Although many might just leave their wine on the counter or in the fridge, a true wine connoisseur knows that wine is intended to be drunk at a particular temperature, and that drinking it at any other temperature could seriously affect its flavour. This is why many people invest in wine coolers – special fridges meant specifically for keeping wine at the right temperature.
There are many different types of wine coolers to accommodate each kind of wine drinkers:
1. Dual temperature wine coolers
These fridges are really unique, as they offer two zones that can be programmed to different temperatures – people often use one for red wine and one for white wine. It is a common belief that red wine is intended to be served at room temperature, however this isn’t quite true.
It should be slightly chilled, although not as cool as white wine. That said, a dual temperature wine cooler could also host two types of white wine or two types of red, or any combination of two different wines that need to be kept at separate temperatures.
2. Single-zone wine coolers
This type of wine coolers is an ideal solution for people who are not super diverse in the types of wine they drink. They tend to be less expensive, but will still keep wine at its ideal temperature. These coolers are just as good as dual temperature coolers – they are just intended for a different purpose.
3. Countertop wine coolers
Small and compact, a countertop wine cooler is great for someone who doesn’t have an extensive collection of wine, but who needs to maintain the temperature of a couple of bottles at a time. These coolers fit nicely on a small area of counter space, so they do not take up as much room as other coolers can.
4. Under counter wine coolers
Similar to the countertop wine cooler, the under counter wine cooler can be quite small, and is designed to fit into an area under the counter. This is a great way to keep the cooler discrete, and it saves counter space.
5. Built-in wine coolers
Someone who is a big wine drinker may wish to install a built-in wine cooler. Alternatively, this is a great option for restaurants and bars who will be using it on a regular basis. Built-in wine coolers are designed into their space rather than filling an area in a room.
While other styles of wine coolers may take up extra space or look out of place, a built-in wine cooler will look very natural as it is in a place where it is meant to be.
6. Free standing wine coolers
Free-standing wine coolers are very versatile, as they can be installed anywhere there is a plug-in. The downside to this is that they may stick out a little, or look out of place. They may also take up space, which is not ideal in areas where there isn’t room to spare. That said, they are a great option for wine drinkers who don’t have the desire or the means to have a built-in cooler.
7. Compressor wine coolers
A compressor wine fridge functions much like a normal refrigerator. Air is compressed and released, which cools the interior of the cooler. The warm air is released out the back of the wine cooler, which means there needs to be space left behind it to release the air, otherwise it will not work efficiently. These coolers can be placed anywhere, and are very versatile.
8. Thermoelectric wine coolers
Thermoelectric technology uses a metal rod with one cool end and one warm end. The warm end faces the exterior, while the cool end faces the interior. A small fan is used to spread the cool air throughout the unit.
A positive of this kind of cooler is that it makes pretty much no noise at all, and doesn’t vibrate. However, it is easily influenced by its environment, so if if gets very hot, the inside will also heat up. It needs space on all sides in order function efficiently.
9. Mini wine coolers
The following three options are largely dependant on the space available for the fridge. A mini fridge is an excellent option for someone who has very little space, and for those with a smaller budget. It will still keep a few bottles cool, without breaking the bank or taking up too much space.
10. Large wine coolers
These fridges are intended for those with a large collection of wine and the space to store it. Such fridges might even rival the size of your regular fridge, and can hold in the area of 100 bottles of wine.
11. Tall wine coolers
These are an excellent option for small spaces, as they make use of the available vertical space, while saving on horizontal space. They hold a similar number of, or maybe even more, bottles of wine as large wine coolers, while technically taking up less space in the room.
