Table of Contents
If you have spent the time collecting a decent wine collection, don’t just put the wine in your refrigerator. Instead, opt for a wine cellar.
If you’ve never purchased a wine cellar before, you probably are really confused about what features you should look for and which models are the best.
To help you out, we have analyzed 17 products and 329 consumer reviews over 23 hours.
This research has allowed us to determine the Koolatron WC20 Mirrored Glass Door wine cellar as the best wine cellar in Canada in 2023. It is reasonably priced yet offers numerous features to keep your wine in perfect condition.
In a rush? Buy it Now on Amazon!
Wine Cellar Comparative Table
| Product | Summary | Rating | Price | |
|
TOP PICK
|
Koolatron WC20 Mirrored Glass Door wine cellar
|
|
9.2/10 | See price on Amazon |
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
UPGRADE PICK
|
Nutrichef 18 Bottle Wine Cooler Refrigerator
|
|
9.4/10 | See price on Amazon |
|
BUDGET PICK
|
Urban Series 8 Bottle Single Zone Wine Cooler
|
|
8.4/10 | See price on Amazon |
Our Pick for The Best Wine Cellar
Koolatron WC20 Mirrored Glass Door wine cellar Review
The Best Overall
Koolatron
Our favorite wine cellar in Canada in 2023 is the Koolatron Mirrored Glass Door wine cellar. It is reasonably priced with a pretty large capacity, making it a great choice for most wine enthusiasts.
What We Think of The Koolatron WC20 Mirrored Glass Door wine cellar
When picking out our top pick for the best wine cellar this year, we wanted the product to have a large capacity, great thermostatic features, and a reasonable price tag to match. The Koolatron Mirrored Glass Door wine cellar fits these standards perfectly.
This wine cellar can hold up to 20 bottles of wine in perfect temperature controlled storage. Whether you prefer red, white, or rosé wines, you can control the fridge to create the perfect atmosphere for your collection.
For further wine perfection, the fridge is made from a thermoelectric cooling system. This system minimizes vibration to help your wine retain its flavor. Furthermore, the cellar is complete with dark interiors and soft lighting.
One of the coolest features of the Koolatron Mirrored Glass Door wine cellar is its mirrored glass design. Because of the mirrored glass, you can see into the cellar for aesthetic reasons, but the wine is still protected from damaging UV rays.
Surprisingly, this wine cellar is relatively affordable. In comparison to the other products on this list, this model falls right in the middle, yet it offers better features than most of the other wine cellars.
This is very nice. It’s in the dining room by my bar table and hanging wine glasses. I like to serve everyone close to the table. Now, everyone can pick up their dessert with a choice of wine.
valerie
About the only complaint we could find about the Koolatron Mirrored Glass Door wine cellar is its controls. Most users note that the noise levels, capabilities, and capacity are all great, but the controls can be difficult to use at times.
Aside from the difficult controls, the Koolatron Mirrored Glass Door wine cellar is the perfect wine cellar for enthusiasts because of its large capacity and its enhanced storage capabilities. Most users will enjoy this product.
Koolatron WC20 Mirrored Glass Door wine cellar Specifications
- Brand: Koolatron
- Bottle Count: 20
- Color: Black
- Form Factor: Stand alone
- Lock Type: Key
Koolatron WC20 Mirrored Glass Door wine cellar Pros and Cons
Pros
Pros
- Offers great protection to the wine
- Large capacity
- Mirrored glass
- Reasonably priced
Cons
- Buttons can be difficult to control
Our Final Opinion about the Koolatron WC20 Mirrored Glass Door wine cellar
Quality 4.0 out of 5.0 stars.6 Effectiveness 4.0 out of 5.0 stars.7 Design 4.0 out of 5.0 stars.8 Price 4.5 out of 5.0 stars
The Koolatron Mirrored Glass Door wine cellar is a great product for just about every wine enthusiast. We recommend it to nearly everyone.
Our Upgrade Pick for a Wine Cellar
Nutrichef 18 Bottle Wine Cooler Refrigerator Review
The High Performance Pick
Nutrichef
Serious wine enthusiasts that need exact temperature should consider the Nutrichef Wine Cooler Refrigerator. Although highly expensive, this wine cooler offers the best temperature and humidity features with easy control.
What We Think of The Nutrichef 18 Bottle Wine Cooler Refrigerator
The Nutrichef Wine Cooler Refrigerator is hands down the best wine refrigerator for individuals that take their wine collection seriously. Because of its dual zone design, you can collect more than one type of wine while keeping all bottles in their optimal environment.
In addition to the dual zone design, the Nutrichef Wine Cooler Refrigerator is equipped with built in circulatory fan and adjustable temperature that allows both areas two remain the exact temperature desired, from top to bottom.
The wine cooling features aren’t the only notable aspect of this cooler. The cooler is also extremely easy to use. Because of its touchscreen controls, you only have to push a couple of buttons to set your preferences. The buttons use LED light for visibility.
The capacity of this refrigerator is pretty decent. At 18 bottles, the Nutrichef Wine Cooler Refrigerator is one of the larger capacity options on this list.
Most users report fantastic results with this wine cooler. Of course, there are occasional complaints here and there, but customers as the whole love the product in terms of appearance, durability, and function.
This is a great product. Nice looking. A little noisy at first but I got used to it. I recommend. I have different shaped bottles and they all fit fine. Very spacious.
louis a.
Hence, the only drawback of the Nutrichef Wine Cooler Refrigerator is its price. As our high performance pick, this model is much more expensive than any of the other wine coolers on the list.
Because of how expensive the Nutrichef Wine Cooler Refrigerator is, we only recommend it to serious enthusiasts that are willing to splurge quite a bit on their wine collection. If you have the money, you will likely be more than satisfied with this cooler.
Nutrichef 18 Bottle Wine Cooler Refrigerator Specifications
- Brand: Nutrichef
- Bottle Count: 18
- Color: Stainless steel
- Form Factor: Stand alone
- Lock Type: Key
Nutrichef 18 Bottle Wine Cooler Refrigerator Pros and Cons
Pros
Pros
- Dual zone
- Optimal circulatory and temperature features
- Easy press buttons for control
- Large capacity
Cons
Cons
- Expensive
Our Final Opinion About the Nutrichef 18 Bottle Wine Cooler Refrigerator
Quality 4.0 out of 5.0 stars.7 Effectiveness 4.0 out of 5.0 stars.8 Design 4.0 out of 5.0 stars.9 Price:4.0]
If you are a serious enthusiast who is willing to spend quite a bit of money on the wine cellar, the Nutrichef Wine Cooler Refrigerator is a good product to spend your money on. Although expensive, it delivers some of the best results.
Our Budget Pick for a Wine Cellar
Urban Series 8 Bottle Single Zone Wine Cooler Review
The Budget Pick
Urban Series
The Urban Series Single Zone Wine Cooler is our value pick because it is highly affordable but still offers fantastic features to keep your wine protected. Although the model isn’t as impressive as the last two, it’s a good option for beginners who don’t want to spend a fortune just yet.
What We Think of the Urban Series 8 Bottle Single Zone Wine Cooler
One mistake that many beginners make is assuming that they have to spend a fortune in order to get a good wine cellar. The Urban Series Single Zone Wine Cooler proves that you don’t have to waste all of your savings to keep your wine in optimal condition.
The Urban Series Single Zone Wine Cooler has an 8 bottle capacity, which is a bit small, but it may be ideal for beginners I haven’t quite collected enough bottles for anything larger yet.
The cooler still offers the same protection features as the larger coolers. For example, it uses thermoelectric technology to cool your wines without any vibrations. It will keep the interior between 46 degrees and 66 degrees Fahrenheit. The door on the cooler even uses mirrored glass, like in our top pick, to offer UV protection and visibility at the same time.
All the while, the Urban Series Single Zone Wine Cooler is highly affordable. No matter what your budget is, you will likely be able to afford this wine cooler because of its price.
We purchased this to replace our old cooler that had stopped working. This works great and it is the perfect size on our bar.
s.e.
Even though the Urban Series Single Zone Wine Cooler has some of the same features as our top models, the features aren’t quite as effective. Users note that even though it does a good job for its price, you are not going to get the same results with this product as you would a more expensive model.
So, you get what you pay for with wine cellars. At least this wine cellar is durable and comes with more enhanced features than other affordable options.
Urban Series 8 Bottle Single Zone Wine Cooler Specifications
- Brand: Koolatron
- Bottle Count: 8
- Color: Black
- Form Factor: Compact stand alone
- Lock Type: Key
Urban Series 8 Bottle Single Zone Wine Cooler Pros and Cons
Pros
Pros
- Highly affordable
- Mirrored glass door
- No vibrations
- Compact
Cons
- Small capacity
- Not as efficient as our top two models
Our Final Opinion About the Urban Series 8 Bottle Single Zone Wine Cooler
Quality 4.0 out of 5.0 stars.1 Effectiveness 4.5 out of 5.0 stars Design 4.5 out of 5.0 stars Price:4.9]
In terms of performance, the Urban Series Single Zone Wine Cooler might not be as great as our best overall and high performance picks, but it is still a great choice because of its price tag and capabilities. We recommend this for beginners who aren’t quite dedicated enough to spend hundreds on their wine cellar just yet.
Alternative Products to Consider
Ivation 28 Bottle Compressor Wine Cooler Refrigerator Review
The SMART Pick
Ivation
The Ivation Compressor Wine Cooler Refrigerator can connect with your phone for optimal control, which is why it is our SMART pick. Although expensive, it offers some of the highest tech and efficient features of any wine cooler on the market.
Ivation 28 Bottle Compressor Wine Cooler Refrigerator Video Review
What We Think of the Ivation 28 Bottle Compressor Wine Cooler Refrigerator
It seems that just about every home appliance can be connected to your phone nowadays, and that includes wine cellars. With the Ivation Compressor Wine Cooler Refrigerator, you can control all aspects of your cooler from your phone. Just download the app to your device and monitor and adjust your cooler from anywhere.
This complete control over your wine cellar offers the best environment for your wine. More so, the glass on the door is tinted and double paned for optimal insulation and protection from UV lights. For further protection, the model includes soft interior lighting and removable racks.
As you will likely appreciate, the Ivation Compressor Wine Cooler Refrigerator has two temperature zones and a highly spacious capacity of up to 28 bottles. Aside from the final wine cellar on this list, it is the largest capacity wine cellar.
Something that’s unique about this wine cellar is that the lock type isn’t a physical key. Instead, you simply lock the cellar with the click of a button. With this option, you don’t have to worry about anyone picking the locks or the key being lost.
I love this. It looks amazing and fills in two zones. It’s quiet except for when the fan turns on to bring down the temp. I’m very happy especially since I’ve been shopping like crazy to find the best option. Perfect dual zone fridge for a new collector.
shari b.
In terms of performance, we are very impressed with the Ivation Compressor Wine Cooler Refrigerator. Our only complaint about the functionality of this model is that the racks are a bit narrow, but most users worked around this issue.
There are some drawbacks of this model not necessarily related to functionality. For example, this model is highly expensive. It is about the same price as our high performance pick. Those on a budget will want to spend their money elsewhere.
Another potential drawback is that this wine cellar doesn’t offer phenomenal features outside of the app. If you are someone who does not like SMART devices, you will not like this cellar.
Assuming that you are someone who loves the convenience of connecting your home appliances to your phone, the Ivation Compressor Wine Cooler Refrigerator is a great choice. Just keep in mind that it is expensive.
Ivation 28 Bottle Compressor Wine Cooler Refrigerator Specifications
- Brand: Ivation
- Bottle Count: 28
- Color: Black
- Form Factor: Stand alone
- Lock Type: Button
Ivation 28 Bottle Compressor Wine Cooler Refrigerator Pros and Cons
Pros
Pros
- Dual zone
- Connects to your phone
- UV resistant paned glass
- Large capacity
Cons
- Expensive
- Not ideal for those who want a simple model
Our Final Opinion About the Ivation 28 Bottle Compressor Wine Cooler Refrigerator
Quality 4.5 out of 5.0 stars Effectiveness 4.0 out of 5.0 stars.6 Design 4.0 out of 5.0 stars.8 Price:4.1]
If you are a fan of smart devices and are willing to splurge, the Ivation Compressor Wine Cooler Refrigerator makes a good pick. Of course, we don’t recommend to those who want a classic wine cellar.
Koolatron Urban Series 24 Bottle Dual Zone Wine Cooler Review
The Sleek Pick
Koolatron
The Koolatron Urban Series 24 Bottle Wine Cooler is our sleek pick because it has a modern appearance. Although slightly expensive, it has a large capacity and modern features that make the cooler worth its price.
Koolatron Urban Series 24 Bottle Dual Zone Wine Cooler Video Review
What We Think of The Koolatron Urban Series 24 Bottle Dual Zone Wine Cooler
Although most wine coolers have a sleek appearance, the Koolatron Urban Series 24 Bottle Wine Cooler wins the prize for being the attractive. It has a black appearance with touch screen buttons that make the contraption look much more modern and sleeker than the competitors.
All the while, the Koolatron Urban Series 24 Bottle Wine Cooler does a great job of cooling wine. It comes with a UV protective door, dual cooling zones, and thermoelectric cooling for perfect temperature control.
In terms of performance, nearly all users are ecstatic about what this cooler has to offer. Although it is slightly pricey, most users report that it works better than other coolers of its price range, making it a great purchase for its price.
One negative complaint mentioned more than once is that the cooler is a bit loud whenever in cooling mode. Given that the device will not be cooling constantly, it at least is not super loud all the time.
Great wine cooler. Good looking and the perfect size. Works great. Just what I wanted and came within three days. Secured in a big box. I got this as a gift for my husband and he is very happy with it.
debbie e.
Since the Koolatron Urban Series 24 Bottle Wine Cooler has a sleek appearance and great cooling capabilities, we aren’t upset by its slightly expensive price tag and loud noise. If you are looking for an attractive cooler, this model fits the bill and won’t disappoint you in most regards.
Koolatron Urban Series 24 Bottle Dual Zone Wine Cooler Specifications
- Brand: Koolatron
- Bottle Count: 24
- Color: Black
- Form Factor: Stand alone
- Lock Type: Key
Koolatron Urban Series 24 Bottle Dual Zone Wine Cooler Pros and Cons
Pros
Pros
- Highly attractive
- Dual zone
- UV resistant paned glass
- Large capacity
Cons
- Expensive
- Can be noisy
Our Final Opinion About the Koolatron Urban Series 24 Bottle Dual Zone Wine Cooler
Quality 4.5 out of 5.0 stars Effectiveness 4.0 out of 5.0 stars.6 Design 4.0 out of 5.0 stars.8 Price:4.3]
If you want a highly attractive wine cooler, the Koolatron Urban Series 24 Bottle Wine Cooler is a great choice. In addition to looking great, it functions exactly as it should. As a result, we deem the slightly expensive price tag worth it for those who one super sleek model.
Schmecke 12 Bottle Compressor Wine Cooler Refrigerator Review
The Slim Pick
Schmecke
The Schmecke Compressor Wine Cooler Refrigerator comes with a compact design, which makes it great for individuals tight on space. Although it is a bit expensive and has a small capacity, it’s a great choice for wine collectors that live in apartments or small homes.
What We Think of the Schmecke 12 Bottle Compressor Wine Cooler Refrigerator
Many wine cellars are large so that you can hold as many bottles as possible. Although this is great for people with a lot of room, apartment dwellers likely want something smaller. The Schmecke Compressor Wine Cooler Refrigerator is specifically designed to maximize space.
Although it has a 12 cubic feet capacity, it has an ultra slim design. The slim nature means you can carefully place the wine cooler in just about any corner.
The Schmecke Compressor Wine Cooler Refrigerator still offers great preservation features. It can preserve your wine’s flavor and aroma through its UV resistant double paned glass, soft interior lighting, and complete control over temperature stability.
In terms of price, this model is slightly above the average, making it a bit expensive. To add to the expensive price tag, this slim design means you can only hold 12 bottles at a time. In comparison to other models of this capacity, this wine cooler is relatively expensive.
Because of its expensive price tag and small capacity, this isn’t our favorite cellar. If you have the room to get something bigger, we definitely recommend it. After all, you can get a cellar with the exact same capabilities and a larger capacity at the same price.
Excellent build. It’s brand new in the original shipping carton. It runs quietly even when the compressor is working. It’s far less noisy than my last one. I often forget it’s even there. Holds a steady temperature. I am very pleased with this purchase.
cw
At least there are no complaints about the functionality and capabilities of the model. User after user reports that it performs exactly as advertised, ensuring reliable wine cooling.
As long as you are OK spending extra money on a model that isn’t as large as some of the others, you likely won’t have any complaints about the Schmecke Compressor Wine Cooler Refrigerator either.
Schmecke 12 Bottle Compressor Wine Cooler Refrigerator Specifications
- Brand: Schmecke
- Bottle Count: 12
- Color: Black
- Form Factor: Stand alone
- Lock Type: Key
Schmecke 12 Bottle Compressor Wine Cooler Refrigerator Pros and Cons
Pros
Pros
- Compact
- Perfect for apartments
- Retains temperature well
- UV resistant paned glass
Cons
Cons
- Expensive
- Small capacity
Our Final Opinion About the Schmecke 12 Bottle Compressor Wine Cooler Refrigerator
Quality 4.0 out of 5.0 stars.6 Effectiveness 4.0 out of 5.0 stars.7 Design 4.0 out of 5.0 stars.6 Price:4.2]
We recommend the Schmecke Compressor Wine Cooler Refrigerator to individuals who are tight on space. Because of its high price tag and small capacity, those who are not tight on space would be wise to opt for a larger model instead.
Insignia Freestanding Wine Cooler Review
The Large Capcity Pick
Insignia
The Insignia Freestanding Wine Cooler is perfect for individuals with a large wine collection because it has the largest capacity on this list. Although expensive, this model is effective and worth the price given its 29 bottle capacity.
What We Think of The Insignia Freestanding Wine Cooler
So far, the largest wine cooler we have looked at has a capacity of 28 bottles. Impressively, the Insignia Freestanding Wine Cooler one ups this 28 capacity by one bottle. Instead of 28 bottles, this wine cooler can hold up to 29 bottles at a time.
The Insignia Freestanding Wine Cooler is designed to keep all bottles in optimal condition. You can adjust settings between 41 degrees and 65 degrees Fahrenheit. It even has an auto defrost function that allows you to melt away frost that is formed. The model comes with a tempered glass doors so that you can show off your wine collection while still filtering out UV rays.
Something else that’s unique about this product is that it has adjustable legs. These adjustable legs allow you to keep the cooler level and stable, no matter what it is standing on. This is a major benefit since it means you can move the cooler around without risking a broken bottle.
In terms of price, the Insignia Freestanding Wine Cooler is a bit expensive, but it isn’t unreasonable. Instead, it is only slightly more expensive than our best overall pick. Given the large capacity of this model, it makes sense that it is a bit more expensive than the average.
Obviously, the major downside of the Insignia Freestanding Wine Cooler is that it is pretty bulky. Unless you have a lot of space, make sure that you have a designated spot for the cooler.
Me and my wife bought this wine cooler. It is fancy, quiet, and looks amazing in our dining room. We removed the bottom racks so we could store open bottles upright. It’s the perfect size and I recommend this to anyone who wants to showcase their wine.
neo p.
More worrisome is the fact that the Insignia Freestanding Wine Cooler has some quality control issues. While some people report the model comes with dents, others report that it breaks prematurely. So, you need to be cautious if you are considering purchasing the product.
In a best case scenario, the Insignia Freestanding Wine Cooler offers a large capacity with great cooling capabilities.
Insignia Freestanding Wine Cooler Specifications
- Brand: Insignia
- Bottle Count: 29
- Color: Stainless steel
- Form Factor: Stand alone
- Lock Type: Not listed
Insignia Freestanding Wine Cooler Pros and Cons
Pros
Pros
- Extra large capacity
- Tempered glass door
- Adjustable legs
- Reasonable price considering capacity
Cons
Cons
- Quality control issues
Our Final Opinion About the Insignia Freestanding Wine Cooler
Quality 4.0 out of 5.0 stars.1 Effectiveness 4.5 out of 5.0 stars Design 4.0 out of 5.0 stars.7 Price:4.4]
The Insignia Freestanding Wine Cooler has a large capacity, making it perfect for individuals with a lot of wine bottles. We recommend being cautious before purchasing this model because of its quality control issues, though.
Why Should You Trust Us?
All the recommendations we make on The Good Choice are the result of many hours of research, comparisons, analysis of consumer reviews and, if necessary, expert feedbacks. The products we recommend here are the ones that will best perform their daily tasks, passing all security, reliability and efficiency tests while having an appealing price-quality ratio for everyone.
What are our criteria for judging the products reviewed and selected by The Good Choice?
- Quality: Does the product have a solid construction? Will it be reliable over time? Does it have a good warranty?
- Efficiency: Is the product efficient in its task or do you need to give it some help? Is it for example powerful, fast, quiet?
- Usability: Is the product easy to handle, easy to use and maintain?
- Price: Is the price of the product and/or accessories and/or spare parts reasonable compared to the rest of the market?
In addition to these main criteria, we then establish a list of specific criteria for each product category, detailed a little further down in this article.
In the end, the products we recommend are the ones we would want to buy, and the ones we would also choose for our friends and family.
Things to Know Before Buying a Wine Cellar
What is a wine cellar?
A wine cellar is much like a traditional refrigerator. The biggest difference is that it is the perfect temperature for maintaining the quality of your wine. Some other names that are synonymous with wine cellar include wine cooler, wine refrigerator, wine chiller, and wine vault.
What is the difference between a wine cellar and a regular refrigerator?
The biggest difference between wine cellars and a regular refrigerator is the temperature within the device. Most refrigerators are set to be between 32 and 40 degrees Fahrenheit. That is too cold for wines. Instead, wines do best when stored in temperatures between 45 and 65 degrees Fahrenheit.
In addition to having a different temperature, refrigerators have different humidity as well. Whereas refrigerators are designed to decrease humidity, wine cellars maintain humidity and only lower temperature gradually.
Another major difference between wine cellars and regular refrigerators is this smell within. Because your refrigerator is used to store food, it has an unavoidable odor. It’s best to avoid storing wine with food so that the wine doesn’t take on the flavor or smell of the food.
Finally, the last difference between these two devices is the frequency of use. Because wine cellars are only used for wine, they are opened and closed less frequently, allowing the interior temperature to remain more constant than in a fridge. This stable temperature helps to keep your wine pristine.
Do I really need a wine cellar?
Not everyone needs a wine cellar, but the device is certainly appreciated by the right buyer. If you only drink occasionally and cannot tell the difference between good and bad wine, there’s no need to spend your money on a wine cellar.
In contrast, individuals that spend a lot of money on their wine and can tell the difference and wine quality will likely want a wine cellar, and a good one at that. Because of the differences between a wine cellar and a refrigerator, the quality of the wine will be better with one of these devices.
How should I store wine inside a wine cellar?
Wine will be stored on its side or at an angle inside a wine cellar. Where exactly you place the wine will depend on the number of zones you have inside the wine cellar.
The vast majority of wine cellars are too small for more than one zone. For only one zone, it does not matter where you placed the wine. If you have more than one zone, place the wine according to wine type in each zone.
What should be the inside temperature of a wine cellar?
The inside of a wine cellar should be anywhere from 45 degrees Fahrenheit to 65 degrees Fahrenheit. The exact temperature will depend on the type of wine you have.
Where is the best place to put a wine cellar?
Best place to put a wine cellar is wherever is most convenient for you. Because wine cellars are designed to provide the right amount of light, humidity, and temperature for the wine, it does not matter where it goes. Most people prefer putting wine cellars in dining areas, kitchens, or living rooms for convenience.
How to Properly Choose Your Wine Cellar
Properly choosing a wine cellar is no small feat. Even when you know which wine cellars are the best, it still can be difficult to know which wine cellar is right for you and your collection. When it comes down to the final decision, remember these factors: capacity, number of temperature zones, cooling technology, insulation and humidity, additional features, and appearance.
Capacity
The capacity of your wine cellar depends entirely on the size of your wine collection. If you are only starting a new collection, you won’t need that big of a wine cellar yet, but you may want to consider a cellar that is slightly larger than your current collection to give you some room to grow. Larger collections will need a large capacity.
The average capacity for most wine cellars is between 20 and 30 bottles of wine. This is the perfect option for most beginning collectors. If you are an enthusiast, look for a large wine cellar that can handle as many as 300 bottles. Size and capacity will correlate to price.
Number of Temperature Zones
Wine cellars can have different amounts of temperature zones. The temperature zone refers to how many storage areas a single cellar has. A single zone device, for instance, only has one storage area that can only be maintained at one temperature. In contrast, a dual zone device has two compartments, and you can preset each compartment to a different temperature.
The number of temperature zones you need depends on your wine collection. If you only collect one type of wine, either red or white, you will only need one temperature zone. If you have a collection of both, a dual temperature zone is best.
As you would expect, a single temperature zone is the cheaper of the two options simply because it is smaller and uses less resources. Beginners like to start with single zone wine cellars for this reason.
Cooling Technology
One of the most difficult aspects of picking out a wine cellar is the cooling technology. wine cellars have two types of cooling technology, thermoelectric or compressor based. Compressor based cellars are most like refrigerators.
Both technologies come with their own advantages and disadvantages. Whereas thermoelectric technology is noiseless and vibration free, compressor wine cellars are better at generating cool air and maintaining a constant temperature. It’s up to you to decide which cooling technology you prefer for your wine.
If you rarely intend to open the wine cellar, a thermoelectric model may be best because the temperature within the device will not fluctuate frequently, yet the wine won’t be disturbed from vibrations. In contrast, select a compressor wine cellar if you anticipate opening and closing the door often.
Insulation and Humidity
A wine cellar without proper insulation and humidity control is virtually useless. Make sure that the wine cellar has proper insulation around the door. If there is glass on the door, make sure it is double paint and tempered.
Just like temperature, the wine cellar should come with a humidity control. Try to keep the humidity level between 50% and 75%. Certain wines will have a more specific humidity requirement. So, check with your collection.
Additional Features
Wine cellars can come with many features today. Consider additional features based on your preferences and where the wine cooler will be placed. For example, you will likely want an effective lock feature if your wine cellar will be in an area that children can get to.
Here are some additional features that wine enthusiasts often like:
- Tinted glass door
- Automatic defrost
- Door lock
- Leveling legs
- Black out mode
Simply look for additional features that you know you will value. Keep in mind that the more features a model has, the more expensive it will be.
Appearance
Most wine collectors like to show off their bottles. For this reason, opt for a wine cellar that is attractive and matches your decor. That way, your wine isn’t just preserved, but the entire collection looks fashionable in your home
We do our best to provide you with a comparative guide of wine cellars allowing you to choose the best product possible. If we are missing information or new models, do not hesitate to leave a comment below or to send us a message.
