Have you ever thought of getting yourself an electric wine opener? Perhaps you’ve never thought about it. If you go to a bar or restaurant, more often than not, you will see the bartender or waiter using a manual corkscrew. However, might it not be time-saving especially when opening several bottles at a gathering? In this article, we are going to take a look at electric corkscrews and review the Rabbit electric corkscrew range.
Why Should You Choose an Electric Corkscrew?
So why should you choose an electric corkscrew? For a start, it’s a good appliance for people who don’t have much upper body strength. Instead of struggling to pull out a difficult cork with a manual corkscrew, you will have the ease of the electric corkscrew to get your cork out with. This is not to say that you won’t need some strength because you will. However, you won’t need as much as with a manual corkscrew. Some corks really are difficult to get out and with the press of a button on an electric corkscrew, the cork will just pop out. In addition, there’s less chance of the cork breaking if you use an electric corkscrew. Nobody wants bits of cork in their glass of wine.
Another advantage of an electric corkscrew is using it at a party. You might have a big gathering of say 20 people and it takes a lot of energy to open a dozen bottles. An electric corkscrew would eliminate this problem. You would probably impress your guests using an electric corkscrew. They are usually very stylish as well which is another positive for electric corkscrews.
However, there are some disadvantages with using an electric corkscrew. They are stronger than manual corkscrews so can push the corkscrew down back into the bottle. In addition, some electric corkscrews don’t hold their charge very well so they could run out of charge in the middle of a dinner party. Of course, you can always just use a manual corkscrew if the electric corkscrew runs out of charge. In addition, they are bulky and will take up space in your drawer. Finally, they cost a lot more than manual corkscrews, but you would expect this. However, they do have advantages and if you like gadgets an electric corkscrew is for you.
Why Would I Choose a Rabbit Electric Corkscrew?
Rabbit is a well-known name in wine accessories. They don’t only make electric corkscrews, but they make manual corkscrews. In addition, they sell all sorts of bar equipment like cocktail shakers and cocktail kits, glasses, coasters,and citrus juicers. They even sell aerators and wine bottle carriers. Take a look on their website and you could stock your bar with lots of exciting gadgets.
Rabbit has been in business for 30 years and it is centred around their electric corkscrews although they sell other items. There are other companies that produce electric corkscrews, but these are not so well known as Rabbit. Oster and Secura also produce electric corkscrews and we will take a look at them later in the article.
The Rabbit electric corkscrew uncorks a bottle of wine in just three seconds. Pretty good, isn’t it? It comes in a modern design and is a great addition to your bar area. Unfortunately, however, they do sometimes have a problem holding their charge. However, the basic electric corkscrew does use batteries so is more reliable.
The great thing is that Rabbit gives you a one-year warranty which is always useful.
Rabbit Electric Corkscrews
Rabbit makes three different electric corkscrews, all of which are a little different from each other. We’ll take a look at each of them and hopefully you will then be able to choose which you prefer.
Electric Corkscrew with Foil Cutter
This is the basic electric corkscrew produced by Rabbit and the great thing about it is that you don’t have to plug it into a charger. It works on four AA batteries. It is attractive and stylish. It is black on the top and stainless steel on the bottom and includes a stainless steel foil cutter. Because it works on batteries you don’t have to leave it out charging. You can just put it away in a drawer and just get it out when you need it.
It has a non-stick spiral that won’t shred the cork and it works on all types of cork including plastic corks.
It is very simple to use. All you have to do is put the corkscrew into the bottle. Then press the button and the cork will be removed. When you’ve removed the cork, press the eject button and the cork will fall out of the corkscrew. You are then ready to open another bottle.
However, although we’ve said it’s simple, you do need to learn how to use this corkscrew. Once you have done this, it will be easy to use. Many people don’t realise that it does take some work to use as you need to use both hands. Put the corkscrew on top of the bottle of wine. Hold the bottle with one hand and hold the corkscrew in the other. You will need to push down on the corkscrew while you press the button. You need to hold the corkscrew vertically as you would a manual corkscrew. If you hold it at an angle, it could encourage the cork to break and then you will have corked wine. The corkscrew could also stop rotating and then you will have a problem getting it out. To stop these things from happening, back the corkscrew out slowly and start the procedure again.
This corkscrew doesn’t take as much strength as a manual corkscrew, but it still needs some upper body strength so it might not be for everyone. If you’re happy to use it, it will take you less time to remove the cork than it would if you were using a manual corkscrew. It will save you time, especially if you are opening numerous bottles of wine.
Let’s take a look at the pros and cons of this electric corkscrew
Pros:
- Reasonably priced compared to other electric corkscrews.
- It is elegant and makes a great addition to your bar accessories
- It saves time compared to a manual corkscrew
- It has a spiral non-stick coating
- It uses batteries rather than electricity
- It has a foil cutter so you don’t have to fiddle about for ages trying to get the seal off
- It has a warranty for a year
Cons
- You need to use both hands to operate it
- You need to have upper body strength
- You have to hold it vertically otherwise the cork might break
Automatic Electric Corkscrew
The Automatic Electric corkscrew is innovative. Yes, it is more expensive than the Electric Corkscrew with Foil Cutter, but it does all the work for you. All you have to do is to put the corkscrew on top of the bottle and it automatically takes out the cork and ejects it. You don’t need to press any buttons. How slick is that? As with the other electric corkscrew, it works on all types of corks including plastic ones and it has a foil cutter so you don’t have to fiddle about trying to remove the foil. That can be a task in itself. You will, however, still have to use both hands, keeping one hand on the bottle and the other on the corkscrew. However, you don’t need as much upper body strength as you don’t have to press any buttons. You still have to hold it vertically which some people find difficult. However, if you hold it at an angle, the cork can start to fall apart and the wine might end up corked. Luckily, if the cork does get stuck, there is a reset button, something you don’t get on the basic model. This corkscrew is lighter than the basic model which means that it is easier to use as it is not so heavy.
This electriccorkscrew comes with a micro USB charger and a rechargeable battery. Once the battery is fully charged it can open up to 30 bottles of wine. You don’t have to fully charge it to use it. You can just tuck it in a drawer and take it out when you need it. 30 bottles is a good amount if you are having a party.
This corkscrew is also very sleek and stylish. You can choose from black, shiny stainless steel, and bright red. It gives you the choice of matching it with your other bar accessories.
Let’s now take a look at the pros and cons of this corkscrew.
Pros
- The operation is automatic so you have less work to do
- This corkscrew is very light so is easy to handle
- The foil cutter is integrated into the top of the corkscrew
- You have a choice of three colours
- It has a one-year warranty
Cons
- It is more expensive than the basic model
- It has micro USB charging so you may not have a spare port
Stainless Steel Electric Corkscrew
This is the top of the range Rabbit electric corkscrew. It works in the same way as the Automatic Electric Corkscrew. You put it on top of the cork and it senses that there is a cork there. It works automatically to take out the cork without you having to press any buttons. It also ejects the corkscrew. You do, of course, have to hold the bottle with one hand and the corkscrew with the other. However, this is less of a problem than with either of the other corkscrews as this corkscrew is sleek and light. It is only eight inches tall and weighs less than half a kilogram. It comes with an integrated foil cutter in the cap and it comes in one colour, black and stainless steel.
The corkscrew comes with a rechargeable battery which, when fully charged, will uncork 30 bottles. A great touch with this corkscrew is that there is an LCD screen on the corkscrew which tells you how many cork pulls you have left. This makes it easy for you to just put it away in a drawer and take it out when you need it again without worrying about it being charged.
However, although there are many positive points, there are things that perhaps make it not quite worth the cost of the corkscrew. It doesn’t work that well with older corks as they can be quite brittle so you may get bits of corks getting into the wine. However, you don’t have to worry about this if you are opening wines bought recently. In addition, it does sometimes have problems ejecting the corks. Another negative is that after some time the rechargeable battery stops holding its charge.
Let’s now take a look at the pros and cons of the Stainless Steel Electric Corkscrew
Pros:
- Automatic removal and ejection of the cork
- There is a foil cutter integrated into the cap
- There is an LCD screen in the cap which tells you how many cork pulls you have left
- It comes in an elegant black and stainless steel design
- It is lightweight
- It has a one-year warranty
Cons:
- It is more expensive than any of the other Rabbit electric corkscrews
- It doesn’t work very well on older corks as they can be too brittle
- It doesn’t take that long for the battery to stop holding charge
Alternatives to the Rabbit Electric Corkscrew
Perhaps you aren’t sure if one of the Rabbit Electric Corkscrews is the right corkscrew for you. If so, we’ll give you some alternatives so that you can make an unbiased decision.
Oster Cordless Electric Wine Bottle Opener
The Oster Cordless Electric Wine Bottle Opener is an excellent alternative to the Rabbit Electric Corkscrew. It has the same elegant black and stainless steel design as the Rabbit Stainless Steel Electric Corkscrew. However, it works in the same way as the basic electric Rabbit corkscrew. You have to press a button to remove the cork from the bottle and then another button to eject the cork. However, it comes with a soft-grip handle which makes it easier to hold onto than the Rabbit. You won’t need quite as much upper body strength to use it as you do with the Rabbit. It comes with a foil cutter which removes the seal in absolutely no time. It removes corks in seconds and the corkscrew can remove up to 30 bottles with one charge.
When it comes to charging the corkscrew, it uses rechargeable batteries. It comes with a charger that can hold both the opener and the foil cutter at the same time. It has an extra feature compared to the Rabbit corkscrew. There is a power indicator on the front of the charging base so you will know how the charging is going. However, like the Rabbit, the rechargeable batteries don’t hold the charge too well after about a year or so.
This corkscrew is about the same price as the basic Rabbit, but it does have better reviews.
Secura Electric Wine Opener
This brand has the best reviews out of all the corkscrews we have looked at. It is very elegant and you can choose between a stainless steel and a champagne design. The bottom lights up so it is very stylish and will impress your guests. You can even rotate the colours through a number of LED colours. We think that it would make a great addition to the wine racks and wine coolers in your bar.
When it comes to operating the corkscrew, it works in the same way as the basic Rabbit corkscrew. You have to push a button to remove the cork and then another button to eject it. The bottom of the unit is clear so you can see how your corkscrew is working. If it looks like the cork is breaking up, you can stop the procedure and therefore not ruin your bottle of wine by corking it.
It comes with rechargeable batteries and reviews state that it is reliable. The company actually encourages customers to charge the corkscrew every three months, whether or not it needs charging. They say that this extends battery life. Perhaps you should also do this if you buy a Rabbit electric corkscrew.
Other good points about this corkscrew is that it comes with a foil cutter, it opens 30 bottles in one charge, and it has a one-year warranty.
Peugeot Elis Touch Rechargeable Corkscrew Wine Opener
This corkscrew is about the same price as the top of the range Rabbit. It works in the same way, that is by automatically removing the cork and then ejecting it. You don’t have to press any buttons to get it to work.
It comes with rechargeable batteries and a recharging base. It has an LED charging indicator so you can keep an eye on how the battery is charging. It has one advantage over the Rabbit in that it can open 40 bottles with one charge, rather than 30.
It has a stainless steel design, a silent motor, and a very attractive egg-shaped foil cutter. The company also offers a two-year warranty which is better than any of their competitors. The reviews are mixed, but the final decision is yours.
Frequently Asked Questions
How Long Does It Take to Charge the Rabbit Electric Corkscrews?
It can be difficult to know how long to charge the Rabbit electric corkscrew for, especially if there isn’t an indicator light. You may never know when it’s fully charged. However, generally you should make sure that you charge it every two to three months for around 24 hours. This helps to keep your battery in good condition and stops it from losing its charge. Of course, if you have a big party and open lots of bottles of wine, you will want to charge it more often. If you can, keep count of how many bottles you open. We know that this might be difficult at a party but if you keep all the bottles to one side you can count them at the end of the evening.
How Do I Get the Cork out with an Electric Corkscrew?
It all depends on which electric corkscrew you have bought. With the basic Rabbit electric corkscrew, there are two buttons to press, one to remove the cork and the other to eject the cork.
The other Rabbit electric corkscrews work automatically so all you have to do is put the corkscrew on top of the bottle and it will remove the cork and eject it.
You have to remember to keep the corkscrew vertical otherwise the cork could start to break as you pull it out.
If you are using an automatic corkscrew and the cork gets stuck, you will find that there is a reset button. Simply press it and the corkscrew will stop. Then press the button again and the corkscrew will reverse out of the bottle.
Is It Possible to Remove a Broken Cork?
This is always a possibility even though electric corkscrews are generally reliable. This problem also affects users of manual corkscrews and it may be easier with them as you have more control. It can be difficult to remove the cork with an electric corkscrew, but it isn’t impossible. You need to screw the corkscrew back into what’s left of the cork. Do this carefully so you don’t get the cork into the wine. Then, gently remove the cork. If you do lose the cork, it’s not the end of the world. Push the rest of the cork into the bottle and then decant the bottle before serving.
Conclusion
We think we have covered the best electric corkscrews out there. We like the Rabbit, particularly the most expensive one, the Stainless Steel Electric Corkscrew. However, we think that we have given you enough information for you to make your own mind up.
Electric corkscrews are quick and easy. They are elegant and stylish and can make a great addition to your bar accessories. Yes, they are more expensive than manual corkscrews, but we think that they are a good investment if you enjoy wine.
