Last Updated: 21 December 2024
In this article, we’re going to be talking about the 10 best 28 bottle wine coolers that exist on the market.
As with all of our buyers guides, we’ve done hours upon hours of research in order to find only the most well-regarded wine refrigerators, using a number of key criteria that we’ve outlined further below. This includes taking into account customer feedback, reviews and ratings.
We should also mention that we’ve found a range of 28-bottle wine fridges to accommodate for every budget. Each of these wine coolers has it’s price displayed through the use of $ symbols, located next to each wine cooler.
With that all being said, we still get a wide range of questions regarding how to choose a wine cooler.
Therefore, we wanted to quickly address some of these FAQs before diving into exactly what products we’ve included within this buyers’ guide, to help you refine exactly what you’re looking for.
Table of Contents
✅What is a 28-bottle wine cooler?
Although the answer to this question might seem incredibly obvious, it’s important to state that this means that the wine cooler has an approximate bottle capacity of 28 Bordeaux bottles. Bordeaux wine bottles are considered the standard size wine bottle and hold 750ml of wine.
Although these wine coolers have a decent capacity, they’re considered to be small wine coolers, often used for residential usage in a home bar or kitchen environment, although they can quite easily be used in addition to a large wine refrigerator.
🍾What are the advantages of purchasing a 28 bottle wine cooler?
The main advantage of owning a wine cooler of this capacity is that it can hold quite a good capacity of wine, without the disadvantages that come along with large units, which weigh more and are larger in physical size. Because of this, a 28-bottle capacity unit is extremely portable, and can quite easily be transported up and down stairs.
Additionally, the size of these wine coolers makes them ideal and able to be installed as a Built-in wine cooler, unlike units which are physically much larger.
🥂What are the disadvantages of purchasing a 28 bottle wine cooler?
There are no real disadvantages of purchasing such a unit, that is if you’ve got a healthy but not too extensive wine collection.
However, some may need a larger sized unit, and may prefer to purchase a 50 bottle wine fridge or even a 60 bottle wine fridge, as we often hear from our readers that their wine collections only seem to increase, and that’s understandable as time goes on.
None-the-less, a 28-bottle wine fridge offers a good bottle capacity, and is available in single-zone and dual-zone models (all of which we’ve included below).
🍾Are 28-bottle capacity wine refrigerators available in different sizes?
Yes, although the majority of these units will be of a similar size due to their capacity, it will vary slightly from model to model and brand to brand.
We’ve provided all of the size information with each model, so rest assured that it’s all available.
🥂Where can I purchase my wine cooler from?
Although we realize that there is an overwhelming amount of choices when it comes to purchasing your next wine cooler, it is, however, extremely important to use a reputable supplier, and one that treats its customers with the utmost level of customer service.
After being in the industry for years, we often refer our readers to Amazon, as they not only provide excellent service to their customers, but they ensure that only the best manufacturers and suppliers are allowed to sell on their platform. This is done by constantly evaluating each business operating on the platform, taking into account their recent feedback and customer reviews, and then rewarding reputable sellers and eliminating untrustworthy sellers over time.
🍾Top Considerations when buying a wine cooler
It’s important to note that not all wine refrigerators are the same. Therefore, if you intend to buy a wine cooler, there are several things that you must consider.
Bottle Capacity
As we briefly touched on above, a 28-bottle wine cooler is ideal to store up to 28 Bordeaux-style bottles.
It’s not only useful to consider your current required bottle capacity, but also consider the amount that you’ll potentially need for the upcoming months and years. This will save you purchasing multiple physical units, or indeed buying and then selling to upgrade.
Type
There are multiple types of wine coolers, and each one is distinctly suitable for certain environments and requirements. Let me explain further:
Single-Zone vs Dual Zone
Single zone wine coolers have 1 compartment that can be used for cooling.
Dual zone wine coolers have 2 compartments that can be used for cooling, with separate thermostats and therefore, individual temperature regulation settings.
This means that dual zone wine units are more ideal for those who wish to store multiple types of wines (both whites and reds) within one physical unit, without having to store them at the same temperatures.
However, if you only wish to store one type of wine, a single-zone unit may be more suited for your needs.
We’ve included both types within the product section below.
Undercounter vs Freestanding
Built-in wine coolers, also known as ‘undercounter wine coolers’ are designed to be integrated within an enclosed space, often in a kitchen or bar setting.
However, freestanding wine fridges are designed to be positioned as a standalone unit.
The key difference here is that a built-in wine unit is more versatile, due to having a front-facing vent, which is usually located at the bottom of the unit. This allows for the cooler to be positioned in an enclosed setting, without negatively affecting airflow, important to help maintain fresh air inside the unit.
However, freestanding units have vents that are located at the back, and therefore cannot be kept in an enclosed space, as it would restrict airflow.
It should be noted that a built-in wine cooler can be used in a freestanding position, but not the other way around.
Cost
We realize that each reader will have their own unique budget. And it’s important to keep this in mind when deciding on the most ideal wine cooler for you.
This is why we’ve done our very best to find a wide price-range of 28-bottle wine coolers to accommodate for this. We’ve gone about displaying dollar signs to represent their costs, with $ being the least expensive, leading up to $$$$$ being the most expensive unit.
Size and Weight
Although the physical size and weight of this capacity-size wine cooler will not vary dramatically, it’s certainly important to take this into consideration, especially if you’re looking to purchase a built-in/undercounter system which will ultimately fit into a specific-sized enclosure.
Temperature range
Each of the wine coolers that we’ve featured below has slightly different temperature ranges. This may, in some cases, dictate the types of wine that you choose to store in it.
You may want to be able to store wine at a particularly cold temperature, and it is in this temperature area particularly that wine coolers often vary in range.
However, due to the bottle-capacity size of the wine coolers that we’re discussing, all of these 28 bottle wine fridges are powered by a compressor-based cooling system, instead of a thermoelectric one, which means that they are able to achieve lower temperatures easily.
You can rest assured that we’ve included all of the temperature ranges for each wine cooler that we’ve featured in the article.
Customer Reviews
Customer reviews provide transparent insight into both the good and bad aspects of a product, which is why they’re particularly good at considering.
However, we’ve done our best to only include the best quality 28 bottle wine coolers, so you’ll generally find excellent reviews.
🥂Show me the best 28-bottle wine fridges
As we touched on at the beginning of this article, we’ve meticulously researched and chosen the best quality wine coolers that have a capacity of approximately 28-bottles.
Not only have we included technical information for each wine cooler, including physical measurements, weight, warranty, etc, but we’ve also included general specifications.
Ok, so with all that being said, we’ve included a list of 28-bottle wine fridges within our list (or within that region), as we assumed that you may be open to looking at slightly larger and smaller units which are of course, similar in price.
🍾Best 28 Bottle Wine Coolers – Top 10
- Antarctic Star 5185b – Built-in, Dual Zone – 28 bottle – $ – Skip to section [#4 Recommendation – Features & Affordability]
- Phiestina PH-29BD-FBA – Built-in, Dual Zone – 29 bottle – $ – Skip to section [#3 Recommendation – Features & Affordability]
- Edgestar CWR302SZ – Built-in, Single Zone – 30 bottle – $ – Skip to section
- Edgestar BWR301BL – Built-in, Single Zone – 30 bottle – $ – Skip to section
- Koldfront BWR300BL – Built-In, Single Zone – 30 bottle – $$ – Skip to section
- Kalamera KRC-30SZB-TGD – Built-in, Single Zone – 30 bottle – $$ – Skip to section [#1 Recommendation – Value for Money]
- Bodega JC-85A – Built-in, Single Zone – 31 bottle – $$ – Skip to section
- Ivation IV-BWCC311SS – Built-in, Single Zone – 31 bottle – $ – Skip to section
- Ivation IVFWCC331DLB – Freestanding, Dual Zone – 33 bottle – $ – Skip to section
- EdgeStar CWR362FD – Built-in, Dual Zone – 36 bottle – $$$$ – Skip to section [#2 Recommendation – Value for Money]
Antarctic Star 5185b – Built-in, Dual Zone – 28 bottle – $
#4 Recommendation – Features & Affordability
Technical Specs
- Dimensions: 22.75L x 15W x 34.25H inches
- Weight: 88 lbs.
- Range: 41°F- 68°F
- Warranty: 1-year warranty
General Specs
- 28 container capacity
- Compressor-powered
- Dual Temp
- Suitable for built-in & freestanding usage
- Electronic control panel
- Double-paned tempered glass
- Stainless steel door and black cabinet
- Beechwood shelving
- Reversible door
- Internal blue LED light
- Safety lock
Description
The 5185B by Antarctic Star is a dual-zone wine cooler that has a 28 bottle capacity.
It’s designed for both built-in and freestanding use, with its front-facing vent.
Additionally, it has double-paned, tempered glass to help prevent UV exposure, whilst ensuring that your wine collection is kept at a cooler temperature.
Not to mention, it has a lovely aesthetic appeal, with its beechwood shelving and soft-blue internal LED lighting.
Pros
- Reputable brand
- Fantastic customer feedback and product ratings
- Reversible door
- Safety lock
Cons
- Slightly under capacity
Phiestina PH-29BD-FBA – Built-in, Dual Zone – 29 bottle – $
#3 Recommendation – Features & Affordability
Technical Specs
- Dimensions: 22.4L x 14.9W x 33.9H inches
- Weight: 72 lbs.
- Range: 40°F- 65°F
- Warranty: 1-year warranty
General Specs
- 29 container capacity
- Compressor-powered
- Dual Temp
- Suitable for built-in & freestanding usage
- Electronic control panel
- Double-paned glass
- Stainless steel door and black cabinet
- 5 removable shelves
- Internal blue LED light
Description
The PH-29BD-FBA by Phiestina is a dual zone wine cooler, and a #1 best seller on Amazon.
It is designed for both built-in and freestanding usage, given that it has a front-facing vent. This means that it can be placed within an enclosed space or in an open environment, without restricting airflow.
The unit has a stylish visual appeal, with its double-tempered glass, stainless steel door and black outer chassis.
Additionally, it has a reversible door, and it comes with a safety lock, to help protect your wine collection from unwanted visitors.
Overall, given that this is a best seller on Amazon, it’s deemed a very good wine cooler. However, it has a capacity that is 1 bottle lower than the requirement.
Pros
- Reputable brand
- Fantastic customer feedback and product ratings
- Reversible door
- Safety lock
Cons
- Slightly under capacity
- Not UV resistant
Edgestar CWR302SZ – Built-in, Single Zone – 30 bottle – $
Technical Specs
- Dimensions: 23.75L x 15W x 32H inches
- Weight: 83 lbs.
- Range: 40°F- 65°F
- Warranty: 1-year warranty
General Specs
- 30 container capacity
- Compressor-powered
- Single Temp
- Suitable for built-in & freestanding usage
- Soft-touch electronic controls
- Stainless steel door and black cabinet
- Reversible door with double-paned, black-dotted glass
- 5 slide-out wire shelves
- Internal blue LED light
- Safety lock
Description
The Edgestar CWR302SZ is a single-zone wine refrigerator, manufactured by Edgestar who we’ve included several times within this article.
It’s designed for both built-in and freestanding placement, making it incredibly versatile. So you can install it within an enclosed space, such as beneath your bar or kitchen worktop.
The unit has a nice visual design, with its stainless steel door, black outer chassis, and black dotted glass.
Additionally, it comes with a double-paned tempered glass door and has a powerful compressor-based cooling system, to help keep your wine collection in a nice cooled environment.
It comes with a safety lock, to help ensure that your wines are safe from any unwanted visitors.
Overall, this is a well-regarded wine cooler, created by one of the most reputable brands within the industry. It’s ideal for anyone looking for a modern-looking wine cooler that can hold approximately 30 bottles.
Pros
- Reputable brand
- Fantastic customer feedback and product ratings
- Reversible door with double-paned glass for UV light protection
- Safety lock
Cons
- Single-zone
Edgestar BWR301BL – Built-in, Single Zone – 30 bottle – $
Technical Specs
- Dimensions: 23.5L x 15W x 32H inches
- Weight: 77 lbs.
- Range: 40°F- 65°F
- Warranty: 1-year warranty
General Specs
- 30 container capacity
- Compressor-powered
- Single Temp
- Suitable for built-in & freestanding usage
- Soft-touch electronic controls
- Black door and cabinet
- Reversible door with double-paned glass
- 5 slide-out wire shelves
- Internal blue LED light
- Door ajar alarm
Description
The Edgestar BWR301BL is a single zone wine cooler created by none other than the hugely well known Edgestar, who we’ve included several times within this article.
It’s designed for both built-in and freestanding placement, making it very versatile… So you can install it in an enclosed space, such as beneath your bar or kitchen worktop.
The unit has a nice visual design, with its black door and outer chassis, which looks ultra-modern against the internal blue LED lighting.
Additionally, it comes with a double-paned tempered glass door and has a powerful compressor-based cooling system, to help keep your wine collection in a good state.
Overall, Edgestar is a reputable company, and provide a 1-year warranty on all items. This unit is ideal for anyone looking for an ultra-modern looking wine cooler that can hold approximately 30 bottles.
Pros
- Reputable brand
- Fantastic customer feedback and product ratings
- Reversible door with double-paned glass for UV light protection
- Door ajar alarm
Cons
- Single-zone
- Does not have a lockable door
Koldfront BWR300BL – Built-In, Single Zone – 30 bottle – $$
Technical Specs
- Dimensions: 23.8L x 15W x 32H inches
- Weight: 77 lbs.
- Range: 40°F- 65°F
- Warranty: 1-year warranty
General Specs
- 30 container capacity
- Compressor-powered
- Single Temp
- Suitable for built-in & freestanding usage
- Electronic controls
- Black door and cabinet
- Reversible door with double-paned glass
- 6 Removable metal shelves
- Internal blue LED light
Description
The Koldfront BWR300BL is a single-zone wine refrigerator, suitable for those looking for a 30-bottle wine refrigerator.
It is a built-in wine cooler, and hence it can be installed into an enclosed space, such as below a home bar, or kitchen worktop.
It has a nice black outer aesthetic, which really makes the internal blue LED light shine strongly. Not to mention, the door is reversible, and has double-paned, tempered glass to help prevent UV light exposure.
Additionally, it comes with 6 slide-out wire shelves, which are easily cleaned and maintained.
Pros
- Reputable brand
- Great customer feedback and product ratings
- Reversible door with double-paned glass for UV light protection
Cons
- Single-zone
- Does not have a lockable door
Kalamera KRC-30SZB-TGD – Built-in, Single Zone – 30 bottle – $$
#1 Recommendation – Value for Money
Technical Specs
- Dimensions: 22.4L x 15W x 33.9H inches
- Weight: 77 lbs.
- Range: 40°F- 66°F
- Warranty: 1-year warranty
General Specs
- 30 container capacity
- Compressor-powered
- Single Temp
- Suitable for built-in & freestanding application
- Digital thermostat
- Stainless steel door and black cabinet
- Reversible door with double-paned, tempered glass
- Security lock
- 6 Removable beech wood rack shelves
- Internal blue LED light
Description
The Kalamera 15″ wine cooler is very similar to the previous Koldfront BWR300BL, as far as features are concerned, with the main differences being that the Kalamera is an Amazon’s Choice, includes beech wood shelving and had a lockable door.
It’s a single-zone wine refrigerator, suitable for those who’re interested in getting a 30-bottle capacity unit.
It is a built-in wine cooler, and hence it can be installed into an enclosed space, such as below a home bar, or kitchen worktop.
It has a stainless steel front, with a black cabinet, Not to mention, the door is reversible, and has double-paned, tempered glass to help prevent UV light exposure.
Pros
- Amazon’s Choice (Due to exceptional ratings)
- Reputable brand
- Great customer feedback and product ratings
- Lockable
- Reversible door with double-paned glass for UV light protection
Cons
- Single-zone
Bodega JC-85A – Built-in, Single Zone – 31 bottle – $$
Technical Specs
- Dimensions: 23.1L x 15.3W x 34.3H inches
- Weight: 77 lbs.
- Range: 41°F- 68°F
- Warranty: 1-year warranty
General Specs
- 31 container capacity
- Compressor-powered
- Single Temp
- Suitable for built-in & freestanding application
- Digital thermostat
- Stainless steel door and black cabinet
- Reversible door with double-paned, tempered glass
- Security lock
- 6 Removable beech wood rack shelves
- Adjustable feet
- Internal blue LED light
Description
The Bodega JC-85A is very similar to the last two discussed wine coolers with regards to general specifications, besides the fact that this unit can hold 31 bottles and the company has equipped it with adjustable feet, alongside a carbon filter system to help make sure that the air is pure.
It’s a single-zone wine refrigerator, suitable for those who are looking for a unit that can hold approximately (a little more) 30 bottles.
This unit has exceptional feedback on Amazon, and this is one of the main reasons that we’ve included within the list.
Similar to the previous mentioned units, It is a built-in wine cooler, and hence it can be installed into an enclosed space, such as below a home bar, or kitchen worktop.
It also has a stainless steel front, with a black cabinet, Not to mention, it has double-paned, tempered glass to help prevent UV light exposure.
Pros
- Exceptional product reviews on Amazon
- Reputable brand
- Great customer feedback and product ratings
- Lockable
- Double-paned glass with UV light protection
Cons
- Single-zone
- Company doesn’t say if door is reversible
Ivation IV-BWCC311SS – Built-in, Single Zone – 31 bottle – $
Technical Specs
- Dimensions: 22.4L x 14.8W x 33.8H inches
- Weight: 75 lbs.
- Range: 40°F- 66°F
- Warranty: 1-year warranty
General Specs
- 31 container capacity
- Compressor-powered
- Single Temp
- Suitable for built-in & freestanding application
- Digital thermostat
- Stainless steel door and black cabinet
- Reversible door with double-paned, tempered glass
- Security lock
- Removable shelves
- Soft internal LED light
Description
The Ivation IV-BWCC311SS is very similar to the Bodega JC-85A wine cooler in that it has a 31 bottle capacity, and has almost identical general features.
It’s a single-zone wine refrigerator, suitable for those who are interested in a unit that can hold approximately (a little more) 30 bottles.
The one aspect that we particularly like, is that it’s very affordable! Although it has fantastic feedback, the feedback is limited as the product is quite new.
Similar to the previous mentioned units, It is a built-in wine cooler, and hence it can be installed into an enclosed space, such as below a home bar, or kitchen worktop.
It also has a stainless steel front, with a black cabinet, and tempered glass to prevent UV exposure.
Additionally, the cooler includes vibration suppression, to help minimize internal movement
Pros
- Exceptional product reviews on Amazon
- Reputable brand
- Great customer feedback and product ratings
- Lockable
- Double-paned glass with UV light protection
Cons
- Not the ideal bottle capacity
- Single-zone
- Company doesn’t say if door is reversible
Ivation IVFWCC331DLB – Freestanding, Dual Zone – 33 bottle – $
Technical Specs
- Dimensions: 19.49L x 16.93 W x 33.4H inches
- Weight: 60 lbs.
- Temperature Range:
- Upper Zone: 54°F- 64°F
- Lower Zone: 41°F- 57°F
- Warranty: 1-year warranty
General Specs
- 33 container capacity
- Compressor-powered
- Dual zone
- Suitable for freestanding application only
- Digital thermostat
- Black door and cabinet
- Double-paned, thermopane glass for UV protection
- Security lock
- Removable racks
- Soft interior LED light
Description
The Ivation IVFWCC331DLB is a very affordable dual-zone wine cooler, that can hold approximately 33 Bordeaux sized wine bottles.
The unit is designed for freestanding usage only, and therefore it cannot be positioned in an enclosed space, as its vents are located on the back, and thus it would restrict airflow.
It includes double-paned glass to help prevent UV light exposure, and the door features a lock, to help prevent unwanted visitors from accessing your wine collection.
Overall, it’s a decent cooler for those looking for an affordably-priced freestanding unit that has dual-zone capability.
Pros
- Exceptional product reviews on Amazon
- Reputable brand
- Good customer feedback and product ratings
- Dual zone
- Lockable
- Double-paned glass with UV light protection
Cons
- Not the ideal bottle capacity
- Not for built-in usage
EdgeStar CWR362FD – Built-in, Dual Zone – 36 bottle – $$$$
#2 Recommendation – Value for Money
Technical Specs
- Dimensions: 22.6L x 23.4W x 32.9H inches
- Weight: 108 lbs.
- Temperature Range:
- Left Zone: 40°F- 65°F
- Right Zone: 40°F- 65°F
- Warranty: 1-year warranty
General Specs
- 36 container capacity
- Compressor-powered
- Dual zone
- Suitable for both built-in and freestanding usage
- Digital thermostat
- Stainless steel door and cabinet
- French tempered glass
- Security lock
- 10 Removable racks
- Soft interior LED light
Description
The CWR362FD wine cooler is manufactured by none other than EdgeStar, an extremely well known and reputable wine cooler manufacturer and supplier.
The unit has a 36-bottle capacity, and is designed for both built-in and freestanding usage.
Additionally, the unit has two separate cooling zones that are located next to each other, both cool between the temperatures of 40°F- 65°F.
It comes with 10, full depth steel wire rack shelves, which have wooden fronts.
Additionally, the cooler has locking capabilities for both of the compartments, helping to keep your wine safe from unwanted visitors.
Pros
- Highly reputable brand
- Great customer reviews, ratings and feedback
- Dual zone
- Suitable for both built-in and freestanding usage
- Independent compartment locking
- Double-paned glass with UV light protection
Cons
- Quite expensive
Conclusion
Overall, it’s important to know that every single reader will have different requirements, and that’s why we outlined all of the top considerations at the beginning of this article.
However, taking all aspects into account, including price, features, customer feedback and reviews, we’ve concluded that the below wine coolers are the best “28-bottle wine refrigerators” (or thereabouts).
- Kalamera KRC-30SZB-TGD – Built-in, Single Zone – 30 bottle – $$ – Skip to section [#1 Recommendation – Value for Money]
- EdgeStar CWR362FD – Built-in, Dual Zone – 36 bottle – $$$$ – Skip to section [#2 Recommendation – Value for Money]
- Phiestina PH-29BD-FBA – Built-in, Dual Zone – 29 bottle – $ – Skip to section [#3 Recommendation – Features & Affordability]
- Antarctic Star 5185b – Built-in, Dual Zone – 28 bottle – $ – Skip to section [#4 Recommendation – Features & Affordability]
