Last updated on July 15th, 2021 at 03:10 pm
This single-zone, freestanding fridge that holds max. 28 bottles of wine is the cheapest option in our list of wine coolers under 500 USD.
It uses quality compressor technology to ensure consistent temperatures across the cabinet interior.
You can program the settings between 41°F – 64°F (5 – 18°C), a wide enough range to store varied types of wines inside.
See what it offers at such moderate price and whether you should consider buying!
Table Of Contents
Table Of Contents
Quick Specs
Brand: WIE (China-based manufacturer)
Model: WIWCJC28BADX-US
Cooling Type: compressor cooling
Zone: Single Temperature Zone, 41°F – 64°F (5 – 18°C).
Rating: 4.8/5 (Owners’ Ratings on Amazon).
Placement: Freestanding only, with clearance
Dimensions: H: 33.1″, W: 16.9″, D: 17.7″
Price: cc. 300 – 350 USD.
Pros:
Pros:- Moderate price
- Adaptive shelving with extra rack for holding glasses.
- Apart from wines you chill beer, soda, water etc in it.
- Elegant look – the black decor will fit any setting: kitchen, living room, or home office.
- Glass door with large viewing surface and the muted blue interior lighting make everything visible inside.
- Simple to set up and use – just plug it in after 24 hrs letting it standing upright and you can set it to the temp. you want it to cool to.
- Compact size – space efficient dimensions yet you can store and cool 28 bottles of wine in it.
Cons: Look & Style
The WIE 28-bottle home cellar has an all-black decor: black stainless steel cabinet with dual-wall, tempered glass door that boasts a narrow black trim around the edges.
Thermopane, Dual Wall Glass Door
The door is made of expansive dual pane glass that provides unobstructed view inside the fridge. You will definitely be able to see your wine collection.
In case you think that the glass will not insulate well enough you shouldn’t stress about it. The door glass is tempered and two panes are used with a slight tint to them to block UV rays.
Furthermore, the door closes with a magnetic seal that adds extra insulation and ensures tight shutting.
The door has an integrated handle saves you from some minor work of installing a handle and it also lends a more compact look to the unit.
Shelving – Versatile Use, Rack For Wine Glasses
7 pull-out chromed metal shelves cradle the bottles. You remove the shelves should you need to make room for large, or long shape bottles.
You can configure racking the way it suits you the best. Remove shelves to seamlessly fit in magnums, champagnes.
Alternatively, you also have the option to put in unfinished bottles in upright position
You can even store wine glasses with the special rack included with the unit. Naturally, putting the glass holder in will reduce the bottle storage space.
Besides wine, you can keep beer, soda drinks, water or your favorite proteinshake, smoothie inside.
Interior Light
The fridge has soft blue LED illumination – LED lights mounted on the cabinet top.
Just tap the light bulb indicator on the control panel to switch on or off the lighting.
How & Where To Place the WIE 28-Bottle Wine Fridge?
This compressor-based refrigerator ventilates at the back so it is not for built-in, fully-recessed placement.
Clearance Needed
Leave at least 4 – 6 inches (10 – 15 cm) space around the sides, at the back and top.
This will guarantee that the fridge will ventilate adequately, efficiently removing the warm air from the cabinet interior.
In addition, make certain that you place the fridge at the darkest spot within your home, away from sunlight or appliances that emit heat.
Make sure you let it stand upright for at least 24 hours before starting to use it. Connect it to a dedicated electric plug (110V/60Hz).
After turning it on the wine cellar will start cooling immediately and will reach the lowest setting in a couple of hours.
It is best to wait with loading the fridge up until it cools to the set temperature
Temperature Control & Display
Adjusting the cooling temperature is fairly straightforward. Press the “gear” symbol on the touch sensor panel for 2 seconds to unlock the buttons.
Then press the Up/Down arrows to set the desired temperature. You can also choose whether you want the temperature shown in Celsius or Fahrenheit.
Just push the °C/°F selector icon right next to the gear icon.
You can monitor the temperature on the small readout screen that displays the interior temp. in blue LED.
Auto defrost is a must have feature nowadays and the WIE 28-bottle wine cellar has it too.
No need to worry about ice build up, the fridge will do a defrost cycle at factory programed intervals.
Key Features – WIE 28-Bottle Wine Fridge
Capacity: 28 bottles (750 ml, Bordeuax-style bottles).
Cooling Type: Compressor cooling.
Door: Double pane glass, tinted against sunlight.
Handle: Recessed handle.
Direction of Door Opening: Right, can’t be reversed.
Door Lock: No.
Number of Zones: single zone.
Temperature Range: 41°F – 64°F (5 – 18°C).
Temperature Control: digital touch pad icons integrated in the top door frame
Display: LED readout in blue.
Temperature Memory: No.
Interior Light: Low-intensity blue LED lighting.
Shelving: 7 wave-shaped, chromed wire shelves, all are removable.
Auto defrost: Yes.
Noise Level: Rated at 38 dBA
Electricity Consumption:
Dimensions & Weight
- Height: 33.1″
- Width: 16.9″
- Depth: 17.7″
- Weight: 59.4 lbs. (27 kg).
Price & Warranty – WIE 28-Bottle
- Price: cc. 300 – 350 USD (10.7 – 12.5 USD per bottle).
- Warranty: 1 year
What Owners Say About The WIE 28-Bottle Wine Cooler?
The vast majority of reviewers on Amazon are very satisfied with their purchase. The wine fridge has received 4.8/5 rating which is rare in this product category.
The WIE 28-bottle wine fridge works reliably, makes little noise – (a low humming sound that all compressor fridges emit).
They highlighted that the cooler extremely stylish with its all black decor and large glass door.
The adjustable metal shelving proves to be very handy in case you drink a wide variety of wines.
Just remove one or two racks to free space for magnums, champagnes or other non-standard size bottles.
Last but not least, it is one of the most inexpensive wine coolers on the market in 2021.
For around 350 USD – or less if you managed to catch a deal – it offers all the specifics you need in a good wine storage cooler.
Why Buy?
To put it shortly, you will have a hard time finding a better value wine cooler in this size and price category.
At around 350 USD the WIE 28-bottle home cellar has everything you need to store your wines within suitable environment.
It also has a nice size-capacity ratio: space saving dimensions combined with fairly high bottle count, depending of course on bottle size and style.
All in all, the WIE 28-Bottle wine fridge is a neat little unit at unbeatable price.
Similar Wine Storage Units
- TYLZA 30-Bottle Wine Cellar, Dual Temperature Zone – Elegant model designed for built-in or standalone use.
- EdgeStar 30-Bottle Built-In Wine Fridge – A single zone unit with wood shelving. Has 15″ width,perfect for under-the-counter placement.
- For a higher-end model consider the 32-Bottle Dual-Zone Wine Fridge by Smith & Hanks. You can install it under the counter or use it freestanding. It sells for around 600 – 650 USD, but comes with 3 years warranty on the compressor (1 year on parts and labor).
- Inexpensive Wine Coolers – a list of recommended low-cost home cellars.
- Best 30-Bottle Wine Refrigerators – some of the most reliable units with around 28-30 bottle capacity.