The wine chiller is the perfect “home” for your red, white, and sparkling wines. It is designed to give your wine bottles the ideal temperature to cool. Moreover, they are able to reach the maturity of your wine collections perfect for that chill weekend. Hence, knowing the key factors to consider when buying a wine chiller is important. This way, you will be able to purchase a quality wine chiller. In this wine chiller buying guide, we will help beginners look for the right wine chiller and have a more wine-friendly kitchen.
Wine Chiller vs Refrigerator
Wine chillers have an advantage over the simple refrigerator. It is used to keep the proper aging of the wine and preserve its rich taste along the process. A standard fridge aims to keep an ample amount of different types of foods. A wine chiller maintains the right temperature and humidity requirements for wine. On the other hand, a standard fridge’s temperature varies widely from time to time. That is why it is imperative to separate wine from food storage and other drinking beverages. Let us proceed then with our wine chiller buying guide to learn more.
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Free-Standing or Built-in?
When picking the ideal wine chiller, you have to consider whether it is freestanding or it is built-in.
Freestanding wine chillers
These are flexible in nature as long as there is enough space where you want to place them. You will need to leave at least 50mm either side of the unit and 25mm at the back for proper air circulation. Moreover, you need to take note of this space because, without adequate clearance, the unit can overheat. You won’t be able to maintain a stable temperature inside the chiller. Freestanding models may be at various sizes, so they may not fit perfectly under a countertop. However, the biggest pro for a freestanding unit is typically it is lower in price.
Built-in wine chillers
These are very popular options for wine connoisseurs with interest in the entirety of the home aesthetic. Built-in wine chillers can fit right into your kitchen alongside your cabinet since the air circulation is coming from the front of the unit. You can place them in tighter spaces. A big pro that is meant for the built-in unit is that it gives you additional options for placement since it can be installed into your cabinetry.
Capacity
How many bottles of wine do you intend to store in your wine chiller? This is an indispensable factor to consider if you are thinking of purchasing one and finding your kitchen space as well as the number of wine bottles you have. Modern manufacturers provide the number of bottles to store in a wine chiller, so consumers can decide which one suits their needs.
If you wish to store more wine, it is suggested for you to purchase a wine chiller that can save more than 100 bottles to be able to fit into your wine chiller. This is a rule of thumb, especially when you are fond of collecting various kinds of wines.
Again, ask yourself how many bottles of wine do you wish to store in your wine chiller to decide which is to purchase.
Thermoelectric or Compressor?
Wine chillers can be categorized into two systems: One which uses a compressor like a normal fridge and another uses thermoelectric, which has a more quiet effect and low vibrations.
Just like how a fridge functions, a compressor system is also as powerful as your fridge. Although they are very ground-breaking machines, they are a lot stronger and moderately heavier. When the thermostat regulator has gone beyond the set degree, the compressor chills the whole unit. While the hum of the compressor might be somewhat noisier than the thermoelectric units, they work much better at really keeping the containers cool, which is the reason why most prefer this wine chiller system.
The chillers that use a thermoelectric system, however, claim to be better because they’re reticent. If silence is a green thumb to you, then you may want to consider buying one of these units, but thermoelectric units don’t produce cool air into the unit as much as they pull heat out. Once the heat has been pulled out, the chiller helps keep the cooler air that has been separated from the hotter air inside. If you’re starting to feel this, then this means thermoelectric units doesn’t cool the bottles all that much, you’d be right. But again, they’re quiet, and that’s one of the main reasons they’re so popular.
Single Zone or Dual Zone?
The next to consider under our wine chiller buying guide is whether the appliance is a single zone or dual zone. Wines have various types: red wine, white wine, sparkling wine, and others. That being said, they also require different temperatures. So, if you are fond of drinking different wines, you need to make sure that you are storing them according to their right temperature.
Light and sparkling white wines require a temperature range of 4-10 degrees Celsius.
Full-bodied white wines and fruity red wines need a temperature of 10-15 degrees Celsius.
You need to store the port wines and full-bodied reds at a temperature of 15-18 degrees Celsius.
All wines require cooling at 12 degrees Celsius before serving.
Single Temperature wine chillers have only one temperature zone. Thus, everything inside will be kept at only one temperature. Single zone chillers are perfect for those who have a specific wine preference, red or white. You also can easily adjust the temperatures inside the fridge to suit its contents. This is a good fit for those consumers who drink only one type of wine. Moreover, it is more affordable than a dual-zone cooler.
Dual Temperature wine chillers have separate temperature zones, which you can alter to suit the needed temperature of wine varieties. It is also designed to cater to the need to separate your drinking wine from the wines you want to age since they may require different temperatures. They may be expensive due to their function and size since it is more significant than those single-zone chillers, but this is an excellent investment, especially if you are a collector of red and white wines.
Noise
As much as we can, we want to attain silence about the running appliances in our home. However, we cannot go away with the fact that some appliances are noisy in nature. As mentioned earlier, thermoelectric wine coolers are widely chosen specifically for being quieter. So, if your main concern is the noise that it creates, then you may opt to select chillers that have thermoelectric systems.
However, if your preference is to serve your wines the temperature they need, then you may resort to choosing a chiller that has a compressor system. It may produce noise and consistent vibration, but these are essential to reciprocate the care and temperature your wine collection needs. On the other hand, if you hear unnecessary noise from your chiller, it is best to consult for a repair.
Energy Use
As it is true with any type of wine chillers, they highly consume energy, especially those units that use a compressor system like your fridge. Thus, expect a higher electric consumption in your next bill once you purchase it. But there are some units that use less electrical consumption like the thermoelectric models as previously mentioned.
They are widely known for using less energy compared to compressor models since they are smaller and have lower capacity. Just like any other appliance: the bigger it is, the higher the energy consumption. The same is true with your wine chiller.
Modern manufacturers, however, are building more efficient and energy-saving wine chillers in the market. Hence, let us keep ourselves updated on the latest trends on not only wine chillers but also on other home and kitchen appliances.
Designs and Features
Aside from knowing what type of wine chiller to buy, it is also essential to consider the features it includes. Here are some of the designs and features to look for when purchasing your wine chiller.
Power Reset
This powerful function comes in handy, especially when there is a blackout or unannounced power interruption. It is because it will reset itself to the default settings once such situations occur. This does not only leave you in peace but also make sure that your wine still gets the temperature and humidity they need right after such unprecedented events occur.
Tinted Glass
This feature in your wine chiller protects your wines against harmful UV rays. This added feature of protection is a necessary precaution if your chiller is located where sunlight can penetrate from your home.
LED Lighting
LED lighting or “light-emitting diode” is perfect for your wine chillers as it radiates soft light to your unit to see enough of the label of your wines inside without emitting harmful rays. However, using standard light bulbs may affect your wine since it gives off excess heat that may irritate your wine.
Carbon Filter
If you are storing wines using cork as its cap, this is an outstanding feature for you to have. This is because it helps your wine chiller purify the unwanted smell that may infiltrate your unit. It is especially true because corked wines are susceptible to such odours. Usually, it will take up to 4-6 months for the carbon filter to last.
These are but some of the features of wine chillers. Some chillers have a combination of these added features. Just know what suits your preference and your budget and you’ll find the best wine chiller for you.
Wrapping Up
In conclusion, there are a lot of factors to consider before buying your wine chiller. However, the most important factors are the following: the number of wines you want to store, the type of wine, and the budget you have to purchase one. If you have settled those questions, then you are ready to purchase your first ever wine chiller!
