Undercounter Wine Cooler Fridge - Which are the best to buy?
The wine enthusiast undercounter wine cooler fridge buying guide: Do you really need one and which one should you buy.
Key Takeaways
Learn everything you need to know before buying an undercounter wine cooler fridge.
See the best types and recommendations from a professional bartender.
Answer all your undercounter wine cooler fridge questions.
So you’re considering buying a wine fridge? Why the hell not? You love wine and the thought has crossed your mind in the past about just how nice it would be to have a undercounter wine cooler fridge, but never in a serious “I’m buying a wine cooler” manner. Until now, you now have more wine bottles than you can count and are tired of bottles being scattered around your home, next to a bottle of gin on your alcohol shelf, In your kitchen fridge next to microwavable packet of macaroni cheese, next to your bath. You want somewhere to stylishly and neatly organise your wine.
You’ve got all the fancy wine gadgets, you’ve got the correct glassware.
You’re sitting asking yourself, “Okay, so a wine fridge would be cool, but do I really need one?”
It’s a question that all of us wine lovers eventually ask ourselves. Firstly, let me just clear something up straight from the get-go. Wine fridges are not as expensive as you may think. For some reason, we all have this idea that a wine fridge is going to be a huge investment.
Probably because the people we see who own them generally are quite well-off. But unless you are thinking about installing a built in thousand bottle walk in temperature controlled wine cellar in your basement. Then it’s not going to be as expensive as you think…
How do I know when it’s time to buy a undercounter wine cooler fridge
Undercounter wine cooler - image source
It is true that not every wine lover needs a undercounter wine cooler fridge. If you’re a casual wine drinker who maybe enjoys one bottle of wine every month or so, then you probably do not need to buy a wine fridge. However, you still may want one and that's okay. It’s not all about whether you need one or not, it's about whether you want one. I didn’t need to buy a £30 reindeer Christmas jumper last year. But you better bet your bottom dollar I did…
So if you know you want an undercounter wine cooler fridge then don’t let the “Do I need it” question cloud your mind. It doesn’t matter, treat yo’self. Buy yourself nice things, you deserve it, you’ve had a hard year. However, it’s still good to know at what point that want does become need. So here's a few times when you know you need a wine fridge.
You have more then 4 bottles of wine at any given time
2 bottles of wine is a good night. 4 bottles is a collection. Sometimes, we buy wine when we want to drink it. Sometimes we buy wine in advance without knowing when we will have it, just because it's good to have. If you’re the latter, then even if your collection is small, you can still class yourself as a wine collector. You need a fridge.
You have a small or full kitchen fridge
If your kitchen fridge is small or always full then you may consider buying a larger fridge. But if it's wine taking up that space, then maybe what you should be considering buying a wine fridge to keep the two separate. It will be cheaper than buying a full sized kitchen fridge and a lot more organized.
You drink for the taste
If you really enjoy the subtle differences between different wines. You know all about how different locations and grape varieties impact flavour and generally enjoy these differences. Then having wine served at the correct temperature is going to help bring out the true flavours of the wine. Something a wine fridge is perfect for.
You’re reading this article.
If you’re reading this article, and you’ve made it to this bit without clicking away. Then chances are you already need an undercounter wine cooleer fridge and you know it.
Why is a undercounter wine cooler fridge beneficial?
Wine is a very delicate beverage. Light, temperature and humidity all impact the flavour of wine. And they happen to be 3 things that are all around us.
Wine left out on the side, even unopened, won't last too long before the flavours start to disappear. (if that has happened to you, read this article about using leftover wine) Wine kept in a normal kitchen fridge sorts out the lighting situation, but kitchen fridges are way too cold. A cupboard is the opposite and is way too warm. Your wine cooler fridge will have a consistent and perfect temperature with the right lightness and the humidity to store your wine perfectly.
What do I need to know before buying a wine fridge
Table top wine fridge - image source
Before you jump into ordering your very own wine fridge, there are a few things you need to consider. Here are the top 3;
Space
You need to consider how much space you have available. If you live in a small apartment without much space then a big clunky wine fridge isn’t going to be a nice addition to your home. You should consider getting a smaller under the counter wine fridge or a countertop wine fridge, something 24 inch will work great like a Russell Hobbs table top wine fridge if you’re from the UK or a Nutrichef 24 bottle 24 inch under counter wine fridge if you’re from the USA.
Likewise, if you have a lot of space then you might as well buy a bigger wine fridge. Even if you’re not going to fill it, it just makes financial sense, as fridges like the Subcold 28 bottle wine fridge for the UK and the 28 bottle Ivation Wine Fridge for the USA will only cost a little extra then a smaller undercounter wine cooler fridge but with much more space. Who knows, maybe you will become a serious wine collector. Best to have too much space then not enough.
Noise
Some wine fridges can be noisier than others. Which doesn’t matter if your fridge is on the other side of your house, in a basement, or kitchen. However, if you live in a small apartment with thin walls. Then that noise is going to slowly drive you mad. So it’s best to pick up a quieter wine fridge like the Baridi wine fridge for if you’re in the UK and once again, the Maisee wine fridge if you’re in the USA
Reliability
You want this fridge to last a lifetime. It’s an investment, as your wine collection grows you will always have somewhere to store it and if you decide that the wine fridge life isn’t for you or you’re ready to upgrade, you want to be able to sell your current wine cooler. Having a wine cooler fridge that’s likely to break is just a big spanner in the works.
Some wine fridge sellers try to lure you in with fancy gadgets like separate temperature zones, remote controls and fancy LED’s. These things can all be great. But often they just take away from the actual job of the fridge which is to store and temperature control our wine. Make sure to look at my below recommendations for quality undercounter wine cooler fridges to fit any taste which all are reliable.
Undercounter Wine Cooler fridge recommendations
24 inch under counter wine coolers
24inch is the standard under counter measurements for most kitchens. So it makes sense that you’ll want a wine fridge to fit that space. Here are 2 options if that’s what you’re after.
24 bottle, 24 inch undercounter wine fridge cooler
35 to 50 litre capacity 24inch undercounter wine cooler fridge
Cabinet wine coolers
For cabinet wine coolers, you want something on the narrow side that will fit in with home or kitchen furniture. Something like these 2…
The non-glass front cabinet wine cooler
Tall 12 bottle cabinet wine cooler
Kitchen counter wine coolers
Kitchen counter top wine coolers will be your smallest option. Something that can sit nicely on a kitchen counter and not look clunky. Here is where most people get lost, because a lot of kitchen counter wine fridges are terrible quality. Here are a few of my smart choices.
Small space kitchen countertop wine cooler
Sleek design countertop wine fridge
Classic countertop wine cooler
Frequently asked undercounter wine cooler fridge questions
Can you use wine fridges for beer?
Yes. A wine fridge can be used for chilling anything, not just wine
Can a wine cooler fridge be used for food?
Yes, a wine fridge can be used to store your food. However, if you have more food then wine then it might be wise to lower the temperature on your fridge.
What temperature should my undercounter wine cooler fridge be?
As a general rule of thumb, if you keep your wine fridge at around 8-12°C then when it comes to serving your red wine, take it out the fridge 15 minutes before you plan on serving it. Wine temperature guide is as follows.
Red Wine: 12-18°C
White Wine & Rose: 8-12°C
Champagne & Prosecco: 4-7°C
Is a wine fridge just for white wine?
Nope. Don’t neglect your red wine. Wine fridges are not just about storing white wine, its also your reds that will need to be temperature controlled.
Is buying a wine fridge worth it?
The final question. The biggie. Is buying a wine fridge really worth it. Well, in my opinion, yes. Yes it is totally worth it. Especially if you're an avid wine enthusiast or always have a few bottles floating around. Even if you don’t always have bottles around, it's good to get into. Then instead of buying wine when you plan to drink it, you can start buying your wine in cases. Which at first sounds more expensive, but works out cheaper per bottle. result!
Is having a undercounter wine cooler fridge worth it?
Yes, it’s absolutely worth it, not just because your wine will taste the way it should (which is a big positive) but because you can re use it for anything that needs refrigerating. Christmas will be a breeze.
Are wine coolers expensive to run?
This greatly depends on the fridge you choose. So make sure you research the specific fridge. However, as a rule of thumb. A large, dual zone, free standing wine fridge with different temperature zones would cost around 13 and 30 pence per day to run in energy costs, whereas an under counter wine cooler fridge would cost about 8p to 13p per day.
What’s the difference between a wine cooler and a wine refrigerator?
There is no difference between a wine cooler and wine refrigerator. They are just 2 ways of saying the same things.
It does get complicated with wine coolers specifically, as a wine fridge can be considered a wine cooler, and a silver bucket you get when ordering white wine at restaurant would also be considered a wine cooler. I guess the more detailed answer is that everything that cools wine is considered a wine cooler, but refrigerators are, well, refrigerators. Basically, all wine refrigerators are wine coolers but not all wine coolers are wine refrigerators.
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