of the Soiree Wine Aerator is one of the more unique ones around. It just looks great. As a result, it makes for a great gift for weddings, birthdays, or any other occasion.
It also tends to raise eyebrows when you use it. As a result of its unique design, people often wonder what it is, making it a cool gadget to own.
What could be improved?
What the Soiree has in looks, it lacks in functionality. Not only is the aerator rather fragile, some customers have also complained that it's effect on aerating wine under-performs versus some of the other brands out there.
If you're looking for more of a gimmicky aerator, I would recommend the Soiree. If not, I would recommend either of the two aerators that I recommended above.
How big is the market for an innovative wine aerator?
Hi Ravi – it depends on what you mean by innovative? I’d say the market is fairly big but there is a lot of competition out there as well. What did you have in mind?
I am designing a wine aerator at price range of $1 to $2.
I am also planning a new wine cup design, again in the same price range. So far all wine aerators in the market are every expensive. Low cost aerator would succeed I believe.
Potentially, but people are also looking for quality. If it costs $1 to $2 it might be very cheap, but if it doesn’t actually do a good job, people may have a problem with it.
Hi,
I am looking for people who design wine aerator to be attached on the bottle top something very aesthetically and maybe smaller than wine master model . I think the market is great for restaurants. Imagine to drink wine aerated.