I have been looking for a basement wine storage solution for several months. There was a diffuse thread about the BILD800 a few months ago. I don’t need all of its 800-bottle capacity, but there doesn’t seem to be anything else on the market near this size, and nothing in kit form. The price ($4900 plus $500 to ship) is actually pretty reasonable when you compare it to other wine keepers. And the fact that it is a kit is also an advantage for me since I would never be able to get something this big down the stairs into my basement. A 300-bottle keeper would be enough, but it would almost have to be a kit for me to get it into my basement. At one time someone made a 300-bottle keeper in kit form, but I cannot find anything like it currently.
About ready to jump , but I thought I’d see if anyone has any experience with it or knows of any alternative
While you probably won’t be able to get the full 300 in here (unless you only have standard Bordeaux bottles), would something like this be an option?
I’m in a similar situation and have been eyeing the BILD, too. It would be less expensive than finishing out a cellar and very cost effective for the capacity. Not the prettiest thing though.
Le Cache is probably worth it just for the cooling unit. I have the more expensive 600 btl unit in our dining room and it is running perfectly after many years. It is also appears very easy to take out and replace the cooling unit. When we move I’ll likely get the Bild unless I can move the current cabinet.
I have the BILD and I really love it. I would not hesitate to get it again. I’ve been using it for a year now with no issues. Putting it together took my wife and I about 6 hours plus the racking (which I put together in evenings by myself). It would probably take less time if you had two tall people putting it together. The walls are quite heavy and since my wife and I are both short, putting the ceiling up was quite difficult. Beyond that, no issues putting it together. One thing to note about the BILD, getting mine was quite long. When I ordered, it was in stock and the website stated that the item would ship in 3-5 days. Getting the unit shipped to Maryland ended up taking about 2 months.
Thanks for the replies. The Costco cooler is showing out of stick. It looks like it actually holds 254 bottles with the shelves in. The cost per bottle for the BILD 800 is about as low as I’ve found.
And in my basement, it will be purely functional. I’ve been told that it takes a long time to ship because they use an actual moving company. Trucking companies always damage the shipment. Not surprised.
I’ve had the BILD for about a year and recommend it. The Le Cache folks were very helpful in getting the unit to the East Coast and answering questions.
The distance from the top of rack to ceiling is 15 1/4 inches (about 6 bottles stacked). The side without the cooling unit is easy to stack and 10/11 bottles wide (47 inches). The side with the cooling unit is about 3 bottles (14 1/2 inches) on each side and not as easy to stack unless you are ok with bottles vibrating from the cooling unit.
Does the cooling unit shake the entire rack on the side where it is located? Or are saying it will shake the wine bottles if you stack them up against the cooling unit? I was thinking of using that side to stack up champagne in gift boxes, so they wouldn’t actually touch the cooling unit. Do you think they would still vibrate?
The cooling unit does not shake the entire rack, so you are fine storing gift boxes or anything else that does not touch the cooling unit itself. The capacity is just lower on the cooling unit side and it is not as easy to stack bottles (as opposed to boxes).
One general comment for those considering the BILD. As noted in many reviews, the racks are the weakest link. They are decent quality but not the easiest to assemble, can crack in minor cosmetic ways as you assemble them and can have a bit of an off-gassing smell from the varnish. I didn’t see the last issue in other reviews so maybe it is unique. None of it was a dealbreaker, but I did end up putting the racking outside in the sun for a few days to off gas.
Overall I still recommend the BILD as the cooling unit, outside shell and customer support are all excellent.
I did order the unit back in November. It took 6 weeks to get here. The pallet filled half of my garage. I agree that the racks are a pain to assemble. The pieces can crack if over-tightened. And it does take three people, at certain times, in the assembly process. My unit is working well. I don’t have any bottles in direct contact with the cooling unit and I don’t notice any vibration in the racks when the cooling unit is running.
Does anybody think there would be an issue leaving the pallet in my driveway, under a tarp if it’s not wrapped and weatherproof upon delivery, for a short time before building? I have no where to put it until it’s built, and depending on timing of delivery, it could take anywhere from a day to a week or so before I’m able to start the assembly.
