If you appreciate a good bottle of wine at the end of a long day then you are also aware of the fact the kitchen fridge isn’t the best place to store wines.
To preserve the quality of a nice bottle and to keep it at the most ideal temperature, away from various food stuff that have strong odour and may affect the taste of your favourite Merlot, you may want to consider getting a dedicated wine cooler.
What Is A Wine Cooler/Wine Fridge & Why Should You Get One?
A wine cooler or wine fridge (both terms are used but they mean the same) is desigend for short term – max. 12 months – storage of wine.
Basically they work the same as standard kitchen fridges, except you can set the cooling temperature in a different, wider range suitable specifically for storing wine. This is generally between 40 – 66 Fahrenheit (5 – 18 Celsius degree).
There are some other differences in look and operation, like a wine fridge usually has glass door so that you can admire your wine collection lying on the shelves. See other significant features you want to consider before buying a wine cooler.
Most wine lovers don’t have the budget nor the space in their home for a top-of-the-line climatized wine cabinet or a high-end wine refrigerator.
On the other hand, there are many cheap electric wine coolers and wine refrigerators available on the market today but according to consumer reviews a lot of them turn out to be of low quality.
So, after a thorough research looking at several factors we compiled this list ofthe best wine coolers under 500 USD.
We have examined, and compared the most important features that affect the overall quality of the appliance.
Hopefully this list will be a great help to decide on what to buy if you’re in search for an affordable yet good-quality wine storage fridge.
Quick Buying Tips When Shopping For a Wine Fridge
First, you need to decide on a few specifications before heading out to get a wine fridge.
Compressor Or Thermoelectric?
Compressor wine coolers operate the same way as kitchen fridges do. There is a compressor that works as a pump moving a chemical called refrigerant/coolant through the system and lowering the temperature inside the cabinet through a physical-chemical process. You will find the compressor part at the back of your fridge.
The cooling technology in thermolectric fridges is less complicated and requires fewer components than traditional compressor fridges.
The only moving part in them is an air circulation fan to help distribute the cool air evenly inside the cabinet. Note: Most compressor-based wine fridge also have a ventilation fan.
Due to the fewer moving components, thermoelectric units said to be silent, though as you will see this is not always the case.
Most improtantly this is only true in small units and if you leave enough space at the sides and back to help the warm air coming out of the fridge cabinet dissipate well.
Pros of Compressor-Operated Fridges
We talk about the pros and cons of thermoelectric wine coolers in a different post so here we mention only the most crucial factors.
- They are more efficient in cooling and maintaining that cool temperature and they work well in larger units too, compared to themoelectric fridges that operate well up to a certain size (max. 20 bottles).
- Compressor cooling is less sensitive to the air temperature surrounding the fridge (ambient temperature). A thermoelectric wine fridge will struggle to maintain the set cooling temperature in a very warm room (ambient temp. is higher than 77 °F/25 °C). This struggling with come more noise too and higher elctricity consumption.
Conclusion: If you plan to buy a small unit – up to 16-20 bottles maximum – then you will be fine with a thermoelectric wine cooler, just pay attention to placement requirements listed in the instaruction manual like ambient room temperature and clearance. However, if you decide to go for a larger wine fridge more than 20 bottles – then we definitely recommend to choose a compressor model.
Single-Zone Or Dual-Zone?
In the price category this post is about – under 500 USD wine fridges – you will mostly find single temperature zone models. This means that you can set only one temperature for the whole unit. Unlike dual-zone wine coolers where you can program two different cooling temperatures:
- Upper zone is usually for a red wine storage, while the
- lower zone is meant for storing whites and sparkling wines at cooler temperatures.
Note: In most wine coolers the two sections aren’t separated physically and the they rae of different size (usually the red wine zone is slightly roomier than the white/sparkling zone)
Conclusion: If you want to store both reds and whites at their suggested drinking tempertatures then you are probably better off with a dual temperature unit. Save on if you don’t have the budegt for it yet. However, if you really need something to keep your wines at optimal temperature, protected from UV light, food odours then don’t hesitate to get a single-zone wine refrigerator. You can save to upgraded it for dual-climate model later on.
TIP: Here some excellent dual-zone wine coolers, that are a great buy for the money in 2022!
Built-In or Freestanding?
This depends where you want to place the wine cooler, most improtantly where you have space for it. Most built-in models come in two sizes regarding cabinet width:
- 15-inch wide – nice, slim options that fit perfecftly in the place of an old trash compactor under the kitchen counter
- 24-inch wide cabinets – bigger fridges usually with 40+ bottle capacity.
Built-in models ventilate in the front, usually through metal slits at the bottom, unde rthe door.
Most low-budget units – especially thermolectric coolers – aren’t suitable for integrated, fully built-in placement.
On the other hand, freestanding wine fridges require clearance around the sides, at the back and top for proper ventilation and optimal cooling efficiency.
All countertop size, mini wine coolers are for standalone placement only with enough space left at the sides, back and top.
TIP: Browse our list of good-quality built-in wine fridges if integrated installation is more suitable for you.
Length of Warranty
The majority of inexpensive fridges come with a 1-year – or shorter – manufacturer’s warranty on parts and labor. We try to recommend models that have longer than 1 year guarantee period but it isn’t always possible.
The length of warranty reflects on the manufacturer’s trust in its own product. Naturally, units with longer warranty aremore dependable and less prone to early break down.
Best-Value Wine Coolers That Cost Less Than 500 USD
To wrap it up before moving onto the actual roundup, first decide on size and placement in your house, then make make list of the best options.
Lastly, do some research on the selected items by
- Reading customer reviews and
- Taking a good look at all the features,
- Warranty details,
- Company/brand reputation,
- Customer service.
Black & Decker 8-Bottle Wine Cooler
Highlights At A Glance:
- Appealing look with two door finish options: transparent (BD60026) or mirrored (BD60326) UV-protected glass door
- Compact size that has storage room for 8 bottles of wine
- Triple layaer glass door for maximum insulation
- Quiet, thermoelectric cooling with a range of 45°F – 65°F with easy to use digital settings and display
- 1 year manufacturer warranty on replacemnt parts and workmanship
- Great price: both models cost cc. 165 – 175 USD (cc. 20 – 22 USD per bottle).
Note: When you buy through links on our site to Amazon we may earn a commission at no additional cost to you.
Schmecke 12-Bottle Wine Fridge With Door Lock
Recommended Reading
- How thermolectric wine coolers work (includes recommended Peltier wine cooler brands & models).
- User Reviews on the Wine Enthusiast 28-Bottle Wine Cooler
- Wine Enthusiast Home Wine Cellars – overview of the brand’s wine bottle cooler models.
- EdgeStar 28-bottle Thermoelectric Wood-paneled Wine Cooler – an attractive, energy-efficient wine fridge for freestanding use.
- Avanti WC331DZD 28-bottle two Zone Wine Cooler – a nice looking compact wine cellar with two independent temperature zones for under US$ 500.
- The Best 30-Bottle Wine Refrigerators – top-rated wine coolers with around 30 bottle count storage space.
Similar Home Wine Cellars
- Haier Wine Cellars – our overview article of Haier wine coolers.
- Danby DWC283BLS Two-Zone Wine Cooler – a sleek medium size wine fridge with 2 temperature zones and 6 wood shelves.
