In this article, we’ll discuss where to put a large wine cooler, specifically where is the best place to use a large wine fridge and then what is the best position to keep it in, as well as some of the most common issues to watch out for.
With that said, let’s get started!
What is a ?
A large wine fridge is a refrigerator-sized appliance that keeps wine chilled and ready to drink.
It can typically hold 50 to 300+ bottles of wine and is commonly used to store and chill entire wine collections in both home and commercial settings.
These wine storage units typically have a single cooling zone or multiple cooling zones (referred to as dual-zone wine coolers), allowing users to store multiple varieties of wine (for example, different types of white wine and red wine) within the same physical unit.
Considerations to take when positioning a
There are a lot of things to think about when deciding where to put a large wine fridge. Here are some of them:
It depends on the type of
There are two kinds of wine refrigerators:
- Freestanding wine coolers
- Built-in wine coolers
Units designed for freestanding use will frequently have back/side-facing vents, implying that airflow will be inhaled and exhaled through those vents to allow for efficient cooling. These units cannot be placed in enclosed spaces because they will simply not be able to collect enough air, which may result in not only your wine collection not being properly cooled, but also the wine fridge breaking.
Built-in/undercounter wine coolers have front-facing vents and can be used in both enclosed and open spaces. They are much more adaptable.
It depends on the space available
Although it may appear to be an obvious factor, the amount of space you have in your kitchen/bar area will have a significant impact on whether you have the capacity to store a large wine fridge, or if you will need to re-adjust the area and move other appliances around to compensate.
It requires good ventilation
As we mentioned earlier, wine coolers require good ventilation to not only work efficiently at an optimal temperature, but also to ensure they last a long time, because a wine fridge that can’t inhale enough cool air and exhale enough hot air will eventually overheat, putting the unit’s internal mechanisms and components at risk.
It needs to be out of direct sunlight
UV light accounts for about 10% of the light emitted by the sun, and only about one-third of that reaches the earth’s surface (LiveScience). However, UV light has a negative impact on wine, altering the PH, color density, anthocyanins, pigment, total phenolics, and tannin content (Pubmed).
Despite the fact that most large wine fridges have UV-protective glass, it is strongly advised to keep the wine cooler out of direct sunlight to further reduce light exposure.
As a result, wine fridges are frequently installed in a wine cellar or a wine cabinet.
It requires a cool environment
Large wine fridges use compressor-based cooling systems, and even though these are fairly powerful (considering their wine bottle capacity), if you place your wine cooler in a warm room, it will struggle.
Not only that, but it requires more electricity to achieve the same cooling temperature, increasing costs unnecessarily.
Where to put a large ?
Wine refrigerators are typically kept in a location with adequate ventilation for proper airflow, a cool room temperature so that the refrigerator does not overwork, and out of direct sunlight.
This is especially important for large-sized wine fridges, which are typically used by wine collectors, wine connoisseurs, wine sommeliers, and for commercial purposes to store a large collection of wines, potentially including rare/limited wines, and must be stored correctly.
As a result, a wine cellar, kitchen (not near a window), enclosed within a wine cabinet, or a commercial setting (bar, hotel, or club) is best suited.
We hope this article has been useful to each and every wine enthusiast reading this. Additionally, feel free to email us if you have any questions or comments.
I’ve been a wine enthusiast for over 20 years, and have sold wine refrigerators for the last 15 years. So I would consider myself to be a wine fridge expert. Hence why I created this blog, read between wines, where I post about wine fridges, wines and wine equipment.