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A Buyers Guide to the Small Wine Fridge

It has been a long, hard day. You have calmed the difficult clients, you’ve managed to get through your 1 hour commute and you are finally home. Or maybe you just invited the couple of friends over on the spur of the moment. This is the perfect time to relax with a glass of one of your favorite wines. Too bad you forgot to put some wine in the fridge this morning. It would have been really nice to have that perfectly chilled wine ready for you when you got home or when your guests arrived.

A small wine cooler would have been handy in these situations. But you may feel that you don’t have the room in your apartment for a small wine fridge. Maybe you feel that your small wine selection does not warrant the space or the expense of buying a small wine cooler. Wine coolers do not have to be the behemoth units that may come to mind. Nor do they have to be expensive.

If you live in an apartment or a small house, a small wine cooler may be the answer to your situation. Even if you don’t have a large wine collection, a small wine fridge could be a wonderful addition to your living space. The small wine cooler generally can hold anywhere from six to twenty-five bottles of wine and they are kept at optimum temperature. Most small wine fridge units have a temperature range that will be appropriate for both red and white wines.

The small wine fridge is compact enough to be placed just about anywhere in your home or apartment. They are light weight, free standing and portable so they can be moved from one location to another. The only requirement is you need to have an electric outlet close to the unit. You can purchase a small wine cooler in many different sizes. Some are designed to be as slender as 12 inches and some are a mere 10 inches in height. Their size range of the small wine fridge gives you the option of finding a small wine cooler that will fit anyone’s situation. You can set it on the counter top in your kitchen, on the bar in your home or even find space on the floor of your living room or family room. Your small wine cooler can even be installed under or inside of your kitchen cabinets.

You will want to choose a small wine cooler that fits your budget, space, décor and lifestyle. There is a small wine fridge for every life style. Following are three mini wine fridges along with their features, pros and cons that we hope will help you with your decision.

Nutrichef Thermoelectric 12 Bottle Small Wine Cooler

1. Affordable and small wine fridge that is good for red, white or champagnes.
2. Precision cooling system, thermoelectric cooling technology that is quiet while
offering storage that will keep your wine fresh over a long period of time.
3. Offers both horizontal shelves as well as vertical shelving for bottles that have
been opened.
4. Touch button digital temperature controls allows you to choose the exact, steady
temperature in 10 to 18 degrees Celsius or 50 to 65 degrees Fahrenheit.
5. Airtight, reinforced glass door. The sealed door makes bottles of wine visible and
is equipped with a circulation fan and a grill that allows for ventilation.
6. Modern design with polished chrome wine racks
7. Featuring blue LED interior lighting which does not effect interior temperature
like an incandescent light does.
8. Holds up to 12 bottles of wine.
9. The portable, freestanding design gives the freedom to use on tabletop, counter
top, under counter or on the floor.
10. Size: 9.9” x 19.7” x 25.0”
11. Light weight under 26 pounds.
12. Comes with a 1 year warranty.

 Pros:
1. Nutrichef Thermoelectric 12 Bottle Small Wine Cooler is well made and it stands up
to being moved from one place to another.
2. This small wine cooler is very quiet whether the fan is running or not.
3. The Nutrichef small wine fridge offers a high quality unit at a very affordable
price.
4. This small wine fridge has a range of temperature settings that makes it perfect
for both red and white wines.
5. The all over design of the small wine cooler has a modern style that allows for
placement in any room. No need to hide this unit.

 Cons:
1. This small wine fridge is quite small and would not work for someone that wants to chill a larger collection of wines.
2. While the temperature can be adjusted, it is not a dual-zone cooler. When storing white and red wines, you have to experiment to see which is the best spot for both types of wine.
3. Certain shaped bottles do not necessarily fit side by side which results in wasted space in this small wine fridge.

NutriChef PKTEWC120 Nutrichef 12 Bottle Thermoelectric Wine Cooler Refrigerator | Red, White,...
  • PERFECT WINE STORAGE: With its 12 bottle storage capacity, this wine cooler unit...
  • COMPACT & DECORATIVE DESIGN: With its reinforced glass door with air-tight seal,...
  • SUSTAINABLE SHELVING SYSTEM – Each small wine refrigerator features standard...
  • GET IT WITH CONFIDENCE: This premium wine cooling unit is backed by a 1 year...
  • ULTRA QUIET OPERATION: Equipped with an advanced cooling system that will keep...

NewAir AW-121E 12 Bottle Thermoelectric Small Wine Cooler

1. This small wine fridge unit can store up to 12 bottles of wine.
2. Adjustable cooling system with a temperature range of 54 degrees Fahrenheit to 66
degrees Fahrenheit. Temperature range is good for both red and white wines.
3. Quiet unit that is vibration free helps to prevent churning up sediment.
4. Stainless steel free standing small wine fridge.
5. Features push button digital display. Temperature settings are mounted on the door
frame with easy access for adjusting temperatures.
6. The interior has blue LED lighting that minimizes temperature variation.
7. The 3 chrome shelves are adjustable and offer the convenience of pulling out
shelves for loading bottles.
8. The 3 chrome shelves are adjustable and offer the convenience of pulling out
shelves for loading bottles.
9. Size: 14” x 19.5” x 19”
10.Weight: 26 pounds
11.One-year parts and labor warranty

 Pros:
1. Good small wine fridge for a small wine collection and/or limited space.
2. Good combination of features for an affordable price.
3. The removable shelves in this small wine fridge allow bottles to lay on their side
or stand upright.
4. The constant temperature helps to preserve the flavor and freshness of both red
and white wine.
5. This small wine fridge is compressor free so it is very quiet, even with the fan
running.

 Cons:
1. This small wine fridge is not as energy efficient as other small wine coolers of
similar sizes.
2. This unit is sensitive to surrounding temperatures and should only be used indoors,
not used outdoors or in cooler areas.
3. Unit is only a single zone wine cooler with a range of 54 degrees to 66 degrees.

NewAir AW-121E 12 Bottle Thermoelectric Wine Cooler
  • 12 Bottle Capacity: Compact, 12 bottle storage, perfect for red or white wines.
  • Cooling System: The quiet and vibration free thermoelectric cooling system...
  • Digital Display: Quickly monitor and set temperatures with ease using the push...
  • Interior LED Lighting: Cool blue LED lighting is included to better illuminate...
  • Adjustable Shelves: 3 chrome plated wire shelves pull out to make for easy...

Magic Chef MCWC6B 6-Bottle Single-Zone Black Wine Cooler

1. Holds up to 6 bottles of wine
2. Has a Thermoelectric cooling system
3. Adjustable temperature range from 46 degrees Fahrenheit to 64 degrees Fahrenheit.
4. Interior lighting is LED keeping the interior at a true temperature.
5. Attractive black cabinet with removable sculpted chrome shelving.
6. Size: 22.3″ x 17.8″ x 12.4″
7. Lightweight 18.5 pounds

 Pros:
1. Good performance considering the size and price.
2. Excellent unit for those starting a small wine collection.
3. Ideal size for compact spaces but large enough for 6 bottles of wine.
4. Accommodates bottles that are a little larger.
5. Interior light can be turned off.
6. Chrome racks can be removed for larger bottles and standing bottles upright.

 Cons:
1. The knob that controls the temperature is small and difficult to grip.
2. The fan in the cooler is loud.
3. Unit does not have a digital temperature control gauge.
4. There is no way of knowing the actual interior temperature unless you use a
thermometer.
5. Instructions do not recommend installing unit inside a cabinet.

Magic Chef MCWC6B 6-Bottle Single-Zone Black Wine Cooler, 20.1L x 10.9W x 15H
  • 6-bottle capacity
  • Thermoelectric cooling
  • Adjustable temperature control
  • 46¡Fð64¡F Temperature Range
  • Sculpted chrome shelves; 2 Removable Sculpted Chrome Wine Bottle Racks

Some of the above mentioned small wine cooler models are also available in larger sizes. The Nutrichef small wine fridge comes in 6, 8, 12, 16 and 18 bottle sizes. The Newair small wine cooler also comes in larger sizes, some of which have dual zone temperature controls. Magic Chef, like the other small wine cooler fridge makers, sells larger units in addition to the very small 6 bottle unit reviewed above.

Lastly, the small wine cooler is being used for other purposes than chilling wine. Some have purchased one of these units to hold beer ad soda cans. The size of the small wine fridge makes for a good cigar humidor. I’ve even seen the small cooler used for aging cheese. You could have your wine and cheese party and only need one small wine cooler unit.

Recommendations of small wine fridges

Written by Johannes

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