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Marshal Tilden III , vice president of sales and wine education at Wine Enthusiast, recommends purchasing a fridge with at least twice the capacity of what you own to allow for growth. And it's not just size that matters, but temperature as well: Consider whether you want a single-temp or a dual-zone model. When researching, we looked for both free-standing and built-in wine fridges that vary in size and capacity, as well as their temperature accuracy, efficiency, and noise level.
“Wine needs to have a consistent storage temperature, and most places in your home cannot provide that,” says Holly Berrigan , founder of MYSA Natural Wine, a subscription club and online shop focused on natural wine. “Actual room temperature is far too warm for red wines, as they should be stored anywhere from 50 to 68 degrees Fahrenheit.” The average cellar temperature is around 55 degrees Fahrenheit, Berrigan says, and white wines and other chilled wines should be kept between 42 and 50 degrees Fahrenheit—a bit warmer than the average temperature of a household refrigerator.
If you’re serious about wine—whether you're a dedicated collector or just a casual imbiber who likes to drink their wine at peak freshness—investing in a wine fridge is essential for keeping your bottles safe, happy, and tasting great.
Sommelier Jamie Trott , who works with specialty importer JP Bourgeois, is partial to VinoTemp single zone wine coolers in particular—and, like Kennedy, the one in his home is kept at a steady 55 degrees Fahrenheit. “I would look at it as a long-term investment, like a bed or office furniture,” he says, noting that he’s had a great experience with his VinoTemp for more reasons than one. “It will [also] have great resale value if you decide to buy something bigger down the road.”
This single-zone wine cooler from VinoTemp is not only striking looking but also boasts several innovative features. The racks allow the labels to face forward, so you can clearly see which bottle is which. And the backlit display offers three options, one of which helps to reduce mold and bacteria. It also holds up to 141 bottles, so it's great for those with a large collection, though this also means it takes up a lot of space.
“In my opinion, lean toward the single-zone coolers because, in reality, you can store everything at about 55 degrees,” Kennedy tells Liquor.com. “Most inexpensive dual-zone coolers, in my experience, end up breaking far sooner than single zones—sometimes, the more parts you have, the more opportunity [there is] to break down. Stick with a single-zone until you get into the 300-bottle range."
It might seem counterintuitive at first, but according to Michael Kennedy , founder of Vin Fraîche and Gagnon-Kennedy Vineyards, investing in a large single-zone wine fridge is a smart idea for those who intend to grow their collections.
Since it has limited storage, it is the ideal wine fridge to store your favorite standard-sized bottles of wine for those special occasions.
It also features an easy-to-use digital temperature display (with a minimum temperature of 40 degrees Fahrenheit and a max of 65 degrees Fahrenheit), six slide-out metal racks, LED lighting to showcase bottles, an integrated lock system, and a reversible door to accommodate both left- and right-handed users.
Small but mighty, EdgeStar’s seven-bottle single-zone wine fridge can live on any surface or tight floor space thanks to its sleek, streamlined design. Plus, the front-facing vent system means the unit can be built in and used as an under-counter fridge.
This wine fridge has a lot of pluses but a couple of drawbacks. It is not energy-efficient. And, if you like larger bottles of wine, this fridge cannot accommodate them.
In other words, if long-term aging is your priority—rather than keeping wines at serving temperature—then a single-temperature fridge will do the job well. Kalamera’s 18-bottle single-zone wine fridge is sleek in design yet highly functional, featuring vibration-reducing advanced cooling technology, smart digital control, a double-pane locking glass door, and six adjustable beech wood shelves that won’t scratch your bottles. The fridge’s minimum temperature is 40 degrees Fahrenheit, with a maximum of 66 degrees Fahrenheit. The front vent also allows you to build it into your counters or keep it as a freestanding fixture.
If your collection consists of mostly reds, then a single-temperature fridge might be your best bet. “Keep in mind that all wine—red, white, sparkling , and fortified—ages properly at the 53 to 57 temperature range,” notes Tilden.
Despite its small size, it packs a punch with features, including compressor cooling technology (allowing you to adjust the temperature between 41 to 64 degrees Fahrenheit), an auto-lock for the sleek-looking door, and a digital control panel to monitor the unit's temperature and interior LED lights. Best of all, the wine fridge keeps your bottles cool while maintaining quiet operation, thanks to a vibration-free system.
For those working with smaller spaces, this compact yet well-constructed wine fridge from NutriChef might just be the perfect solution. It has four chrome wine racks and one bottom-standing rack, accommodating up to 15 standard-size bottles. It clocks in at 17.7 inches long, 13.6 inches wide, and 27.2 inches high, and its freestanding design lets you place the fridge anywhere: kitchen floor, countertop, hallway, etc.
This fridge is quiet and energy efficient, offers LED lighting in the interior, and has a tinted window that lets you see how many wine bottles are currently stored in it. Its features also include removable chrome racks that can hold up to 32 bottles, and unlike other models, this one includes a large bottom rack that can accommodate large bottles of wine.
Wine Enthusiast's 32-Bottle Dual Zone MAX Compressor Wine Cooler hit the spot for best overall because of its many features, along with its affordable price. It has two temperature zones, which can be set between 41-64 degrees Fahrenheit and each zone can be set for the same temperature or a different temperature. Dual-zone fridges are great for storing different types of wines at roughly the temperature at which they'll be consumed (i.e., reds at 55-65 degrees Fahrenheit and whites at 45-55 degrees Fahrenheit). This wine cooler is compact, measuring 17 x 19.5 x 33.5 inches, and while it can't be built-in, it is slim enough to fit just about anywhere.
Final Verdict
Our top pick for most households is Wine Enthuasist's 32-Bottle Dual Zone MAX Compressor Wine Cooler, a freestanding dual-zone option that offers enough capacity without being too overwhelming in size. However, if you have the space for a large wine fridge, go for VinoTemp's 141-Bottle Single-Zone Wine Cellar, a top-of-the-line model for the serious wine collector.
What to Look for When Buying a Wine Fridge
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Purpose and Placement
The nature of your wine collection is the main factor that ought to dictate the type of wine fridge you’ll want to shop for, followed closely by your space’s parameters and personal design preferences. For example, if you have a small kitchen and keep just a few special bottles you’d like to cellar, you’ll want to look into more compact options while also considering whether your wine fridge should live on its own or be built into your cabinetry.
Capacity
How many bottles of wine you want to store at a time in your wine cooler should be a deciding factor, too. The standard-size wine bottle of 750 milliliters (25.3 ounces) is about 12 inches tall and around 3 inches in diameter, but if you like those magnum-size bottles, they will take up more space and you should also allow for that when deciding on the right wine cooler for you. Wine coolers can hold as little as six wine bottles up to several hundred.
Single Zone or Dual Zone
Single-zone wine coolers keep every area of the fridge at the same temperature. But if you are particular about the temperature of your bottles of wine, then you should look at a wine cooler that has dual temperature zones. Having a dual zone, lets you set each section to a different temperature. Most wine connoisseurs prefer their reds to be at just under room temperature, and their white wines colder.
Other Features
More and more models with energy-efficient systems are becoming available, which is also something to consider, as is noise output—generally speaking, going for a quieter option is always a desirable choice, no matter where your wine fridge will live.
For those with extensive and/or expensive collections, factors to consider include locks, alarm systems, multiple temperature zones, etc.
FAQs
Should you put wine in the regular fridge?
The ideal temperature for storing all wines is around the 55-degree Fahrenheit mark, according to our experts—a good bit warmer than your kitchen fridge. There's no harm in popping a bottle into your regular fridge to chill it down before service, but extended storage in the kitchen fridge isn't recommended, as the vibrations can disturb the wine over time.
How long does wine last in the fridge?
When stored properly, e.g. in a wine fridge, unopened wine bottles can be kept for years. If you’re opening a bottle and plan to store the bottle’s remnants in your wine fridge for later, just be sure you’re using a bottle stopper with a strong seal, as most wine fridges store bottles horizontally. (And don’t wait too long to finish the rest of the wine, as it will lose its freshness over the days that follow.) Alternatively, use a system like Coravin to “tap into” your bottles (literally!) and enjoy them for months to come.
How do you put wine into a wine fridge?
In general, wine bottles should always be stored on their sides and not upright. The point of this is to prevent the cork from drying out by maintaining contact between the cork’s surface and the wine inside the bottle. If a cork is allowed to dry out, this means that oxygen will find its way into the bottle, and this is bad news for the wine (oxidation is one of the main culprits in wine spoilage).
What temperature should a wine fridge be?
Classic "cellar temperature" is around 55 degrees Fahrenheit, which is considerably lower than "room temperature." Reds should be stored around this temperature (although, as Berrigan notes, anywhere between 50 and 68 degrees Fahrenheit is a safe zone) and are ideally served in the mid-60 degrees Fahrenheit range. Whites and other chilled wines are best kept between 42 and 50 degrees Fahrenheit, which is warmer than the average temperature of a normal refrigerator—and many of them can be served at this temperature as well, making additional last-minute chilling unnecessary. If you’re working with a single-zone unit, take Tilden’s advice and store any and all bottles between 53 and 57 degrees Fahrenheit, which is the sweet spot for all wines to age gracefully.
Why Trust Liquor.com?
This roundup was edited by Jesse Porter, who always remembers to check on the wines in his wine fridge before going to bed at night, just to make sure they're sleeping soundly.
While wine doesn’t tend to last too long at Céline Bossart’s home, it never hurts to have smart storage. After spending the last seven years as a beverage writer, she’s seen her fair share of wine fridges. She also interviewed a few experts for this piece: Holly Berrigan, founder of MYSA Natural Wine, Marshal Tilden III, vice president of sales and wine education at Wine Enthusiast, and Michael Kennedy, founder of Vin Fraîche and Gagnon-Kennedy Vineyards.
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