In this article we’re going to be discussing how to effectively choose the best wine cooler for your needs.
When you want to buy a new wine fridge you need to consider a few things:
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Table of Contents
How to Choose a Wine Fridge – What to Consider?
- How much space do you have in your kitchen?
- How big do you want the wine fridge to be? (Most wine fridges are available in various sizes.)
- What kind of wine do you like to store inside the wine fridge?
- Do you want to have a separate temperature for your white wine and for your red wine?
- Do you want your wine fridge to be portable so you can move it to other rooms in the house?
Only when you have the answers to each of these questions can you really begin to find out which wine fridge is most suitable for your needs.
We’re going to be discussing the potential answers to each of those questions which are outlined above:
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How much space do you have in your kitchen?
Figuring out how much physical space you have in your kitchen is cruical before looking for a specific unit. This will require you to measure the ideal height, width and depth of the desired space where the cooler will be installed.
With that being said, you’ll need to consider whether you’re looking for a large or small-sized wine cooler. There will also be some that want a fridge for a more commercial environment, such as a bar or restaurant.
As we alluded to above, wine fridges not only vary in height, but in width and depth too, so you can pick up slim units, and tall units alike.
Not only this, but you’ll also want to consider the visual impact of getting a wine cooler, whether it’s for your kitchen or home bar. Eitherway, we suggest browsing through wine fridge cabinet ideas on sites like Pinterest, to get inspiration on the types of wine cooler that you prefer, as shown in a cabinet-setting.
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How big do you want the wine fridge to be?
Not only are the physical measurements of the refrigerator important to consider, but you’ll also want to know what bottle-capacity you’re looking to fulfill.
Wine refrigerators vary dramatically in bottle capacity, with the smallest wine fridges starting with a capactiy of approximately 5 bottles, leading all the way up to the largest wine fridges having a 300 bottle capacity.
Whilst bars and restaurants will want upwards of a 100 bottle wine fridge, a wine enthusiast may only require a 35 bottle capacity wine cooler.
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What kind of wine do you like to store inside the wine fridge?
Wine fridges have different temperature capabilities, with compressor-powered units having a wider temperature range than those units which are powered by a thermoelectric unit. It should be noted that thermoelectric-powered units are slightly quieter and are more energy efficient.
With that being said, thermoelectric wine fridges often struggle to reach the lower temperatures that some wine enthusiasts would prefer their white wine to be chilled at.
Therefore, as a general rule of thumb, if you like your wine very chilled, and you don’t mind the additional sound or a slighly higher energy bill… A compressor wine cooler may be your preferred option.
Do you want to have a separate temperature for your white wine and for your red wine?
There are two kinds of wine cooler when it comes to zone capabilities, single zone and dual zone.
Single zone wine fridges are units that simply have one compartment where both red, white and rose wine can be stored. The issue is that it’s all stored at the same temperature.
Dual zone wine coolers are units that have two compartments, which have separeate thermostats, and therefore both zones can be programmed to chill wine at different temperatures, one size can be suited for chilling your white wine and rose, and the other side can provide a mild chilled temperature for your red wine bottles.
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Do you want your wine fridge to be portable so you can move it to other rooms in the house?
Portable wine coolers are ones that are small enough in size so they can easily be transported from one location to another. Some of the most portable units are countertop wine fridges, which have to be small enough (and light enough) to sit on your kitchen countertop.
Otherwise if you’re just looking to position the unit in one location, you should either choose a built-in wine cooler (for built-in/integrated placement) or a freestanding wine cooler (for open placement).
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If you have any questions or comments, please leave them in the comments section below and we’ll be sure to answer them ASAP.
