Cork Pops Refill Cartridges

Each cartridge holds a small amount of food-safe, low-pressure inert gas. Inert means it does not react with the wine and has no effect on flavour or aroma; low pressure means the job is to lift a cork, not to launch it. One cartridge opens roughly 60 to 80 bottles.

The three things people ask

• Will it fit my opener? Yes. The cartridges fit every Cork Pops model ever made, including openers bought decades ago. That compatibility has never been broken, and it is deliberate.
• Is it CO2? No, and this is the most common misunderstanding. It is a food-safe inert gas, which is why it cannot affect the wine.
• How many should I buy? The six-pack works out cheaper per cartridge and covers around 400 bottles — a couple of years for most households, and one delivery instead of three.

Cartridges have a long shelf life, so a spare in the drawer keeps. The most common reason people stop using an opener they liked is simply that they ran out on a Friday and never got round to reordering.

Full detail, including what is actually inside one, is in the refill cartridge guide.