A wine cooler is a storage unit that will keep your wine chilled at one constant temperature. This lets you serve chilled wines and other drinks, anytime. You can get the best-tasting wine and can also showcase your collection. Wine coolers play an important role in preserving wine correctly. They preserve its sweet residual and slightly sour acidic taste. Many wine coolers can have different temperature settings and can also produce unpleasant noises. It is important to consider a few factors while buying wine coolers or wine chillers.
Is it Worth Buying a Wine Cooler?
Yes, a wine cooler is a worthy addition to your home living space and bar zone. It’s vital to keep your wine at a cool and ideal temperature for it to taste and age well. The wine cooler offers you the best-preferred solution. You can keep your wines and other beverages inside wine coolers. This is a portable unit that allows you to place it anywhere with ease. It requires low maintenance and presents the best cost-effective way of enjoying chilled wines.
What Are the Different Types of Wine Coolers?
Single or Dual Bottle Wine Cooler
A single or dual bottle wine cooler lets you store one or two bottles. This is your best bet if you are an occasional drinker. This is a compact appliance and offers an aesthetically pleasing way to earn a place in your living room or bar. These units are not perfect for storing a large number of wine bottles.
Inbuilt and Freestanding Wine Chillers
The inbuilt and freestanding wine chillers can store up to 50 bottles at once. They have a large body design and require a lot of space for a convenient setup. You can consider buying this type if you are inserted in hosting wine parties at your home. These wine coolers are great for showcasing your exclusive collection of wines.
What Should I Consider Before Buying Wine Coolers?
Budget
The first thing before any purchase should be the budget. Consider buying a high-end model if you’re a party freak and want to go with fancy chillers. You can prefer wine chillers with less capacity if you’re looking for a small-scale option for personal use. Wine coolers can cost somewhere between USD 170 to USD 500, depending on the size, capacity, built, and controls.
Size and Style
The size of the model increases when the bottle holding capacity increases. A built-in wine chiller offers a seamless and neat look or freestanding models that come with an elegant finish. If you want to go with an antique and traditional look, go for wooden frames. Reviews of hOmeLabs Beverage Refrigerator are positive for its compact size and large space. This refrigerator is ideal for small spaces.
Temperature
The ideal temperature to store all your wine, be it red, white, or rose should be around 7-12 degrees Celsius. There's a temperature setting for every taste whether you prefer your wine chilled or warm. Temperature can be adjusted accordingly to maintain a balanced taste. Make sure to go with a dual temperature zone cooler to store and serve all kinds of wine.
The NutriChef Wine Cooler comes with adjustable temperature control settings that let you change the inside temperature from 41 to 64°farenheit. This model has got good reviews for its storage capacity of 12 bottles.
Noise
Most wine coolers vibrate & create a sound. They produce a humming sound of around 35-45 Db when they work to keep your wine at an optimum temperature. There are some silent coolers too but they are not popular yet. Try to place the cooler away from the mingling zone to avoid the hum.
Energy
You can save extra costs in the near future by considering the electricity usage and wattage consumption of your chiller. Most wine coolers use 100 watts of power. Some variants also allow you to control the temperature without opening the door. This helps you save energy. Choose energy-efficient appliances with a minimum of a 3-star rating to save on electricity bills.
What is the Difference Between a Wine Cooler and a Regular Refrigerator?
A wine refrigerator works on the same principle as a standard refrigerator but differs in humidity, odor, and temperature range. The regular fridge is designed to store perishable food items at an average temperature of 40°F. This temperature is not ideal for your wines. The wine cooler temperature doesn't fall below 46°F.
Another thing is the humidity. The regular refrigerator flows chilled air that drives out the humidity from the cabinet. In wine coolers, humidity plays a crucial role in keeping the cork moist. Wine coolers do not have dry conditions, unlike refrigerators. Refrigerators may also contain odors that directly affect the wine. The odor may not penetrate inside, but the cork will absorb that smell.
Which Brand of Wine Cooler is the Best?
The Koolatron WC20 is the best go-to choice for most wine lovers. It offers advanced features in its wide range of models. The features mainly include digital temperature controls, quiet cooling power, 5 removable shelves, and vibration-free operation.
Kolatron brand offers freestanding models that are attractive and convenient for your living room or bar space. The UV-protected door is great for adding a stylish touch to your bar set-up. It offers customizable interiors with a maximum storage capacity of 20 standard 750 mL wine bottles.
Another reliable brand that you can consider is Kalamera. It offers high-quality and durable wine coolers that come with digital controls and elegant glass doors.
Conclusion
Wine is an all-people drink and it is important to find the perfect wine cooler to preserve it. A wine cooler is the wonder appliance that can add a touch of elegance to your home and drink. Look for models that look attractive with glass doors. You can also consider buying wine glasses and wine decanters to complete your bar set-up.
BestViewsReviews rates and ranks hundreds of best-quality wine cellars on the basis of temperature control, design, and convenience.