You may not. A wine aerator is an optional gadget for pouring red wine through something on its way to the glass, and plenty of people go without. You can skip it if you drink mostly white, rosé or sparkling wine, if you like your red as it comes out of the bottle, or if you use wine for mulled wine or sangria.
These are researched recommendations, not hands-on tests. We built this guide from each product listing, so check the current listing before ordering.
Who Does Not Need an Aerator
- White, rosé and sparkling drinkers: Several aerators below are listed for red wine only.
- People who like their wine as poured: If you taste no difference, you have no reason to add a step.
- Anyone who already decants: A decanter also gives wine air, with a wider vessel and more waiting.
- Cooks and hosts using wine as an ingredient: Wine for mulled wine , Christmas mulled wine or apple cider sangria gets heated or mixed with other things anyway.
If you drink red wine often and none of that sounds like you, an aerator may be worth a look. Whether it improves the wine is a matter of taste, so pour a glass with and without and decide.
Affiliate note: If you buy through the Amazon links below, we may earn a commission at no extra cost to you.
| Aerator | Tier | Style | What the listing states | Watch for |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rabbit Wine Aerator Pourer Spout | Budget | In-bottle pourer | Silicone base inserts into the bottle, fits any wine bottle | Hand wash and air dry |
| Vinturi V1010 Essential Red Wine Aerator | Mid-range | Handheld, pour through it | Filter screen for cork bits and sediment, includes a base | Listed as made for red wine |
| Ivation Electric Wine Aerator & Dispenser | Mid-range | Electric pourer | Touch-button dispensing, aeration optional, micro USB charging | Needs charging |
| Vinturi Deluxe Tower Stand Set | Splurge | Tower stand set | Six pieces with no-splash grate and sediment filter | Listed for red wine, six pieces |
What an Aerator Does
An aerator mixes air into wine as it moves from the bottle to the glass. Swirling a glass and decanting aim at the same exposure to air.
An aerator works as you pour and needs no planning. A decanter holds the wine in a wide vessel while you wait. Pick the aerator if you open bottles on the spot, and the decanter if you have time.
Rabbit Wine Aerator Pourer Spout
This is the budget in-bottle pourer for everyday bottles. The listing describes a silicone base that inserts into the bottle, with a stainless steel accent, and says it fits any wine bottle.
It needs hand washing and air drying, so it does not go in the dishwasher.
Vinturi V1010 Essential Red Wine Aerator Pourer and Decanter
Red wine drinkers who want to pour through a handheld aerator into the glass should look here. The listing says it is acrylic with a silicone grip body, and it includes a filter screen for cork bits and sediment plus a base.
The listing says it is made for red wines, so check before using it with anything else.
Ivation Electric Wine Aerator & Dispenser
This electric pourer dispenses wine at the touch of a button, and aeration is optional. It charges by micro USB with the cable included, and a battery indicator light shows the charge.
Because it is powered, it needs charging before you pour.
Vinturi Deluxe Essential Red Wine Aerator Pourer and Decanter Tower Stand Set
This splurge set is aimed at hosting, where you pour glass after glass through a tower stand. The listing describes six pieces, the aerator, tower arm, tower base, no-splash grate and sediment filter, and says you can rinse it in the sink or dishwasher.
It is listed for red wine, and six pieces make it the bulkiest option here.
What to Serve With Red Wine
Red wine is easier to enjoy when there is something salty or rich on the table, and the simplest way to do that is a board. A cheese, meat and nuts spread gives guests something to nibble between sips, and nobody has to cook while the bottle is open. Our charcuterie board for a party guide shows how to lay one out, and the charcuterie board ideas page has more combinations if you want to vary it.
For a bit of cooking, the cocktail party food ideas menu suits a bottle of red. It uses aged cheddar, salami, almonds, mushroom-and-Gruyere puff pastry squares and white bean crostini. The cheese, cured meat and mushroom bites are savory and rich, which is the kind of food many people like beside a glass of red.
If you are serving dinner, the usual red wine dishes are a good guide. Think roasted or braised meat, mushroom dishes, tomato sauces and hard cheeses, anything with a savory, slow-cooked feel. Keep the sides simple so the wine and the main dish stay the focus.
- Before dinner: a small board, a bowl of nuts and olives, and something warm like the mushroom puff pastry squares.
- With the main course: roasted or braised meat, a mushroom dish or a tomato-based pasta.
- After dinner: hard cheese with grapes or pear slices, so the bottle can wind down slowly.
- For guests who want something lighter: a pitcher drink from our self-serve batch mocktail ideas , so nobody feels left out.
Practical Tips for Choosing and Using One
Start with how you pour. If you open a bottle and pour one glass at a time, an in-bottle pourer or a handheld aerator keeps things simple. If you pour for a table, the tower stand set is the one the listing aims at hosting, and the electric dispenser is for people who want a button instead of a tilt.
Set out a towel or a small tray before you pour through any aerator. Pouring through a gadget can be messier than pouring straight from the bottle, so give yourself a spot to catch drips. Hold the glass close and pour slowly the first time, so you learn how the aerator behaves before guests arrive.
Try it yourself before you commit. Pour a small glass with the aerator and a small glass without, and decide whether you like the extra step. That is the only test that matters here, and it costs you nothing but a few sips.
Cleaning is where aerators differ. Rinse right after use so wine does not dry inside, and follow the listing on the dishwasher question. Let each piece air dry fully before you put it away, and keep the parts together in a drawer or a box so the small pieces do not get lost.
Common mistakes are easy to avoid. Do not buy a six-piece set if you drink red wine only now and then, and do not assume every aerator suits every wine, since several of these are listed for red wine only. Read what the listing says about care before you order.
If you are buying for someone else, a budget pourer is a low-risk gift for a casual wine drinker. Add a bottle and a small board of snacks if you want it to feel like a present. The tower set suits a person who hosts often, and our home bar gift ideas page has companions for either one.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need a wine aerator?
No, it is optional. If you are not sure, pour one glass with it and one without.
Which wines should skip an aerator?
White, rosé and sparkling wines are the easy skips, and several of these aerators are listed for red wine only. Wine for sangria or mulled wine does not need one either.
Can I use an aerator with white wine?
Several of these are listed for red wine only, so check the listing for the one you are considering. If you drink mostly white, rosé or sparkling wine, this is probably a gadget to skip.
Is an aerator a good gift?
It can be, for someone who drinks red wine often and likes small tools. Choose the budget pourer for a casual gift and the tower stand set for a host.
How do I clean an aerator?
Follow the listing. The Rabbit is hand wash and air dry, and the Vinturi tower set can be rinsed in the sink or dishwasher.
