7 Best Wine Fridges of 2024, According to Experts
If you’re at all serious about wine, investing in a top-rated wine cooler will keep your bottles tasting better for longer.
Andrii Zastrozhnov/Getty
Our Top Wine Fridge Picks
- Best Wine Fridge Overall: Wine Enthusiast 32-Bottle Dual Zone Wine Cooler
- Best Value Wine Fridge: Danby 36-Bottle Free-Standing Wine Cooler
- Best Wine Fridge Splurge: GE 31-Bottle Wine Center and Beverage Center
- Best Small Wine Fridge: Kalamera 12-Bottle Wine Cooler
- Best Large Wine Fridge: Kalamera 50-Bottle Wine Cooler
- Best Wine Fridge for Households With Children: Ivation Wine Fridge 28-Bottle Wine Cooler with Lock
- Best Wine Fridge for Collectors: Wine Enthusiast VinoView 28-Bottle Wine Cooler
By Sharon Franke for Food Network Kitchen
Whether you enjoy a glass of wine with dinner, have a modest stash of bottles, or are a serious wine collector, a dedicated wine "cellar" — in this case, a wine refrigerator — will maintain your wine in ideal condition by holding it at a constant temperature, which is more important than the temperature itself. The best wine fridges also keep your wine ready to drink, so you don’t have to cram the Chardonnay into the fridge or freezer before company arrives.
Wine fridges come in a variety of sizes and styles, so choosing the best one will depend on your wine drinking habits, entertaining schedule and goals. If you’re looking to age pricey bottles of wine, you may want a wine fridge with ample room and reliable hardware. For households who frequently drink red and white wines, having a wine fridge with multiple temperature zones might be a consideration. And price is always a major factor in choosing the best wine fridge for you, as many can be on the pricier side. We’ve reviewed the many wine storage varieties on the market to find the best wine fridges for most households.
How We Picked
To select our best wine refrigerators, we relied on our writer’s extensive experience evaluating all types of refrigerators. We checked what other review sites had to say about their test results as well as what people reported about their experiences in their own homes.
All of our recommendations use compressor technology. We’ve included fridges that can hold from a dozen to 50 bottles at a modest range of prices to provide options for a variety of wine collectors.
This dual zone model is our top pick for storing a small to moderate size wine collection. In terms of temperature, it offers a lot of flexibility. It has electronic touch controls that offer a range of 41°F to 64°F. You can set both zones to different temperatures or the entire unit for the same temp. It features wavy chrome shelving that holds 30 bottles with the cork facing the door. On the bottom, there’s a bin in which you can store some bottles with the labels facing out for display purposes. Pressing a button turns on interior LED lighting to show off your collection or just make it easier to find that Napa Cabernet you want to serve with the steaks. The tinted glass window prevents light from damaging wines as they age. While it will fit under a counter, this is strictly a freestanding unit and you need to allow at least 2 inches of space on either side and 4 inches on the back and top for air to circulate. The door hinge is on the right and can’t be reversed.
With platinum trim around the door edges, this freestanding unit will look good in any room of the house. One of this fridge’s great features is that the door can be reversed to open on the left or right, so regardless of where you keep it, you’ll be able to easily access your bottles. The Danby has six full size black wire shelves and two half shelves that you can use to display a few special vintages. Blue LED lighting helps to showcase your collection. The manufacturer claims you can set the temperature from 43°F to 57°F but the temperature is adjusted by turning a knob on the back that isn’t marked with precise numbers.
As you would expect from a company that specializes in refrigeration, this single zone unit excels at maintaining steady temperatures, which is the holy grail of wine storage. Plus, it’s packed with useful and convenient features. It has a tinted glass window to shield your bottles from UV light, LED temperature controls that can be set from 41°F to 61°F, interior lighting, and an elegant towel bar handle. The fridge has three full and two half oak shelves that glide out smoothly. Not only does the wood add to the unit’s aesthetics, it helps prevent vibrations that can affect the taste of your vino. A handy “cheat sheet” on the door gives serving and storage temperature suggestions as well as instructions for changing the temperature. You have the option of installing this fridge as a freestanding unit or building it in between cabinets in your kitchen, pantry, or bar area. The hinge is on the right and is not reversible.
It you don’t buy a lot of wine but are serious about keeping what you do purchase in optimal condition, consider this space-saving fridge. Unlike many small models, it uses compressor technology to keep your wine at a stable temperature. It features electronic controls that can be adjusted from 40°F to 66°F. To prevent someone from fiddling with the temperatures, you can lock the control panel. The UV-resistant glass door is another feature that helps preserve wine. Interior lighting can be turned on to highlight your small but precious collection.
This stainless-steel trimmed fridge with beechwood shelving is a great choice for a sizeable collection. It has a double-paned glass door to keep light from harming your wine as it matures. Using the touch control panel, you can set this single zone cooler to a temp between 40°F and 65°F. While it comes with the hinge on the right, you can reverse the door swing if t’s more convenient to have it open in the other direction. The racks can be removed to store magnums or other oversized bottles but that will detract from the overall bottle capacity.
If you want to control access to your collection, this model allows you to keep your wine under lock and key. With its black housing, dark glass door, and recessed handle, it’s sleek and easily blends into any décor. It has two zones that can each be set between 41ºF and 64ºF so you can age your fine Bourdeaux at a low temp while you chill your Beaujolais to an ideal drinking temperature of 55ºF. When you’re searching for a particular vintage, you can turn on interior LED lighting. The lock is on the back of the unit and two keys are included. On the bottom rack, you can store bottles with the labels facing outwards.
Proud of your collection? Show off your bottles in this model with wire shelving that displays them with the labels facing forward. While the tinted glass protects your wine from UV damage, the LED lighting makes the labels readable even without opening the door. Using the touch controls, you can adjust the temperature from 39ºF to 65ºF.
What to Consider Before Buying a Wine Fridge
Dimensions
Measure the space you plan to keep your wine fridge in and then review the specs of any fridge you’re considering purchasing to make sure you have room for it. You need to leave several inches around the fridge on all sides for air to circulate. If you want a built-in look, make sure the wine fridge will fit under your counter and you have the appropriate hardware.
Cooling System
The best wine fridges have a compressor. Avoid any fridges that use thermoelectric technology as they work in relationship to ambient temperature: When the temperature in the room changes, the temp in the cooler changes. Your wine won’t remain at a constant temperature, which is critical to preserving it.
Bottle Capacity
If you’re starting a collection and want to age your wine properly, consider a wine cooler that holds 25 to 50 bottles. On the other hand, to store bottles that you’ll drink within a short period of time, opt for a wine fridge that holds 20 bottles or less. If you’re already a serious collector, you’ll want a fridge that can hold at least 50 bottles.
Dual-Zone vs. Single-Zone
A dual-zone wine fridge has two sections that maintain different temperatures, so you can store reds and white separately. Two zones can also be helpful for aging some bottles while keeping others at a serving temp. However, the divider in these units reduces their capacity. For long term storage, a single-zone compartment that holds all your wines at an ideal temperature for resting is preferable. See below for the best temperatures for storing wine.
Door Design
Check in which direction the door opens to make sure it’s convenient for you. On some models, you can reverse the door swing. To help protect your collection from UV damage, choose a tinted door.
Lock
If you have children, teenagers, or anyone in the home whom you don’t want to be able to access your wine collection, look for a fridge with a lock.
Energy cost
The yellow Energy Guide Label gives an estimated cost for running the fridge. If possible, choose one with the Energy Star logo that signals that it’s one of the most efficient models you can buy. In addition to helping to keep your electricity bill down, it will be better for the environment.
Wine Fridge FAQs
What’s the best temperature to store wine?
For long term storage, all wines should be kept between 53 F and 57 F. However, if you primarily store wines that you’ll be drinking soon, you may want to keep them at serving temperature: between 45 F and 52 F degrees for whites and 58 F to 65 F for reds. Contrary to the popular belief that reds should be poured at room temperature, red wine is best served at unheated cellar temperatures, which is between 58 F to 65 F.
Where should you put your wine fridge in your home?
A wine fridge can be kept in a temperature-controlled room including a kitchen, living room, den or finished basement (with heating and cooling). Don’t keep your wine cooler in an unheated garage or basement. It’s not designed to work in temperatures below those in a heated home.
Can you store food in a wine fridge?
Perishable fresh foods need to be stored below 40 F. Most wine coolers don’t maintain a temperature that low. Resist the urge to use your wine cooler for items like meats, dairy, cold cuts, or salads of any kind. You can safely use your wine fridge to store soft drinks or fresh uncut fruit.
Related Links:
