We spent over 60 hours looking into and testing wine ice chests,
incorporating hands-on tests with nine of the best ones. We talked with Michele
Thomas, a sommelier, independent wine author, and deals relate at The Greene
Grape in Brooklyn, New York; Eric Asimov, wine faultfinder for The New York
Times (parent organization of Wirecutter); and a few refrigeration and HVAC
pros. I've expounded on apparatuses for the most part for just about six years,
first as a staff author at Reviewed.com and now for Wirecutter, and I've
secured the two small scale ice chests and coolers previously.
Who ought to get this
On the off chance that you
generally have a supply of wine, regardless of how little, and care even a
smidgen about protecting its quality, you ought to consider getting a wine
refrigerator. On the off chance that you purchase wine just on occasion and
dependably complete it, at that point you presumably needn't bother with one.
Wine coolers are double reason: They shield your wine from ruining, and they
let you store a cluster of contains that would some way or another consume
important room in your principle fridge.
Wine is best put away between
50 °F and 60 °F. Presentation to temperatures above or underneath that can harm
wine in just fourteen days (PDF), as indicated by the World Food Logistics
Organization. In the event that you have a little gathering or only a couple of
containers you'd get a kick out of the chance to protect (reds or whites, yet
particularly whites), a wine cooler is a superior place to store it than any
standard refrigerator, wash room, or ledge, since it gives a perfect atmosphere
that those spots can't.
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Indeed, even the best detached
wine coolers are not the tasteful extravagance explanations that the wine put
away in them regularly is.
This guide centers
fundamentally around thermoelectric wine ice chests. We like them since they're
less expensive, calmer, and more proficient than refrigerators with
compressors. They likewise vibrate less and, in light of the fact that they
have a tendency to be littler, they fit effectively into generally homes. The
drawback with thermoelectric refrigerators is that they scarcely work when
encompassing temperatures surpass 80 °F or fall underneath 50 °F, so they truly
must be utilized inside. In the event that you intend to put the refrigerator
some place with noteworthy temperature swings—like a carport or a secured
porch—you ought to get an ice chest with a compressor. This is a similar tech
utilized as a part of customary coolers, and it keeps on directing temperatures
at these extremes.
Notwithstanding their size,
unattached wine refrigerators are more indistinguishable than they are
extraordinary. Yet, according to client audits and our own testing, coolers
with limits of under 24 bottles appear to be better worked, with more
dependable temperature control and less quality issues. This is the reason we
didn't wind up prescribing any of the bigger models we tried. Be that as it
may, even the best unattached wine ice chests are not the tasteful extravagance
articulations that the wine put away in them frequently is. They're manufactured
more like small coolers than top of the line machines, with the same humble
thoughtfulness regarding capacity over shape.
Wine stockpiling nuts and bolts
All wine ought to be put away
between 50 °F and 60 °F, as indicated by the World Food Logistics Organization
(PDF). That is significantly hotter than a standard ice chest, and extensively
cooler than generally pantries. Wine coolers are intended to keep an
unfaltering temperature in that range.
The intermittent variation is
certainly not an enormous reason for concern. On the off chance that there's a
power blackout and your wine spends multi day or two at temperatures over 75
°F, that is insufficient to make off-flavors, protein clouds, or overabundance
carbon dioxide. For that to happen you require delayed introduction of one to a
month for that (PDF). Presentation to 85 °F or higher (like in an auto on a hot
day) is the place you should begin to stress, as harm can happen inside 30
minutes. Solidifying temperatures will likewise harm wine. So don't cool your
wine in the cooler; stash it in the refrigerator on the off chance that you
need to cool it rapidly.
The mix of dull glass bottles
and the shadowy inside of a wine refrigerator keeps another potential issue
under control for a considerable length of time or even years. Bright light can
rashly oxidize wine, turning it dark colored and giving it a stale, sherry-like
taste. In any case, a wine ice chest implies you don't need to stress over that
incident.
You'll additionally need to
keep bottles put away on their side, in a perfect world at a marginally upward
edge (possibly 15°), however the flat retires in essential wine coolers (like
those we tried) do fine and dandy. This keeps the plug wet, keeping it from
drying out, and limits oxidation of the wine.
Maturing is the specialty of
enhancing the nature of specific vintages, and by "certain" we mean
under 2 percent of all wine. Most wine is intended to be expended inside multi
year or two of packaging. In spite of the fact that a wine ice chest is a
decent method to ensure those extraordinary vintages remain in their usual
range of familiarity, it's more about safeguarding—ensuring an essential wine
doesn't ruin or lose its quality inside its concise life expectancy.
We started out through
interviewing a group of experts and reading as plenty as we should about wine
fridges, wine upkeep, and wine garage. Then we made a spreadsheet containing
forty five normally available models and started out narrowing the contenders.
We limited our seek to freestanding, single-area models with capacities among
12 and 36 bottles. (A unmarried-region fridge has one compartment with one
temperature putting, while twin-quarter models have two. “Freestanding” just
approach the fridge has completed sides and doesn’t want to be established.)
these can suit almost anywhere in your home, don’t fee very a great deal, and
offer masses of garage space for most wine drinkers.
We just like the 12- to
36-bottle capability range because it permits you to suit at least one full
case of wine without going over the top in phrases of fee, size, floorspace, or
construct-out requirements. The bottle potential listed for each wine fridge
refers to conventional 750 mL bottles. If you undergo a whole lot of 1½-liter
magnums or oddly fashioned burgundy bottles, you’re in all likelihood going to
have to do away with a shelf to in shape them.
We love wine fridges with
single temperature zones due to the fact they fee less than twin-area fridges,
have large capacities relative to their length, and nevertheless do the whole
thing that a wine refrigerator desires to do. Some human beings are attracted
to dual-sector models because they very own a mixture of reds and whites and
recognize that each fashion has its ideal temperature: 50 °F to fifty five °F
for whites, sixty five °F to 70 °F for reds. But the ones are serving
temperatures. Anywhere between 50 °F and 60 °F is perfectly exceptional for
storing both reds and whites. And if you’re in a pinch you could constantly
hastily cool a wine by using sticking it in the kitchen fridge for a 1/2
of-hour, or heat up by the way of briefly microwaving the substance (yes,
microwaving it).
Inside those limits, here are
the things that separate an excellent wine fridge from all of the relaxation:
Best creation: greater than
whatever, an amazing wine fridge is something you may rely on. The shelves are
sturdy and smooth to put off but now not too flimsy in their manual rails. The
door opens on a easy axis and doesn’t wobble. The gaskets are airtight and the
materials company and secure. The hinge plastic covers does not come loose. So it
comes with four leveling legs and every of it could cover as a minimum a
1/2-inch raise off from the floor. The cope with, if it has one, is securely
bolted to the door, and the window is robust sufficient to withstand the
occasional bump.
Correct thermostat: The
temperature displayed at the thermostat need to be correct, so you recognize
you have got your wine in the right consolation region. It doesn’t want to be
specific, but we’ve visible a few refrigerators be off by using as plenty as
five °F between the display temperature and the real temperature. That’s enough
to fall outdoor the desired range with out you understanding it.
Fits a ramification of bottle
sizes: The fridge can fit a tall riesling bottle in any slot without brushing
up towards the window, and it can healthy a wide magnum bottle without getting
rid of a shelf.
Quiet operation: A wine
refrigerator have to never be louder than a dishwasher or even your kitchen
refrigerator. Maximum fashions we checked out are thermoelectric and certainly
silent. Compressor models are a chunk louder.
Digital thermostat: The
thermostat ought to be virtual and able to be set to precise temperatures. Wine
storage is vital enough which you shouldn’t ought to wager the refrigerator’s
temperature with an unnumbered dial like those you locate in mini fridges.
Neutral design: A wine
refrigerator need to mixture effortlessly into any kitchen, dining room, or
basement. It doesn’t must be a style statement however it additionally
shouldn’t compromise the room’s decor. A number of human beings maintain their fridges
wine out of sight, though it’s nonetheless best to keep away from models with
shiny, garish which finishes and overly flashy light emitting diode
presentations.
Realistic controls: The buttons
have to be responsive. The internal LED mild must close off automatically if
left on. The display LED ought to be dimmable or able to be turned off (that is
frustratingly rare). The manage lock, if it has one, shouldn’t switch on inside
seconds—it need to be set manually, if in any respect.
Usually appropriate consumer
evaluations: a terrific wine refrigerator may have continuously wonderful
consumer evaluations with out a apparent first-rate-manage troubles.
Freestanding fashions tend to have lower common ratings compared with, say,
fridges or dishwashers. Most are made in excessive-quantity factories without
the most robust satisfactory-control standards. We’re not capable to test for
long-time period overall performance, so we took very severely any fashion we
identified amongst online user opinions, or even disregarded considered one of
our pinnacle contenders because of a regular complaint about malfunctioning
temperature controls.
Here are a few matters which
could or might not be vital to you. We didn’t prefer them one manner or the
alternative.
Consistent temperature:
Temperature swings in wine fridges not often exceed two or three tiers in a
solid surroundings. That’s now not big enough to threaten the wine internal.
You best need the refrigerator to hold somewhere in the variety of fifty °F to
60 °F to hold wine healthy. Despite the fact that the fridge continuously
fluctuates some stages up or down, the thermal inertia of the cooled wine will
push back spoilage.
Tinted window: light,
particularly ultraviolet light, is horrific for wine. A darkened window gives
brought protection, but you can keep away from the hassle by means of storing
the refrigerator away from home windows or direct daylight. UV publicity
typically desires to final many months for it to harm wine.
Lock: some wine fridges have
key locks to ward off curious kids or would-be thieves. It’s a pleasing bonus
in case you assume that’ll be a problem, however for the general public it’s
probable now not a challenge.
Cutout for upright bottles: a
few wine refrigerators have a backside rack which could match upright bottles
(beneficial for bubbly wines and beer that’s being elderly). However still wine
ought to be saved horizontally, so we didn’t see a massive advantage to cutouts
aside from aesthetics.
You shouldn’t should spend
greater than $225 for a wine refrigerator that has all or maximum of these
functions. In case you limit the capability to twelve to 18 bottles, a terrific
fridge with everything you want and nothing you don’t will value no more than
$a hundred and eighty. Scaling up in charge will get you larger capacities with
extra fashionable layout additives, inclusive of wooden-completed rolling
shelves.
Once we knew what we have been
seeking out, we had nine of our top contenders shipped to an condominium in
Boston for checking out.
How we examined
Putting a bottle of wine right
into a fridge.
Image: Liam McCabe
We tested every of our 9
contenders with an eye fixed on construct first-rate, storage capability, and
temperature accuracy. Despite the fact that the method become supposed to pick
out the great performers, it became more about revealing the things that a
purchase web page or ground model regularly doesn’t—the ones traumatic little
details or irregularities that add as much as some thing you want to keep away
from. Here’s what we examined:
Production: We examined and in
comparison notes on the general durability and construct exceptional of each
refrigerator. We mentioned the sturdiness of the hinges and home windows, the
strength and use of the leveling legs, the overall “experience” of the
substances, the design of the handle, and the maneuverability of the shelves.
We played around with the racks to see if they got here unfastened from the
rails, and made certain they could assist the weight of a whole lot of wine. We
looked for any manufacturing flaws or dents, and as compared notes on how the
whole thing changed into packaged.
Potential: We made sure every
refrigerator ought to suit the marketed capability. We additionally tested how
nicely they might match 2 unusually shaped bottles: a one and half-liter magnum
bottle and an surprisingly tall and thin 750ml bottle. And we stated whether or
not or no longer the fan or warmness sink at the back of the refrigerator
compromised any internal space.
Thermostat accuracy and
consistency: We set each refrigerator to fifty four °F and used a thermometer
to degree how close it got to the goal over a duration of 75 minutes, noting
any fluctuations over the identical length. We did this twice for every
refrigerator—once for temperatures at the top of the refrigerator, and as soon
as at the lowest. We used this identical records to compare temperature
consistency—how close to the target temperature each fridge stayed.
Noise: We measured how loud
each refrigerator become from a distance of feet, and took observe of any
annoying buzzing or humming noises.
Aesthetics: We made a few basic
judgments approximately the fridge’s basic appearance and design, favoring
those with a dark, impartial appearance that could combination into any
environment. We also looked at the brightness of every unit’s LED
controls—could it be became off or dimmed? What about the interior LED mild?
Controls and simplicity of use:
We checked out how easy and easy the entirety was to function. Have been the
controls simple and responsive? Is there a lock, and, if so, did it activate
routinely? Did the light turn off robotically? How are the temperatures
set—virtual thermostat or dial? Turned into it clean to unpack and
installation?
Before we tested any of the
wine refrigerators we were making plans on making two separate selections: one
massive (28 to 36 bottles) and one small (12 to 18 bottles). We concept this
will satisfy the biggest segment of readers. However trying out found out every
of the bigger gadgets had some fundamental flaw we couldn’t appearance past.
Temperatures had been either way off or didn’t get bloodless sufficient, the
thermostat didn’t allow particular manipulate, the construct satisfactory
become too cheap, or the consumer evaluations found out some apparent
production flaw we couldn’t ignore. Our findings aren't enough to mention
definitively that larger wine refrigerators as an entire are fallacious—however
it's miles concerning that every one the unique models we examined had a few
irredeemable problem.
The Ivation IV-FWCT181B has the
most powerful build exceptional and the most correct temperature performance of
any wine refrigerator we tested. It could suit 18 bottles in its wire
racks—enough to hold 1½ instances of wine—with out growing a completely massive
footprint. The thermostat changed into one of the most correct we examined. It
operates in close to silence, and has one of the most stylish and
straightforward designs we’ve seen for a wine fridge this length. Its controls are
sensible and smooth to use, with a digital thermostat and an internal LED that
shuts off on its very own after a couple of minutes. And it additionally has
consistently superb user reviews, that means it’s no longer possibly to purpose
complications in the end.
We had no proceedings
approximately the general build nice of the FWCT181B IV Ivation. The followed
hinges are very tight and maintain the door on an easy swivel. The materials
are strong and show no signal of wear and tear after transport. The
smoked-glass window is thick and allows hold out unfavourable UV mild. Every of
the four leveling legs is secure and able to balance the gadget on any uneven
surfaces. And the fridge has a integrated, recessed manage that doesn’t stick
out and consume extra area than it needs to. An optional door lock is available
for a further $10.
A GIF of a Wirecutter tester
pulling out a shelf inside the Ivation wine fridge, which wobbles a bit as it
comes out.
The technology’s shelving is
perhaps more unsure than we’d like.
The tech holds about 18
popular-size bottles wine, that is quite plenty for a fridge this cheap and
compact. As with all but one of the models we tested, you’ll need to get rid of
one of the shelves to match a 1½-liter magnum bottle. It's going to match a
tall riesling bottle, too.
We located the Ivation’s
thermostat to be the various maximum correct and constant we tested. In the top
1/2 of the refrigerator, temperatures hovered within 1 °F of the target fifty
four °F for most of the 75-minute test duration—closer and greater constant
than any other version we examined. The second one test, measuring the lowest
of the fridge, turned into much less correct, with temperatures falling three
ranges or extra underneath the goal. We’re now not too involved about this
because it's miles nevertheless in the suited temperature range for storing
wine (besides which, it had already started to accurate itself towards the give
up of the test length). We’d as a substitute have a fridge which can get decrease
than the target temperature than one that fails to attain it in any respect—a
problem we had with the NewAir AW-281E classic 28 Bottle Wine Cooler and Bottle
Cooler Wine.
A wine refrigerator with a
barely reflective door sitting at the ground.
Like maximum thermoelectric
wine refrigerators, the device is in reality silent, with most effective a
faintly audible hum in case you’re standing right next to it. (It’s so quiet
that our decibel meter couldn’t get a reading.) We absolutely like the manner
it appears, too—a piece just like the monolith from 2001: A space Odyssey. It’s
got a graceful black end with a easy four-button manage panel: up/down arrows
for putting the temperature, an on/off button to govern the interior LED mild,
and a lock to freeze all the settings. That’s sincerely all you need. The
indoors light routinely shuts off after 10 minutes to preserve light to a
minimal—something we haven’t seen another wine refrigerator do. It’s a nice
contact for forgetful humans worried about an excessive amount of mild
exposure.
The Ivation has pretty strong
reviews on Amazon, although we want it have been available at some different
shops. It presently holds a median score of four stars (out of 5), throughout
109 person evaluations, with seventy seven percentage giving it as a minimum 4
stars. That’s quite proper for a wine fridge and actually no longer low enough
to raise concerns about viable first-class-control issues.
Like several but one of the
wine refrigerators we tested, the Ivation calls for you to take away one of the
shelves to easily in shape a magnum bottle. We also had a few problem fitting
our more-tall bottle within the center of the center racks—wherein the warmth
sink juts out into the fridge’s interior. The bottle nevertheless healthy,
however only through jamming it in opposition to the door glass.
The thermostat is a shiny blue
LED that you may’t dim or flip off. In case you plan on setting the
refrigerator in a dimly lit room, like a candlelit dining room, this might be
disturbing. But don’t assume every other version to serve you higher; of all
the wine fridges we examined, only the 2 Magic Chef gadgets had dimmer
thermostat LEDs, or even those couldn't be grew to become off completely.
The wire shelf racks feel a bit
loose inside the guide rails whilst you pull them out (like you'll in case you
need to investigate all of the bottles on one shelf), but no longer unfastened
sufficient to threaten the steadiness of the bottles saved on them—just be
cautious not to yank a full shelf out too fast. Maximum of the wine fridges we
tested have the identical rack layout, as they’re all probable made inside the
identical factory in China.
If you’d decide upon some thing
a piece smaller and a chunk inexpensive, the Magic 12 Bottle Chef Countertop Cooler
Wine gives the identical great construction and temperature performance as our
pinnacle pick out in a 12-bottle capacity. It’s big sufficient to healthy a
complete case of wine, but nevertheless small enough to suit on a countertop or
the floor of a closet. Temperatures have been, again, the various maximum
constant and correct we tested. It operates in virtual silence, with most effective
a very dull hum, and its design is further modest, prone to blend in anywhere.
The controls are realistic and smooth to apply, with a easy on/off LED transfer
and digital controls. And its consumer opinions are solidly superb without any
clear satisfactory-control troubles.
The Magic Chef seems loads like
our top pick, and it feels each bit as robust and nicely-built. The window
feels strong and capable of take the occasional bump, and the reflective tinted
glass provides a nice aesthetic detail we haven’t seen in different fridges. It
has 4 leveling legs which can regulate as an awful lot as 1/2 an inch. The
hinges are clean, and feature a shielding cowl. And the twine shelves feel a
bit more at ease whilst pulled out completely. It’s also got the equal
built-in, recessed handle that continues its footprint to a minimum.
A GIF of the Magic Chef Cooler
in use, with a tester having hassle fitting a magnum wine bottle in the
shelves.
You’ll have problem becoming a
magnum wine bottle in any freestanding wine fridge. Video: Liam McCabe
The MCWC12B will match 12
fashionable-size wine bottles. As with all the other refrigerators, you’ll want
to cast off one of the shelves to suit a 1½-liter magnum, but the warmth sink
inside the lower back takes up less space, so you can easily healthy a tall
riesling bottle. It’s no longer a totally huge wine fridge—about 1½ ft tall and
a little over a foot wide—which means you may effortlessly stash it in a closet
or pantry, or on a countertop.
The MCWC12B confirmed correct
and steady temperature performance. In our first test, at the top of the
fridge, the internal temperatures have been always within 1.Five °F of the
temperature set on the thermostat (fifty four °F). The second check, at the
lowest of the fridge, showed a barely wider hole, with our thermometer usually
inside 2 °F of the thermostat.
A study the Magic Chef wine
fridge's controls.
The Magic Chef has an on/off
light transfer and two temperature controls. Image: Liam McCabe
Like our pinnacle pick, the
Magic Chef is nearly silent. We recorded a decibel (dBA) reading of 35.2, that
is a chunk louder than a whisper. However, we observed a faint humming sound
that, though quiet, changed into greater audible than that of maximum
refrigerators. It can be unique to this man or woman device, or it can be a
manufacturing quirk. Both way, it’s not loud enough to discourage our
recommendation.
The MCWC12B has a sleek black
finish to be able to combo in nearly everywhere. We really favored that this
model’s LED light is dimmer than the ones of all the other wine fridges we
examined, except for the larger 28-bottle Magic Chef. The MCWC12B has the same
typical operation as our pinnacle select, with simply buttons for placing
the thermostat temperature, and an on/off transfer for the indoors LED. Easy.
Truthful.
We found always high quality
user reviews throughout Amazon, domestic Depot, and first-class buy. On
domestic Depot this refrigerator has a mean score of 4.5 stars (out of 5),
across sixty seven consumer opinions. On Amazon it has a comparable score of
4.Three stars throughout sixty three evaluations. We couldn’t find any trend
within the opinions pointing to a common manufacturing flaw or
pleasant-manipulate trouble.
Our only proceedings
approximately the Magic Chef MCWC12B follow similarly to quite lots every other
wine refrigerator we examined: it can’t fit a magnum without disposing of a
shelf, and you could’t turn off that worrying thermostat LED. It also lacks a
door lock, making your series less comfy against might-be thieves and nosy
children. Those are little quirks that, although traumatic, are not sufficient
to turn us off altogether.
The opposition
Danby 37 Bottles storage Cooler
Wine: The most effective compressor version we examined, the Danby is big (33
bottles) and poorly built (one of the leveling legs turned into busted and bent
into the socket on arrival), and it had bad temperature performance. It doesn’t
permit manual temperature manipulate—it has simplest a dial, like on a mini
refrigerator. You ought to have more manipulate with a wine refrigerator’s
temperatures than you will with a mini refrigerator, especially at this rate.
NewAir AW-281E conventional 28
Bottle Wine Cooler: The NewAir should slightly match an oversized (tall) wine
bottle, and couldn't in shape it in any respect in the middle of the device
(where the rear fan is located). Tall bottles brushed up towards the glass, and
it failed to ever get inside two tiers of the set temperature. It is one of the
loudest gadgets we tested and it arrived with a unfastened hinge cowl. It
failed to reach lower than 57 °F on the lowest placing, and the leveling legs
didn’t permit for an entire lot of adjustment.
Whynter SNO 28 Bottle Wine
Cooler (WC-28S): The show temperature was widely erroneous: at one factor it
stated 55 °F when it was simply 64 °F, and it did not ever attain decrease than
fifty nine °F on the bottom putting. We had been additionally grew to become
off with the aid of the ugly grey metal finish.
This one clearly executed very
well. It has a higher construct quality than most; it has comfy hinges, a
decent gasket, and robust leveling legs. It’s big sufficient to healthy two
instances with out taking up too much space. It has a barely dimmer temperature
show than maximum, and it brought the maximum accurate and steady temperature
performance of any fridge we tested. It’s also pretty priced. However, we found
some evident exceptional-manage troubles referred to in its reviews on Amazon.
It currently has a mean 3.2 stars (out of 5), with plenty of very latest
one-superstar evaluations complaining about inaccurate temperature controls and
faulty settings. That is a not unusual sufficient hassle that we needed to push
aside it.
Whynter SNO sixteen Bottle Wine
Cooler (WC-16S): that is the simplest refrigerator we examined which could
match a magnum bottle with out you wanting to remove a shelf—however even then,
it fit handiest at the top shelf. However, this model’s temperature overall
performance changed into quite vulnerable. Although you may set it to a
decrease show temperature (fifty two °F) than maximum of the thermoelectric
units we tested, its actual temperatures had been all over the area. At one
point it read 53 °F when I’d set it to fifty four°F, but at the same time the
inner fridge thermometer stated it become 57.9 °F. It’s additionally a unusual
form and length—a chunk small to position on the floor however a bit massive
for a countertop.
Avanti EWC1201 12 Bottle
Counter top Wine Cooler: you can set the Avanti as low as forty eight °F, and
it truly managed to get right down to 49 °F, that's spectacular for a thermoelectric
unit, however now not in reality essential. We had been in most cases grew to
become off by its layout and questionable availability. It has a absolutely
fussy manage panel that automatically locks after just 15 minutes. You have to
maintain down two buttons for three seconds to unlock it. It’s pretty
traumatic. This model additionally has a weird digital laminate published over
the temperature show that obscures its visibility.
NewAir AW-181E 18 Bottle Wine
Cooler: This NewAir 18-bottle version’s temperature performance changed into
pretty proper, but we could slightly healthy a tall wine bottle interior (and
the bottle did not healthy at all in the racks in the front of the fan). The
leveling legs didn’t do an awful lot, and user reviews on Amazon display a few
concerns approximately long-term reliability.
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