Are you tired of letting your wines go off in an 80 ºF pantry? The Black & Decker 6-Bottle Wine Cooler might be just what you need to keep your favorite Pinot, Cabernet or Sav Blanc at ideal temperature.
It is a compact unit that accommodates 6 standard size bottles on 2 contoured metal shelves.
The fridge has one temperature zone in which you can set the temperature between 46 – 65 Fahrenheit (8 – 18 Celsius). A pretty wide range allowing you stock in it all varietals. Sidenote: due to the single zone feature only one variety at a time.
Store your wines in this budget, small-footprint wine cellar and you’ll have a nicely chilled bottle at hand all the time.
Read on to find out about the its features and benefits in detail!
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Quick Overview
Black & Decker 6-Bottle Wine Cooler
Brand & Model: Black & Decker BD60016
Capacity: 6 bottles (750 ml, Bordeaux-style)
Cooling Type: Thermoelectric
Zones: Single Temperature Zone: 40 – 65 ºF (5 – 18 ºC)
Placement: Freestanding only
Dimensions: H: 14.9″, W: 9.7″, D: 19.8″
Place Of Manufacture: China (in accordance with U. S. ETL/UL standards).
Price: cc. 150 – 170 USD
Owners’ Ratings on Amazon: 4.5/5
Pros
Small, compact size
Affordable price, perfect for budding wine aficionados
Easy to install and use, low maintenance.
Cons
Warranty could be longer
Table Of Contents
- Features At A Glance
- What’s To Like?
- What’s Not To Like?
- Look & Style – Black & Decker BD60016
- Interior Light
- Thermoelectric Cooling – Efficient in Small Coolers
- Temperature Setting & Display – Touchscreen Controls
- Shelving – Quality Wire Racks
- Placement – Ideal Fit For a Counter Top
- Ambient Temperature – What’s The Best?
- Clearance Requirement
More Features At A Glance
- Capacity: 6 bottles of wine (750 ml, Bordeaux-style).
- Cooling Type: Thermoelectric with air circulating fan.
- Number of Zones: Single zone.
- Door: Triple-pane, UV protecting, glass with black frame.
- Direction of Door Swing: Opens to the right, non-reversible.
- Temperature Range: 46 – 65 ºF (8 – 18 ºC)
- Shelving: 2 removable, chromed wire shelves.
- Placement: Freestanding only, ventilates at the back.
- Clearance: min. 2″ around the sides and back, 4″ at the top
- Adjustable Legs: Rotate them until the fridge is fully level.
- Noise Level: 38 dBA
- Electricity Consumption: cc. 144 kWh a year
What’s To Like?
- Small footprint, space saving design. Takes up only 9.7″ x 19.8″ floor space.
- Low noise and vibration-free (noise level is less than 38 dBA) – Won’t bother you even if you sit/work/talk close to it.
- Versatile placement options: living room, kitchen, home office, home bar, entertainment room etc. (make sure you leave enough clearance).
- Uncomplicated set up and operation – just wipe the cabinet with a wet cloth, plug it in, place the racks inside, tap the touchscreen to adjust the temperature.
- Poses less threat to the environment due to lack of refrigerant (it uses thermoelectric cooling).
What’s Not To Like?
- Short warranty period (1 year) – unfortunately this is the case with nearly all low-cost wine fridges. The good thing is that large stores like Amazon offer 30-day return period. Usually major faults will reveal themselves during this time and you can return the item and get your money back.
Look & Style – Black & Decker BD60016
The black cabinet has triple layer glass door with a slight tint for filtering UV rays.
There is a black trim around the edges of the door. It features a recessed handle that adds to the compact design.
The door opens to the left and it cannot be reversed.
The three glass panes and UV protection ensure extra insulation and stable temperature inside the cabinet.
Interior Light In Subtle Blue
The fridge has a light inside, built in the cabinet top is a LED fixture that will cast the bottles in a muted blue illumination.
You will find the switch on the control screen where all the other control buttons are.
Thermoelectric Cooling – Efficient in Small Coolers
The Black & Decker 6-Bottle wine cellar applies thermoelectric technology to generate cool air.
This method is based on semiconductors instead of using compressor and a cooling agent.
Thermoelectric cooling works best in small-size fridges, for up to 20 bottles. Up to this size it’s quite efficient and uses less electricity than a similar size compressor fridge.
Unlike compressor-based wine coolers, thermoelectric units do not contain refrigerants (also referred to as CFC-s, HCFC-s), chemicals that are considered to be harmful to the environment.
To sum up, this 6-bottle thermoelectric fridge fridge will keep constant cool temperature inside the cabinet while consuming relatively little power.
Make sure you pay attention to the clearance requirements and also place the cooler on a cool, shaded spot in your home. These are a must for the cooler to work efficiently, with minimal noise and electricity use.
TIP: Learn more about how thermoelectric wine coolers work and what are their advantages/disadvantages.
Temperature Setting & Display – Touchscreen Control
Operating this neat home cellar is pretty simple.
Just plug it in a dedicated, 3-prong outlet (110V/60 Hz) and start setting the temperature.
Press the buttons on the control panel located on the top door frame until you reach the temperature you want the fridge to cool to.
The Control Buttons Come In This Order, From Left To Right:
- Light switch
- Celsius/Fahrenheit selector – press to choose the measurement you want the temperature to be displayed in.
- Readout screen – displays the interior temperature of the fridge in blue LED.
- Up Arrow – tap to increase the temperature
- Down Arrow – tap to lower the temperature.
You increase the temperature by 1 degree by tapping the Up button and decreasing it with the Down button.
TIP: We suggest 55ºF as this is the recommended temperature to store wines for a longer period of time.
Although anything between the range 46 – 65 ºF is good as long as the daily fluctuation is less than 5 degrees.
See more on wine storage requirements here.
Let the fridge run for around 1 hour before filling it up with bottles of wine. It will cool to the set temperature within 2-3 hours.
Shelving – Quality Wire Racks
Two sturdy, chromed wire racks cradle the wine bottles.
You can remove both of them but cannot adjust the height.
Each rack has space for 3 normal size and style (750 ml, Bordeaux type) bottles.
Placement – Ideal Fit For a Counter Top
The Black & Decker 6-bottle wine cellar is for standalone placement only. It ventilates at the rear of the cabinet so recessed installation or tight, enclosed placement is not recommended.
Additionally, leave enough space around the sides, at the back and top.
This ensures efficient, silent operation and allows the cooler to maintain temperature with using the least amount of electricity.
The Black & Decker BD60016 wine fridge has small footprint so it will fit nicely on a kitchen counter or table.
TIP: See other options for countertop size wine refrigerators!
Keep in mind to place the unit away from sunlight. Next to an oven is neither a good idea, since the fridge would have to work extra to maintain the set temperature.
Ambient Temperature – What’s The Best?
In order to ensure optimal operation and stable cooling temperatures put the cooler in a room where the temperature is between 60 -75 ºF (15.5 – 24 ºC).
Clearance Requirement
- Sides: 2″
- Back: 2″
- Top: 4″
Dimensions & Weight
Exterior Size:
- Height: 14.9″
- Width: 9.7″
- Depth: 19.8″
Interior Size:
- Height: 11″
- Width: 7.25″
- Depth: 11.50″
Weight
- Weight: 17.6 lbs (8 kg).
The most ideal room temperature is around 60 – 65ºF. This is when the fridge operates most efficiently, without using too much electricity to cool the air inside the cabinet.
Price & Warranty
- Price: cc. 150 – 170 USD (25 – 28 USD per bottle).
- Warranty: 1 year parts and labor by the manufacturer.
Why Buy/Not Buy The Black & Decker 6-Bottle Wine Cooler?
It is a great budget home cellar ideal for budding wine enthusiasts. It takes up little space yet keeps 6 bottles of wine at cool temperature, protected against sunlight and vibration.
If placed properly, the Black & Decker 6-Bottle fridge operates energy efficiently and doesn’t make much noise.
Easy to set up and use. If you are looking for a low-cost wine cooler that looks neat and keeps your wines in an ideal environment then Black & Decker 6-Bottle fridge is a good choice.
Conclusion – Is It Worth Buying The Black & Decker 6-Bottle Wine Cooler?
This is a great entry level wine storage cooler with low noise thermoelectric cooling that also has the added benefit of little electricity consumption.
If you love wine and want to keep a few of your favorite bottles always at hand then this Black & Decker mini fridge is just what you need.
What’s more, it won’t take up much space and makes little noise so you can put it in your home office or living room.
All in all, the Black & Decker 6-bottle cellar won’t disappoint and it is hard to get a better option at this price point (150 USD.)
In addition, most owners of this unit are satisfied with its operation, small size and budget price.
Check price & Reviews On Amazon
Similar Units To Consider
Although the selection is rather thin in wine coolers with 6 bottles capacity, there are some alternatives you might want to take a look at.
Koolatron 6-Bottle Wine Cooler, WC06
The Koolatron 6-Bottle unit has nearly the same features as the Black & Decker fridge. They even cost almost the same (cc. 150-170 USD depending on retailer).
Similarities Between Koolatron and Black & Decker Models
- Cooling method: both use thermoelectric technology
- Capacity: 6 normal-size bottles of wine (750 ml, Bordeaux-style)
- Temperature range and setting: same: 46 – 65 ºF (8 – 18 ºC), touch button controls integrated in the top part of the door
- Door: right hinged, opens to the right, cannot be reversed, tempered dual/triple pane glass, recessed handle
- Door glass is tinted to block UV rays
- Shelves: 2 chrome plated metal racks, removable
- Placement: freestanding only, with clearance
- Price: from 150 USD
Differences – Koolatron/Black & Decker
- The Koolatron model does not have auto defrost. You need to defrost it manually.
- Only 90 days warranty period is provided for the Koolatron 6-bottle fridge. The Black & Decker offers 1 year guarantee period on parts and labor.
Here you will find information on other Koolatorn wine fridges!
Wine Enthusiast 6-Bottle Wine Cooler
The 6-bottle cellar by Wine Enthusiast has identical technical specs, dimensions and price as the Black & Decker and Koolatron models.
- Capacity: 6 Bordeaux size and style bottles
- Cooling Method: thermoelectric, DOE compliant (U.S. Department of Energy)
- Temperature range: 46 – 64 ºF (8 – 17.8 ºC)
- Look: black cabinet with dual panel glass door that has silver plastic trim on the sides
- Door: dual layer glass, has no tint so it doesn’t protect against UV light.
- Controls: digital touch screen integrated in the top of the door exterior
- Shelving: two removable chromed metal racks
- Placement: freestanding only, clearance required for sufficient ventilation
- Dimensions: H: 14.87″ W: 9.75″ D: 19.87″
- Price: cc. 150 USD
- Warranty: 1 year parts and labor.
TIP: See a collection of wine coolers with 6 bottle storage capacity.
Related Posts
If price is a major decision factor for you when choosing a home wine cellar then take a look at our page where we collected some good-value budget wine coolers.
