What are the Qualities of the Best Wine Cooler?

Your refrigerator does a great job preserving food but that’s no way to treat a good bottle of wine.

Wine coolers serve a purpose for both wine enthusiasts and people who have a glass every now and then. Or perhaps you’re someone who stocks bottles only for special occasions. Either way, keep your wine stored together and refrigerated in the best wine cooler.

Choosing a wine cooler is important so let’s take a look at what makes a quality wine cooler.

Storage Capacity

How many bottles of wine do you store at one time? It’s ok, no judgment here.

Most residential wine coolers store up to 30 bottles, depending on the bottle size. The different sizes of coolers are capable of storing anywhere from one to 300 bottles.

Consider your current and future needs when selecting the best wine cooler to meet your requirements. You may start with a single bottle and as your palate experiences a variety of wines, you’ll grow your collection. It’s a good idea to select a wine cooler with a storage capacity to hold double the number of wines you have on hand.

Another important consideration when purchasing a wine cooler is the type of wine you buy. The size of wine bottles varies and the typical wine cooler fits the diameter of a Bordeaux-sized bottle. Also, consider your need for bottle standing room.

Compressor vs. Thermoelectric

How much lead time do you need to refrigerate a bottle of wine? Your answer helps to decide between compressor and thermoelectric wine coolers.

Compressor-based wine coolers operate like your typical refrigerator. They cool your bottles of wine quickly, which is great. To make that possible the parts powering a compressor run loud and need to have enough room for ventilation. Essentially, you have to be willing to trade silence for efficiency.

Thermoelectric wine coolers take longer to cool a bottle of wine but you barely notice the unit’s fan. In a thermoelectric wine cooler, warmer environments reduce the refrigeration speed of cooling. The internal temperature of the unit depends on the external temperature of its environment.

You may be wondering how each type of wine achieves its proper temperature when stored together in a wine cooler. Find details about single and double zone wine coolers from the good folks at SnoMaster Wine Coolers; better information than you could find here.

Built-In or Free-Standing

Where are you planning to display your wine cooler? Do you have the need for a portable unit?

Built-in wine coolers are designed to fit alongside cabinetry. Since they’re “built-in,” this kind of wine cooler fits well without much space on either side. If you buy a compressor-based built-in wine cooler, remember to leave enough room for ventilation.

You can buy almost any wine cooler and let it function as free-standing. One nice thing about a free-standing wine cooler is you can place it in a range of locations within or outside your home. You have the option to position it recessed with cabinetry or set it on a countertop.

Whether you want a wine cooler for your kitchen, home bar, or outside patio, there’s a selection of free-standing wine coolers to meet your needs. Where you display your wine cooler helps decide which option is best for you—built-in, free-standing, or portable.

Find the Best Wine Cooler

Now that you can identify the best wine cooler qualities, choosing one should be easier.

Let us know how it goes once you stock your wine bottles in your new wine cooler. Browse around the rest of this section for more lifestyle tips.