best wine refrigerators

Whether you enjoy entertaining or have a wine collection that needs to be chilled, wine refrigeration is a valuable feature to have in a home. Although many think red wine should be stored at room temperature, it actually should be stored between 50-68 degrees Fahrenheit. White wines and other chilled wines should be stored at 42-50 degrees Fahrenheit. Even more important is the need for a consistent temperature since temperature swings damage the wine quality. UV rays can prematurely age wine so preventing light from hitting the bottles is another requirement. For all these reasons, a good wine refrigerator is a good investment. In this article, we’ll cover a few top-rated wine fridges that include great function and design as well as one of my entertaining favorites: the bar cart.

Photo Courtesy: Frigidaire & Home Depot

When choosing a wine fridge, the first consideration is the size and the space where you’ll install it. Many wine refrigerators are counter height, meaning they’re between 34 and 35 inches tall so they can sit beneath a counter in a kitchen or butler’s pantry. The typical 32-bottle wine cooler measures 15 inches wide x 23 inches deep x 35 inches high.

In “The 8 Best Wine Fridges in 2021, According to Experts” on Liquor.com, the best overall wine chiller is the Frigidaire 38-Bottle Wine Cooler at Home Depot. It’s recognized for dual-zone fridge, a frostless UV-protected tinted glass window, stainless steel frame, reversible door, LED lighting and display, and energy-efficient fan system. It measures 34 inches high x 21.5 inches wide x 24.5 inches deep and retails for $548.

wine chiller

Photo Courtesy: Ivation & Walmart

 

The Ivation Built-In Wine Cooler was recognized for the best features and wow! It really offers a lot. This energy-efficient, thermally-insulated, single-zone fridge is bursting with features including a digital LCD control panel, LED lighting and a front-facing vent. It chills up to 31 bottles and retails at Walmart for $549.

If you’re ready for a treat and have plenty of space, we have that for you too. The EuroCave Premiere Double L Wine Cellar (shown below) at Wine Enthusiast was voted as the best splurge. This choice offers improved energy efficiency, a digital control panel with temperature alarm systems and more. It measures 72 inches high x 27 inches wide x 27.25 inches deep.

Photo Courtesy: Wine Enthusiast

mobile wine chiller

Photo Courtesy: Dometic

wine refrigerator and bar cart

Photo Courtesy: Dometic

 

When it comes time to pop the cork and entertain your guests, I’m a big fan of using a bar cart. House Beautiful touts three bar carts by Dometic, a Swedish brand. The company aims to upgrade entertaining at home. The MoBar 50S (at left) adds finesse to your indoor or outdoor entertaining and requires no electricity. The insulated basket up top keeps bottles ice cold and the shelves put bartending supplies within reach. The heavy-duty wheels and handle make moving this bar cart from inside to the back patio a breeze. Another great element is the weatherproof design built for harsh outdoor environments. It retails for $769.

The MoBar 300S (at right) expands the storage options beyond its smaller brethren, holding 19 bottles of wine or 70 cans. The mood-enhancing lights  are an added bonus for entertaining spaces. There’s also storage space for dry goods and glassware. It retails for $2,969.

best wine refrigerator

Photo Courtesy: Dometic

The top-of-the-line option is the MoBar 550 with a built-in beverage fridge with dual temperature zones (ideal for chilling both red and white wine at the same time). The MoBar 550 can hold up to 39 bottles of wine or 155 cans of your favorite beer or seltzer. With the sheer storage size that this offers, entertainment gurus are sure to appreciate the MoBar 550. It retails for $4,399.

 

As I mentioned in the “Back Yard Updates that Extend Your Living Areas” post, I inherited from my mother a bar cart that I now use on my backyard patio. You can barely see it in the bottom left corner of the patio photo below. It’s been refinished with powder coating and is the perfect size for holding a floral arrangement and appetizers on our patio when friends join us for a summer evening. In the below right photo, you can also see that, when not entertaining, I also use this same cart as a potting cart. So, if you prefer not to buy a modern appliance, you can certainly check out local antique stores for one that’s more like this.

bar cart that doubles as a potting cart

Decor by Pamela Hope Designs

 

Now, who’s ready for some bubbly?

If you enjoyed this article, you may also like reading “Benefits of a Well-Designed Butler’s Pantry” on our blog.

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