The Franklin Chef FWC36 wine cooler is a sleek unit that fits perfectly under a kitchen counter.
This 36-bottle wine refrigerator by Franklin Chef is great for those who look for a mid-capacity wine cooler with 2 temperature zones.
To make a well-informed buying decision, read throroughly our review of the Franklin Chef FWC36 wine cooler.
Note: for Home Depot Franklin Chef makes this wine refrigerator under the Everstar HDC36SS brand.
Features – Franklin Chef FWC36
In the Franklin Chef FWC36 wine refrigerator you can tore up to 36 bottles of wine in two separate compartments for which you can set temperature individually. So it’s ideal for those who want to keep red wines in one of the compartments and chill whites in the other zone.
This wine cooler model is compressor-run which generates some noise when the compressor and/or the fans are running, but it is more silent than ordinary kitchen refrigerators and there’s no vibration that could disturb sedimentation in wine.
The two-compartment design allows you to operate only one of the compartments. Read more about Dual Zone Wine Coolers.
The wine cooler comes with 12 scalloped wire racks (6 for each compartment) that can be pulled out to 1/3. The scallloped form ensures snug fitting of the bottles. The bottom rack is tilted at a 45-degree angle to nicely showcasing the wines stored there.
Each side of the wine refrigerator can hold 18-18 standard size wine bottles (3 on each rack).
The two double pane glass doors provide full view of the stored wines. Each door includes its own lock and key set.
Both doors have stainless steel bar handles for easy opening. The stainless steel door frames match well with the black cabinet and fits into most modern kitchen furnishings.The control panels for the two compartments are integrated in the top frames of the doors.
With the Up and Down push buttons you can easily set the desired temperature for both zones in the range of 46 – 64ºF (8 – 18ºC). Some find it annoying, others love that all control buttons beep when you press them.
The blue LCDs display the current temperatures in Fahrenheit. The LCD displays will light for about 2 minutes after the last button was pressed.
There’s also button for the interior light switch.
Do not leave the lights on for a longer period of time because the heat generated by them can increase the temperature inside the cooler causing the compressor to run more frequently resulting in higher electricity consumption.
The control panel has also a Compressor run indicator. When the compressor runs a moving icon (runing fan) appears in the two displays.
There’s also an Alarm Function that goes off with a beeping sound if the temperature is too high or too low.
The LCD displays any of the following alarm messages:
- Low temp,
- High temp or
- Probe error. In this case look at the Wine cooler troubleshhoting section in the manual or if doesn’t help contact the customer service. Actually you cannot turn off the Alarm beeping, it stops by itself after a minute.
Unlike some other cheap wine coolers the Franklin Chef FWC36 wine cooler “remembers” the last settings so in case of a power outage the unit will automatically return to the last temperature settings before the outage.
The Franklin Chef FWC36 wine cooler comes with two plastic drip trays that have to be placed on the bottom rack of each compartment.
The trays collect condensation and by letting the water evaporating help maintain humidity level so that the corks will not dry out. Check on the trays occasionally (once or so a month) whether they need to be emptied.
Dimensions of the Franklin Chef FWC36 Wine Cooler:
- Heigth: 33.4″
- Width: 23.5″
- Depth: 23.5
It has standard cabinet dimensions so it fits under the counter in most kitchens.
Price of the Franklin Chef FWC36 Wine Cooler: it’s available for US$ 620 – 800 (US$ 17.22 – 22.22 per bottle) in online stores.
Installing the Franklin Chef FWC36 Wine Cooler
The Franklin Chef 36-bottle wine cooler is run by a compressor ensuring high cooling efficiency. Wait 24 hours before plugging the wine cooler in.
The fans at the back of the unit and the vents in the front direct heat generated by the compressor away from the interior of the cooler.
Although you can use the wine cooler both as freestanding and built-in, you must leave at least 3″ space around the sides and the back of the appliance to ensure that the heat driven out of the interior dissipates well.
The unit has front leveling legs ensuring easy and level placement .
Electrical input requirements: 115 V, 60 Hz.
The appliance comes with a cord having a grounding wire with a grounding plug. You must plug it in an outlet that is properly grounded and installed.
The Franklin Chef FWC36 wine refrigerator turns on automatically when you plug it in and sets the temperature at 55 degrees Fahrenheit (13ºC).
To adjust the cooler to cool to a different temperature than the default 55ºF than press the SET button on the control panel and use the UP and Down buttons to select the desired temperature.
For example if you want to store red wines in one of the compartments set it to 60 – 62ºF. White wines require lower drinking temperature, so you can adjust the other compartment to around 54 – 55ºF for storing whites.
When the set temperatures appears in the DISPLAY, press SET again to confirm.
There’ll always be a slight temperature fluctuation inside the cooler. The thermostat of the unit is in the middle of the unit. The bottom of the inetrior will be colder while the top warmer than the middle section.
Maintenance
The wine cooler doesn’ t require much maintenance. Checking on the drip trays has already been mentioned.
Before cleaning the inside unplug the unit and remove the wine bottles. Wipe the interior surface and the racks with a soft cloth dipped into mild soapy water. Wipe it again with clean water then let it dry.
For cleaning the outside of the unit also use soft cloth dipped in mild soapy water. Do not use harsh detergents or scouring pads because they might scratch the surface of the cabinet.
NOTE: Franklin Chef went out of business. Service and parts for certain Franklin Chef appliance models are provided by an independent company FixIce.com.
Consumer Reviews on the Franklin Chef FWC36 Wine Cooler
There are mixed opinions about Franklin Chef’s FWC36 wine cooler. Some have complained that even though he left the required 3″ space around the sides and in the back for proper venting the unit still gets too hot.
One main returning complaint is the poor repair service.
Main Strengths
- sleek, stylish design,
- easy-to-fit size,
- two temperature zones with independent controls and displays,
- affordable price
Similar Products:
TIP: The EdgeStar 36-bottle Dual-Zone wine refrigerator has the same capacity, with compressor cooling, and double door design.
For a slightly larger dual zone wine fridge take a look at the Avanti 46-Bottle wine cooler or the triple-zone Electrolux ICON™ 48-Bottle wine cooler.
In this price category (US$ 500 – 1000 ) the Danby Dual Temperature Zone Wine Refrigerators offer various storage capacities. The Two Zone Wine Cellars by Avanti are also worth taking a look at.
For a similar unit read review of the Vinotemp 34-Bottle wine cooler. or review of the Amcor WV-50 35-bottle wine cellar.
