wine cooler review Archives

Best Wine Coolers at 18 Inches Wide

Many people in the market to buy a new wine cooler already have a specific spot in the kitchen in mind where they want to put it. They are often looking for a wine cooler with an exact size to match the space available in their home. Often they’re interested in finding a mini wine fridge that will fit in a space no more than 18 inches wide. Several companies have models meeting this specification, so let’s compare a few of the best wine coolers of 18 inches wide size in this review.

The three models we’ll look at today are the Danby DWC032A2BDB 36 Bottle Wine Cooler, the Whynter WC28S SNO 28 Bottle Wine Cooler, and the Kalamera KR-28AJP 28 Bottle Wine Cooler.

Danby DWC032A2BDB 36 Bottle Wine Cooler

The Danby DWC032A2BDB model has the largest capacity of the three wine coolers that we’re going to compare. It has 8 shelves stacked up vertically, with each one able to hold 4 standard-sized Bordeaux wine bottles. Obviously this also makes it slightly taller than the other two models, so if your vertical space is restricted, this might not be the one to consider.

As could be expected with the slightly larger size, this wine cooler is also the most expensive of the three. (Check the current selling price on Amazon)

As for looks, this one comes in a choice of black or stainless steel. I’m a bit partial to the black color version. I think it looks a little more slick. It’s lit inside by a cool blue LED light and has a darkened glass door. The door has handles on both the left and right sides, which allows you to fix the hinge to the side of your choice. This is kind of a handy feature when you consider that fitting the wine cooler into a tight area might require either a door that swings either to the left or the right.

This Danby wine fridge is a compressor cooling unit. This means it will be able to cool down as low as 43°F (6°C) with no trouble. The highest temperature it will allow while running is going to be around 55°F (13°C). As a compressor model, it’s also going to be able to hold a steady temperature, without fluctuations. On the downside, the temperature control is a simple dial. So it will require a little extra work on your part to find the exact dial setting needed for the temperature you desire. This will also require you to use your own thermometer. On the bright side, once you find the temp you want, this little wine fridge will hold it reliably.

It should be noted, though, that there can be a difference of about 5 degrees F from the top shelf to the bottom shelf, with the bottom getting cooler than the top. Therefore, if you’re storing both red and white wines, you might want to keep the whites on the lowest shelves.

Another potential issue with this wine fridge is that the highest temperature setting may be too cool for some wine collectors. Although it can be a good temperature for wine storage and aging, it’s going to be slightly cooler than an ideal red wine serving temperature. So if you decide to buy this unit, keep in mind that you might want to remove a bottle of red wine 20 minutes or so before you plan on serving it depending on the variety.

Pros

Powerful compressor cooling ability
36 bottle storage
Looks good
Good value for this size and performance
Consistent temperature once set

Cons

Basic temperature dial
Top shelf to bottom shelf temperature difference
Highest temperature might be too cool for some

Whynter WC28S SNO 28 Bottle Wine Cooler

Next, let’s look at the Whynter WC28S SNO Wine Cooler with 28 bottle capacity. This one is a solid-state thermoelectric cooling model. It has precise digital temperature control shown with an LCD display. The available temperature range is going to be warmer than the Danby compressor fridge model. In this case, 52°F to 65°F will be possible. This makes it a good wine cooler for anyone who wants to keep bottles of red wine at drinking temperature.

This Whynter wine cooler features a platinum finish and towel-bar door handle, although it’s actually a platinum colored plastic. Depending on your personal taste, you may prefer the appearance of this model over a black one.

As a freestanding thermoelectric cooler, some clearance will be required. In particular, you’d want to make sure it has several inches of empty space in back in order for the cooling to work effectively. You might have to actually keep it a full foot from the wall to get the best results. The depth without the handle is 20.5 inches, however, the interior depth may not be adequate for tall bottles such as Riesling.

Thermoelectric coolers are always going to be limited in their cooling ability due to the ambient temperature of the room. They’re usually limited to cooling no more than 25 degrees F below room temp. So if you live in a hot climate or don’t have air conditioning in your home, keep this in mind.

Pros

Digital temperature setting
52°F – 65°F range
Affordable price
Door lock with 2 keys

Cons

Limited low range of thermoelectric cooling
Plastic door handle can look cheap

Kalamera KR-28AJP 28 Bottle Wine Cooler

The Kalamera KR-28AJP 28 Bottle Wine Cooler is another thermoelectric model. The digital temperature control can be set to a range of 54°F to 66°F. As with all thermo-coolers, your environment may limit the actual lowest temp that is achievable.

As for appearances, this model has a simple black exterior. It should look good in anyone’s home.

Although it has identical capacity and similar features to the Whynter model, this Kalamera cooler is the less-expensive of the two. (Check the current selling price on Amazon)

Pros

Good value
Simple, clean styling
Digital temperature control

Cons

Limited low range of thermoelectric cooling

Buying Recommendation

My recommendation for the best 18-inch wide wine cooler to buy is going to depend on your needs and intended use. If you want strong cooling power that is pretty much guaranteed to never fluctuate, then by all means go with the Danby compressor model. However, if your goal is to simply keep red wine stored at a good temperature, ready for drinking at a moment’s notice, and if you’ll be keeping the unit in an area without wide temperature swings (such as an air-conditioned apartment), then I’d recommend a thermoelectric model. Of these two, I like the Kalamera cooler the best. Not only does it look more sharp (in my opinion), but it is also the better value.

If your avialable space is slightly more limited, check out these 15-inch wine coolers.

What’s the Best 15-Inch Wide Wine Fridge? – Wine Cooler Reviews

best-15-inches-wide-wine-cooler

Looking for the best wine fridge to fit into a 15-inch wide space under your counter top? Let’s review all the top 15-inch width wine cooler models.

Often it’s easy to narrow down your home appliance choices simply based on the amount of room you have available. A wine fridge is a great addition to any kitchen, especially when you install a built-in model under your counter top to fit seamlessly with your cabinets. When remodeling your kitchen, you might decide to remove an old trash compactor unit, for example, and find yourself left with exactly 15 inches of horizontal space to fill. Naturally you’re only going to focus on the wine refrigerators that fit to your specific size requirements.

Luckily for you, fifteen inches is a popular size for wine fridge manufacturers to use, and there are a number of quality models available. These range in capacity from 23-30 bottles and include both single-zone and dual-zone configurations.

(If you’ve got slightly more space, check out these 18-inch wine fridges.)

The 6 models that we’ll review here all belong to the compressor cooling technology group of wine coolers. As opposed to thermoelectric coolers, these compressor models can reliably chill down to temperatures as low as 40 degrees F without any risk of fluctuations due to increases in ambient room temperature.

Powerful cooling doesn’t exactly come cheap. It’s worth a small investment for something you can trust your precious wine collection to. The least expensive of these models comes in at just under $600, and the priciest is a bit over $900. Is the most expensive one worth the extra $300? Or would you be better off going with the cheapest of these 15-inch wide options? Let’s look at these 6 cooling units in detail so that you’re informed and better equipped to make a purchasing decision.

Allavino VSWR30-2SSRN 30 Bottle Dual-Zone Wine Refrigerator w/ Towel Bar Handle

Allavino VSWR30-2SSRN 30 Bottle Dual-Zone Wine Refrigerator w_ Towel Bar Handle

Product Details

Allavino gives us the most expensive of the 15-inch wide wine fridges, but it’s also possibly the most attractive of the lot. It features a 30 bottle capacity with special shelving that is designed to achieve this amount of storage while accommodating a wide range of wine bottle shapes. Only larger Pinot Noir and Champagne bottles are going to cause you to lose out on storage capacity.

Dual-zone cooling compartments allow temperature ranges of 41-60 degrees Fahrenheit for the upper zone and 45-64 degrees Fahrenheit for the lower zone. Unlike some other dual-zone coolers, the two zones can’t be set to the same temperature in this model. Rather the lower zone must be at least 4 degrees warmer.

Aesthetically, the Allavino looks good in stainless steel with a towel bar style handle. To be perfectly honest, all of the wine fridge models that we’re looking at here have a similar appearance with stainless steel and black exteriors to be par for the course. It’s mostly the style of the handle and details of the shelving that set them apart from each other.

The main advantage of this model is the flexibility of bottle shapes and sizes that the shelving can accommodate without sacrificing storage capacity. On the other hand, the fact that the lower temperature zone must be set warmer than the top zone can prove limiting. This is especially true when you consider that the shelf intended to hold champagne sized bottles is in the bottom zone. One would think that you’d want to chill these to a cooler temperature, so I would call this a major design flaw that could probably have been avoided with a little bit more thought.

allavino-wine-fridge-details

allavino-wine-cooler-different-bottles

Pros and Cons

Accommodates many bottle shapes/sizes
Stylish handle
Dual-zone cooling
Lower zone must be warmer than upper zone
Most expensive model

Avallon 23 Bottle 15″ Dual Zone Built-In Wine Cooler

avallon-wine-cooler

Product Details

The Avallon 15-inch wide dual-zone cooler is also a bit more on the expensive side. You can see from the construction of the shelving where some of the extra cost is factored in. The wooden shelves have stainless steel trim and smoothly roll out supported by telescoping braces.

The manufacturer only claims that it has a 23 bottle capacity. This is the smallest amount of all of the models here, but in fairness some of the other wine fridges can only get their advertised 30 bottle capacity when using all regular Bordeaux shaped wine bottles.

The upper cooling zone has a temperature range of 54 – 65°F, while the lower zone can be set to 40 – 54°F. This configuration makes a little bit more sense than the Allavino unit because the lowest shelf, which can accommodate wider bottles, is in the cooler zone, where you’d naturally store champagne. And if you are the type to drink only reds, you can still set both zones at the same temperature of 54 degrees.

If you want the two zones set to different temperatures, then keep in mind that the upper (red wine) zone can only hold a maximum 8 bottles.

avalon-wine-refrigerator-shelf-detail

Pros and Cons

Available in Left or Right hinge model variations
Smallest capacity at 23 bottles max
Dual-zone cooling
Roll-out stainless steel trimmed wooden shelves
Upper zone 54 – 65°F, lower zone 40 – 54°F

EdgeStar 30 Bottle Stainless Steel Built-In Wine Cooler

Product Details

This is the first single-zone cooler that we’ll look at. These are generally nice to have if you’re the type of person who predominantly drinks only red or white wine, but usually not both.

The temperature can be set within a range of 40-65 degrees F. With this model, though, you will usually need to set the temperature to 2 degrees lower than the actual temperature you want to achieve or it will never get down that low. This seems to me to be an engineering flaw. If the device consistently fails to reach the desired temperature then the manufacturer should have calibrated the difference into the temperature controls to eliminate confusion.

This is the lest expensive of the six models that we’re looking at. The wooden shelves simply slide out, rather than rolling out like on the Avallon model. If you have any wider than normal bottles, you’ll need to remove shelves to accommodate them, and this will reduce the fridges total capacity. If you’re not using all standard Bordeaux bottles then 26 would probably be a more realistic capacity, assuming none of the bottles are wide enough to warrant removing a shelf.

The bigger issue is with the quality of the product. Some users have reported that the compressor begins to fail after 8-12 months of use. Repairing it typically entails a bill nearly equal to the price of the fridge. So remember that when you buy the cheapest model, you’re not always getting the best value. If it needs replacing after a year, then it suddenly becomes the most expensive model in relative terms.

EdgeStar 30 Bottle Stainless Steel Built-In Wine Cooler-door-open

Pros and Cons

Can run noisy
Single-zone cooling
30 Bottle capacity
Least expensive model
Compressor durability issues

EdgeStar Dual-Zone Stainless Steel Built-In Wine Cooler

Product Details

EdgeStar has a second wine cooler model that fits the same 15-inch wide size category. The main difference between this one and the previous model is the dual-zone cooling configuration. Two separate refrigeration compartments allow you to chill various wines to different temperatures. The obvious use for this type of model is in order to cool red wines to a modest 54-65 degrees F while chilling white wines down to the 40-54 degrees F range.

The ability to control temperatures in two different cooling zones comes with a small price to pay. The overall cost of the unit comes out to approximately $100 more expensive than EdgeStar’s single-zone model. In addition to this, the divider between the two cooling zones takes up the same height as one row of shelving. This leaves you with space for six fewer bottles, so that the total maximum capacity is 26 standard sized wine bottles compared to 30 bottles in the single-zone model.

edgestar-wine-cooler-shelf-detail

One limitation of this model when compared to other dual-zone wine fridges is the relatively small capacity of the upper storage zone. The configuration of this EdgeStar dual-zone fridge is such that the upper zone can hold a maximum 8 bottles, and that may be generous. Five bottles in the upper zone is more likely based on the design.

If you tend to drink white wine more frequently, then this might work out well for you. But many wine collectors will feel that this model doesn’t provide ample space for their red wine.

Pros and Cons

Runs on the louder side
Reversible door
Dual-zone cooling
8 bottle upper zone, 18 bottle lower zone
More expensive than the single-zone model

Kalamera 15″ Wide 30 Bottle Built-In Wine Cooler

Kalamera 15" Wide 30 Bottle Built-In Wine Cooler

Product Details

Kalamera makes a number of great wine refrigerators, and this 15-inch wide model with a 30 bottle capacity is no exception. Like the others here, this unit features a stainless steel and black exterior look. Inside, we have 6 slide-out beech wood shelves. There’s a bit of extra space on the bottom row for wider bottles if you choose.

The shelves seem a little lightweight, but the overall operation of this wine fridge is quite reliable.

Like many wine refrigerators, you are only going to reach the maximum bottle capacity under ideal conditions—using all standard sized Bordeaux shaped bottles. Using bottles with a mix of shapes and sizes will cause you to fall short of the 30 bottle maximum, but you should still have enough space in this unit for a modest collection. The fact that this is a single-zone cooler means you get a little extra space too.

One really helpful feature of this model is a temperature memory function. This means that, in the case of a power outage, the wine fridge can return to the temperature you had it set to rather than a default temperature. With many other wine fridges, people have run into trouble because the fridge defaults to a factory-set temperature after a brief power outage rather than the cooler temperature that the owner had it set to. In some cases it has caused people’s wine collections to get ruined. But you won’t have that problem with this Kalamera model.

kalamera-15-inch-wide-wine-fridge-door-open

kalamera-15-inches-width-wine-cooler-shelving-detail

Pros and Cons

Temperature memory protects wine after a power outage
Single-zone cooling
30 bottle max capacity
Reliable cooling
Slide-out wooden shelves slightly flimsy

NewAir AWR-290DB 29 Bottle Compressor Wine Cooler

Product Details

The last model that we’ll look at is another dual-zone cooler. In this case, NewAir has put the section intended for white wine on the top. The upper section can be set to 40-50 degrees Fahrenheit. It can hold a maximum of 10 bottles with 5 on each of two shelves. The nice thing about the design of this model is that there is extra space above the top shelf, so that it would be able to accommodate wide bottles for Champagne or Chardonnay, etc.

Meanwhile, the lower section can be set to 50-66 degrees Fahrenheit. It is a little larger with regular sized selves and a third shelf on the bottom with enough vertical space to stack up two rows of bottles on top of each other. You could also use this lowest shelf for wide Pinot Noir bottles, etc. At most, you could fit about 19 bottles in the lower zone.

I think this configuration is one of the best in a dual-zone wine fridge as it gives more space for your red wines, which you’d typically want to collect more of.

newair-wine-fridge-in-kitchen

Pros and Cons

Dual-zone cooling
Most logical dual-zone arrangement
Least expensive dual-zone model
Reliable compressor
Runs very quietly

Summary

My overall recommendation depends on whether you want a single-zone or dual-zone cooler. If you’re in the market for a single-zone wine fridge, then I recommend buying the Kalamera 15″ Wine Cooler. It’s attractive, reliable, and rather affordable at under $600 currently.

If you’re looking for a dual-zone cooler, I think the best value is with the NewAir AWR-290DB Wine Cooler. Not only is it the least expensive of the dual-zone coolers, but it also runs quietly and reliably, and the two cooling zones are arranged in the most logical manner.

On the other hand, if you want something a little more fancy looking, the Avallon Dual-Zone Wine Cooler has slick roll-out shelves with stainless steel trimming. If the relatively small red wine zone is not an issue for you, then you just have to determine if the extra cost for the fancier shelves is worth it to you.

NutriChef 12 Bottle Thermoelectric Wine Cooler

In today’s wine fridge review we’ll check out the NutriChef 12 Bottle Thermoelectric Wine Cooler. This a modest sized thermoelectric style cooler that will work as either a freestanding or countertop unit. It has a lot of great features and is a popular buy at the moment, so let’s dive right into the details to see if this might be the right wine cooler for you.

Product Details

Let’s start by looking at the size. This wine cooler is 9.9 inches wide, 19.7 inches deep, and 25 inches tall. This means it doesn’t take up a whole lot of horizontal space, whether on your countertop or free-standing on the floor. Remember that you’ll want to have a bit of buffer room between the rear of the fridge and the wall in order to get the most effective cooling from the thermoelectric unit.

This model has precise digital temperature control. Unlike some models, the controls are on the exterior so there is no need to open the door and let cool air escape if you want to adjust the temperature.

The 12 bottle capacity is achieved with 8 bottles positioned horizontally on racks and 4 bottles standing upright. This configuration makes it a little easier to store the occasional odd-shaped bottle. It also allows you to easily keep opened bottles cool.

The manufacturer backs their product with a one-year warranty. This is always a good sign because it allows you to buy with confidence.

Pros and Cons

You can adjust the temperature between a range of 50-64° Fahrenheit (10-18°C). So long as you don’t allow the ambient room temperature in your home float up above 75 degrees you can expect this unit to reliably cool down to whichever temperature you choose in this range. This will allow you to keep wine at the optimal temperature for long-term storage. You can also keep your red wines at your preferred ready-to-drink temperature. Furthermore, the cooling power is effective enough to even keep full-bodied white wines, such as Chardonnay, at a good serving temperature.

This model looks great with a genuine stainless steel door and interior LED lighting. Some coolers made by other brands go a little cheap by using metallic colored plastic on the door and handle instead of real stainless steel like we have here.

The fan runs quietly enough that you’ll probably never notice it. And the temperature inside really holds nicely and doesn’t jump around. This is the whole point with getting a wine cooler fridge in the first place, so this is really a strong point.

The only real downside I can see for this model is that it might not be large enough for some potential buyers. This really will depend on you and your wine-drinking habits.

If you are the type who collects a few bottles here and there, buys a few bottles when you visit the supermarket, but also tends to drink a couple bottles per week, then a 12-bottle capacity cooler will probably be plenty.

If you think you might want a little more space, NutriChef also makes an 18-Bottle Wine Cooler that is worth checking out. Aside from the larger capacity, the main difference with the 18-bottle model is that all of the bottles sit inside laying horizontally.

Buying Recommendation

Obviously, if you want a large wine fridge or a dual-zone cooler than this isn’t the one for you. Otherwise, if you are looking for a super-dependable wine cooler with a 12 bottle capacity, this one should do the trick.

This is also a great wine cooler if you’re shopping for a gift for either the holidays or someone’s birthday. It’s not so expensive as to break your budget, and yet they’ll be very impressed with its looks and functioning. Also, the size really fits into that sweet spot where it doesn’t seem like you’re just getting the smallest or cheapest cooler and yet it isn’t so large that they would have trouble finding a place to put it in their kitchen or living room.

Wine Enthusiast 21-Bottle Dual-Zone Curved-Door Wine Cooler

I’m really liking the Wine Enthusiast 21-Bottle Dual-Zone Curved-Door Wine Cooler. Today I’m going to review this model, looking at the features that distinguish it from competing products, the pros and cons of this unit, and finally give you my recommendation as an item to consider purchasing or not.

Product Features

First of all, I’d generally categorize this cooler as a highly versatile medium-sized wine fridge. It has a maximum capacity of 21 regular sized wine bottles, which probably puts it in the smaller range for medium-sized coolers. It’s versatile due to different shelving options and the dual cooling zones, which allow for wine to be stored at different temperatures.

This model uses solid-state thermoelectric cooling technology. The upper zone can be set to 46-65 degrees F, while the lower zone can be set to 52-65 degrees F.

The top zone holds 2 racks of 3 bottles each for a total of 6 bottles. The lower cooling zone has 2 different shelf configurations. For maximum capacity, you can use the normal horizontal racks to create 5 standard rows of 3 bottles. This would make 15 bottles in the bottom and 21 bottles total for the entire cooler.

The other option is to use the special standing rack for the 4 lowest rows. With this rack, 4 bottles can be stored on their sides and another 4 bottles can stand upright. In this configuration, the fridge can hold a total of 17 bottles. While the total capacity is reduced, this allows for the storage of odd shaped bottles and also bottles that have been opened already.

There are independent digital temperature controls for each cooling zone. Interior blue LED lights, a smooth black exterior, and curved front doors all contribute to give it a highly modern look.

Pros and Cons

One of the strong points for this cooler is obviously the ability to adjust the interior of the bottom zone to a configuration that suits your needs. For many wine drinkers a capacity of 17-21 bottles is more than enough to keep them happy. Tall bottles such as German Rieslings and wide bottles such as Pinot Noir can be accommodated when not using the maximum capacity setup. Also, when in the max capacity configuration you can easily fit 21 standard sized bottles without having to stuff them in ridiculously.

If you’re worried about the effects of low humidity for long-term storage, there is a water tray you can fill to add moisture to the cooler’s interior air.

Temperature controls are straight-forward and easy to use. And the actual cooling power is reliable.

The fans can sometimes make a bit of noise, but nothing to really complain about. As with all thermoelectric coolers, ambient room temperature and placement of the unit will have an effect on the maximum cooling achievable. If the air temperature in your home is 75 degrees, nothing you do will be able to help a thermoelectric cooler chill your wine below 50 F.

Buying Recommendation

I highly recommend this model if you’re looking for a reliable dual-zone cooler and don’t require super large capacity. A very serious wine collector might find the 21 bottle maximum capacity to be less than they need. But I think many individuals will find it to be more than plenty of space, especially if you’re the type to replace bottles at the same rate that you drink them.

On the other hand, for the type of person who drinks red wine exclusively, there isn’t any particular need for a dual-zone cooler, and you may be better of choosing one of the single-zone cooler models. If, however, you quite like the appearance of this Wine Enthusiast curved door cooler, you can always simply set the temperature for both zones to a suitable setting for red wines.

Igloo 6-Bottle Wine Cooler Review

In today’s review, we’re gong to look at the highly-popular Igloo 6-Bottle Wine Cooler. This is a nifty little countertop model that looks slick, gets tons of positive reviews, and has the backing of a well-known appliance brand.

If you happen to be reading this and it’s still before the holidays, you also might want to consider this small wine cellar as a potential gift for those on your Christmas shopping list.

Product Details

Igloo makes wine refrigerators in a number of sizes, but this particular model is built for 6 bottles and sized to fit on your countertop. The arrangement is 3 vertical rows of 2 bottles each, which is a logical design that minimizes the appliance’s footprint.

It features a double-layer glass door, black exterior, interior LED light, and wire shelving. The cooling is accomplished with a thermoelectric cooling unit, which is most typical for wine coolers in this size range. The temperature can be adjusted to a range of about 46 to 64 degrees F.

Pros and Cons

Igloo’s 6-Bottle cooler has a sleek, modern black design and looks great in any kitchen. The size is perfect for someone who just wants to keep a few bottles of wine cooled to a good storage and serving temperature. The target customer is probably someone who enjoys wine but isn’t a hardcore collector or connoisseur. It’s also ideal for a grad student or young professional living in a smallish apartment without lots of room to spare for a bulky wine fridge.

The price of under $70 (at the time of writing) also makes this the perfect first wine cooler or gift item for a wine-loving friend.

It cools well, but you have to remember how thermoelectric coolers function in order to get the best performance. As a general rule, solid-state thermoelectric wine coolers can only achieve a difference in interior-to-exterior temperature of about 25 degrees F. So if it’s 85 degrees in your kitchen, you’ll have a hard time getting the cooler to chill down any lower than 60.

Furthermore, thermoelectric coolers need some space to function properly. They work by transferring heat to the outside air, and in order for the outside air to not remain too warm you’ve got to keep the back side of the cooler spaced away from a wall. One foot of space will provide for enough air circulation to do the trick.

Buying Recommendation

I’d recommend getting this model if you are a casual wine drinker who just needs to keep several bottles at a good temperature. If should hold enough wine to last you between trips to the supermarket. This is also a great product to give as a gift for a novice wine lover. The slick design will look great in most anybody’s home, and they’ll love the experience of popping open a bottle of properly cooled red wine vs one that has been sitting around at full room temperature.

If you are really serious about establishing a wine collection, then of course you’ll want to purchase a larger model for your home, perhaps a 28-30 bottle capacity wine cooler.

Best Wine Refrigerator Under $500 – Kalamera 12-Inch 18-Bottle Built-in Wine Cooler Review

Are you looking for the best wine refrigerator under $500? Many people can see the value in purchasing a wine fridge to keep their vino cooled to the right temperature, but at the same time find their budget limited to around $500. If this sounds like you, then you should take a good look at the Kalamera 12-Inch 18-Bottle Wine Cooler which can be used either built-in under a counter or freestanding. in my opinion, this is the best wine fridge you’ll find for less than five Ben Franklin’s.

Just have a look at this compact, gorgeous, and highly-functional thing of beauty…

As you can see, this is a very slick, modern-looking model that will complement just about any kitchen decor. Now let’s get a rundown of the Kalamera’s features and functionality.

Fits in 12-inch wide space. Exact dimension are 11.6″ wide x 33.9″ high x 22.4″ deep (without handle). The handle is designed to protrude another 2 inches from the front surface of your cabinets.
Built-in or Freestanding. It was designed with a built-in under-the-counter use in mind. But you could just as easily set it up somewhere in your home as a freestanding unit.
Compressor cooling. This model makes use of a compressor cooling system that can reliably cool down to 40°F regardless of ambient room temperature.
Easy to use single-zone touch controls. This single-zone cooler model chills the interior to an even temperature, which can be precisely controlled using the digital touch controls. A temperature range of 40-66°F is possible.
Attractive styling. The Kalamera has a stainless steel door, a double-layered tempered glass window, and beech wood sliding racks.
Temperature memory function. When you have a brief power outage, the cooler remembers the temperature it was set to, saving your wine from going to a default temp that may not be ideal.
18-bottles capacity. This model holds up to 18 standard-sized Bordeaux 750ml wine bottles. There are six beech wood shelves, each holding three bottles.
Accommodates some larger bottles. Without removing any of the shelves to accommodate wider shaped wine bottles, there is some extra space above the lowest shelf to fit a few of these larger sized bottles in.
Security lock. So the kiddos won’t raid your wine collection.

kalamera-12-inch-wine-refrigerator-18-bottle-built-in-freestanding_open_door

Who is the Kalamera 18-Bottle Wine Cooler for?

The Kalamera 18-Bottle Wine Cooler is a great choice for a regular wine drinker or casual wine collector. If you frequently drink wine you’ll want to be able to store a modest amount at home. This way you can have your choice of wines to go with whatever meal you happen to be in the mood for.

If you don’t have a lot a space in your kitchen to dedicate to a wine fridge, this model should do nicely. At just 12 inches in width, it can fit into all sorts of places, including a small slot under the counter.

If you live somewhere with a warm climate, then a compressor type of cooler might make more sense than a thermoelectric one. You can probably find a cheaper thermoelectric cooler with a similar capacity as this one, but the cooling power of such a model may be limited by the ambient temperature of your home. Compressor coolers aren’t at the mercy of external temps in the same way, and they can easily maintain cooling down to 40°F.

Who is the Kalamera 18-Bottle Wine Cooler NOT for?

If you’re a very serious wine collector, then a capacity of 18 bottles might be a serious limitation. Maybe Kalamera’s 30-Bottle Wine Cooler would be of more interest to you.

Likewise, if you’re shopping for a wine fridge to furnish a busy restaurant, then you’ll want something much bigger.

Those who really strongly desire a dual-zone wine cooler would be another group that will not be totally satisfied with owning this single-zone model. It is great for keeping all your bottles at one standard temperature for storage or ideal drinking temperature for your favorite type. But it won’t be the model to get if you want to keep reds and whites at two different temps, for example.

Should you buy it?

If you’ve made up your mind to get a smaller sized wine fridge, you should definitely consider this one. It quickly and quietly cools down to the set temperature. It looks beautiful in your kitchen. It won’t take up much space, especially with only 12 inches of horizontal space. The temperature memory function can save your precious wine collection if the power goes out temporarily during a thunderstorm or some similar event while you are away.

18 bottles will last you two whole months of drinking a couple of botles of wine per week. If you keep wine for the purpose of actually drinking it—and not just collecting it for some rainy day that never comes—then you’ll find this capacity to be more than sufficient. The bit of extra space on the lowest shelf to hold wider bottles such as Pinot Noir is a nice bonus feature of this model. All-in-all, I’d say it’s a great value and a sound investment for anyone who really enjoys wine drinking.

And this Wine Cooler sells for less than $500

FireBird 28-Bottle Freestanding Thermoelectric Wine Cooler Review

If you are the type of person who looks forward to a glass of wine at the end of a busy day, you know how important it is to keep that bottle at the right temperature. A wine that is too warm or too cold could ruin the entire experience. Subtle notes and fragrances only come out when the wine is stored properly.

A good wine cooler is essential to making sure your wine is always presented the right way. The 28-Bottle Freestanding Thermoelectric Wine Cooler by Firebird is one possible choice for all those who love their wine. This review will go over all the features of this product so you can decide for yourself if it is for you.

Product Details

The developers at Firebird realize the important role temperature plays in a good glass of wine. They have equipped their cooler with an easily accessible touch pad for temperature control. The clear display on the LED screen lets you know that the cooler is always at the correct setting.

The thermoelectric fan cooling system is quiet and able to reduce vibration.

This model is made to accommodate 28 standard sized wine bottles.

There is a sleek black and silver finish that will be able to blend with almost any decor. This is a company that knows exactly what every wine enthusiast needs in their home.

Pros

This fridge is both stylish and compact.
The fan is amazingly quiet.
The temperature settings are clear with the digital screen.
Great value at a reasonable price.
Excellent customer service for anyone who has questions and concerns.

Cons

The location of the fan causes wine on the top shelf to be cooler than those below.
The shelves will need to be adjusted for any non-standard bottle sizes.
The temperature settings do not go below 54 degrees.
The shelves are made from lower quality materials.

Final Thoughts

Keeping the temperature of your favorite wine will improve the flavor and make the wine taste the way it meant to. The 28-Bottle Freestanding Thermoelectric Wine Cooler by Firebird has many good qualities and some aspects that are slightly problematic.

If you are passionate about your wine and feel the need to purchase a cooler, this model may be just what you need. Keep in mind that there are temperature limits and the cooling is not always distributed evenly. For the price though, this is one of the better coolers you will find.

It is quiet, efficient, and uses quality technology for the screen and settings.

While the needs of many wine lovers will be met with this product, those who are more detail oriented may feel like it falls short of expectations.

All-in-all this is a well-made wine cooler, but may not be for everyone. From all I have seen, this cooler does merit a test run as long as you are okay with a few minor inconveniences.

AKDY 28-Bottle Single-Zone Freestanding Wine Cooler Review

Wine cellar fridges are awesome to have if you want to keep your bottles at drinking temperature. They’re also nice to have if you simply want an efficient way to prolong the life of your wine without dedicating an entire room to becoming an actual cellar. If you’re looking to store and cool more than 20 bottles of wine at once, one product to consider is the AKDY 28-Bottle Single-Zone Freestanding Wine Cooler.

This model is a really great value. And I dare say it might be the best wine fridge available for under $200. Here’s more info to tell you why:

Details

One of the stand-out features of this AKDY wine cooler is that it holds 28 bottles of wine, which is significantly more than some other wine cooler models I’ve reviewed at this price point. Its wire racks are stable, securely hold the wine, and slide in and out easily. The machine uses a thermoelectric cooling system that’s fairly quiet the majority of the time, and it also rarely vibrates.

The design of this cellar fridge is energy efficient, and it also has a neat touchpad that controls the temperature inside. An LED display clearly shows what temperature the cooler is set to, and you can move the temperature up or down with the touch of a button.

Another nice thing about the AKDY 28 Bottle cooler is how nice it looks. The profile is attractive and the black color ensures it can easily sit on display anywhere in your home and look great. This model is also a good pick if you don’t want a wine fridge that takes up tons of space, as it’s just 20 inches by 16.9 inches horizontally and 28.6 inches in height.

Pros

Wine enthusiasts will appreciate the excellent features of this cooler:

It’s very sleek looking and will fit well into most decor.
The wine cellar really does get down to 54 degrees and will stay cool.
The touch screen controls are super easy and convenient to use.
If you have a lot of wine bottles, this can be your one place to store them all. Of course, if you keep more than 28 bottles on hand you’ll need to either buy two coolers or find an alternative storage solution for your other bottles.

Cons

There are some concerns about this wine fridge, but few are total deal breakers:

If you want to store a lot of sparkling or white wine and you prefer to drink it around 46 degrees Fahrenheit or so, this may not be the best cooler to get. At best, it cools down to 54 degrees F. If you aren’t willing to chill sparkling and white wines in the fridge before serving, this isn’t the cooler for you.
Sometimes this model will make a noticeable humming noise, but it usually only happens when the weather is hotter and it has to work harder to cool the bottles.
The 28 bottle capacity will work well for casual wine drinkers and those who keep 28 bottles or less on hand, but those who have expansive wine collections will need more space.

Summary

For a convenient, easy to use, and space saving way to store your wine, the AKDY 28-Bottle Single Zone Cooler is a great choice. It’s attractive, works well, and its sub-$200 price point is a bargain. To store more than 20 bottles without spending a bundle, this wine fridge is well worth a look.

Igloo 8-Bottle Wine Cooler Review

The Igloo 8-Bottle Wine Cooler is a wine cooling system with adjustable temperature designed to keep your wines—white or red—at your desired temperature. The 8-Bottle Wine Cooler is relatively compact (22″ deep, 16″ wide), while adding a level of class and sophistication to your kitchen or dining room. Any dinner guests or friends you have over will be impressed with your care and your treatment of wine. This is also one of the most affordable models on the market.

The 8-Bottle Wine Cooler is able to hold a total of—you guessed it—eight bottles of your favorite wines. And the wire shelves are also able to slide right out.

This wine cooler has a one-button temperature regulator, so there is absolutely no learning curve to using this wine cooler. And the white interior light gives you an almost intrusive view into your wine bottles’ contents, allowing you to judge for yourself the quality of the wines you have in stock almost instantly.

But for a more in-depth analysis of this product, let’s look at the pros and cons of this model.

Pros

The design of the 8-Bottle Wine Cooler is simple, compact, and generally will be an unobtrusive addition to your kitchen and/or dining setup.
I like how quiet it is for keeping wine cool.
You will definitely save on the amount of electricity used over the bigger wine cooling systems.
8-Bottle Wine Cooler is portable for the most part. It is compact and can be store in a variety of places. This is NOT JUST for kitchen use. You can store it in the bedroom closet or even use it for the camper. All you really need is an outlet.

Cons

You are obviously limited to 8 bottles. For many people this is plenty, but if you’re a wine collector, then you’ll want to move on to a larger model.
I heard that the product may eventually overheat, and become loud over a period of a year and a half or so. But it really depends on how well you take care of it.

Overall, the Igloo 8-Bottle Wine Cooler is not a bad model when you consider its low price. Some buyers, however, might like to spend just a little more to get comparably sized unit with added features such as wooden shelves or different styling.

Koldfront 24-Bottle Freestanding Dual-Zone Wine Cooler Review

The Koldfront 24-Bottle Freestanding Dual-Zone Wine Cooler is designed to cool your red and white wines simultaneously. That is because it contains two compartments that enable it to cool the wines to their perfect storage or serving temperatures. It can hold 24 bottles, which is a good medium capacity size if you are storing wines for use at your home.

Product Features

Thermoelectric Cooler

The Koldfront 24 Bottle Wine Cooler uses thermoelectric cooling technology. This technology allows the system to run quietly and without any vibrations. It also saves you on energy. That means your electricity bill will not shoot up just because you bought this wine cooler.

No Vibrations

The thermoelectric cooler does not vibrate like a regular refrigerator does. That is a plus for wine storage since vibrations degrade the quality of wine. Vibrations disturb the wine sediments and spoil the taste. With this cooler, you can be confident that will not happen.

Silent Operation

The Koldfront 24 Bottle Free Standing Dual Zone Wine Cooler runs silently due to its thermoelectric cooling system. If you like silence at night, that is a plus. You will also be happy to know that it does not run continuously but only when the temperature rises. That mostly happens when you open its door to take out your wine.

Two Cooling Compartments

I like that I can store both red and white wines in separate sections. Ideally, they should get cooled to different temperatures. When storing in a regular cooler that has only one compartment, you’ll always have to chill your white wines additionally before serving. But this device will allow you to keep your white wines cooler than your reds. The top compartment gets cooled to a temperature range of 54 to 66°F, while the bottom one can be set within a temperature range of 46 to 66°F.

Digital Control

Most regular refrigerators only provide a dial knob for setting the temperature of the internal compartment. This wine cooler provides you with a digital control pad. That means you can set the precise temperature that you want for your wine collection. And each zone can be set individually. The digital control system also includes a microcontroller to monitor and keep the internal temperatures in control. It is the perfect internal temperature control for temperature sensitive items like wine.

Sleek Design

The Koldfront 24 Bottle Dual Zone Wine Cooler aims to amaze in its appearance. It has a metallic handle, black cabinet, with a stainless steel front door, blue interior lighting, and a slim vertical design. It is the kind of appliance you want to decorate your living space.

Pros

It has two compartments for cooling red wine and white wine
Digital temperature control
Silent operations
No vibrations
Energy efficient
Cools the different compartments to different temperatures

Cons

The only real negatives are minor points to consider when operating this model.

Do not keep opening the door, as it strains the cooling system.
Hold the tray with both handles when pulling it out. Otherwise, it will drop to the compartment below it.
The door must be opened to 180 degrees in order to pull out the storage trays. This means that you essentially need to place this unit in a spot where there is empty space directly to it’s right.

Summary

I like that this wine cooler enables me to store both red and white wines at their perfect temperatures. It’s a little pricier than some comparable models, however, the dual-zone cooling in a medium-capacity cooler is something that will appeal to many buyers.