Where do you keep the wine? If the answer is in a warm, brightly lit, or excessively humid place, you might want to consider moving the bottles. The reason is that wine is sensitive. It suffers when exposed to sunlight, constant temperature fluctuations, and even the subtle vibrations from other appliances.
At Wineandbarrels, we always recommend that you keep your wine in a wine cooler – and even better: a built-in wine cooler. By doing so, you ensure that the wine is kept at the perfect temperature. By choosing an in-built solution, you also create a beautiful, unified look as the built-in wine cooler becomes a natural part of your interior design.
In this article, we at Wineandbarrels give you the best advice on how you choose the perfect built-in wine cooler for your needs. The result is a clean, streamlined finish that looks like it was always meant to be there.
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How to choose the right built-in wine cooler
Getting the seamless look is one thing; choosing the right piece of kit is another. Here is our guide to the three key features you should consider.
1. Temperature: 1 zone, 2 zones or even more?
When choosing a wine cooler, the number of temperature zones is an important factor. At Wineandbarrels, we offer wine coolers with single-zone, dual-zone, and multi-zone temperature control. The choice depends on how many bottles of wine you have and their type.
- A 1-zone wine cooler has a single temperature zone, allowing the entire unit to be set to one temperature. This type of wine cooler is ideal if you prefer one specific type of wine, such as red or white.
- Prefer greater flexibility and storage of multiple types of wine? Then we recommend a 2-zone wine cooler. It offers two separate temperature zones, allowing you to store different types of wine under optimal conditions.
- If you wish to store various types of wine at different temperatures, we recommend a multi-zone wine cooler. Use one zone for red wine, another for white wine, and a third for sparkling wine or champagne
2. The tech specs: Noise and placement
If your wine cooler is going in an open-plan kitchen, noise level matters. The noise can be a major source of irritation for some. Luckily, most modern wine coolers are fairly quiet. Depending on how sensitive you are to noise, you can confidently place our wine coolers in a prominent spot at home.
Many wine coolers have a noise level of around 35–45 decibels (dB). For comparison, a modern fridge typically runs at about 35–42 dB. The reason a wine cooler emits slightly more noise is due to the need for constant temperature control and more moving parts.
3. Capacity: How many bottles?
When choosing a built-in wine cooler, consider the number of bottles you want to store and the available space. For instance, if you have 30 bottles of wine but a small kitchen, you will likely need to divide them. A solution could be to keep some in the wine cooler and store the rest on a wine rack in a dark room at a fairly constant temperature.
The beauty of a built-in model is that it allows you to replace a standard kitchen unit easily. However, it is vital that you choose a built-in wine cooler specifically designed for that purpose. Typically, this means the cooler must have its air intake at the base.
At Wineandbarrels, we offer a range of built-in wine coolers to suit every need. Look for brands like Pevino and Cavecool, which offer some of the best options available for storing wine.
