Squirrel away your unfinished wine for later use with the Wine Squirrel

By Rick Stella Updated April 28, 2016

As of late, the smart alcohol industry has been absolutely booming. From smart kegerators designed to brew your own beer to tabletop wine dispensers adept at learning their users’ preferences and tastes, there’s no shortage of innovation when it comes to tech-heavy booze accessories. Up next in this budding field — and launching this week on Kickstarter — is the Wine Squirrel smart decanter that’s geared toward extending the life of opened bottles of wine. So instead of feeling the need to finish off those last few glasses of vino after opening a bottle, the Wine Squirrel lets you enjoy the same freshly opened quality days after you pop the cork.

Developed by Forever Products LLC in conjunction with D3 Design’s Clive Solari, the Wine Squirrel is an impressive piece of engineering. Utilizing a unique sealing system, the device is capable of achieving an air-tight seal regardless of how much wine is placed into the decanter. Be it a mere glass of wine or the better part of a bottle, the Wine Squirrel has the ability to completely seal off the wine from oxygen — thus allowing it to avoid spoiling.

WineSquirrel2 — Wine Squirrel

Wine Squirrel

“We have tested this extensively using different types of red and white wine,” the Wine Squirrel website reads. “Want to open a bottle of wine, have a glass, go away for a couple of weeks and enjoy the rest of the bottle on your return? No problem with Wine Squirrel!”

Far from a one-time gig, the Wine Squirrel boasts the capability of being used time and time again, and without owners having to purchase consumables. Additionally, the device easily fits into standard refrigerators or specialty wine fridges and can even be stored horizontally thanks to its incredibly tight seal. At an early adopter rate of $45, the makers have marketed the decanter as something that will easily pay for itself because, in their words, “think about how much wine you can avoid wasting.”

WineSquirrel1 — Wine Squirrel

Wine Squirrel

If the Wine Squirrel smart decanter works as well as its developers say, it certainly deserves a spot in anyone’s quiver of smart alcohol wares. With the monumental task of navigating a Kickstarter campaign up next for the device, its success now rests in the hands of the public. The Wine Squirrel will make its debut on the popular crowdfunding site later this week.

Topics

Former Digital Trends Contributor

Rick became enamored with technology the moment his parents got him an original NES for Christmas in 1991. And as they say…

Smart Home

How to use Zoom on your Amazon Echo Show smart display

A Zoom conference on the Echo Show 10.

Zoom became such a household name during the past year of quarantine that it's almost a meme, but no one can deny the utility of the videoconference platform. There are even entire courses around proper Zoom etiquette -- or, as some people say, Zetiquette -- now.

Classes, business meetings, and even social gatherings have all been held through the platform. While it was quietly announced last fall, Zoom is now available to use on an Amazon Echo Show smart display. Don't worry, no additional licensing of any kind is required.
How to set up Zoom for Echo Show
Zoom has simplified the process of hosting or connecting to rooms through the Echo Show. You'll just need a few things to get started: The Echo Show 8 or Echo Show 10 (3rd Gen), the Alexa app on your mobile device, and a Zoom account. At the moment, Zoom compatibility is limited to these two devices, but we really hope other Amazon Echo Show smart displays also get this useful feature in the future.

Smart Home

Weather alerts may be the smartest use of smart lights. They can save your life

LIFX Mini Color bulb installed in ceiling

Springtime brings with it fresh life, blooming flowers, and in some parts of the country, incredible storms. The old expression that March comes in like a lion and goes out like a lamb holds particularly true in the Southeast and Midwest, where spring storms are accompanied by damaging, dangerous tornadoes.

Meteorological science has advanced in amazing ways. People now have a much better idea when dangerous weather is on the way, but only if they pay attention -- and even then, it can sometimes be hard to hear the alert if there's a lot going on in the home.

Smart Home

5 useful robots that will make your annoying chores fun again

iRobot Roomba S9 and Braava Jet m6 docked

We've come a long way from the days of hand-washing dishes and pushing a soggy mop around the kitchen floor. In the here and now, there's a smart device for every household chore that makes us cringe. From robot vacuums and mops to automated mowers that know exactly how much grass to cut and when to recharge their battery, the plethora of tech is ever-evolving. If you're looking to shave some time off your daily tasks or simply prefer being glued to the couch on the weekends (who wouldn't?), we've put together this list of the most useful robotic companions for keeping your home clean and organized.
iRobot Roomba s9 Plus
Best robot vacuum

The Roomba hasn't been able to completely replace a full-sized vacuum cleaner, but these automatic carpet cleaners are getting more capable every year. They're now compatible with Alexa and Google Assistant, so all you have to do to fire up the vac is shout a command to your preferred voice assistant, and presto. The anti-allergen dust bin holds up to 60 days of detritus, and the vacuum's improved D-shape design and 3D mapping give the bot better access to corners and baseboards. Best of all, the Roomba s9 can be programmed to clean your entire home or individual rooms. It's a pricey investment for sure, but in terms of brand reputation and reliability, one you certainly won't regret.
Read our full review here