Gadget review: Corkcicle

By Josh Welensky
Published on 22/07/2012 11:32

Warm wine is rarely a good thing, apart from the spiced stuff at Christmas. Yet despite having a dusty ‘80s cooler in the kitchen cupboard, it rarely graces the dining room table; it’s just far too much faff.

Corkcicle

£19.99, www.firebox.com

Dinner parties chez Welensky therefore involve relay races to the fridge to liberate the chilled white. The Corkcicle, however, could be the solution.

Measuring about 35cm in length it is designed to slip into a bottle of white to cool it down or weasel into a flagon of red to keep it at room temperature. It’s made from a special thermal gel which is sealed inside the icicle-like form.

I popped it in my freezer for a few hours and it was ready to go. One quick tip – this gadget does not bypass the laws of physics, so remember to pour the first glass before plunging the Corkcicle in. As you may have guessed, my first trial generated a minor sauvignon blanc geyser across the kitchen table.

The Corkcicle delivers on its icy promises, even managing to gently raise reds to room temperature if they’ve been stored in a chilly cellar. You do tend to look a bit of fool pouring from the bottle with the Corkcicle half inserted. Although for just under twenty quid, there’s really very little to 
complain about.