Unlike the best mini fridges (opens in new tab), wine coolers are specifically designed to store wine bottles at the optimal temperature. The racks inside are also designed to support the bottles without damaging their labels or scratching them at all. As well as being a practical appliance in your home, these wine fridges make a statement, with stylish finishes and subtle lighting. When it comes to choosing the best wine cooler for you, bear in mind which types of wine you like to drink. If you only like white, for example, you can choose a single-zone wine fridge. As the name suggests, this type of cooler maintains one optimal temperature that’s ideal for that type of wine. If you’re a fan of both red and white wine, however, we’d suggest spending that bit more on a dual-zone wine cooler as this will allow you to set two different temperatures to suit both types of wine. Keep in mind where you’re going to position your wine cooler too, as some units are designed to be built-in wine fridges, whereas others are freestanding and aren’t suitable to be fitted under a cabinet, otherwise they won’t be able to ventilate properly. Whatever you need, find a selection of the best wine coolers below, or for something much bigger, head to our guide of the best French door refrigerators (opens in new tab).
1. NutriChef PKCWCDS188: Best wine cooler overall
The NutriChef PKCWCDS188 is a stylish wine cooler that can store up to 18 bottles of wine. Complete with dual-zone cooling, this wine fridge can keep both white and red wines at the perfect temperature. Because of its dual-zone cooling, you’ll pay more for this cooler, however, it has a wide temperature range so you can set it to suit your needs. Inside the cooler there are six sturdy shelves that are curved to support the bottles without scratching off the labels. You can adjust the temperature on the NutriChef PKCWCDS188 with sleek touch screen controls, and the handle is set back into the door so that it doesn’t eat into your space. Available in either black or stainless steel, this wine cooler also has LED lighting to illuminate your bottles. The NutriChef PKCWCDS188 is a freestanding wine cooler, so it won’t be suitable for squeezing into a cabinet. It’s also worth noting that even though its shelves are removable, you won’t be able to rearrange them to fit extra bottles in.
Read our NutriChef PKCWCDS188 review (opens in new tab)
2. Phiestina PH-29BD: Best built-in wine cooler
If you love wine and you like to store a lot of it, the Phiestina PH-29BD is the model for you. This wine cooler can store up to 29 bottles of wine across its two compartments. With dual cooling, this is a great option for anyone that loves all types of wine. The Phiestina PH-29BD isn’t cheap, in fact, it’s one of the most expensive models we reviewed, but for what you pay, you’re getting a dual-zone cooler and a large capacity. This wine fridge looks the part too, with robust shelving finished in stainless steel to create a stylish finish. You can change the door swing direction on this wine cooler and you’ll have the flexibility of either having it as a freestanding unit or built into a cabinet but you will need to leave a little bit of space for ventilation. There’s a good temperature range on the Phiestina PH-29BD, but it’s worth noting that its sides aren’t finished in the same stainless steel as the front. Some users also found that they struggled to fit 29 bottles of wine in this unit too.
Read our Phiestina PH-29BD review (opens in new tab)
3. Kalamera KRC30SZB: Best large wine cooler
The Kalamera KRC30SZB is the largest wine cooler in our round up with the space to store 39 bottles of wine. Finished in stainless steel with a long handle, the Kalamera KRC30SZB looks high-end but isn’t actually as expensive as some of the other options we reviewed. Ideal for those that want a built-in wine cooler, the Kalamera KRC30SZB is a great option for family homes as it’s fitted with a door lock to prevent any little ones from getting at your prized wine collection. This is also one of the only wine fridges we reviewed that featured wooden shelves - a nice finish that makes this cooler look expensive. If you love both red and white wine though, this wine cooler may not be for you. That’s because it’s a single-zone cooler so you will have to set the temperature for the entire fridge, rather than being able to choose two different temperatures. Some users found that fitting 30 bottles of wine in this cooler was a struggle. However, this cooler operates quietly and the child lock is a nice addition that not all wine coolers have.
Read our Kalamera KRC30SZB review (opens in new tab)
4. Antarctic INAS90: Best basic wine cooler
If you need a large wine cooler but don’t want to pay a fortune for it, the Antarctic INAS90 Wine Cooler is a good choice. This model can hold up to 26 bottles of wine and it’s suitable for storing other beverages too. The Antarctic INAS90 Wine Cooler is a single zone model and is fairly basic in that it’s fitted with wire shelving, rather than slide-out drawers. Plus, because this cooler is a single zone appliance, you won’t be able to choose a different temperature for different types of wine. If you’re looking for a freestanding wine cooler suitable for a theater room, the Antarctic INAS90 is a great choice. It’s quick and easy to install and it operates quietly so it won’t be a nuisance when you’re trying to watch a movie. The Antarctic INAS90, unfortunately, doesn’t have a child lock and its controls are a simple dial system, so it won’t win any awards for the fanciest design.
Read our Antarctic INAS90 Wine Cooler review (opens in new tab)
5. NutriChef PKCWC120: Best small wine cooler
The NutriChef PKCWC120 is available in a choice of two finishes, one is black, the other is stainless steel. Whichever is more to your taste, this wine cooler looks smart and has been designed to be used as a freestanding wine cooler. That means you won’t be able to install this cooler in a cabinet, despite its small size. The NutriChef PKCWC120 does have a wide temperature range so that you can select exactly what you want based on the type of wine you’re storing. The NutriChef PKCWC120 is a single zone cooler, however, so you won’t be able to choose a different temperature for different varieties of wine. The controls on this fridge are touch controls, and a digital display indicates the temperature that the cooler is set at. Looking sleek and stylish from the front, the NutriChef PKCWC120’s air vent is at the back of the unit which is why this wine cooler can’t be stored inside a cabinet. What this does mean, however, is that the front of the cooler doesn’t feature any unsightly vents.
Read our NutriChef PKCWC120 review (opens in new tab)
Key Features of Wine Coolers Temperature: How cold should a wine cooler get? The right temperature depends on the type of wine you’re chilling – red and white wines need to be stored at different temperatures. If you want to store both types at the same time, you need a dual-zone wine refrigerator. These models have two areas and can maintain a different temperature in each. However, if you chill only one type of wine, a single-zone cooler is a more economical option. For red wine, it is best to keep your wine cooler between 50 degrees and 65 degrees Fahrenheit. White wine should be chilled between 41 degrees and 50 degrees Fahrenheit, with 46 degrees being the optimal temperature if you’re storing both sweet and dry varieties. This is warmer than a standard refrigerator, which is kept between 32 degrees and 40 degrees to keep food from spoiling. Size: How many bottles does a wine fridge hold? Wine fridges come in a variety of sizes – some can hold as few as six bottles and others as many as 100. If you have a wine cellar, you probably only need a small cooler to chill a few bottles to have ready for guests. You should also consider the size of the bottles you buy. A cooler’s advertised capacity is the number of standard-size bottles that fit comfortably inside. A standard wine bottle is between 3 inches and 3 1/2 inches around (diameter) and 12 inches tall. If you need to store a larger bottle, you can take out a shelf or two and stand it upright in the cooler. What is the difference between a compressor and a thermoelectric cooling system? There are two big differences between a compressor and a thermoelectric cooling system: energy usage and noise. There are also some differences with the temperatures they can reach – wine coolers with compressors get much colder, so they better accommodate sweet and sparkling wines. However, there are some thermoelectric wine fridges that are an exception to this rule and can get cold enough to chill these varieties of white wines as well. As far as noise, you can expect a wine cooler with a compressor to make some noise while it runs. It typically isn’t loud enough to interrupt a conversation, but it’s still noticeable. Thermoelectric coolers are much quieter, sometimes running nearly silent. For energy usage, thermoelectric cooling systems don’t have as many moving parts like compressors, so they don’t use as much energy to cool your wine. As such, they also cost less to run.
