Six home appliances that double as drinking companions

Alcohol inspires some of our most creative ideas. Combine tech and drink and what do you get? These slightly out-there gadgets for wine- and beer-guzzling enthusiasts. Is it happy hour yet?

1. Artbrew

Realise your hipster dream of opening your own microbrewery – kinda – by investing in this beer-making robot known as the Artbrew. Available for pre-order now on Kickstarter ($660), this automated machine is roughly the size of your microwave and takes care of every step of the fermentation process. Artbrew connects to Wi-Fi, so you can track the progress of your creation via an app. Plus, you can customise how heavy, how hoppy, and even how alcoholic your signature brew is.

2. Synek Counter Top Beer Dispenser

Getting a doggie bag of beer doesn’t sound overly appealing, classy, or in fact possible, but Synek is about to change things. This is how it works: you get your bartender to pour whatever beer’s on tap into Synek’s vacuum-sealed cartridge without exposing any of the suds to oxygen. Then, when you get home, you simply snap the bag into Synek’s carbonated, temp-controlled dispenser and pour away. Synek keeps those stouts and IPAs perfectly chilled and pressurised for up to 30 days, too. The company recently acquired distributors in Australia and it should be available soon for about $450. Bottoms up!

3. Synek Somm

Don’t know your Merlot from your elbow? The Synek Somm hopes to educate you – while getting you slightly squiffy. Essentially, Somm will store wine (up to three bottles’ worth), keep it the right temperature, limit aeration and, most importantly, school sippers on each variety of wine via its companion app. You can support their Kickstarter campaign here. Pledge $260 or more and you’ll score yourself a machine by Christmas. Though, only time will tell if it’s more informative than a simple Google search.

4. Kuvée Bottle

Once you open a bottle of wine, you generally feel the need to finish it lest it spoils. (Even if you don’t have anyone to help you out.) The Kuvée Bottle is a smart dispenser saving you from many an unnecessary hangover. Enjoy one glass from five different bottles if you like – the Kuvée will preserve any leftovers, so long as you use their Kuvée-branded cartridges. (Yes, it annoyingly works a bit like Nespresso’s pods in that way.) Using a dual-valve system, the Kuvée prevents oxygen from seeping inside, extending the life of your favourite plonk. The bottle also includes a slick touch screen so you can peruse tasting notes, discover perfect food pairings and instantly order more when your booze supply runs dry.

5. Sonic Decanter

This vessel claims to use sound energy to transform cheap goon into something that resembles a classic vintage in 20 minutes or less. The device is controlled via a smartphone app and uses “high-frequency sound waves to break down preservatives, such as sulfur dioxide, transform the molecular and chemical structure of wine, and accelerate the aging process,” according to Gizmag. Sure, blasting an $8 bottle of chardonnay to make it taste better sounds gimmicky and definitely too good to be true, but online reviewers have left us eager to try it.

6. Fizzics

Everyone knows the importance of pouring technique when it comes to how beer tastes. Whereas a regular hand pour can leave a foamy head that dissipates quickly, Fizzics’ gas technology ensures just the right amount of sudsy skin on your favourite malty brew. The portable tap uses sound to agitate carbonation and enhance the flavour of your pint, making cheap tin cans taste more like their perfectly tapped draft equivalent. The system is due to retail in Australia for approximately $230.