A wine refrigerator is a must for any business that wants to keep its wine collection in excellent condition.
Wine refrigerators come in all shapes and sizes, but the most important factor is the temperature range that they can maintain.
For businesses, it is important to have a wine refrigerator that can maintain a consistent temperature between 40 and 55 degrees Fahrenheit (depending on the type of wine they want to store, I.E. red, white, or rose wine). This will ensure that your wine collection stays in good condition and doesn’t spoil.
However, what exactly is a commercial wine cooler? Is it different from a regular wine fridge?
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What Is A Commercial Wine Refrigerator?
Commercial wine coolers are specifically designed to be used in commercial/business applications, like a bar, hotel, cafe, or other business settings, where wine is served. Therefore, they usually have a large bottle capacity and thus are physically bigger in size than a regular wine fridge.
These refrigerators typically have a number of cooling zones/chambers that can hold different types of wine, and they often have a special fan to circulate the air around the wine so it remains cold.
They’re also often equipped with certain features like a lock to prevent unauthorized access, display shelving, and other features.
Finally, due to their size, these units are often stored in a wine cellar, or behind the bar (if there is enough space).
Why Do You Need A Commercial Wine Refrigerator?
A commercial wine refrigerator is a must-have for any commercial environment, for wine storage purporses, including a restaurant, bar, hotel, cafe, or other business.
It’s an essential piece of equipment that helps keep your wines and other alcoholic beverages (like champaign) cold and fresh.
Commercial wine coolers are built to last, with them being made from high-quality components, including the compressor-based system, filters, and fan system.
However, with that being said, commercial wine coolers cost significantly more than other wine fridges.
Types Of Commercial Wine Refrigerators Available In The Market?
Commercial wine fridges come in a variety of types, shapes, and sizes; Whilst the majority of them are powered by a compressor-based cooling system, they are either created for built-in or freestanding usage.
Built-in wine fridges have front-facing vents and therefore can be positioned in an enclosed space without diminishing airflow, whilst freestanding wine coolers usually have back/side facing vents and therefore have to be positioned in an open space.
There are hundreds of brands that manufacture large-capacity wine coolers which are ideal for wine collectors and commercial applications, and each brand uses different components and priorities different features, so some units will have display shelves, reversible doors, etc.
Finally, wine coolers often come with multiple cooling compartments with separate temperature controls; These are referred to as dual-zone, tri-zone, and quad-zone wine fridges. These are different from a cooling unit that only has a single compartment. Units with multiple compartments are more equipped to store different types of wine within one physical wine fridge.
How To Choose The Right Commercial Wine Cooler?
When shopping for a commercial wine cooler, it is important to consider the type of wine that will be stored inside. For instance, are you looking to store one type of white wine, or multiple types? Or even, are you also looking to store red wine and rose wine in the same unit. In this case, a dual-zone, tri-zone or quad-zone unit may be a better option.
Secondly, it’s important to consider where the unit will be positioned, is it in an open or enclosed environment? As mentioned earlier in the article, built-in wine fridges can be positioned in an enclosed space without diminishing airflow, whilst freestanding wine coolers usually have back/side facing vents and so need to be positioned in an open space.
Additionally, size and features are important factors to consider when purchasing a commercial wine cooler. For instance, does the glass door provide UV protection? Certain models come with the ability to lock the unit (to prevent unauthorized access) display shelves, wood/metal wine racks, and dividers that can accommodate a variety of bottles and containers, and so these may be important for you to consider.
You’ll also want to consider aesthetic aspects, like for example do you want a unit with stainless steel or matte-black outer chassis?
Finally, it’s also crucial to consider your budget, and the realistic cost of a commercial wine fridge.
Conclusion
A commercial wine cooler is a great investment for any business which serves wine to their customers, and has the need to hold a large number of wines.
However, it’s important to know your requirements before considering purchasing such a unit, this includes the bottle capacity, type of wine you’re looking to store, wine fridge placement, unique features (USPs), and the warranty.
Once you’ve decided on the type of unit you’re after, read our guide on where to purchase a commercial wine fridge, which we’ve featured here.
We hope you’ve found this article useful, thanks for reading!
