Buying a wine cooler is not a decision that should be taken lightly (believe me I know)! There are many things to consider and they will all be personal to you, the type of wines you enjoy, and of course the environment you live in.
In the following few words, you will get some information on what I think are the most important factors, but do remember that this is just a general guide and some of the points may or may not relate to your situation.
Size
This is possibly one of the most important aspects to consider when you’re looking to purchase a wine cooler.
If you have a lot of bottles to store, you will need one that will house what you have. On most occasions this will mean a bigger cooler and therefore, more space.
However, there are manufacturers on the market that have managed to keep their models compact yet roomy inside.
There is plenty of information to be found on our site that will help you if you want to search by the number of bottles instead of the brand.
You can start your search right here:
Versatility
This kind of goes hand in hand with size but I’m going off on a slightly different tangent here. When I say versatility, I’m talking about the range of temperatures available to you and whether or not you can blend the model in with your kitchen.
If you don’t know, there are two different types of cooler: single or dual zone. What they do is pretty much self explanatory.
If you like to keep your reds and whites at different temperatures, a dual zone is what you need. However, do bear in mind these can cost you more. For single zone coolers, you can buy models that have a pretty good range of temperatures, but you will only be able to choose one at a time.
It’s also possible to buy a built-in wine cooler for your kitchen, they can really add a bit of class to it. However, this option is (usually) only relevant when you’re designing your kitchen, and there are not many in-built models on the market.
You can read the reviews for these options at these pages:
Looks
I know, this is 3rd on the list but it had to go in here somewhere. It doesn’t matter how much you tell people you’re not bothered about how your wine cooler looks, somewhere deep inside, I know you are!
There are many manufacturers that take your décor into consideration when they design their wine coolers, and more often than not, you will get an interior light of some sort that will illuminate all the bottles you have inside. Depending on how much you want to spend, you can also buy models that have smoked glass and the odd little touch of class here and there so your wine cooler doesn’t just look like any other electrical appliance.
Other Options to Consider
Below are some other options you may want to consider before you make a purchase:
- Auto defrosting. This isn’t high on the list but a feature like this will help to make sure certain parts within your cooler are kept in tip-top condition.
- Auto temperature adjustment is something else you should think about. Constantly having to check to make sure your wine is being kept at its optimum level of “coolness” can become irritating.
- Humidity control is also something to think about. Wines are actually quite fussy and the slightest change in humidity can make them react (especially those at the pricier end of the market).
- Locks are another thought, especially if you have small children or kids that are at an age where they’ll quite happily raid your cooler when you’re out of town – You know who we’re talking about!
There are many other “bells and whistles” you can get with various wine coolers but, I decided to point out some of the more obvious options which will hopefully give you an idea of what will suit you best.