Perfect Solution for a Growing Collection of Wine
So, I started out with a taste for wine when I was invited to a semi-chic dinner, a few years ago. I instantly fell in love with some of the wines that complemented the courses.
Soon, this love of what has been described as the “nectar of the Gods” started to hold more than just an interest in drinking it (responsibly of course).
I found that I wanted to know more about what seemed like the perfectly chilled Chardonnay I was drinking, or that Shiraz that seemed to complement cheese so well. In the end I bought an Avanti 12 bottle wine cooler which was perfect at the time because it was rare I would have more than this in my home at any one time.
A number of months later, I found that my friends and family had taken note of my new hobby and started to help add to my collection. It wasn’t long before I’d out-grown the Avanti cooler I had (which, by the way worked perfectly well for my needs at the time).
Reluctant to give-up on my current cooler, I started to store the new wines I bought in my basement. What a terrible mistake! You see, I’ve discovered that most decent wines need to be handled with care and I found this out to my cost when I opened a beautiful (and expensive) bottle of Shiraz over dinner with friends which had been stored in my basement. To my horror everyone turned their noses up, me included. The whole bottle was ruined and, I was left feeling very red faced.
The very next day I decided enough was enough and started to research another wine cooler that would have the capacity to store my ever growing collection. After some searching I came across the NewAir AW218E 28 bottle wine cooler. It was perfect. The specifications were all to my needs and it looked really nice as well.
I went ahead and made my purchase, and here’s why…
Looks
Sorry, but this is important to me, and I’m sure I’m not alone. The AW-218E looks like it should be behind the bar in some swanky restaurant. It’s finished off in a gun metal grey with a clear glass door. But, the best thing about this cooler is the really great blue light which illuminates the inside of the cabinet.
Inside, you have 6 sets of chrome finished racks that will easily house a standard sized bottle of wine (or 28). The racks can be removed in case you want to store bottles of a larger size, which is great when you’re in the party season and want to chill a few bottles of champagne!
Efficiency
By now, I’m at the stage where I know what sorts of temperatures the particular wines I have need to be kept at. The AW218E hasn’t let me down in that respect. I haven’t reached the point where I’m thinking about dual zone coolers (and don’t expect to for a while) so a single zone like the NewAir wine cooler is just right for me. I’ve found this cooler holds the temperatures I set really well and for me it’s pretty precise.
Noise
I know from my research on the internet that this is the one thing lots of wine collectors complain about when it comes to their coolers, but honestly, I haven’t had a problem with the NewAir. It uses a cooling system called thermoelectric and doesn’t have a compressor. Whilst I can hear it when I try really hard, it’s just a low hum that blends into the background.
Overall
I can’t really fault the AW218E. It has been a God Send in respect of keeping my precious wines at a temperature they’re happy with (and no, I haven’t given the bottles pet names yet).
It looks really good, is free-standing and compact so you can put it just about anywhere you like, and best of all, it won’t break the bank! I purchased it at Amazon (here to be exact) for $269 if I remember correctly.
Oh, and if you’re wondering what’s happened to my Avanti – that’s found a new home with my younger sister who has just got her first apartment and wanted somewhere to store her wines for when she has parties (of which there are many)!
Now, I have no hesitation in recommending the NewAir AW-218E, but if you prefer a dual zone cooler I would suggest the Koolatron 28 bottle dual zone cooler. For around $100 more, you have the option to store your reds and whites at different temperatures.
Further Information