Wine Chiller Buying Guide

A wine chiller is not a necessity to have in your home, but can be useful for those who enjoy entertaining or who do not have a basement or another cool area to store wine. Storing wine in the refrigerator just prior to serving is another option, but a wine chiller is better for getting wine to its optimal temperature.

When buying a wine chiller, there are various criteria that you will want to take into consideration. The first thing to consider is price. Small freestanding wine chillers start around $300 US Dollars (USD), while undercounter wine chillers begin at around $1000 USD and increase in price from there.

While thinking about price, consider how much you will pay in energy costs. More expensive wine chillers tend to use much less energy, so that needs to be taken into consideration. The most efficient wine chillers cost around $15 or $20 USD to run for a year. Other, less efficient wine chillers can use as much energy as a full-sized refrigerator.

Decide whether you want a freestanding or built-in wine chiller. Built in wine chillers are usually about 24 inches deep (61 cm) 34 inches (86 cm) high. Freestanding wine chillers come in a variety of sizes. Undercounter wine chillers generally hold around 50 bottles of wine — make sure you know how many bottles of wine you will want to store in your chiller.

Different types of wine require different storage temperatures. Sparkling wines generally need to be refrigerated at around 40° F (4.4° C), red wines at about 65° F (18° C), and white wines at a temperature somewhere in the middle. There are two options when buying a wine chiller: you can either buy a unit that is made for one particular type of wine, or buy a unit that is warmer at the top and cooler at the bottom. Other types of wine chillers have two different compartments that can be set to different temperatures.

Some models of wine chillers have electronic controls which make it possible to set an exact temperature. Other extras on a wine chiller include a reversible door, a interior light, pull-out shelves, and door lock. Different brands and models of wine chillers produce a different amount of noise, which may be a consideration if the wine chiller is near the living or eating space.