Every wine connoisseur knows that storing the wine and aging it entirely makes a lot of difference in its taste. The easiest way to make your wine taste perfect at home is by keeping the wine bottles in the wine fridge.
If you are thinking of collecting some serious vintages and do not have access to a cold, dry cellar for secure and everlasting storage, then it might be the time for you to get a wine fridge.Wine lovers know the struggle of fitting the groceries in between the beautifully arranged bottles of wine in a refrigerator. Plus, a kitchen refrigerator is not a place to store wine. A regular refrigerator stores the food at around 45 º F, which is not suitable for wine. Typically, wines are stored in between the temperature range- 46º F to 70º F. For example, white wines need to be stored in between 46ºF to 56ºF temperature, while red wines need to be stored in between 58ºF to 68ºF temperature.
[amazon bestseller=”Wine Fridge” items=”3″ template=”table”]
The difficulty with purchasing a good wine fridge is that they are not low-priced, and when you search for them online, they all kind of look similar. However, if you are willing to invest in a new appliance for your home, you should be sure if it works (especially if you are utilizing it to stockpile a unique and precious thing).
The hunt for a wine fridge is entirely personal. The aim is to find the perfect one according to one’s requirements. Are you one of those who are looking for the best wine fridge at low rates, or are you looking for a high-end wine fridge, or are you looking for a space saver wine fridge or a large-capacity wine fridge? Whatever may be your requirements,we are here to help you out.
Please, consider reading this article and inform yourself about some of the best wine fridges by genuine consumer reports that are available in the market. Each of them has a proper size, price, and functionality.
1. Whynter WC28S SNO 28 Bottle Wine Cooler
Contents
There is a reason this Whynter WC28S SNO 28 Bottle wine cooler appears at the top of most of the wine cooler lists. At under 200 dollars. This wine cooler is affordable and offers many of the features of expensive wine coolers.
The Whynter WC28S features a premium and sleek platinum finish cabinet along with a towel bar handled glass door, which is ergonomic. The glass door is double-paned and consists of a cylinder lock. The unit has chromed racks that are removable; this allows us to store and display the wine collection very well.
This wine fridge has an efficient cooling (thermoelectric) system. It is vibration-free; this affects the setting and aging of wine. The thermostat can be adjusted to store different wine varietals. The LCD temperature display makes the wine fridge even more elegant. It has an enhanced blue-colored light for error-free control. Moreover, the glass door present in the refrigerator is metallic and trimmed with silver; the platinum cabinet has a remarkable sleek design. The cylinder lock helps you keep your precious beverage safe; this lock comes with dual keys.
This wine fridge can store 28 bottles of wine, which is quite sufficient. Additionally, the refrigerator is durable and has a long life. This is because it has solid-state components except for the fan.
Pros
- The wine cooler is efficient and can store up to 28 bottles of wine.
- The cooler has a sleek and aesthetically pleasing design.
- The wine cooler comes in two sizes, i.e., 16 bottles, 28 bottles capacity.
Cons
- It is not durable and long-lasting.
- The cooler does not come with a warranty.
2. Ivation 18 Bottle Thermoelectric Red And White Wine Cooler
The Ivation 18 bottle thermoelectric red and white wine cooler is amazon’s best seller. One of the best ways to protect the taste and quality of the wine is to store its inconsistent temperature and the correct environment. It is a freestanding wine cooler that can safeguard your white or red wine while preserving its rich flavors and quality so that you can enjoy your wine in its real taste.
This cooler will help you store your wine for a long and short term at a stable temperature. You can even customize the temperature according to the type of your wine as different wines require different temperatures for aging.
This Ivation wine cooler is insulated with solid polyurethane foam, which is free from Chlorofluorocarbons. The wine chiller has thermopane doors which are tempered-smoked. All these features of the coolerprovide an odor-free environment inside the cooler. Additionally, this maintains a constant-humidity and darkness inside the cooler, which is required to create the unique flavors in perfectly aged wines.
The cooler is free from all kinds of vibrations and noises, as it is specially designed to run without the compressor. This allows the wine to age/settle perfectly.
Pros
- The wine chiller has an aesthetic and sleek design.
- The cooler has a digital touch control system.
- It is free from vibration and noises.
- The cooler has an automatic defrost system.
Cons
- A few customers have reported that the temperature control system is weak.
3. NutriChef Thermoelectric Wine Cooler Refrigerator
When you are prepared to step up from being an informal wine drinker, then you are going to require a wine chiller with a slight amount of complexity. The Nutrichef PKTEWC120 wine chiller is perfect for people who are willing to buy a wine chiller that can store 12 bottles. It can be used for both white and red wine. The cooler is equipped with a thermoelectric cooling technology having an accurate precision. It has an adjustable temperature control system with integrated LED lights and an in-built fan along with a grill for ventilation.
This wine chiller has a compact and decorative design that is perfect for home, office, living room, or kitchen. The freestanding design allows this wine cooler to stand on any table, floor, or counter-top. It can accommodate up to 12 bottles of wine. It has a glass door that air-tight, which does not allows external contamination to enter inside the wine cooler.
The wine cooler has both the horizontal shelves and vertical space for convenient storage of closed or open bottles of wine.The wine cooler is equipped with an ultra-advanced cooling technology that keeps the wine at the correct temperature without creating any noise.
Pros
- It is cost-effective.
- The size is perfect to fit anywhere.
- The wine cooler offers a space for open bottles of wine.
Cons
- The wine cooler is not available in the State of California.
- The temperature fluctuates sometimes.
4. KUPPET Compressor 36 Bottle Wine Cooler
With a regular giant refrigerator holding a court in your home, you are going to require something compact on the counter for your daily bottles of wine. Put the Kuppet compressor 36 bottle wine chiller in your kitchen, and you’ve got an easy-to-reach location for wines. This wine cooler is relatively basic and inexpensive. It has a storage capacity of up to 36 bottles. This wine chiller suitable for storing and chilling all types of wines.
The Kuppet wine chiller has a compact design that can fit any corner of your home/counter/table. The control panel has touch buttons and an LCD that shows the temperature of this cooler. This wine cooler provides environmentally friendly refrigeration, which is also faster than other conventional cooling techniques. The LED lights that are integrated with this wine cooler gives a perfect aesthetic look to the cooler.
The Kuppet wine chiller allows you to store your wines in a stable and consistent temperature. You can even customize its temperature according to the requirement of your wine. Unlike, other refrigerators the operating sound of this cooler will not irritate you. The double-layered glass door prevents the external heat and light from entering inside the chiller, which helps in maintaining the authentic taste of the wine.
Pros
- The wine cooler offers beautifully designed removable shelves, which is appreciative.
- The cooler also has attractive blue lighting inside, which gives it an elegant look.
Cons
- The wine cooler has a problem with temperature fluctuation.
- A few customers have reported the problem of the loud condenser.
5. Koldfront 16 Bottle Thermoelectric Wine Cooler
Once you have grown your collection of wine beyond a dozen or more and you have become that pal who keeps several used corks on the kitchen counter, you’ll want a wine chiller installed in your kitchen. Purchasing the Koldfront thermoelectric wine chiller will fulfill your need for a good wine chiller. This compact wine chiller can hold around 16 bottles of wine at an optimal temperature as well as in humid conditions.
The wine chiller can be used for both red and white wines and can cool both the wines in the same zone of temperature, which gives the users easy access. With a thermoelectric cooling system, the Koldfront TWR16oS-KF allows the users to control their temperature to meet their chilling preferences.
This wine chiller has scalloped chrome racks that give an excellent presentation to the chiller. The interior LED lights perfectly highlight the collection of wine stored inside the chiller and make it very easy to look at the labels in the wine bottles without the need for opening the chiller repeatedly.
This wine chiller would look awesome inside any room as it has an excellent platinum finish along with a door handle (towel bar). Both amateurs and professional wine collectors can use it.
Pros
- The thermostat is adjustable.
- The brand offers a one year warranty to its customers.
- The wine chiller has a reversible door.
Cons
- The light inside the chiller is not automatic.
- The cooling unit has chances of failure after 12 to 24 months of usage.
6. Belwares 12 Bottle Wine Cooler – Countertop Wine Chiller
The Belwares wine coolers are known for their ergonomic designs. Engineers have tried their best to make this freestanding wine cellar, which efficiently uses a consistent temperature for cooling and also helps in preserving the taste of wines for an extended period.
The chiller has a unique technology that allows the users to control the temperature and create a perfect environment for the bottles containing wines that also helps in maintaining the crisp and flavors of the wines in their real state. The wine cellar offers the temperature range from 54ºF- 66ºF, which is suitable for most types of wines.
The wine cooler’s design attracts everyone. It is specially designed for modern living rooms/homes/kitchens. The cooler has an incredibly stylish curved glass at the front portion and LCD for temperature observations. All of these features give the cellar a sleek and elegant appearance.
The wine cellar also protects the wine from external factors such as air or sunlight. The U.V. rays are so harmful that it can oxidize the components and molecules of the wine and ruin its taste. There is a thermal pane door that ensures darkness inside the cellar and thus prevents the U.V. rays from entering the basement.
Pros
- The brand offers 12 months warranty (for quality-related issues).
- The wine cellar has a classy and elegant design.
- The temperature control system is easy to operate.
Cons
- A few customers have reported the errors in the functionality of the cellar’s fan.
7. Smad 35 Bottle Wine Fridge Freestanding Compressor Wine Cooler
Smad home appliances are not new to the market. They have been fulfilling the needs of people with their perfectly designed and efficient tools. Smad 35 bottle wine cooler is one of the products of Smad. It is a freestanding wine cellar that can stand perfectly in every counter/room or kitchen. This single-zoned wine cellar has adjustable shelves that can be made to suit different shapes and sizes of wine bottles. There are five pieces of full wire shelves while two pieces of half wire shelves.
The door of this wine cellar is framed using S.S. and has recessed handle, which is quite good. The basement consists of a control panel which is located at its top, and this makes it convenient for the users to check the temperature of the cellar and change it if there is a need.
However, the wine cooler consists of a single compartment, but there is enough space to store at least 35 bottles of the wine. The cellar offers a temperature range from 4ºC to 18ºC. Unlike other cellars, this wine cellar comes with an LED display with blue colored light, which adds an elegant touch to the cellar.
Pros
- The display unit displays the temperature in both units (Celsius and Fahrenheit).
- The functionality of the cellar is excellent and long-lasting.
Cons
- The temperature gauge fluctuates sometimes.
- The cellar makes loud noises after a while.
8. Kalamera 24 Bottle Single Zone Wine Cooler Small Fridge
The Kalamera wine refrigerators are one of those wine refrigerators which are sold just by name; people purchase them without giving a second thought. The Kalamera KRC-24SS wine fridge has an astonishing design. Whether you are a regular wine drinker or an occasional one, this wine fridge is just perfect for everyone.
This wine fridge consists of a metal cabinet which refers convenience for the wine refrigeration to its users and has added benefits of the cooling technology. All the shelves of this wine fridge are silver-toned and correctly wired, which keeps the wine bottles in place. There is an LED light inside the metal wine rack, which gives the best illumination on the bottles, and bottles appear shiny.
The Kalamera KRC-24SS wine cooler offers a wide range of temperatures- 41ºF to 64ºF, which is suitable for most wines. The body of this wine fridge is so compact and flexible that it can store up to 24 bottles of wine. This wine fridge has the advantage of a noise-free and low-vibration environment, which is essential for proper aging and settling of the wines.
Pros
- The wine fridge comes with soft LED light for clear visibility.
- The racks are removable to provide convenience to the users.
- Large-sized bottles can fit inside.
Cons
- A few customers have reported poor temperature stability.
- The wine fridge is quite expensive.
9. Avanti 12 Bottle Thermoelectric Counter Top Wine Cooler
The Avanti 12 bottle thermoelectric counter-top wine cooler is among the best wine cooler that the industry has to offer. The cooler’s ultra-quiet and efficient thermoelectric cooling system can run without the faintest-bit of vibration or noise. Now, you can relax in the proximity of the cooler, knowing your wine is settling perfectly inside this Avanti wine cooler.
This small-sized/ compact cooler by Avanti allows you to store about 12 bottles of wine inside it. This could be a perfect choice for you if you are someone who lives alone. This wine cooler has a curve-shaped door which is made up of glass, making it ideal to fit the modern homes.
The wine cooler has a thermoelectric system for cooling the wines efficiently inside the cooler. This is a must-have for people who are looking for a portable and smaller sized wine cooler and also for the loners.
Pros
- The wine cooler is compact and it is easy to fit small spaces/rooms.
- The compressor works quietly and does not makes any noise
Cons
- The wine cooler’s cooling tendency is quite doubtful.
- The cooler is not durable for a longer time.
10. Antarctic Star 24 Bottle Wine Cooler
Another top pick for wine lovers is the Antarctic Star 24 bottle wine cooler. This wine cooler works ideally and allows you to keep your wine bottles in long-term, optimum conditions. It has a temperature range of 40ºF to 61ºF. The temperature can also be customized using the control panel given on the wine cooler.
The wine cooler maintains a perfect and ideal level of humidity inside. This is due to the presence of a reinforced glass door that provides an air-tight seal to the cooler. The wine cooler comes with a blue-colored LED lighting that showcases your wine very beautifully without damaging it.
The wine cooler can store 24 bottles of white or red wine. You can even save your beer cans and other beverages in it. The racks are placed horizontally inside the cooler, which offers space-efficient storage to the users.
The Antarctic Star wine cooler is equipped with an advanced system of cooling that keeps not only the wine cool but also offers a quiet environment. As the wine cooler is free from vibrations, the naturally occurring sediments of the wine do not get disturbed. The shelves are movable and adjustable that provides convenience to the users. Additionally, the wine cooler is freestanding and also has a warranty for one whole year for the satisfaction of the customers.
Pros
- The control panel is digital and easy to operate.
- The dual-pane glass door keeps the wine sealed inside.
- The customer care service is excellent.
Cons
- We noticed no cons so far.
How To Choose The Best Wine Fridge
It does not matter if you are a long-term wine lover or a beginner, if you are planning to develop your own palate, then the first thing to do is to find a suitable place to store it. There are different types of wine fridges available on the market today and it would be unwise to neglect to purchase any one of them to store your wine. However, recently, there has been a growing increase in people drinking wine and therefore, the demand for wine fridge has also increased exponentially. This increase in the number of products and brands has made it difficult for a customer to select the best product, nevertheless, if you are looking to purchase the best wine fridge, then you cannot neglect the factors mentioned below.
- Bottle capacity –
As mentioned above, there are a thousand different wine fridges available today. The main purpose of a wine fridge is to protect the wine from degrading under natural environmental conditions. The wine fridges available on the market comes in different sizes, different size means different capacity. Most of the time, we have seen people consider purchasing a wine fridge that can hold the exact number of bottles they have, but, let us remind you, you are doing it wrong. We would recommend that, you consider purchasing a wine fridge with 20% more capacity than your actual requirement. If you need to know why, the simplest answer would be, the wine bottles you own could increase with time and a larger wine fridge can help you store it.
- Noise –
As you know, every fridge produces sound as they come with a compressor. If the noise produced by the wine fridge is too much, it can disrupt your household works and can destroy your bottles. There are two types of cooling systems that could be incorporated into a wine fridge, a compressor, or a thermoelectric system. Each type of system is designed to serve the common purpose, but the functioning of the system is different. However, we would recommend that, if you have or if you are willing to spend money, then, select a thermoelectric system incorporated wine fridge, as they are comparatively silent than compressor systems.
- Cooling zones –
A wine fridge comes designed to protect and preserve wine in the bottles. A person could love more than one type of wine and a wine fridge for each type of wine would mean a large hole in the customer’s pocket. This is why, today, we have wine fridges with dual temperature zones. This allows the user to store more than one type of wine in the same fridge. The temperature of each zone can be changed according to the user’s requirement. Therefore, if you are a person who loves more than one type of wine, then you should go for this product. However, even if you are purchasing a wine fridge with dual-zone, you can use it to store the same wine.
- Energy efficiency –
A wine fridge will consume comparatively lesser energy than a normal household fridge. However, if you are not careful, then you could end up purchasing a wine fridge that consumes more energy than what a normal wine fridge should. Here are some things that you should consider to make your wine fridge energy efficient.
- The wine fridge you consider purchasing should come incorporated with a thermoelectric system.
- A wine fridge will come with lights incorporated into it that will guide the user to put the bottles into the fridge and help read your wine labels. Most of them come with hot bulbs that consume more energy, therefore, consider purchasing a wine fridge with LED bulbs. LED bulbs consume comparatively lesser power.
- Most of the people would prefer a wine fridge with glass doors. When it comes to glass doors, there are different types of glass doors. However, we recommend that you consider purchasing a wine fridge with a tempered glass door instead of normal doors.
5. Appearance –
A wine fridge can protect and store the wine for many years, however, for some customers, a wine fridge is a part of their style. If you are such a customer then we recommend that you do not hurry. We have noticed, recently, few of the customers assume that appearance comes only with an expensive product. This assumption is wrong, as the number of products available on the market is diverse and so as the brands. Therefore, if you need a wine fridge with a stylish appearance, do not hurry, wait, dig deep and you will find the right product at a reasonable price.
- Type of wine fridge –
There are two types of wine fridges based on external design.
- Freestanding wine fridge
- Built-in wine fridge
A freestanding wine fridge is designed to stand alone and they are more stylish than any other wine fridges. However, they can be big and could consume more space. On the other hand, a built-in wine refrigerator can save space as they find into confined space. If you have only limited space, then you should go for built-in wine fridges. However, if you have space and if you need style, then, freestanding wine fridge is the best.
Wine Fridges Frequently Asked Questions
- What are the different types of wine fridges available in the present market?
When you are talking about the wine fridge, did you know that they can be divided based on many different factors? Yes, if you check out based on the design or architecture, you will find three types – Over the counter, Built-in under the counter, and freestanding. Built-in under the counter is the most expensive option among all three.
If you check out from inside, you have single, dual, triple, and Quad wine fridges. Now, if you consider the cooling systems, you can divide into two types – Thermoelectric and Compressor based.
- Which is the best wine fridge – Single compartment or dual compartment?
If you are storing just one kind of wine like just the red wine or the white wine only, then you need not have to worry at all. But if you wish to store both types of wine, then you will have to go for a dual compartment wine fridge only. There is a reason behind it, and that is, you cannot store both white and red wine at the same temperature. They need to be stored at different temperatures each.
- What is the right temperature for storing red wine and white wine?
This is a very common question asked by many people. You are not going to chill the wine as you do with other beverages. You just need to get the wine to the serving temperature before you serve. For red wine, the temperature is 58 degrees F to 68 degrees F. But when it comes to the white wine, you will have to store it between 46 degrees F to 56 degrees F. This is the reason why you should go for a dual compartment wine fridge; you will be able to set a different temperature for each compartment.
- What are the important factors to look for while buying a wine fridge?
There are many important factors that you need to keep in mind while picking a wine fridge, but the most important ones are UV tinted glass. If you have UV tinted glass, the UV rays will not be able to disturb the wine. Along with the humidity control feature is also important. The shelf size of the wine fridge should be adjustable. The size of the wine bottles can vary, and hence you should be able to adjust the shelves to fit the bottles perfectly in the wine fridge.
- What is the idle capacity of a wine fridge?
If you have the habit of consuming wine regularly, then a fridge with 15 bottles capacity should be fine. But if you have the habit of collecting some vintage wine bottles and preserve them, then you will need a fridge that comes with at least 45 bottle capacity. It is completely your choice when it comes to the capacity of the wine fridge. The freestanding fridge comes with high capacity when compared to the over the counter fridge. So, choose one that fits your requirements perfectly.
Bottom line
A wine cooler is a type of refrigerator which is used for cooling wines and other kinds of beverages. It keeps the drinks safe for an extended period as most of the wines are temperature sensitive and get conked easily. Some people keep wine coolers inside their rooms so that they do not have to rush to the kitchen to bring a bottle of wine. Wine coolers occupy very less space and look elegant in the room.
The wine cooler is known by so many names such as a wine cellar, wine fridge, or wine chiller. Numerous brands offer wine coolers, and each of them has a different size, feature, and shape. You just need to match the features and details of wine coolers with your requirements, and it will be straightforward for you to pick the right wine cooler for your home.
Gaining some knowledge about an appliance before purchasing it is essential; investing in anything new with the thought of getting fooled is obvious. For this reason, we have made this article to bring you some of the best wine coolers that are available in the market, we have also included the pros and cons of those wine coolers to help you. We hope that after reading the article, youcan choose a perfect wine cooler of your choice.