is a dual zone wine fridge necessary?
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Is a Dual Zone Wine Cooler Necessary?

David J Sharp
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A common question for wine collectors, casual wine drinkers and enthusiasts is, do you need a dual zone wine fridge, is it all that necessary?

We understand, wine storage is an important subject! And investing in a wine chiller is a long-term commitment, so you’ll want to make sure that you make an informed decision.

Well, that’s exactly what we’ll be answering in this article!

What is a Dual Zone Wine Refrigerator?

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A dual zone wine fridge is a unit that has two physical compartments, it works by having its own thermostat so that its temperatures are controlled independently.

Ultimately, this means that you can store your collection of white and red wines within the same unit, whilst ensuring they’re being cooled at the ideal temperature and optimal humidity settings. 

Dual-zone wine fridges are especially popular nowadays, and one of the reasons for this is because they’ve become more affordable. This means that it’s not only wine collectors who have them, but also people who enjoy wine on more of a casual basis. 

However, these units are perfect for wine collectors, as the separate temperature and humidity controls ensure that your wine bottle collection is stored in its ideal environment.

Single Zone Vs Dual Zone

In this section, we’re going to be comparing both single zone and dual zone units, highlighting their features and the situations when they’re each more ideal to have.

What is a Single Zone Wine Refrigerator?

A single zone wine cooler is one that has 1 cooling compartment. Therefore, all wine bottles which are stored within the unit are kept at one temperature.

Single Zone

A single-temperature wine refrigerator is ideal for storing one type of wine. Therefore, if you’re looking to store multiple types of wine simultaneously, in one physical unit, a single zone wine fridge would not be able to chill each type at its perfect temperature

This is why often single zone wine fridges will be used if a wine collector wants to store all of his red wine in one fridge, and doesn’t lack the physical space in their wine cellar, so they can use another unit to store their collection of white wines.

Now, if you’re a casual wine drinker, only looking to store reds and white wines for a few days or number of weeks before drinking them, then a single zone unit will suffice.

They come in both built-in and freestanding versions, depending on where you would like for it to be positioned.

Dual Zone

As we’ve outlined further above, dual zone wine fridges are built to store multiple types of wine in one physical unit, each can be programmed to operate at different temperature settings. Not to mention, some units will have compartments that vary in their temperature range

They’re perfect for those who have a wide range of bottles, but potentially don’t have enough space (or budget) to purchase two single-zone wine coolers to store each variety.

Instead, each type of wine can be stored within a separate zone within the cooler, keeping your collections at their optimal temperatures.

Therefore, if you have a wine collection including red and white wine, then you’ll want to choose a dual zone wine fridge. They come in freestanding or undercounter versions, depending on where you want to position them.

Do I need a dual zone wine fridge?

A dual zone cooler is the ideal choice if you have an extensive wine collection.

The ability to serve both red and white wines at the same time is a more versatile feature of dual-zone units.

It’s also possible to store other varieties of wine, including sparkling wines, which can be housed in the same unit.

The added flexibility of a dual-zone unit will benefit users who enjoy hosting wine tastings or entertaining guests regularly.

Single temperature units however also come with their own set of advantages. For example, there are some people who only drink red or white wines casually.

Dual-zone coolers are not necessary for these collectors.

Therefore, if you’re only interested in one type of wine, for example, reds or whites, then a single zone unit will be ideal.

David J Sharp is a wine equipment expert, having previously worked with some of the best wine cooler manufacturers within the USA. Today he works as a full-time wine cooler and wine cellar consultant for small and large clients alike. You can find out more about LoveCraftWines here.

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