Whether you’re a wine enthusiast or a dedicated collector, there’s a good reason for everyone to purchase a wine bottle cooler. Compared to alternatives, like a wine chiller bucket or wine sleeve, wine bottle coolers are excellent because they keep your wine at the perfect serving temperature.
While wine bottle coolers are an excellent addition to any home, some common misconceptions about the appliances lead many people to regret buying them. With that, here’s everything you need to know about wine bottle coolers — and the seven most common mistakes you should avoid when purchasing your own.
1. Purchasing a Wine Bottle Cooler That’s too Small
While that six-bottle wine cooler might seem the right size on the shelf, most people find that it never ends up being enough in practice. Once you’ve estimated how much wine you intend to store, it’s worth doubling the space. At worst, you’ll also have an excellent place to chill water and sodas. But at best, you’ll find it much cheaper to purchase a bigger wine bottle cooler than to upgrade later.
2. Buying a Wine Bottle Cooler without a Lock
If you're a wine lover with young children or sneaky teenagers, you may find that a wine bottle cooler with a locking mechanism is a necessity — luckily, plenty of the coolers on the market offer manual and smart locks. While finding a wine bottle cooler that locks might be a slightly bigger investment in the short term, this is one of the most essential features to look out for. After all, it may save you from having to clean up the broken shards of an expensive bottle later.
3. Finding that Your Wine Bottle Cooler Doesn’t Reach the Right Temperatures
Every type of wine has a different ideal storage temperature and serving temperature — and unfortunately, if you aren’t able to store your wines properly, they may begin to lose their flavor or develop unpleasant new notes.
You should ensure that your wine bottle cooler can reach and maintain the temperature you intend to keep your wines. This is particularly important with thermoelectric coolers — due to their lower cooling efficiency, they may struggle to keep wines at the lowest temperatures within their advertised ranges.
4. Failing to Consider Thermoelectric vs. Compressor-Based Cooling
While you might have seen these terms thrown around as you shopped, very few wine cooler listings describe the difference between thermoelectric and compressor-based cooling. Essentially, thermoelectric cooling is inefficient but better at preserving wine due to its lack of vibration. In contrast, compressor-based cooling is cheaper and more efficient but slightly less ideal for preservation.
There’s a big difference between the two methods of cooling. You’ll find that compressor-based cooling is a lot easier to keep up with when it comes to making sure your wines are at the right temperature, and it’s cheaper, too. If you plan on storing your wine long-term or hate the noise of electronics, however, thermoelectric wine bottle coolers offer plenty of appealing qualities.
5. Buying A Cheaply-Constructed Wine Cooler
Saving money is always tempting, but you may spend more money in the long run when you go too cheap when purchasing a wine cooler. The reason why is simple: cheap wine bottle coolers are often constructed with insufficient insulation and poorly designed parts, so it doesn’t take long for them to begin to have performance issues.
As these performance issues develop, they can also affect the quality of your wines. The parts often struggle to keep up with adequately cooling the interior of the wine cooler after a few years. Since the unit is poorly insulated, the temperature fluctuates. This causes wine to lose its intended flavors and develop bitter notes. When you purchase a quality wine cooler, you can trust that it will continue to perform optimally for years.
6. Purchasing A Wine Bottle Cooler Instead Of A Wine Fridge
If you want to chill your wine bottles to the perfect serving temperature, the process is as simple as sticking them in your wine bottle cooler But if you intend to store the bottles over the next few years, you’ll need to put slightly more research into the process. Unfortunately, one common mistake people make during this process is confusing wine bottle coolers for wine fridges — which can be catastrophic for the long-term quality of the wine.
If you plan to keep your wine bottles for an extended period, you should find a wine fridge that offers humidity control options. This will keep the corks moist, ensuring they don’t dry out and allowing air to oxidize the wine. This will also prevent wine from leaking through the dry cork, which may save you from cleaning up an awful mess later.
7. Forgetting To Look For Dual-Zone Refrigeration
While plenty of people have strong preferences about red and white wine, it’s safe to say that most people keep a few bottles of both. Unfortunately, these two types of wine have completely different serving and storage temperatures.
If you’re planning on using your wine cooler to store multiple types of wine, like red wine, white wine, sparkling wine, or champagne, you should look for one that offers dual-zone refrigeration. With this feature, you won’t have to compromise on quality, which will make a huge difference as you enjoy your next drink.
Final Thoughts
A wine bottle cooler is one of the best kitchen appliances you can invest in. Unlike most conventional methods of wine storage, like a wine rack or ice bucket, a wine chiller will allow you to keep your favorite wine or sparkling wine completely flavorful for months — and to enjoy a drink when it is at its perfect temperature every time.
As you select your next wine bottle cooler, it’s essential to avoid making mistakes you’ll regret later. With this article, you’ll easily find the perfect wine bottle cooler for your home.
