Wine Refrigerators

Message

j. rosen · #1 Post by **j. rosen** » February 4th, 2011, 2:28 pm

Does anybody have a suggestion for a good wine refrigerator / cooler to store 50+ bottles at home?

Taylor Senatore · #2 Post by **Taylor Senatore** » February 4th, 2011, 4:30 pm

j. rosen wrote:Does anybody have a suggestion for a good wine refrigerator / cooler to store 50+ bottles at home?

Lots of options based on your needs and budget. I'm a fan of Eurocave at home. If it's going into the gargage or someplace out f the way you can get good deals on all sorts of scratch and dent stuff. I've also dealt with Avanti (eh) and Vinotemp (eh, as well) Are you looking for long term storage or a place to keep stuff at drinking temp for the short term?

j. rosen · #3 Post by **j. rosen** » February 4th, 2011, 4:43 pm

Taylor... thanks for thoughts. I am looking for something for at home storage. I have a small refrigerator that I use in the kitchen for wine that we plan to drink... but looking for something for longer term storage where I can be pretty confident the temperature won't swing wildly. Tried looking at reviews online but lots of conflicting information.

Thanks for any advice!

Taylor Senatore · #4 Post by **Taylor Senatore** » February 5th, 2011, 2:14 pm

Here is a Eurocave solution from beveragefactory.com where I've purchased before-- just make sure you are vigilant with the shipping inspection.

EuroCave Comfort 101 Wine Cellar (1-Temp) (Black - Solid Door) -- I have two of these and they are good but very "vault" like with the black door, but solid long term storage and it can get you into a Eurocave for ~1500 with the rolling shelves you can get I think 5 or 6 cases in there.

Again, budget and how it looks are very subjective so it's tough to give you any real options. But if you are looking for long term storage, you just need a stable temperature and a solid company.

Cheers.

Taylor Senatore · #5 Post by **Taylor Senatore** » February 5th, 2011, 2:17 pm

FYI, I do believe I bought the eurocaves from wineenthusiast.com/EuroCave

j. rosen · #6 Post by **j. rosen** » February 5th, 2011, 7:41 pm

Thanks so much for the advice!

Randy Smith · #7 Post by **Randy Smith** » February 14th, 2011, 12:04 pm

If you are diligent, some very good deals can be found on craigslist.

#8 Post by **M Hoose** » February 14th, 2011, 1:11 pm

Like Chief Brody said "You're gonna need a bigger boat".....

Go bigger, you'll eventually fill it

I've got a Le Cache that sits in the garage and have had no problems.

Cheers

T.L. Reasoner · #9 Post by **T.L. Reasoner** » February 16th, 2011, 1:02 am

No truer words were spoken with get a bigger boat... If you thinking of 50+ now then get at least a 200 bottle cooler you will be very happy you did!

I have a 220 bottle eurocave as well as a 50 bottle kitchen aide and both have served me well.

Z. Hu · #10 Post by **Z. Hu** » October 15th, 2011, 8:57 am

Have to agree with everyone else. I had a Vinotemp that held 50 bottles but that was good for a few months. Ended up with a Le Cache that holds a lot more.

Efrain Rodriguez · #11 Post by **Efrain Rodriguez** » October 16th, 2011, 8:44 pm

I second the Eurocave suggestion. I had the 220 bottle glass door unit which is great storage unit and very attractive.

M Hudson · #12 Post by **M Hudson** » October 24th, 2011, 7:04 am

If your looking for budget ideas the one stocked in most home depot stores that hold 50 bottles is not too bad.

I have a friend who has two. It has simple temp controls and looks nice in your home to boot.

If your looking for larger storage then I second the le cache.

From my research they have the best combination of quality and price in the larger storage units.

I just purchased one of their wine vault series for my garage.

I have a vinotemp inside but really can't recommend it. The dual zone function of the vino temp means I can only hit a few shelves at 55

I am going to relegate it to whites and reds I don't plan to age. Anything cellar worthy is going in the le cache

JimmyGillingham · #13 Post by **JimmyGillingham** » June 15th, 2012, 1:58 pm

I am thinking about buying a cooling unit and building my own cabinet with it. Has anyone done that? If so, do you have the plans you used?

Dave McCloskey · #14 Post by **Dave McCloskey** » August 23rd, 2012, 2:39 pm

M Hudson wrote:If your looking for budget ideas the one stocked in most home depot stores that hold 50 bottles is not too bad.

I have a friend who has two. It has simple temp controls and looks nice in your home to boot.

If your looking for larger storage then I second the le cache.

From my research they have the best combination of quality and price in the larger storage units.

I just purchased one of their wine vault series for my garage.

I have a vinotemp inside but really can't recommend it. The dual zone function of the vino temp means I can only hit a few shelves at 55

I am going to relegate it to whites and reds I don't plan to age. Anything cellar worthy is going in the le cache

+1 on the Home Depot special. I have two from HD, one holds about 65 bottles and the other 50. The one that holds 50 I've had for 7+ years... it looks good, has dual zones and functions as advertised. I paid under a grand for both.

#15 Post by **Joe G a l e w s k i** » August 24th, 2012, 10:28 am

Dave McCloskey wrote:+1 on the Home Depot special. I have two from HD, one holds about 65 bottles and the other 50. The one that holds 50 I've had for 7+ years... it looks good, has dual zones and functions as advertised. I paid under a grand for both.

Which Home Depot one are you guys talking about? They have a lot of them on their website.

Garrett Lang · #16 Post by **Garrett Lang** » December 30th, 2012, 4:29 pm

I'm looking at buying my first large wine storage device, and was wondering if anyone has experience with this one: http://www.wineracksamerica.com/Wine_Ca ... etian.html

It will be in my dining room and I find it more aesthetically pleasing than its euro cave cousin for half the price. Would I be making a mistake to go with this one over the eurocave? Euro cave link I'm looking at is http://www.wineenthusiast.com/eurocave- ... ESTSELLERS

Andrew Kaufman · #17 Post by **Andrew Kaufman** » December 30th, 2012, 7:03 pm

Garrett Lang wrote:I'm looking at buying my first large wine storage device, and was wondering if anyone has experience with this one: http://www.wineracksamerica.com/Wine_Ca ... etian.html

It will be in my dining room and I find it more aesthetically pleasing than its euro cave cousin for half the price. Would I be making a mistake to go with this one over the eurocave? Euro cave link I'm looking at is http://www.wineenthusiast.com/eurocave- ... ESTSELLERS

for that price range, le cache.

Garrett Lang · #18 Post by **Garrett Lang** » December 31st, 2012, 9:05 am

Andrew Kaufman wrote:
Garrett Lang wrote:I'm looking at buying my first large wine storage device, and was wondering if anyone has experience with this one: http://www.wineracksamerica.com/Wine_Ca ... etian.html

It will be in my dining room and I find it more aesthetically pleasing than its euro cave cousin for half the price. Would I be making a mistake to go with this one over the eurocave? Euro cave link I'm looking at is http://www.wineenthusiast.com/eurocave- ... ESTSELLERS
for that price range, le cache.

How do these look? Can you help me understand the advantages of lecache over the competitors?

http://www.beveragefactory.com/wine/cel ... 0-ch.shtml $5500
http://www.beveragefactory.com/wine/cel ... 0-cl.shtml - European style $6100

Garrett Lang · #19 Post by **Garrett Lang** » January 1st, 2013, 12:13 pm

Also, the lecache is 10" wider than the other ones I was looking at, which wouldn't leave room for the wine-serving countertop I was planning to put next to the wine storage... Would I be ok going with this?:
http://www.wineenthusiast.com/eurocave- ... -door).asp

Brad Bogdan · #20 Post by **Brad Bogdan** » January 9th, 2013, 6:01 am

Randy Smith wrote:If you are diligent, some very good deals can be found on craigslist.

+1

S. Reynolds · #21 Post by **S. Reynolds** » January 9th, 2013, 9:26 am

I see a lot of discussion of Euro Cave and Le Cache on these forums. What do people generally think of the Sub Zero line of wine refrigerators?

Nicolas R. Elliott · #22 Post by **Nicolas R. Elliott** » January 24th, 2013, 12:35 pm

I would vote for the Le Cache because they look great and are fairly quiet. Plus they make them HUGE which I accept as a challenge to fill!

#23 Post by **JKim** » January 24th, 2013, 1:38 pm

S. Reynolds wrote:I see a lot of discussion of Euro Cave and Le Cache on these forums. What do people generally think of the Sub Zero line of wine refrigerators?

What do they go for 7-8k? Major league overpriced. You could get a Le Cache with double the capacity for thousands less. Only people with money to burn and wanting to match their SZ/Wolf appliances would get a SZ...and definitely not a wine geek. In my experience, Le Cache is second to none in customer service.

S. Reynolds · #24 Post by **S. Reynolds** » January 25th, 2013, 9:11 am

JKim wrote:
S. Reynolds wrote:I see a lot of discussion of Euro Cave and Le Cache on these forums. What do people generally think of the Sub Zero line of wine refrigerators?
What do they go for 7-8k? Major league overpriced. You could get a Le Cache with double the capacity for thousands less. Only people with money to burn and wanting to match their SZ/Wolf appliances would get a SZ...and definitely not a wine geek. In my experience, Le Cache is second to none in customer service.

All makes sense. Was just curious what the opinion was.

Dave McCloskey · #25 Post by **Dave McCloskey** » May 24th, 2013, 6:49 am

You can spend a boatload of money on a fancy wine cooler, however they're all essentially refrigerators with the sole purpose of maintaining a consistent temperature and humidity. I have an unfinished basement, so right now I'm not concerned about the looks of a wine cooler, I just want to get my wine in a temperature controlled environment. My strategy... go to Home Depot and buy their inexpensive wine coolers. I have three of them and haven't had a single issue with any of them.

MGongzalez · #26 Post by **MGongzalez** » April 28th, 2014, 12:51 pm

S. Reynolds wrote:I see a lot of discussion of Euro Cave and Le Cache on these forums. What do people generally think of the Sub Zero line of wine refrigerators?

I bought a Sub-Zero wine cooler to replace my older Danby one. I originally purchased the Danby wine cooler just to keep my white wine and sparkling wine cold, what started as a small test to see if having a wine cooler at home was worth it then turned into a hobby of collecting and tasting wines...

So naturally if I am going to be storing expensive bottles, possibly for an extended duration more than 2-3 years I needed something of quality that would keep my wines at a constant temperature and zero vibration. My choice ended up being Sub-Zero which are a bit pricy, but I was not disappointed one bit. The Sub-Zero wine cooler that I bought at Goemans appliances was a great investment to keep my expensive bottles of wine safe and cold.

Today my Danby wine cooler sits in the garage to store our cheap bottles that we drink day to day, while the Sub-Zero sits nicely in our kitchen for special occasions.

All in all, I am very happy with my Sub-Zero wine cooler.

KevinD · #27 Post by **KevinD** » August 27th, 2014, 6:17 pm

I'm very happy with my Eurocave, it can hold around 200 bottles with the bottles stacked very carefully. I used to have this in conjunction with an off site storage locker. I would keep my newest purchases at the locker and the ones ready for drinking at home in the Eurocave. The locker was pretty reasonable, just about $75 a month. I really miss having the locker because it was very cool place where they hosted social events with other locker owners. It was like being in a discreet wine club. The generosity of the other locker owners and the real interest in the culture of wine was a great experience to be connected to. It was the only time I had the chance to taste DRC wines as they are pretty far outside of my budget. Sadly I moved and had to close out my locker. Yes, I miss my locker and my old friends.

#28 Post by **JKim** » August 27th, 2014, 8:02 pm

MGongzalez wrote:
S. Reynolds wrote:I see a lot of discussion of Euro Cave and Le Cache on these forums. What do people generally think of the Sub Zero line of wine refrigerators?
I bought a Sub-Zero wine cooler to replace my older Danby one. I originally purchased the Danby wine cooler just to keep my white wine and sparkling wine cold, what started as a small test to see if having a wine cooler at home was worth it then turned into a hobby of collecting and tasting wines...

So naturally if I am going to be storing expensive bottles, possibly for an extended duration more than 2-3 years I needed something of quality that would keep my wines at a constant temperature and zero vibration. My choice ended up being Sub-Zero which are a bit pricy, but I was not disappointed one bit. The Sub-Zero wine cooler that I bought at Goemans appliances was a great investment to keep my expensive bottles of wine safe and cold.

Today my Danby wine cooler sits in the garage to store our cheap bottles that we drink day to day, while the Sub-Zero sits nicely in our kitchen for special occasions.

All in all, I am very happy with my Sub-Zero wine cooler.

Sub-Zero is a nice option for built-in purposes where a free standing can't be placed anywhere, albeit at a crazy price, ~$7500 for 147 bottle storage, not exactly qpr. Compare that to Le Cache's new built-in, $1700 for 153 bottle storage.

http://www.lecachewinecabinets.com/loft ... one-cellar

But, both are straddled with the same problem. Unless you cellar only Bdx style bottles, capacity goes way down. That racking system is a non-starter for me cuz I have so many Burgundy and Champagne bottles.

The double deep wood racking on the regular free standing Le Cache cabinets can fit everything except the extremely fat Champers.

AlvaroC · #29 Post by **AlvaroC** » September 30th, 2014, 3:18 pm

Seeing this post right on time, I am actually considering buying one in December, will check out all the options here.

willtell · #30 Post by **willtell** » November 3rd, 2014, 12:06 pm

Williams-Sonoma has a relatively inexpensive 32 bottle from Cuisinart.
Stainless steel, i dig it...Heres a link http://www.williams-sonoma.com/products ... 2817962943

Prashant Jyothi · #31 Post by **Prashant Jyothi** » December 14th, 2014, 9:16 pm

Are any of these Energy Star rated?

I ask bc I just bought a 144 bottle Vinotemp unit from Costco and I notice it constantly seems to want to run more than our regular fridge.

And reliability seems to be a problem across the board with wine fridges and I don't understand that. Regular fridges last 20 years, also have a compressor and are constantly being opened and shut. I bought from Costco to avoid reliability issues. Price was good too. $1000 and a good looking unit.

John Williams · #32 Post by **John Williams** » December 17th, 2014, 5:16 am

Any one have experience with avanti.
Thinking of buying the 149 bottle free standing model.

#33 Post by **Brian Tuite** » December 17th, 2014, 6:02 am

John Williams wrote:Any one have experience with avanti.
Thinking of buying the 149 bottle free standing model.

My very first wine storage unit was an Avanti thermoelectric one. Best and worst feature was that it was silent. Never knew it stopped working until it was too late. Not knocking the brand but will never ever buy anything thermoelectric again.

My three 50 bottle units from Home Depot/Vassani-Magic Chef just keep going and going. Aside from moisture issues on the lower shelf of one I have no complaints. Couldn't beat the price.

John Williams · #34 Post by **John Williams** » December 22nd, 2014, 2:14 am

Thanks might look into a few more brands.

georgetollman · #35 Post by **georgetollman** » February 2nd, 2015, 1:44 am

I'm also looking for a wine cooler but a smaller one. Anyone have any advice for a small wine cooler that stores a large variety of bottles in terms of sizes? I have done a fair amount of research and the two brands that seem to be coming back and back again are NewAir and Haier, with some getting mixed reviews. I actually like one of the 18 Bottle fridge from Wine Enthuisiast ones best in terms of aesthetics but I read some reviews (like the one here) that it's not meant for all bottle types. It claims that it's not designed for Bordeaux-style bottles. You guys have any recommendations?

#36 Post by **Michael Martin** » February 2nd, 2015, 4:56 am

I have 3 coolers varying from 300 bottle capacity down to 50. The 50 bottle one has shelves that "float" to accommodate sizes from mags to Turley. It has been going strong for over 6 years without a problem. Here is the model at Home Depot.
http://t.homedepot.com/p/Vissani-50-Bot ... 100597196/

#37 Post by **Brian Tuite** » February 2nd, 2015, 5:28 am

Michael Martin wrote:I have 3 coolers varying from 300 bottle capacity down to 50. The 50 bottle one has shelves that "float" to accommodate sizes from mags to Turley. It has been going strong for over 6 years without a problem. Here is the model at Home Depot.
http://t.homedepot.com/p/Vissani-50-Bot ... 100597196/

I have 3 of those. Work great.

#38 Post by **Michael Martin** » February 2nd, 2015, 5:52 am

The hidden secret on the Vissani is they actually will hold more than 50 bottles if you are a little creative in how you arrange the bottles. I've fit in up to 60.

Eric B. DBA · #39 Post by **Eric B. DBA** » February 2nd, 2015, 4:54 pm

I have a vino temp that's great for everyday stuff. Long term, eurocave.

Albert R · #40 Post by **Albert R** » February 11th, 2015, 6:51 pm

I have a Eurocave and two U-line's that I'm very happy with.

Richard Malloy · #41 Post by **Richard Malloy** » February 12th, 2015, 8:25 am

Eric B. wrote:I have a vino temp that's great for everyday stuff. Long term, eurocave.

If there's one piece of advice you should heed, DO NOT PURCHASE VINOTEMP: http://www.wineberserkers.com/forum/vie ... =1&t=29900

That thread should be a sticky on this forum.

I would add that most wine refrigerators are terrible buys, marketed toward consumers without much knowledge in the area. I've even recently seen a wine fridge "specially created for your reds". I mean, really. These items are merely tiny, very cheaply built refrigerators with substandard cooler/compressors, and yet they're priced like luxury goods. 'Cause, you know... wine. And unlike quality producers such as Le Cache and Eurocave, these units don't have humidity controls nor is any attempt made to reduce vibration. They are, at best, an expensive means to keep your wine chilled to a certain temperature for service - certainly not a longterm storage solution for aging wines to maturity.

If you merely want to keep your wine chilled for service, I'd suggest purchasing a real refrigerator, perhaps even a used one from a good manufacturer, and hack the temp control: http://www.practicalhacks.com/2012/03/1 ... rigerator/ Less money, more storage space, better built in general with a more robust compressor.

Anders D · #42 Post by **Anders D** » February 14th, 2015, 8:59 am

I have the LeCache Loft 1200 and can recommend it

Chris H a n s c o m · #43 Post by **Chris H a n s c o m** » March 27th, 2015, 8:49 am

I have an inordinate amount of experience here so thought I would offer up advice for any of those who haven't purchased or are on then fence. I have been through the Home Depot type units. Yes they are inexpensive, but absolutely NOT for long term storage. The amount of vibration these units have is like leaving your wine smack dab in the middle of the San Andreas Fault...

I was staring down the barrel of yet another Eurocave purchase. I already had filled three.

When people here, or anywhere for that matter tell you to buy more than you think you'll need, do it!

Firstly, no "refrigerator" holds as many bottles as claimed. At 5k apiece I was worried that I would fill number four all too quickly as well.

I bit the bullet, and built a nearly 3000 bottle freestanding cellar in our carriage house. Got it for a song, and after selling off the Euros, I actually broke almost even. The cellar had everything but lighting, so I placed 4 led battery operated motion sensor lights from costco. Incredibly well insulated, and does a terrific job (until I fill it,,, then what?)

Oh another point- no matter what you build or buy, know that the efficiency of the unit is maximized when it is FULL. Same principal as your regular refrigerator / freezer.

TSimpson · #44 Post by **TSimpson** » March 31st, 2015, 6:51 pm

Can back up the don't cheapskate it front. Good friend had a ~50 bottle vinotemp that crapped its self and ended up cooking about 2k in wine....

I got a similar $99 special as a gift that lasted less than a year then the compressor died. Have heard numerous other stories from others to know that this is not where you want to penny pinch. I picked up a used Eurocave with a busted compressor on CL for $200 and had it running good as new for a fraction of the price of new. Keep your eyes peeled and there are good deals to be had. Now if I can just find a 2nd one....

#45 Post by **Michael Martin** » March 31st, 2015, 7:04 pm

Chris H a n s c o m wrote:I have an inordinate amount of experience here so thought I would offer up advice for any of those who haven't purchased or are on then fence. I have been through the Home Depot type units. Yes they are inexpensive, but absolutely NOT for long term storage. The amount of vibration these units have is like leaving your wine smack dab in the middle of the San Andreas Fault...

I was staring down the barrel of yet another Eurocave purchase. I already had filled three.

When people here, or anywhere for that matter tell you to buy more than you think you'll need, do it!

Firstly, no "refrigerator" holds as many bottles as claimed. At 5k apiece I was worried that I would fill number four all too quickly as well.

I bit the bullet, and built a nearly 3000 bottle freestanding cellar in our carriage house. Got it for a song, and after selling off the Euros, I actually broke almost even. The cellar had everything but lighting, so I placed 4 led battery operated motion sensor lights from costco. Incredibly well insulated, and does a terrific job (until I fill it,,, then what?)

Oh another point- no matter what you build or buy, know that the efficiency of the unit is maximized when it is FULL. Same principal as your regular refrigerator / freezer.

Not true. The Visanni can hold up to 61, though they claim 50. It is dependent on which bottles you have and how they are placed.

J. Schenck · #46 Post by **J. Schenck** » April 7th, 2015, 3:11 pm

For this price range and capacity, any way to go cheaper without dropping way off in quality?

Larger capacity: http://m.costco.com/Wine-Enthusiast-|-G ... 31680.html

Smaller: http://m.costco.com/Wine-Enthusiast-|-C ... 31855.html

#47 Post by **Michael Martin** » April 7th, 2015, 5:21 pm

J. Schenck wrote:For this price range and capacity, any way to go cheaper without dropping way off in quality?

Larger capacity: http://m.costco.com/Wine-Enthusiast-|-G ... 31680.html

Smaller: http://m.costco.com/Wine-Enthusiast-|-C ... 31855.html

I have the 300 bottle one. Been berry, berry good to me. Quality built. Bottle capacity is bottle size dependent and how many shelves you keep installed. Holds its temp well.

J. Schenck · #48 Post by **J. Schenck** » April 8th, 2015, 5:05 pm

anyone have experience with "WineKoolR"/"KoolR" products? i think they used to be vintage keeper. the price is certainly right....

#49 Post by **Kirk.Grant** » April 12th, 2015, 8:39 am

J. Schenck wrote:anyone have experience with "WineKoolR"/"KoolR" products? i think they used to be vintage keeper. the price is certainly right....

I think C Fu mentioned them in another post. I've certainly thought about getting one.

#50 Post by **Andrew W.** » April 20th, 2015, 7:59 am

J. Schenck wrote:anyone have experience with "WineKoolR"/"KoolR" products? i think they used to be vintage keeper. the price is certainly right....

I've had a Vintage Keeper (old branding for WineKoolR/KoolR) for 6 years now, had to replace the cooling unit once (1.5 years ago). It works for what it is, a cheap manufactured exterior with metal (I think the new units have wood?) shelves. I'm looking at adding a second or replacing my current one with the double unit. If you are anal about the cooling unit, you can get a squaretrade warranty (5 yrs for 250 on the double deep double wide unit-same cost as a replacement cooling unit), I wouldn't expect a cooling unit to last 5 years.