If you have even the slightest interest in wine, you’ll probably know how important keeping it stored at an ideal temperature can be to maintain its quality and ensure its flavour remains optimal when it’s time to drink it. If you consider yourself a fine wine connoisseur and collector then you may well have a dedicated storage cellar already in place to keep your prized bottles safe, but for the majority of wine fans, who only have a few bottles in at any given time, a wine cooler is enough to meet their needs.
That said, everyone is different, and the right cooler for you depends very much on your own personal preferences. So, if you’re looking for your first wine cooler, here are a couple of useful considerations to make your decision a little easier.
First of all: How big a wine cooler do you need?
It might seem a little obvious, but the key to choosing the perfect wine cooler for your home is knowing how big you’ll need it to be, which will depend on your personal consumption and how many bottles you like to keep in storage at any given time. If you like to entertain regularly and hold parties and get-togethers with friends, then you’ll likely need a more accommodating cooler than someone who simply enjoys a glass or two with dinner each weekend, so take some time to think about your habits before you begin your search.
Wine coolers are available in a wide range of sizes, spanning from your typical mini fridge-sized wine cooler with storage space for only a few dozen wine bottles to a full-size fridge with enough space to store well over a hundred bottles – so the possibilities are endless.
Other than accounting for how many bottles you want to keep in stock at once, you should consider the available space and whether you want to have a built-in or fully integrated wine cooler as a part of the kitchen design for a more seamless look, or prefer a freestanding solution that you can move or reposition should the mood strike.
Need-to-have and nice-to-have features
Wine coolers come with a range of different features depending on the model you go for, and some are more high-tech than others. There are, however, at least a couple of features that every quality wine cooler comes with, so be sure to look out for these:
Temperature display
Choose a wine cooler with a digital temperature display to ensure that you’ll always know the exact temperature inside the cooler at any given moment and can make the necessary adjustments to keep your bottles of wine at their best.
Single/dual-zone climate control
Do you plan on storing only white or red wine in the fridge, or do you want a cooler than can suitably accommodate both? Single-zone climate control only allows for one single storage temperature for all your bottles, while dual-zone climate control enables you to store them at two different temperatures – one for each independent section – so if you’re keen to be able to store all types of wine in your cooler, then look for one with the latter.
Adjustable/pull-out racks
Adjustable or pull-out racks will come in handy if you want to store differently-sized bottles or make it more convenient for you to grab or inspect the bottle you want, so look out for this feature if organisation, convenience and optimal accessibility are important to you.
UV-resistant glass
Exposure to direct sunlight can negatively impact upon a wine’s quality over time and cause deterioration. If you have trouble finding a spot at home that’s completely safe from sunlight, choosing a wine cooler with UV-protected glass is a good idea to protect your wines.
LED lighting
Not so much a must-have feature, but a nice-to-have one, LED interior lighting adds a certain aesthetic appeal to your cooler and the presentation of your wines. Plus, you might find it a little easier to see the different wines when choosing which one to crack open next or look for the perfect pairing to go with dinner.
An often overlooked consideration: noise level
Noise-making appliances in the home can be disruptive and disturb the peace, so if you plan on placing your cooler in the kitchen, dining room or another room in which you spend a lot of time, then bear this in mind when choosing your perfect match and opt for one that keeps sound to a minimum.
Examine the energy consumption
If you’re concerned about sustainability, then look into the energy consumption of your shortlisted coolers before making the final decision, as some will guzzle more electricity than others. Factors such as energy class and how well the fridge is isolated play a role in how efficient an appliance is, so be sure to look at the information about these before you buy.
