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While the tried and true corkscrew is still the method of choice by bartenders, there’s value in having an electric wine opener at home. There are plenty of reasons why you might choose something that offers a little more ease of opening on several occasions.
Rabbit electric wine openers are popular choices, too. You have several options to choose from, making wine opening at home easy, whether you’re by yourself or hosting a party and needing to open several bottles at a time. Here’s our complete guide on the best electric wine openers for more details.
Table of Contents
Why Choose Electric?
Electric corkscrews are some pretty user-friendly kitchen gadgets. They’re fast, easy, and convenient. Most electric corkscrews can pop the cork out of any wine bottle at just the push of a button.
These devices are great for people with limited upper body strength. Some corks aren’t very easy to get out, and no one wants to sacrifice their favorite bottle or give up trying something everyone has been raving about just because they’re not strong enough to open it.
Even if you normally prefer a traditional corkscrew, electric corkscrews are great to have around at parties. It gets tiresome opening bottle after bottle. Ditch the wing corkscrew for something faster and easier so your guests don’t have to wait and you won’t end the night with blisters on your palms. Only you will know your little secret.
Of course, there are disadvantages to every situation. Electric corkscrews are much stronger than manual corkscrews, and sometimes they have a tendency to push the cork back down into the bottle.
You may also find that some electric corkscrews don’t hold their charge as well as you’d hoped, or over time they stop holding a charge as well as they did when they were new.
Electric wine openers take up quite a bit more space, either on your countertop or in the drawer. They’re not exactly a space saver.
They’re also much more pricey than a manual corkscrew, so it’s a bigger investment for you if you choose to buy one. However, it’s well worth the investment if you feel like it could benefit you in any of the above situations.
Why Rabbit?
Rabbit is one of the most well-known brands in wine. They don’t just make electric wine openers. They make manual wine openers and all kinds of other bar accessories.
Rabbit has been in the business for more than 30 years, and everything they do is centered around the original Rabbit corkscrew. Take a look. It really does look like a rabbit!
The Original Corkscrew uncorks any size bottle of wine in just three seconds. This wine opener's modern design and superior performance make it an essential addition to any modern home bar or kitchen.
There are plenty of other brands out there, but there aren’t too many that are as well-known or have been in the business for as long. Everything is designed and developed in Seattle and comes with a warranty.
One thing you will find with Rabbit is that they conveniently offer a one year warranty, and their products frequently seem to stop working after about a year. Their manual corkscrews and accessories are made with quality.
However, their electric corkscrews seem to have trouble holding a charge. Opting for something that takes batteries rather than something with a rechargeable battery is probably your best bet.
If you’re willing to invest in something that will work well for about a year, rechargeable batteries are a great thing. If you’d rather your devices work for a bit longer, there may be other brands out there that are better for you.
Rabbit Models
As far as electric wine openers go, Rabbit has three different options to choose from. All feature something just a little bit different and what you choose will depend on what you’re looking for and, of course, your budget.
Electric Corkscrew with Foil Cutter
Coming in at the bottom of our pricing tier is the electric corkscrew with a foil cutter. It comes in a sleek black and stainless steel combination color and it includes a stainless steel foil cutter.
The nice thing about this electric wine opener is that you don’t have to keep it plugged in. It takes 4 AA batteries, so when you’re done with it, you can tuck it away in a drawer. It won’t take up room on the counter unless of course, you want it to.
It makes opening any bottle easy. All you have to do is place the corkscrew on top of the bottle and press the button. The corkscrew will do the rest of the work for you. The spiral is surrounded by a non-stick coating so it won’t shred the cork or push it down into the bottle.
Once you’ve removed the cork from the bottle, press the eject button to remove the cork from the corkscrew. It’s ready to use again!
While all of this sounds pretty great in theory, it might take some practice to get used to. Sure, it can be easier to use than a manual corkscrew, but not if you don’t use it right. One of its pitfalls is that people tend to think it takes no work at all on their part, and that’s simply not true.
Opening and preserving wine has never been easier with the Rabbit Electric Corkscrew and Rabbit Electric Wine Preserver. Both tools provide easy one-button operation to make serving and storing wine a snap.
While it takes care of the rotating motion for you, it’s still a two-handed job. You’ll have to have one hand on the bottle and one hand on the corkscrew. You’ll also have to actively push down on the corkscrew as you’re pushing the button.
You also must be sure to hold it vertically rather than at an angle, or the spiral inside the corkscrew will be inserted at an angle rather than straight into the cork. If the spiral bumps up against the side of the bottle, it could either shred the cork or stop rotating completely.
If that happens, you’ll have to back it out and start over again. This still probably isn’t the best choice for those with limited arm strength, although it doesn’t take as much strength as a manual corkscrew and can save time when opening more than one bottle at a time.
It’s a great option for those who might use it only occasionally or for those who simply want to save time, but don’t mind putting some work into it.
Pros:
- Relatively affordable
- Saves time
- Sleek design
- Spiral non-stick coating
- Comes with foil cutter
- Takes batteries rather than a power cord
- 1-year warranty
Cons:
- Requires some arm strength
- Must hold it vertically
- Two-handed operation
Automatic Electric Corkscrew
The automatic electric corkscrew is almost double the price of the basic electric corkscrew, but it requires no buttons for operation. It senses when you’ve placed it on top of a bottle of wine and automatically begins removing the cork. It will remove and eject the cork on any bottle in one smooth motion while you retain a firm grip on the opener and the bottle.
However, this corkscrew does require a wall outlet to charge. It comes with a rechargeable battery that can open as many as 30 bottles of wine on a single charge. You could still tuck it away in a drawer and only charge it occasionally, depending on how often you imbibe!
The wall charger works off of micro USB, which could be better, given that everything seems to be migrating to USB C these days. However, it’s likely that if you’re an Android user, you still have some micro USB cables lying around, so extra cables are always a plus.
Great for dinner parties and large gatherings, this effortless electric corkscrew automatically removes cork after cork. Simply take off the foil with foil cutter, exposing the cork. Then place the end against the bottle and the corkscrew automatically will pull the cork — no buttons, levers or confusing controls.
This design comes in three different colors: sleek black, shiny stainless steel, and bright red. You choose which one fits your personality. There’s also a foil cutter integrated into the top of the cap on each.
Once again, you do have to hold the bottle and the opener to make sure they don’t spin while you open the bottle, but this corkscrew is a bit more powerful than the basic model. You may not have to use as much strength as you did before, and you certainly won’t have to do it while holding any buttons with your thumb at the same time.
You also still have to hold it vertically, which bothers a lot of people, but I’m not really sure why. Imagine holding a manual corkscrew crooked while attempting to open a bottle of wine. It wouldn’t work either.
If the corkscrew does get stuck, which may happen occasionally, there’s a reset button on top to back it out and start over. Surprisingly, this model is actually shorter and lighter than the basic model. Not by much, but enough to make a difference in continued use.
Pros:
- The sleek design comes in 3 colors
- Foil cutter integrated into the cap
- Automatic operation upon detection of cork
- Very light
- 1-year warranty
Cons:
- Costly
- Micro USB charging
Stainless Steel Electric Corkscrew
This is Rabbit’s top of the line electric corkscrew. It’s identical in operation to the automatic electric corkscrew. It senses the presence of a cork and begins working automatically to remove the cork from the bottle and then eject it from the opener.
It also has an integrated foil cutter in the cap. It only comes in one black and stainless steel color combination. However, it’s very small, sleek, and lightweight. It’s only 8 inches tall and weighs less than 1 pound.
It also comes with a rechargeable battery that requires a wall outlet for charging, but the included LCD screen on the top of the corkscrew indicates how many corks pulls you have until you need to charge it again, making it that much easier to toss it in a draw until you know you need to plug it in.
It's electric! The Stainless Steel Electric Corkscrew from Rabbit opens wine automatically and without the assistance of a button or lever. Simply place the wine opener over your bottle, then let the integrated foil cutter and corkscrew do the rest.
This is the corkscrew that seems to have the most trouble with obliterating corks. It’s the most powerful Rabbit electric corkscrew, and if you’re opening older bottles where the cork seems to be a bit more brittle, this probably isn’t the best option. You’ll want something that allows you to finesse it a bit more.
However, if you’re opening new bottles with fresh corks, this does it very quickly and easily. This is also the device that people seem to have the most trouble with recharging. The rechargeable battery simply wears out over time and will no longer hold a charge very well, at which point it may be time for an upgrade.
Pros:
- Sleek black and stainless steel design
- Foil cutter integrated into the cap
- Automatic operation upon detection of cork
- Under 1 pound
- LCD screen indicates how many corks pulls left on the charge
- 1-year warranty
Cons:
- Very expensive
- Won’t work on older corks
- Battery won’t hold a charge over time
Alternatives
If you’re thinking that the Rabbit electric wine opener may not be the right choice for you, there are plenty of other options out there. Here are some alternatives you may want to look at before making a decision.
Oster Cordless Electric Wine Bottle Opener
The Oster cordless electric wine bottle opener is a great alternative for several reasons. It has the same sleek black and stainless steel design. However, this one is a bit different. It has somewhat of a futuristic design which some people like.
It works a lot like the basic Rabbit. Place it over the cork and press the button to remove the cork. It comes with a foil cutter and can open as many as 30 bottles on a single charge. The comfortable, soft-grip handle makes it a bit easier to use.
It comes with a compact charging base that can hold both the opener and the foil cutter at the same time. There’s a power indicator on the front of the base and on the top of the opener, so you’ll always know the status and when it’s time to charge again.
It’s roughly the same price as the basic Rabbit corkscrew but seems to have a few more features. It gets better reviews, although it still seems that the rechargeable batteries could be better.
Ideal for holidays and entertaining, the Oster Cordless Rechargeable Wine Opener makes it easy to start parties large and small in sophisticated style. It works with both natural and synthetic corks. The included foil cutter removes seals in no time, and opens bottles in seconds. It's a great gift for the wine lovers on your list.
Secura Electric Wine Opener
Surprisingly, the best reviews come from a brand that I’ve never heard of. The design is very unique, too. The top of the Secura Electric Wine Opener is stainless steel (although there is an elegant champagne option), but the bottom lights up! You can enjoy the colors in your kitchen or at the bar. It could also accentuate your wines collection on your wine racks or wine coolers.
Some might find this elegant while others may think it’s tacky, so it’s definitely a personal preference. You can rotate the colors throughout an array of LED colors to suit your taste and make it a bit more enticing based on the setting. It could be a great addition to your wine storage.
Aside from the design, this wine opener is a true workhorse. The operation is identical to the basic rabbit. You line it up and push the button. The nice thing about it is that it seems to be a bit more reliable than the other brands.
Plus, with the bottom of the device being clear, you can actually see your corkscrew working, so you’ll be able to stop it if it goes in at an angle or begins to push the cork into the bottle.
You can prevent it from crumbling the cork before it happens, so you won’t ruin your entire bottle of wine. What seems to be a fun and quirky design on the surface is actually pretty clever.
The other thing to note is that Secura actually directs their users to recharge the battery every three months, regardless of whether it’s needed or not. They say it will extend their battery life and keep it from losing its charge.
They offer a one year warranty as well. It will open up to 30 bottles on a single charge, it comes with a foil cutter, and the charging base holds both the opener and the foil cutter together.
Simply place on top of your wine bottle, press a button, and your wine will open and ready to serve. Open up to 30 bottles on a single charge.
Peugeot ELIS Touch Rechargeable Corkscrew Wine Opener
If you’re really wanting to splurge, this wine opener is about the same price as the top-of-the-line Rabbit, and it works the same way, too. It automatically senses the cork and begins removing it.
It comes with a recharging base and has an LED charging indicator light, so you’ll always know how much charge is left. It can open up to 40 bottles before it needs to be charged again, which is the most we’ve seen in an opener in this review so far.
It has a cute little egg-shaped foil cutter that also fits on the compact base with the opener. It has a contemporary stainless steel design with what they claim is a silent motor.
The reviews are a bit mixed, so I guess you’ll just have to see for yourself. They do offer a two-year warranty, which, once again, is more than anyone else on the list has done.
New generation electric corkscrew. Tall and elegant, this corkscrew in brushed stainless finish is a concentration of State of the art technology. It gently extracts all kinds of corks with an automatic start and stop. Complete with capsule-cutter, silent but powerful motor and LED charging light.
FAQs
Question: How long does it take to charge a Rabbit wine opener?
Answer: It’s tough to know how often you should charge your wine opener and for how long it needs to charge each time. Especially if you get a model that doesn’t have an indicator light on it, you may never know how truly low it is.
As a general rule, for all brands of electric wine openers, you should charge it fully every 2-3 months, whether it’s low or not. Let it charge for about 24 hours before you remove it from the charging station.
This helps keep your battery in peak condition and will prevent it from losing its charge over time. When your battery is low, it may take up to 24 hours to charge all the way. Some don’t take quite as long, but that’s a good estimate.
Question: How do you get the cork out of a Rabbit electric wine opener?
Answer: For an electric wine opener that is operated by buttons, there should be two buttons on the front. One button removes the cork from the bottle and the other button ejects the cork from the corkscrew.
Simple push the eject button and the direction of the corkscrew will be reversed, pushing the cork back out of the corkscrew so you can open another bottle of wine.
If you have an automatic corkscrew and the cork seems to be stuck, the base of your corkscrew should have a small reset button somewhere. You may have to check your owner’s manual to find the location.
For Rabbit corkscrews, it’s typically next to the charging port. Simply press this button once to stop the corkscrew in case of accidental activation and press it twice to reverse the direction of the corkscrew so it will eject the cork.
Question: How do you remove a broken cork?
Answer: This question plagues users of manual and automatic corkscrew users alike. What do you do when your cork breaks off inside the neck of your wine bottle? It can be tough to get the cork out at this point with any kind of corkscrew, but it’s not impossible.
This is definitely one of the disadvantages of using an electric corkscrew, but you can do it. Simply screw the corkscrew back into what’s left of the cork. Make sure to do it as carefully as you can so you don’t penetrate the entire cork.
Then carefully remove the broken piece. If you do lose the cork in your bottle, all is not lost. Just drain your wine before drinking it so you don’t drink any pieces of cork!
Time to Enjoy
Now that you have a better idea of what electric wine opener options are out there, you can decide which one is best for you. They’re definitely quick and convenient. While Rabbit is one of the most well-known brands, they’re not always the best.
Make sure you do some research to find out which you might like and what fits in your budget because they’re all more pricey than manual corkscrews. However, you may enjoy using it so much that you end up using it all the time!
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