The best appliance for storing and aging wine is a wine fridge. However, it can be challenging to determine which brand is best for you with so many options available.
But what exactly are little wine refrigerators? What are the potential benefits and drawbacks of purchasing one, as well as why you might want one.
We’ll be talking specifically about that in this article.
What is a Small ?
Simply put, a small wine fridge is one that can hold fewer wine bottles.
Your wine can be kept in a small wine refrigerator. It can be used to store either red or white wine and typically holds 5-20 bottles. For someone who enjoys wine and wants to keep it fresh but doesn’t need the space of a large wine fridge, a small wine refrigerator is a great investment.
How Does A Work?
A small wine cooler can be powered by a compressor or a thermoelectric system, just like any other wine refrigerator.
A compressor is present in a system powered by a compressor, which naturally aids in maintaining a stable internal temperature.
With a thermoelectric system, it utilizes the Peltier principle to help maintain a cool temperature for your wine collection. ScienceDirect discusses this more in detail here:
In order to balance the difference in the chemical potential of the two materials, the electrical current flowing through the junction connecting two materials will emit or absorb heat per unit time at the junction. This phenomenon is known as the Peltier effect and is the opposite of the Seebeck effect. This effect allows for the creation of the Peltier cooler, an electronic refrigerator. Because the cooling power is less than that of compressor-based refrigerators, the Peltier cooler has been used in specialized industries such as infrared detectors, CPU coolers, wine cellars, etc. Thermoelectrics is the name of this method.
Factors to Consider When Assessing a Brand
To start, when choosing a wine refrigerator brand and model, there are a few important factors to take into account. While some of these are obvious, others are not as obvious.
The reputation of the brand
The brand’s reputation will almost certainly play a significant role in your decision when purchasing a wine refrigerator.
Excellent, Responsive Customer service
This is essentially an insurance policy, making it one of the most crucial factors to take into account. When it comes to good customer service, you should ensure that the business you’re purchasing from is accessible and has a solid reputation for offering top-notch support.
How can you accurately assess the customer service of a brand?
There are two ways to accomplish this, the first being much simpler and the second being the real test:
- On websites like Trustpilot and Feefo as well as Google Reviews, you can find unbiased customer reviews and feedback for every brand. You should average their (10) overall review rating.
- To see if there is a live chat or email contact option, visit the brand’s website. If they engage in a live chat, they have just gained one point (+1). You should send their customer service department an email if you have a query about a specific wine cooler on their website. The responsiveness and depth of their response are what you’re looking for. The quicker, more thorough, and more beneficial the response, the higher the score. You can simply divide it by ten for each brand.
The result is a score for both 1 and 2. You can create a hierarchy of the brands with excellent customer service versus those without it by simply averaging the scores.
Warranty
The warranty’s duration is a further important factor. Because you’re buying a wine cooler from their website, you want to know if they provide a warranty. Understanding the warranty’s terms and conditions is also essential because some brands offer separate labor and parts warranties.
Features
Each wine refrigerator will have its own distinctive features. For instance, some models will only have one cooling zone, while others will have dual, triple, or even quadruple cooling zones. Along with that, wine refrigerators can differ in a number of other ways, including the amount of internal storage space, whether or not they have adjustable shelves or a display shelf, the type of material used to make the shelving (metal or wood), whether they have a reversible door, and a lot more. Therefore, it’s crucial that you take these into account before making a decision.
Physical Dimensions
Since wine refrigerators come in a variety of sizes and heights, it is crucial to take these factors into account before making a purchase. You might discover that it doesn’t fit into the designated space at home, in your kitchen, or wine cellar, if you don’t take the size into account. or in a setting that is commercial, like a bar or restaurant. Additionally, if the dimensions are not taken into account beforehand, transporting the unit could prove to be very challenging, especially if there are small doorways, low ceilings, stairways, or sharp turns on the way to the location where it will be stored.
Cost
Not to mention, prices for small wine refrigerators will vary, particularly between brands. You should prepare to pay more for a wine fridge that will last longer because they are more of a long-term investment. The worst thing you can do is spend too much money on a wine fridge only to have it break and need to be replaced.
With that said, we’ve provided a list of the most reputable, reliable wine fridge manufacturers below. We considered the duration of the company’s operation as well as customer reviews and ratings for the products.
Benefits of a Small
An energy-efficient device that can help you keep your wine fresh is a small wine fridge. You can prevent the deterioration brought on by exposure to air and light by keeping your wine in a small refrigerator. Additionally, a small wine refrigerator enables you to keep your wine at a constant temperature, protecting its flavor and other qualities.
An advantage of a compact wine refrigerator is:
1. It’s compact in size – In the end, this means that it can be placed in a variety of locations, making it simple to integrate into your kitchen or another room of your house.
2. Energy-efficient – These appliances use less energy than large wine coolers because of their smaller size. They are additionally offered with compressor and Small technology, the latter of which is the most energy-efficient.
3. It’s very affordable – They cost less to buy because of their size and bottle capacity.
4. Low running costs – The cost to cool the unit is significantly less than a large wine fridge because of the unit’s smaller bottle capacity and zone size. As a result, the operating costs for electricity are lower.
Drawbacks of a Small
Although there are some disadvantages to take into account, a small wine refrigerator can be a great way to store and serve wine.
1. Limited storage capacity – One reason is that a small wine refrigerator might not have enough room to accommodate a wide range of wines.
2. Limited temperature range – Cheaper products frequently have fewer functionalities. If you want to keep your wine chilled for a long time, these refrigerators might not be able to do it.
2. Durability – Finally, they could be more prone to damage and less durable than larger models.
Consider purchasing a model that is designed for the job if you’re looking for a small refrigerator that can accommodate your wine collection.
Types of Refrigerators
There are many different small wine coolers available on the market right now.
Because it is compact and convenient to store, the countertop model, also called a countertop wine cooler, is the most popular and is found in many homes. Additionally, these models won’t cost you a lot of money to run because they typically have a small energy footprint.
Single-zone or dual-zone capacities are available for small wine coolers. The zones refer to how many storage zones there are inside the unit.
A single-zone wine fridge is therefore best suited for people who only want to store one type of wine, such as a collection of red wines, as it only has one cooling zone.
A dual-zone wine fridge has two cooling zones, making it better suited for people who want to store both white and red wine in one physical unit.
The Best Brands of Small
1. Koolatron
2. Ivation
3. Phiestina
4. Antarctic Star
5. Black + Decker
How Much Does a Small Cost?
Small wine refrigerators are becoming more widely used and more reasonably priced as a result of technological developments and increased competition brought on by new market entrants. The price of a small wine fridge, on the other hand, starts at about $150.
Conclusion
Keep your wine cold and fresh with a small wine cooler. Choosing the best brand for you can be challenging with so many options available.
You can determine whether this kind of wine fridge is appropriate for your needs by being aware of the main advantages and potential drawbacks of one.
On the other hand, there are many excellent choices for wine refrigerators.
However, it’s crucial to make the best decision possible for your needs. Before making a choice, be sure to take everything into account, including price and features.
Rest assured that one of the brands mentioned above is a fantastic option if you want a high-quality wine refrigerator that will last for years.
Finally, we’ll be writing an article on this if you’re looking for a place to buy a small wine cooler.
Roseanne is an avid wine enthusiast, and has been our expert wine connoisseur since day 1. She’s extremely informed about all varieties of wine and different types of wine fridges.